Conjuration specialist - a good idea?

[smetzger]

You may want to consider this feat from the NBoF, its probably also in Mongoose's Ultimate Book of Feats.

FAST SPELL [Metamagic]
COPYRIGHT 2001, Carl Cramér
Cuts the casting time of your spells.
Benefit: Fast Spell reduces the casting time of a spell which takes 1 full round to a standard action, and halves the casting time for spells that take longer than a full round to cast. Fast spell has no effect on spells with a casting time shorter than a full round. A Fast Spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level.
Notes: For a spontaneous spellcaster such as a sorcerer or bard, the metamagic rule still cuts in and changes the standard action into a full-round action.
Balance: 4.24 (Purp 4.00, Pow 4.50, Port 4.20, Comp 4.00, Rule 4.50)

 

[kigmatzomat]

Illusions and summons work very well together.

Summon one of the biggest things you can then use illusions to make it look like there are more of them. If you are out of sight (i.e. invisible) so the opponents can't make a spellcraft check as you cast, you can even have the illusion mimic the summoning effect, whatever that is in your game.

For a non-evoker, combine with the Shadow Evocation spells at higher level to get some extra oomph. The summon/illusion combo is particularly appealing to sorcerors where a few spells can mimic a lot of effects. Shadow Conjuration has a similar appeal to sorcerors not for summoning creatures as much as the damaging conjurations like acid arrow or evard's black tentacles.

Pick up adrenalin surge (+4 str to all your summoned creatures within short range), Augment Summoning Feat (+1 morale to hit/dam, +1 hp/die), and possibly Spell focus Conjuration if you plan on using many of the damaging conjuring spells (Mmmm, Power Words) but skip it if you're a pure summoner. If you do get heavy on the illusions that's where I'd go with Spell focus.

 

[Justinian]

Definitely ban evocations. With proper spells (including just a couple from MoF and R&R) you can hand out nearly as much damage as an evoker. Take Empower Spell and Extend Spell to add to your punch. Extending and/or empowering Melf's acid arrow makes spellcasting quite difficult, and an empowered flame arrow is better than an empowered fireball, IMO, because of the flexibility. Flame arrow also doesn't cap.

As for summoned creatures, Illusion school is your best friend here. As previously mentioned, being invisible is nice, but a blurred, mirror imaged, displaced set of summons will take a lot of the heat off of you. Re kigmatzomat's comment about the Shadow Evocation spells, it may be better to put your minor focus in Illusion instead of transmutation.

A bonus to the Conjuration/Illusion package is that if your character's skill with summoning becomes common knowledge, you can throw out illusions of summoned creatures to cause a little confusion among the enemy.

The Power Word spells have no save, so SF: Conjuration isn't useful for those. However, if you want to use flame arrow, the Mestil's spells from MoF, and other damaging conjuration spells, you will definitely want SF.

One last plus to Conjuration: You can use your extra spell per day, at higher levels, to always keep a Leomund's Secure Shelter or the higher versions around to rest in.

Yes, I've played a Conjurer. It was a lot of fun.

 

[Angelsboi]

GREAT idea. Here is my character from a game i play. It uses the Dragon 302 varient summoning rules.

"Bernedette leCroix" female human Wizard (Conjuerer) 4: CR 4; AL CG; Size M; HD 4d4+4; hp __ (10); Init 1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11 (Touch 11, Flat-footed 10, Mage Armor 15, Flat Footed Mage Armor 14, Mage Armor/Shield 22, Shield 18, Flat Footed Shield 17); Atk 2 (Melee +2 Masterworked Quarterstaff 1d6-1; Melee -2 Masterworked Longsword 1d8), or +2 (Ranged); SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +5; Str 8, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 11; Height 5 ft. 7 in.; Exp: 6755; Hero Points: 0

Languages Spoken: Common, Celestial, Abysal, Draconic, Elf

Skills (ranks are in parenthesis): Spot 3 (0), Listen 3 (0), Search 3 (0), Intimidate 0 (0), Bluff 0 (0), Hide 1 (0), Move Silently 3 (0), Gather Information 0 (0), Diplomacy 0 (0), Alchemy 7 (4), Concentration 5 (4), Knowledge (Arcana) 8 (7), Knowledge (Adventuring/Fairy Tales) 6 (3), Knowledge (Religion) 7 (5), Knowledge (Planes) 8 (6), Knowledge (Local) 4 (1), Craft (Bookbinding) 4 (1), Sense Motive 1 (0), Spellcraft 9 (7), Craft (Gemcutting) 6 (3), Perform 0 (Writing) (0), Riding 1 (0), Speak Language 1; Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (Conjuration), Greater Spell Focus (Conjuration), Craft Wonderous Item

Class Abilities: Summon Familiar, Scribe Scroll, Metamagic Feat every 5 levels

Racial Abilities: 4 extra skill points at 1st level, extra skill point each additional level after 1st, 1 extra feat

Spells Prepared (4/4+1/3+1; base DC = 13 + spell level/ Conjuration DC = 17 + spell level; * indicates a bonus school spell): 0- ____________, ____________, ____________, ____________, ____________; 1st - *_____________, _____________, ________________, _____________, _____________; 2nd - *_____________, _____________, ________________, _____________

Possessions: Spell Components, Peasants Outfit, 3 Vials Ink, Masterworked Quarterstaff, Pen, 19 pages of Parchment, 1 Week Food, 2 owlbear feathers, Medallion from Peldon's Helm (10 gp), Personal Spellbook (74 pages left) (0 level - Reistance, Ray of Frost, Detect Poison, Daze, Ghost Sound, Disrupt Undead, Mage Hand, Mending, Open/Close, Arcane Mark, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Read Magic; 1 - Summon Monster I, Shield, Mage Armor, Identify, Ray of Enfeeblement, Grease, Unseen Servant, Enlarge, Mount; 2 - Summon Monster II, Alter Self, Summon Swarm, Mirror Image), 1/2 Orc's Spellbook (77 pages left) (0 level - Reistance, Ray of Frost, Detect Poison, Daze, Ghost Sound, Disrupt Undead, Mage Hand, Mending, Open/Close, Arcane Mark, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Dancing Lights, Flare; 1 - Alarm, Tenser's Floating Disk, Sleep, Magic Missile), Ring of Alignment Undetection, 3 potions of Cure Light Wounds (1d8+1), Worg Teeth, 353 gp

"Dioji" [Summon Monster I]
Small Magical Beast (Celestial Dog)
Hit Dice: 1 (6 hp)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 40ft
AC: 15 (+1 natural, +2 Dex, +2 Size)
Attacks: Bite +2
Damage: Bite 1d4+1
Special Attacks: Smite Evil (1/day +1 damage)
Special Qualities: Scent, Darkvision 60', SR 2, Acid/Cold/Electricity Resistance 5
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Listen 5, Spot 5, Swim 5, Wilderness Lore 1
Feats: NA
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Alignment: CG

"Ariel" [Summon Monster I]
Tinay Magical Beast (Celestial Hawk)
Hit Dice: 1 (4 hp)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 10ft /60 ft Fly
AC: 17 (+2 natural, +2 Dex, +2 Size)
Attacks: Claws +5
Damage: Claws 1d4-2
Special Attacks: Smite Evil (1/day +1 damage)
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60', SR 2, Acid/Cold/Electricity Resistance 5
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Listen 6, Spot 6 (+8 daylight)
Feats: Weapon Finesse (claws)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Alignment: CG

"Akibecc" [Summon Monster I]
Medium Sized Outsider (Infernal Tiefling)
Hit Dice: 1 (4 hp)
Initiative: +1 (Dex)
Speed: 30ft
AC: 15 (+1 Dex, +3 Studded Leather, +1 Shield)
Attacks: +2 Melee (Rapier) or +2 Ranged (Light Crossbow)
Damage: Rapier 1d6, Light Crossbow 1d8
Special Attacks: Smite Good (1/day +1 damage), Darkness (1/day 1st level)
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60', SR 2, Cold/Fire Resistance 5
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +2
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Bluff +1, Hide +3, Move Silently +2, Pick Pocket +3
Feats: Weapon Finesse (Rapier)
Challenge Rating: 1
Alignment: LE

"Loup" [Summon Monster II]
Small Magical Beast (Celestial Wolf)
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Initiative: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 50ft
AC: 14 (+2 natural, +2 Dex)
Attacks: Bite +3 Melee
Damage: Bite 1d6+1
Special Attacks: Trip, Smite Evil (1/day +1 damage)
Special Qualities: Scent, Darkvision 60', SR 4, Acid/Cold/Electricity Resistance 5
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Listen 6, Spot 4, Hide +3, Move Silently +4, Wilderness Lore +1
Feats: Weapon Finesse (Bite)
Challenge Rating: NA
Alignment: CG

"Wynder" [Summon Monster II]
Small Magical Beast (Celestial Eagle)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 (5 hp)
Initiative: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 10ft/Fly 80ft
AC: 14 (+1 natural, +2 Dex, +1 Size)
Attacks: 2 Claws +3, Bite -2
Damage: Claws 1d3, Bite 1d4
Special Attacks: Smite Evil (1/day +1 damage)
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60', SR 4, Acid/Cold/Electricity Resistance 5
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Listen 6, Spot 6 (+9 in daylight),
Feats: Weapon Finesse (Bite), Weapon Finesse (Claw)
Challenge Rating: 1
Alignment: NG

"Razor" [Summon Monster II]
Medium Sized Outsider (Infernal Bladeling)
Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp)
Initiative: +5 (Dex)
Speed: 30ft
AC: 15 (+4 natural, +1 Dex)
Attacks: Claw +1 Melee or Sword +1 Melee
Damage: Claw 1d6, Longsword 1d8 (19-20)
Special Attacks: Razor Storm 1/day, Smite Good (1/day +1 damage)
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60', SR 4, Cold/Fire Resistance 5, DR 15/+1 (Slashing and peircing weapons only), immunties (no damage from acid, immune to rust attacks), outsider traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +2
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills: Craft (weaponsmithing) +4, Jump +4
Feats: Improved Inititive
Challenge Rating: 1
Alignment: LE

((Razor Storm: expells shrapnel like razors in a 15' cone that inflict 2d6 pts of peircing damage. Reflex DC 10 saves for half. After this attack, the bladelings natural armor decreases to a +2 for 24 hours))

 

[Destil]

a) See if you can get your DM to let you take a feat to add to your avaliable list of templates for monsters listed as celestial / infernal in the PH a bit. Other interetsing options would be the Anarchic(lawful), Axomatic(chaotic) and 4 elemental templates from the Manual of the Planes.

b) Research a few new 'energy arrow' spells, which would generaly be conjuration.

 

[Kershek]

Mirror Image is a Personal spell - how can you cast it on summoned creatures?

Also, consider this: Cast Summon Monster III to bring in a Celestial Black Bear. Then, cast Major Image to bring in 6 more. Can the caster really concentrate on all 6 images properly to make it look like they're all real, even if they're fighting different people? Or can Major Image only bring in one more bear?

What illusion spells would you use to follow this theme?

 

[silvertable81]

Also, con the DM into letting you roll stats for each summoned creature. A Celestial Baboon with around 20 STR can be nice. However even as a player I say let it get a little more strict for rolling, straight 3d6, no re-rolls, six times, place them.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

Thanks for all the suggestions! This is shaping up to be far more interesting than I thought...

Looks Evocation is the one to go then...I agree that the illusion subset could really work well here. But I'm also sticking to my transmutation focus as well, simply because I like the idea of bull strengthing my summoned creatures, amongst other things

 

[Bastoche]

If you don't think it's too "broken-realms"-like you could take the mind over body feat. If you're playing a human take improved initiative as your bonus feat.

I just started up an abjurer character and I'm still not sure what opposition school to keep. But illusion and enchantment sure are keepers. I hesitate between conjuration and evocation. From what I gather 'round here, guess it will be evocation also.

 

[Kershek]

Thanks for all the suggestions! This is shaping up to be far more interesting than I thought...

Looks Evocation is the one to go then...I agree that the illusion subset could really work well here. But I'm also sticking to my transmutation focus as well, simply because I like the idea of bull strengthing my summoned creatures, amongst other things

Using Bull Strength, which lasts hours, on summoned creatures, which last rounds, is probably not the best option