Summoners

[the Lorax]

I've been itching to play a conjuraton/summoning specialist wizard in 3.5 recently, but so many character ideas, so few games to make them for.

Anyway, it seems that a campaign twist may allow me to utilize the personality I've been thinking of for a villian, and a summoner will make a good medium/long term villan.

That being said, I'm looking for some good Summoner builds. I'm looking for an arcane caster of about 16th level. Any thoughts and ideas would be appreciated.

 

[griff_goodbeard]

What class did you want to play? IMO Druids make the best summoners with their sponteneous summoning ability and overall strength of the SNA spells, but I don't really like to play druids. I prefer Cleric, who with the right domains can be a very effective summoner. Although don't officially "summon" creature, a Psion(shaper) maefestion Astral Contruct can be very effective also.

 

[the Lorax]

The Psion version was one that does somewhat tempt me, and divine casters make good summoners, but I was really thinking an Arcane caster.

 

[Andor]

Yah. Summoner is yet another role where the Cleric usurps what should rightfully be the strength of an arcane caster. *deep breath* So yes, a cleric is probably your best best, possibly with the thaumaturgist prestige class. However a Psion Shaper can indeed be a powerfull 'summoner'. If you use some of the feats from the mindseye articles on the wizards website you can make an absurdly powerfull psionic summoner, I had one in a planescape game and he seemed to be about as powerfull as the rest of the party put together..

 

[griff_goodbeard]

What books do you have available? There is a very nice varient Conjurer in Unearthed Arcana, that lets you sacrifice your familiar, and bonus feats, and bonus spells for being a specialist for "rapid Summoning"(SM spells take 1 standard action instead of 1 full round) and your summond creatures gain improved str, con, and increase in DC to dispel them, you also get spontaneous summoning.

Their is also a nice Summoner Prc in Relics and Rituals. I like to take a level of Mindbender with my arcane summoners so I can communtcate telepathicly with them.

 

[Tiberius]

What books do you have available? There is a very nice varient Conjurer in Unearthed Arcana, that lets you sacrifice your familiar, and bonus feats, and bonus spells for being a specialist for "rapid Summoning"(SM spells take 1 standard action instead of 1 full round) and your summond creatures gain improved str, con, and increase in DC to dispel them, you also get spontaneous summoning.

Not quite accurate. The UA conjurer variants allow you to a) give up a familiar in exchange for the rapid casting ability, b) get Augment Summoning instead of Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat and other benefits in lieu of your standard wizard bonus feats, and c) give up your bonus spells per dayfor spontaneous summonings.

My conjurer uses the first one, and it is quite excellent.

 

[fafhrd]

Yah. Summoner is yet another role where the Cleric usurps what should rightfully be the strength of an arcane caster.

I'm entirely of the same mind. You gotta love specialists who, at great cost, can play second fiddle to the warrior cleric.

 

[Testament]

One word: Alienist.

I'm confused, how to Clerics make good summoners when their alignment restricts what they can summon?

 

[frankthedm]

1. you lose 25% of your summon list for healing spells, armor and domains. Very much worth it considering summons are slow to cast.

2 Planar Ally calls a friend to work for a cost. Planar Binding calls a creature that now wants to tear your generative organs off your body who MIGHT arrive restrained. Have fun negotiating!

3. 3.5 alienist is sevearly weakened because it can only summon templated critters off the summon monster lists.

 

[the Lorax]

Not quite accurate. The UA conjurer variants allow you to a) give up a familiar in exchange for the rapid casting ability, b) get Augment Summoning instead of Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat and other benefits in lieu of your standard wizard bonus feats, and c) give up your bonus spells per dayfor spontaneous summonings.

My conjurer uses the first one, and it is quite excellent.

Yeah, I was already thinking of using the first 2.