D&D 5E Anyone else annoyed at Wizards lack of Minion summoners?

[MechaTarrasque]

I am sorry for the snark, but it seems like you are trying to move the goalpost to keep alive a complaint that isn't valid anymore. The wizard has more conjuring/summoning spells than anyone else, and they stretch from 1st level to 9th level (2nd level is the only one where you don't get a new one and can't upcast a lower one).

 

[Hussar]

I am sorry for the snark, but it seems like you are trying to move the goalpost to keep alive a complaint that isn't valid anymore. The wizard has more conjuring/summoning spells than anyone else, and they stretch from 1st level to 9th level (2nd level is the only one where you don't get a new one and can't upcast a lower one).

Naw, no goalpost moving. I honestly haven't seen XGtE, so, I didn't know they added spells there. I'm not really sure I'm going to call Find Familiar much of a summoning spell. Not really. With a 1 hour casting time, it's not exactly right. But, those improved unseen servant spells (I forget the name right now), look like exactly what I'm looking for.

Guess I am going to add something to my Christmas list.

 

[cbwjm]

Because we (that is some of us) want more summons, and also because I can, I've adapted the old 2e summon swarm spell to 5e. Is it balanced? I threw it together using other conjure X spells as a guide, I'm thinking that doubling the base number of swarms might make it more worthwhile but then it is only a 2nd level spell slot so I dunno.

Summon Swarm
2nd-level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a square of red cloth)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You summon up one or more swarms (See MM p. 337-339) of small animals in unoccupied spaces that you can see within range. Choose one of the following options for what appears:

• One swarm of challenge rating ½ or lower
• Two swarms of challenge rating ¼ or lower

The swarms will attack any creature in range as chosen by the caster. Roll initiative for the summoned swarms as a group, which has its own turns. They obey any verbal commands that you issue to them (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any commands to them, they defend themselves from hostile creatures but otherwise take no actions.
If the caster does not remain within 60 feet of a summoned swarm then it disperses harmlessly.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using certain higher level spell slots, you choose one of the summoning options above, and more swarms appear: twice as many with a 4th-level slot, three times as many with a 6th-level slot, and four times as many with an 8th-level slot.

 

[cbwjm]

Almost a cross between Find Familiar and Conjure Minor Elementals, this spell allows a low level caster to summon up a single small elemental (currently limited to the various mephits) to serve them for an hour. I originally wasn't going to include any boost for casting with higher level spell slot but then I thought it might be a nice bonus to be able to spend a 4th level or higher spell slot to remove the concentration requirement.

This spell is why I feel that I could possible double the number of initial swarms in my Summon Swarm spell above. Summon Swarm is a combat spell that last for only 1 minute and allows the caster to summon 1 or 2 swarms. Conjure Elemental Minion summons only a single elemental for up to an hour. Perhaps the option to summon up two CR 1/4 swarms is enough to leave the spell as it is.

Conjure Elemental Minion
2nd-level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
A weaker form of conjure minor elementals, this allows the caster to summon up a single elemental of CR ½ or less. The elemental appears in an unoccupied space that you can see within range. An elemental summoned by this spell disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends.
The summoned elemental is friendly to you and your companions for the duration. Roll initiative for the elemental, which has its own turns. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any commands to the elemental, it defends itself from hostile creatures but otherwise takes no actions.
At Higher levels. When you cast this spell with a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you no longer need to concentrate on the spell.