Another attempt at a conjuer class

[kodyboy]

here is another attempt of mine at a conjurer. It is simple, but with the monster choices it should be complex enough to be fun. In addition I looked at many other conjurer/summoner creations on the web (special thanks to Mkill on wizards for some ideas) so this is my stuff plus others compiled.



Conjurer:

Power Source: Arcane. You have studied creatures of all shapes and sizes and learned how to call them forth with arcane power, but it drains you physically to do so.
Role: Controller/striker?
Key Abilities: Constitution, Intelligence
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth/leather
Weapon Proficiencies: Dagger/staff
Bonus to Defense: +1 fort, + 1 will
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution score
Hit Points per Level Gained: 4
Healing Surges per Day: 10 + Constitution modifier
Trained Skills: 4
Class Skills: Knowledge [nature, dungeoneering, Aracana] (Int), Insight (Wis)
Build Options: ?
Class Features: Attune Monster, Control Monster

CONJURER CLASS FEATURES

Attune Monster---ritual/arcane
You make a circle painstakingly inscribing arcane runes around and inside it. When completed you utter words of power and a cloud of smoke appears inside your circle. Inside the smoke monsters appear which can be called upon later to do your bidding.
10 minutes casting time
Effect: You attune yourself to your intelligence modifier in monsters at the beginning of the day. These monsters can they be called forth for a 24 hour period. If you do not attune yourself to a group of monsters at the beginning of the day you summon a monster that you know randomly when you use your summon monster at-will power. If the monster was already slain that day nothing appears.

You get attune yourself to a monster of your level or lower depending on your trained knowledge skills and your intelligence modifier. You can choose your intelligence modifier in monsters at each level. If you have the skill focus feat you get one more monster for that knowledge type in addition to your normal amount. The monsters are standard kinds, no leaders, solos or minions.

Monster Type Knowledge needed(skill)
Ooze, Aberation,Fungus Dungeoneering
Magical Beast, Dragon,Fey Arcana
Elemental, Immortal,Undead Arcana
Humanoid, Animal,Vermin Nature


Encounter/Daily spells.
A conjurer’s encounter spells are used a little differently than other classes. A conjurer starts with three encounter spells and then gets additional ones like any other class. A conjurer can use one type of the encounter spells as many times as he has encounter spells available, or mix them in any way he wants to. For example: a conjurer with three encounter spells could use guard, fuel the fury, and haste once each, haste three times, guard twice and haste once etc.

CONJURER SPELLS
Your powers are known as spells.

LEVEL 1 AT-WILL SPELLS
Summon Monster
In a cloud of smoke (or a dazzling light or whatever) a monster appears to do your bidding.
At will ◊ Arcane
Standard, Minor and Move Action (yes all three) Range: 5
Effect: You summon a monster that is attuned to you via the attune monster ritual. In addition you must spend a healing surge to summon a monster. The monster has standard hit points for its kind. The monster can perform a standard, minor or move action in the round summoned and has a minor, standard and move action available each round after that. The monster acts on the conjurer’s initiative. You also have a telepathic link to the monster. Summoned monsters that you are attuned to do not heal between summons, and if they die they are not available to be summoned again that day. If you summon a wounded monster again later in the day it has the same HPs that it had when dismissed. You can spend healing surges to heal your summoned monster. One healing surge heals the summoned creature 25% of its original HP. You can heal a monster up to your constitution modifier in healing surges per encounter as a minor action. Only you can heal a summoned monster, not an ally, as it is a magical construct attuned to your essence, not a real monster.
Sustain : Must use the control monster power

Control Monster
Your summoned monster attacks, moves, picks something up etc.
At will ◊ Arcane
Standard Action
Range: 100
Effect: You control a summoned monster. You can cause the monster to do one standard action on the turn it is summoned, and one standard/move and minor action on the subsequent rounds. The monster can do anything it would normally be able to do (i.e. in its stat block). The only abilities the summoned monster does not have are strictly knowledge based as the conjurer created the monster with magic and is controlling it with his mind. So the monster has no Intelligence based skills, use the conjurers instead. The conjured creature has no will of its own and will only exist and act as long as the control monster power is used.
The conjured creature has a telepathic link to the controller as long as the conjurer uses the control monster power.

Energy Ball Conjurer Attack 1
With a minor gesture a ball of energy appears in your hand and you throw it at your opponent and it explodes when it hits.
At-Will ◊ Arcane + appropriate energy type
Standard Action
Range: 15
Target: One creature + adjacent to the target
Attack: Intelligence vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d6 + Constitution damage to the main target and con damage to all adjacent to the target. You can pick from the following energy types when you use the power: cold/fire/electricity/acid/force/thunder.
Increase damage to 2d6 + Constitution to the main target at 21st level and con+2 to all adjacent creatures.
Special: This power counts as a basic ranged attack

Arcane Shield: Conjurer Defense 1
A shimmering field appears around your protecting you from both physical and energy attacks.
Encounter ◊ Arcane + appropriate energy type
Immediate interrupt
Target: yourself or one ally
You gain a +2 to AC and resistance 5 to one energy type (cold/fire/electricity/acid/force/thunder) until the end of the encounter:
this becomes a +4 to AC and resistance 10 at 21st level.

Resurgence - Conjurer Feature
The monster is infused with new energy from the summoner.
At-Will * Arcane
Free action
range: 20
Target: Summoned creature
Effect: The Conjurer spends one of his healing surges to heal the monster ¼ of its base hp. (The summoner can also use this power to heal the creature between encounters) The conjurer can do this up to his con mod/encounter.
Encounter Spells
Guard - Conjurer Control 1
The monster steps in front of you or an ally for protection.
Encounter * Arcane
Duration: until the end of your next turn
Move * (the monster must be able to get adjacent to the character that is getting the bonus by moving, and it uses its move action to do so)
Effect: Creature acts; adjacent ally is granted your Int bonus to AC.

Fuel the Fury – Conjurer Control 1
Your command throws the summoned creature into a furious rage.
Encounter * Arcane
Duration: until the end of your next turn
Move
Effect: When the creature acts it gains the summoners Int bonus as damage on any attack.

Haste - Conjurer Control 1
Your command makes summoned creature run faster.
Encounter * Arcane
Duration: until the end of your next turn
Move
Effect: The creature gains the summoners Int bonus in squares to its movement.

Daily Spells

Rise from Ashes – Conjurer Control 1
The summoner calls back his just-slain creature.
Daily * Arcane
Immediate Reaction * Arcane
Standard
Effect: As an immediate reaction to the defeat of his summoned creature, the conjurer can restore it to full hit points. It gains an immediate standard attack. The conjurer expends a healing surge.


Conjurer Feats:

Heroic
Improved Summons:
Your summoned monsters get a +2 bonus on attacks and damage

Quick Summons:
Your summon monster spell now only takes a standard action to cast.

Bolster Monster:
Your summoned monsters start out with 25% more HP than is standard for its type.

Quicken:
Your summoned monsters get a +2 bonus to their speed.

Fortify:
Your summoned monsters get a +2 bonus to their AC.

Ride:
You can ride your summoned creature as a mount (without this feat it takes too much concentration to both sustain your monster and ride at the same time). Note: this only applies to land-based and surface swimming movement, not burrowing, flying, teleporting etc.

Paragon Feats:
Advanced Ride:
You can now ride a summoned creature that can fly, burrow, teleport etc. Note: this does not give the creature the ability to move you if it cannot carry you, teleport another creature etc.



I need to come up with more feats.......
Paragon Path
Elemental Conjurer:
Your summoned creatures are infused with the essence of one energy, fire, cold, electricity, acid, force, or thunder. You pick one energy type at 11th level.

11th level: Summon Energy Monster:
Your monsters are no longer wholly standard representatives of their types; they are now infused with the power of one kind of energy.
Effect: your summoned creatures get resistance 20 to X energy type and do an additional 1d6 damage of X energy type when they hit with an attack.

11th level: Elemental attunement:
The conjurer gains energy resistance 20 to X energy type.


16th level:
Second energy type.
You pick a second type of energy, gain resistance 20 to it (in addition to the first energy type), and can summon energy creatures with that type of energy as well as ones with your original energy type. A summoned creature can only have one type of energy at a time.

20th level:
Aura of doom:
Your summoned monsters gain an encounter ability that allows them to put up a close burst 1 or 2 (your choice when activated) aura that causes 2d6 + Int mod damage to all in the effect. This damage is the same energy type as the summoned energy monster. This is a minor action on the summoned monsters part and can be sustained as a minor action as well.





I need to come up with another paragon path or two......


I was thinking that the conjurer would not really need any other new spells/powers as his modifiers should increase with level, his number of powers will increase with his level and his monsters (the most important part) also increase with level. Also the lack of utility powers and rituals other than attune monster was an attempt to balance the large versatility of the variety of summoned monster type the conjurer knows. What does everyone think? PEACH please J

 

[kodyboy]

anyone have any opinions?

 

[generalhenry]

The basic premise of the conjurer obeying the economy of actions by supporting the summon is correct.

However I don't think you go about it quite right.

The conjurer's attacks still need to be attacks.

 

[Badgerish]

a) it's not very complex at all, not sure if that's a bad thing or not. I mean the different creatures you can summon provide different functions, but that is pretty much your own trick.
b) not sure of what limits your choice of attuned monsters. you haven't said that you can't summon Elites and Solos (if you can indeed summon Elites and Solos you need more limited rules for that)
c) so you get INT mod monsters on tap (but if they die, they are gone for a day), you get INT mod monsters-known per level (+1 per skill focus in knowledge skill)
d) no need to make 'dismiss' a minor action, it just happens when you don't maintain
e) you could put some of the number and limits in a table. tables are easy to understand
f) what about advanced monsters? e.g. advancing/decreasing the level of monsters

it's a nice start. I'm interested to see what it turns into

 

[kodyboy]

thanks for the replies.

I was thinking the monster's attacks are essentially the conjurer's attacks....does that need to be more clarified or did you mean something else? Essentially the conjurer gives up his actions to use the monster as it takes a standard action to sustain, then the monster can move/attack etc. as the conjurer commands. In addition the conjurer give up a move action if he uses an encounter power, leaving only his minor. Is this too much or not enough to give up for use of a monster?

The conjurer is limited by his knowledge skills as to what he can summon. So a conjurer with knowledge planes only can only summon [FONT=&quot]Elementals, Immortals, and Undead[/FONT]. In addition if a conjurer takes skill focus planes and has an intelligence of 18 he attune five monsters a day, four for intelligence mod + one for skill focus planes...although it would have to be an elemental, immortal or undead.

I edited the solo/elite/minions, should have been there, can only summon standard types. I was thinking about adding elites/solos, but they would cost more, maybe -5 levels for an elite and -10 levels for a solo. For example a level 20 conjurer could summon a 15th level elite and a 10th level solo? What do you think?

The monster level goes up as the conjurer goes up, so a fifth level conjurer is summoning monsters level 1-5, a 10th level conjurer levels 1-10 etc. Is this what you mean by advancing/decreasing the monster level?

I do not know how to put charts in this format

 

[generalhenry]

or did you mean something else?

The conjuration should not have any actions. In order to attack the conjurer should use one of his powers to cause it to attack.

Like the warlord ability, except ranged, and varied.


The only thing the conjuration should be able to do on it's own is OA.

The conjurer is limited by his knowledge skills as to what he can summon.

a. There is no planes skills, it's part of arcana
b. It's a trivial limit.

For example a level 20 conjurer could summon a 15th level elite and a 10th level solo? What do you think?

The way solos work... well they don't really work for your class.

I do not know how to put charts in this format

attachments

 

[kodyboy]

The conjuration should not have any actions. In order to attack the conjurer should use one of his powers to cause it to attack.

Like the warlord ability, except ranged, and varied.

The only thing the conjuration should be able to do on it's own is OA.

OK maybe I see what you are getting at. The summoned monster only attacks if the conjurer sustains it, if not it disappears, so the conjurer is using his standard action to cause the monster to move, attack, pick something up etc. while he sustains the spell. While the conjurer can move and do a minor action, he still must control the monster for it to do something, if he does not it disappears (he is sustaining it as he controls it). The only bonuses to the monster's attacks (which are already varied as monsters can do all sorts of things) are the conjurer's encounter abilities, enrage, guard, etc.
I guess I did not make it clear that the monster was not doing anything unless sustained, but I thought that meant the effect ended.

I don't see a solo monster being a big problem, it is just more powerful than a standard or an elite, I am just trying to judge how much more powerful. Is a 5th level solo as powerful as a 15th level standard monster, or does it just not work that way? Any ideas?

The knowledge skills are a trivial limit, but what other limit would you use for a general conjurer? I want a class that can summon anything, not just a devil summoner, elemental summoner etc.

Got it, no planes anymore just arcana........

 

[generalhenry]

conjurer sustains it, if not it disappears

How about, he conjures it with a class feature, and all his powers sustain it.

it is just more powerful than a standard or an elite

not quite. The system is always based on equal level combatants so the attack rolls work. Which means a low level solo will have terrible +hit and defenses. It's more trouble that it's worth imo.

but what other limit would you use for a general conjurer?

just a list. Perhaps feats to open up other lists.

 

[Nifft]

Bonus to Defense: +2 fort, + 1 will

Only Paladins get +3 total; this is stronger than most others.

LEVEL 1 AT-WILL SPELLS
Summon Monster
In a cloud of smoke (or a dazzling light or whatever) a monster appears to do your bidding.
At will ◊ Arcane
Standard, Minor and Move Action (yes all three) Range: 5
Effect: You summon a monster that is attuned to you via the attune monster ritual. In addition you must spend a healing surge to summon a monster. The monster has standard hit points for its kind. The monster can perform a standard, minor or move action in the round summoned and has a minor, standard and move action available each round after that. The monster acts on the conjurer’s initiative. You also have a telepathic link to the monster. Summoned monsters that you are attuned to do not heal between summons, and if they die they are not available to be summoned again that day. If you summon a wounded monster again later in the day it has the same HPs that it had when dismissed. You can spend healing surges to heal your summoned monster. One healing surge heals the summoned creature 25% of its original HP. You can heal a monster up to your constitution modifier in healing surges per encounter as a minor action. Only you can heal a summoned monster, not an ally, as it is a magical construct attuned to your essence, not a real monster.
Sustain : standard

I see what you're trying to do here, but I don't think Healing Surges are the way to balance what should be a straight-up Daily ability.

Energy Ball Conjurer Attack 1
With a minor gesture a ball of energy appears in your hand and you throw it at your opponent.
At-Will ◊ Arcane + appropriate energy type
Standard Action
Target: One creature + adjacent
Attack: Fortitude vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d6 + Constitution damage to the main target and con damage to all adjacent targets. You can pick from the following energy types when you use the power: cold/fire/electricity/acid/force/thunder.
Increase damage to 2d6 + Constitution to the main target at 21st level and con+2 to all adjacent creatures.
Special: This power counts as a basic melee attack

You need to list a range (such as "melee weapon" or "close"). Also, you need to decide if it's a Weapon or Implement power. Finally, it's too strong. Dealing auto damage to all adjacent foes is better than anything a Fighter or Wizard can do with an at-will. (Also, it's ambiguous if you're auto-hitting all critters adjacent to you or to the target.)

Finally, "Fortitude vs. Reflex" makes no sense.

Arcane Shield: Conjurer Defense 1
A shimmering field appears around your protecting you from both physical and energy attacks.
At-Will ◊ Arcane + appropriate energy type
Immediate interrupt
Target: yourself or one ally
You gain a +2 to AC and resistance 5 to one energy type: cold/fire/electricity/acid/force/thunder
this becomes a +4 to AC and resistance 10 at 21st level.

At-Wills are generally attacks.

Guard - Conjurer Control 1
The monster steps in front of you or an ally for protection.
Encounter * Arcane
Move * (the monster must be able to get adjacent to the character that is getting the bonus by moving, and it uses its move action to do so)
Effect: Creature acts; adjacent ally is granted your Int bonus to AC.

Needs duration.

Fuel the Fury – Conjurer Control 1
Your command throws the summoned creature into a furious rage.
Encounter * Arcane
Move
Effect: When the creature acts it gains the summoners Int bonus as damage on any attack.

Duration?

Rise from Ashes[/B] – Conjurer Control 1
The summoner calls back his just-slain creature.
Daily * Arcane
Immediate Reaction * Arcane
Standard
Effect: As an immediate reaction to the defeat of his summoned creature, the conjurer can restore it to full hit points. It gains an immediate standard attack. The conjurer expends a healing surge.

This is a far better use of a Healing Surge than actually healing a creature.

In general, I think you should respect "siloing", and not allow a PC to spend defensive resources on offense.

Cheers, -- N

 

[generalhenry]

I actually like using a healing surge up front. The class should be able to take damage about equal to any other class, to not use a healing surge up front is like having free temp HP.