Summons

[Cpt_Micha]

I am working on Summon rules. But before you go "Micha we already have those, and summoned meat shields/extra actions are bad for the game balance" I know, and have already taken this into account.

First off, Summons are not recommended for standard party sizes or larger unless everyone has a Summon. They are made to help offset anything the party lacks. The Summon is not under the control of the Pc for another thing.

Think of them as Functioning like they do in Final Fantasy 12. (maybe even with them replacing the party in the more powerful summons' cases.)

What I need is help creating this, I have a vague idea where to start with this, and it starts with a Feat.

This Feat is called for lack of a better term until I come up with a better one later. Summoner. This feat is a feat you must take up at 1st or 2nd level. If it has a second requirement (such as a stat) I am uncertain yet, which is where you guys come in.

The other thing to know about Summons is the Summons themselves. Let's discuss this as well. Obviously you can't just go around handing out Summoning power as an At will ability. No this is a daily. Pure and simple. Maybe something weak (say a minion) is a per encounter ((Unless it's a pack of minions)) but for the most part the Summons are a daily.

You get one Summon per tier, and you may only have One Summon out at any point in time or else they will fight each other and then proceed to fight the party.

Now, as for what the Summons are, pretty much anything in the Monster Manual can be a Summon.

You can not have a Summon higher level than your Summoner.

Summons scale with level, gaining experience points at a rate equal to what they deduct from the party xp total (or the total xp given in an encounter which ever is smaller) at the end of a given encounter which is equal to the xp value of the monster manual entry. What rate they level up at I am not sure of just yet. (Thinking using the normal xp table for simplicity)

That's what I've got so far guys. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Syrsuro]

Elites replace one party member (they are either transformed or whisked away to some demi plane) depending on the role of the Summon determines what character is replaced/transformed. (Lurkers and skirmisher=strikers, Brutes and Soldiers=Defenders, Leaders=Leaders, Artillery and Controllers=controllers) Solos either replace or transform everyone but the Summoner.

This sounds very specifically unfun for the rest of the party and is, imho, contrary to all design goals for D&D4E (or, indeed, any other RPG).

Replacing party members with summoned creatures makes the game all about the summoner and denies the other party members the ability to contribute.

Bad idea, imho.

Carl

 

[Cpt_Micha]

This sounds very specifically unfun for the rest of the party and is, imho, contrary to all design goals for D&D4E (or, indeed, any other RPG).

Replacing party members with summoned creatures makes the game all about the summoner and denies the other party members the ability to contribute.

Bad idea, imho.

Carl

Well It was an idea I had to help balance it out a little. I think it's abit redundant though given that it will eat it's share of experience points.

I was just going for erring on the side of caution rather than "give too much now and take it away later".

 

[Syrsuro]

Well It was an idea I had to help balance it out a little. I think it's abit redundant though given that it will eat it's share of experience points.

I was just going for erring on the side of caution rather than "give too much now and take it away later".

If that is your goal, I would just not allow elites and solos before I would take an approach like that for balance.

Better yet, I would balance the level of the creature compared to the level of the caster based on their experience cost rather than the level. This would make an elite cost double and a solo cost quadruple so your choice would be (for example) between sixteen minions, 4 regulars or 1 solo monster of a given level.

You didn't say at what point the summons was chosen, but for simplicities sake (making life easier for the DM) I would probably also seek to make the player choose the type of summons ahead of time. Encouraging the players to dive through the MM looking for the 'perfect summons' on the spot will only slow down play (and is incidentally part of why they changed polymorph in 3.x).

I would add a ritual to the summons, designed to attune the summoner to a creature capable of being summoned. The ritual would define/identify the creature (and more than one creature may be possible via multiple rituals) while some other action taken during the combat actually summons the creature. This forces the player to spend time outside of melee considering what he wants to be able to summon and avoid bogging down combat every time he summons (during which time the other players stare at the ceiling or twiddle their thumbs).

There is room for a lot of color/customization in such a ritual, ranging from requiring them to find and bind the necessary being (you can't summon something you haven't defeated) to restricting their summons to residents of other planes (fey, elemental, etc). That would all depend on how you see summons fitting into your world.

Carl

 

[Cpt_Micha]

Well I was thinking of something similar involving the ritual process, as well as once you've picked your summon you've got him for life (or until you dismiss him and begin the search for a new summon) But having a series of summons that you can Summon is a possibility as well.

In keeping with the game I'm drawing inspiration from you have to defeat whatever chosen Summon you desire in battle before you are allowed to Summon him.

Version 3...

Summoner Feat, Req 1st level feat. Gain the ability to Summon one Summon per day per tier. Heroic Characters start with one Summon that they must perform a ritual to find, and then defeat in battle. This continues on through Paragon and Epic. A Summon for experience purposes is treated as an extra character and a Summon levels up at the same rate of it's Summoner.

20hpxlevel
Ac level +16
Other defenses 14+level
Attack (thinking this should be 2+summoner attribute ((stat mod)) + level)
Damage scales following the damage by level chart?

Brute adds +10 hp per level? maybe?
Soldier +2 defenses
Lurker +2 ac/ref increase die damage

One power per tier each power is based on the role of the monster, and or element (if applicable)
Summon list (pending)
Aquila
Aries
Cancer
Canes
Djinn
Draco
Hydra
Phoenix
Scorpius
Taurus

 

[Cpt_Micha]

http://naegunfael.proboards61.com/index.cgi?board=feats&action=display&thread=115

My Current Summons.