Summoned Creatures...

[Jack Haggerty]

A question arose during our game last night concerning summoned creatures...

Are they constrained by the range of the spell?

That is to say, if a 2nd level druid summons a hawk using Summon Nature's Ally I, must it stay within 30' of the druid? Or does the range only apply to its initial appearance?

 

[wolff96]

The way I read the spell, the range is only for the initial positioning of the spell.

Note this line from the spell Prying Eyes (Courtesy of the SRD):
"If an eye ever gets more than one mile distant from the character, it instantly ceases to exist. "

The summon monster spells do not include any line of similar intent. Other spells that utilize controllable, movable items such as Spectral Hand also specifically include what happens if the item goes beyond the spell's range.

Since the Summon Monster and Summon Nature's Ally spell lines contain no similar text, I believe that the range is only a limit on the initial summoning. It would also severely limit the non-combat uses that a character could use a summoned monster for if it only had a short range "leash".

 

[AGGEMAM]

No, the spell does not specify that it should therefore it is not restricted in this way.

 

[Henrix]

No, a summoned monster is not limited by the range of the spell. It must appear within range, but is not otherwise constrained.

 

[Bronn Spellforger]

Huh.. I never thought about it, but you're right.

You know, a truely chaotic mage could spend his time summoning monsters and the teleporting to places he's been... heh.

 

[Magus_Jerel]

They aren't so constrained once summoned.

 

[kreynolds]

ECHO, Echo, echo...

I could have sworn I just drove past the grand canyon for a second there.