Augment Summoning

[Bad Paper]

This is kind of a revisit of this thread, two and a half years old. I'm asking in light of newer splat.

Augment Summoning [General]
Your summoned creatures are more powerful than normal.
Prerequisite: Spell Focus (conjuration).
Benefit: Each creature you conjure with any summon spell gains a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and Constitution for the duration of the spell that summoned it.

So does the feat mean "Conjuration (Summoning)" spells or merely spells with the word "Summon" in their name? If the latter, then how about summon elemental monolith?

If the former, then things like Elemental Swarm and Abyssal Army and Hellish Horde become very different. Or do they? I dunno; I've never seen Augment Summoning in play, and never seen any of the big ones (e.g. Abyssal Army) in play, so I can't really judge.

For precedent, the Alienist specifically calls out summon monster spells and leaves the others alone.

 

[Hypersmurf]

So does the feat mean "Conjuration (Summoning)" spells or merely spells with the word "Summon" in their name?

The precedent I'd base it on is the Cleric, whose entry states "A cure spell is any spell with 'cure' in its name" and "Aninflict spell is one with 'inflict' in its name".

So a cleric can spontaneously cast Cure Minor Wounds, Cure Serious Wounds, Mass Cure Light Wounds, Leomund's Secure Shelter, and Obscure Object, but not just any Conjuration [Healing] spell like Remove Blindness.

Similarly, I'd rule that a summon spell is one with 'summon' in its name, so it would include Summon Monster I-IX, Summon Nature's Ally I-IX, and Summon Swarm from the core rules; Summon Elemental Monolith would also be fine. Elemental Swarm would not.

-Hyp.

 

[Dross]

The precedent I'd base it on is the Cleric, whose entry states "A cure spell is any spell with 'cure' in its name" and "Aninflict spell is one with 'inflict' in its name".

So a cleric can spontaneously cast Cure Minor Wounds, Cure Serious Wounds, Mass Cure Light Wounds, Leomund's Secure Shelter, and Obscure Object, but not just any Conjuration [Healing] spell like Remove Blindness.

Similarly, I'd rule that a summon spell is one with 'summon' in its name, so it would include Summon Monster I-IX, Summon Nature's Ally I-IX, and Summon Swarm from the core rules; Summon Elemental Monolith would also be fine. Elemental Swarm would not.

-Hyp.

But they have a capital "C" not a lower case "c" so can a cleric cast a 'Cure' spell?

 

[green slime]

Prior to seeing this thread, I'd allowed it to affect any Conjuration (Summoning), but I do see Hypersmurf's point.

I haven't noticed any real problems yet.

 

[Bad Paper]

Prior to seeing this thread, I'd allowed it to affect any Conjuration (Summoning), but I do see Hypersmurf's point.

You will now allow clerics to spontaneously cast secure shelter?

 

[green slime]

You will now allow clerics to spontaneously cast secure shelter?

Why? Do you see a problem with that? Could be dangerous, I suppose... In some horrible metaphorical way, that I fail to comprehend.

 

[Thanee]

School Overview lists the following under the Summoning Subschool:

A summoning spell instantly brings a creature or object to a place you designate.

Now is a summon spell a summoning spell?

I'd say yes, it is.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Bad Paper]

CustServ excretes its opinion

Now is a summon spell a summoning spell?

Right, but is a summoning spell a summon spell? Not necessarily, and that's the question in this thread.

In the mood for a little levity, I asked WotC CustServ its opinion. My question:

Augment Summoning is unclear about when it applies. By "summon" spell, does it mean:
1) any conjuration (summoning) spell
2) any spell with "summon" in the name
3) any "summon monster" or "summon nature's ally" spell

Listed in increasing order of restrictiveness, right? The response:

Any conjuration (summoning) spell, is what works with the feat only.

Why did he put "only" in there? I don't know, but I responded by telling him something like "you're aware that this is the most powerful interpretation of the feat, right?"

 

[Bad Paper]

Why? Do you see a problem with that? Could be dangerous, I suppose... In some horrible metaphorical way, that I fail to comprehend.

um, just that it's odd that this Bard/Sorcerer/Wizard spell would be available to good-leaning clerics, but only if they prepare a different spell in its place. Also, when I think of spontaneous casting, I usually don't think of a spell with ten-minute casting time. But that's just me.

Hypersmurf missed the mass versions of the cure spells, as well as that old BoED standby, secure corpse. And what about the artificer's inflict damage spells?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Hypersmurf missed the mass versions of the cure spells...

Er?

-Hyp.