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<blockquote data-quote="Brother MacLaren" data-source="post: 1409534" data-attributes="member: 15999">It might not be unbalancing to allow a caster to apply whatever template they want to summoned creatures, but it does increase the power of the spell.&nbsp; The summon spells aren't overpowered, so a little boost probably isn't out of line.&nbsp; But it's the kind of thing where the DM should actively decide &quot;Yes, I want to boost the summon spells a bit.&quot;&nbsp; The player shouldn't try to argue &quot;It's no difference at all.&quot;By allowing template switching, you suddenly give the good cleric access to a lot of poisonous creatures he didn't have before - an advantage against some foes.&nbsp; He also gets a creature with reach (ape) at SM3, and access to constrictor snakes (very useful in some cases).&nbsp; Likewise, you give the evil cleric a few more options for flying creatures, as well as some more trampling creatures (good against hordes of little guys).&nbsp; If you allow not just a static change to the list but unlimited template switching on-the-fly, then the summoner can better deal with foes of known alignment.&nbsp; Fighting slaadi?&nbsp; Summon the axiomatic versions.&nbsp; Fighting an illithid?&nbsp; Try celestial or anarchic.It isn't necessarily a huge power boost, but it definitely is something that the DM would have to approve.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Brother MacLaren, post: 1409534, member: 15999"] It might not be unbalancing to allow a caster to apply whatever template they want to summoned creatures, but it [B]does[/B] increase the power of the spell. The [I]summon[/I] spells aren't overpowered, so a little boost probably isn't out of line. But it's the kind of thing where the DM should actively decide "Yes, I want to boost the [I]summon[/I] spells a bit." The player shouldn't try to argue "It's no difference at all." By allowing template switching, you suddenly give the good cleric access to a lot of poisonous creatures he didn't have before - an advantage against some foes. He also gets a creature with reach (ape) at SM3, and access to constrictor snakes (very useful in some cases). Likewise, you give the evil cleric a few more options for flying creatures, as well as some more trampling creatures (good against hordes of little guys). If you allow not just a static change to the list but unlimited template switching on-the-fly, then the summoner can better deal with foes of known alignment. Fighting slaadi? Summon the axiomatic versions. Fighting an illithid? Try celestial or anarchic. It isn't necessarily a huge power boost, but it definitely is something that the DM would have to approve. [/QUOTE]

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