D&D (2024) How should the Conjure X Spells & Planar Ally spells be handled in 1D&D?

[Henadic Theologian]

So the Conjure X spells (like Conjure Fey, Conjure Celestial, etc...) and Planar Ally are still on the spell lists and yet as they are in the PHB 5e, they violate the current approach to design philosophy on spells and features requiring you to rely upon the MM.

Planar Ally also has additional issues in that it's insanely unweildly and DM Dependant, it can go from stupidly broken, to useless, depending too much on DM whim and gives dms far too little advise on how to deal with this spell.

I suspect Planar Ally will get a stat block and function simular to Find Steed and Find Familiar, but a medium creature.

Conjure spells will likely use a specific stat blocks as well, but will you be able to summin multiple creatures with them still when they get updated? Also I think they will have a casting time of instant.

I don't think they will replace these spells with the Summon X spells from Tasha's, if they were going to, they would have already.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I think that not only should they stick with the summon X like from tasha's I think they should take polymorph and break it up... wolf form, troll form, dragon form each being it's own spells

 

[Lidgar]

The same way they dealt with druid shape change. Generic blocks that you or the DM flavors.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I think both spells have their place. Conjure needs to specify that it is solely the DMs choice of appropriate creature or a random table. Then you can use magic circle and planar binding on them. Casting time could go up to an hour. And they would stay for longer.

Sjmmon would be the go to spell for combat.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I think both spells have their place. Conjure needs to specify that it is solely the DMs choice of appropriate creature or a random table. Then you can use magic circle and planar binding on them. Casting time could go up to an hour. And they would stay for longer.

Sjmmon would be the go to spell for combat.

What about Planar Ally and it's issues?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

What about Planar Ally and it's issues?

Please elaborate? 8 did not mention planar ally.

 

[Horwath]

those spells should be scrapped or reworked in Tasha's style.

Also Tasha's summons should calculate the number of attacks with round UP math, so there is incentive to use 3rd, 5th and also 9th level spell slots for the spells.

And spell level should be lowered for some spells of that type:

1st level: summon animal, add summon plant spell, add summon humanoid spell. One attack by default spell level.
3rd level: summon undead, aberration, fey, construct. Two attacks by default spell level.
5th level: summon celestial, dragon, fiend, elemental. Three attacks by default spell level.

As it cost concentration, the spell could last 24hrs.
It is still limited by HPs. And as it uses concentration, it can use as a self balancing factor vs. all other Concentration spells.
And if you want to keep it alive with healing spells, well, even better. Just uses more of limited resources.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

Planar Ally doesn't scale up, and it gives the party a plot device that the party doesn't actually control (and thus no need for concentration), so I suspect that one will remain the same (I wouldn't mind them adding aberrations, fey, and constructs to the possibilities, but I am not hoping too much). Outside of it not being in the warlock's spell list (despite the fluff text making it seem like a warlock thing), I don't see any problems with it, although it could use some examples in a side bar ("if your otherworldly entity is a god who gives you the light domain, consider providing X, Y, or Z; or if you want to provide an ally that more support or provides information rather than being strong in combat, consider A, B, or C, etc.)

I could see the text for the "conjure one monster" spells being replaced by the "summon a spirit" spells' text. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if the celestial one wasn't quite so angelic (at least one option that looks like a guardinel). The real question is what will happen to the "conjure a small horde of monsters" spells. I hope they get some kind of swarm stat blocks that get bigger when you use a higher-level spell.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Please elaborate? 8 did not mention planar ally.

I just wanted to know how you though WotC would fix Planar Ally?

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Planar Ally doesn't scale up, and it gives the party a plot device that the party doesn't actually control (and thus no need for concentration), so I suspect that one will remain the same (I wouldn't mind them adding aberrations, fey, and constructs to the possibilities, but I am not hoping too much). Outside of it not being in the warlock's spell list (despite the fluff text making it seem like a warlock thing), I don't see any problems with it, although it could use some examples in a side bar ("if your otherworldly entity is a god who gives you the light domain, consider providing X, Y, or Z; or if you want to provide an ally that more support or provides information rather than being strong in combat, consider A, B, or C, etc.)

I could see the text for the "conjure one monster" spells being replaced by the "summon a spirit" spells' text. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if the celestial one wasn't quite so angelic (at least one option that looks like a guardinel). The real question is what will happen to the "conjure a small horde of monsters" spells. I hope they get some kind of swarm stat blocks that get bigger when you use a higher-level spell.

The fact it works like that is a big problem, summons should not be plot devices beyond player control plus it gives poor guidence to DMs. I think changing it to be more like Find Steed & Familiar could work better.