Hello - I'm relatively new to D&D, and this is my first time as a level 3 cleric (playing 3.5). I was looking for guidance as to how to summon a monster, and what kind of monsters can be summoned. The highest I can use is Summon Monsters II. Can I summon ANY monster that is neutral (or good), but no higher than CR 3? I'm confused! Help! :-(
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Clerics as summoners
- Thread starter Makhoy
- Start date
I'll help, but summoning in 3.X is kind of a pain and might not be worth it long term.
Here are the steps:
1) You cast Summon Monster (x). X is the level of the spell. Now remember that summon monster has a 1 round casting time not 1 action. So you can't do anything else for that turn!
2) If you don't get hit/distracted/dead in that round, your spell goes off next turn at the start of your turn. For this example, let's cast a Summon Monster 1. a great resource for you is the SRD online. It is your friend! Here is Summon Monster 1 http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/summonMonsterI.htm
3) When the spell goes off, you choose a creature from the list provided by the spell. You don't get anything that is CR 1, just something off the list. Some things have Fiendish or Celestial template. That just adds a few abilities based on how many HD the creature has. HD is listed under the creatures entries. Also, your spell counts as a spell type (good, evil, etc) based on the type of creature you summoned. Celestial dog is makes the spell good, while Fiendish dire rat makes the spell evil.
4)Now you have this extra creature, so you basically get to have two turns on your turn, even on your first turn the new creature is around!. When you have a turn, you get your actions (move, standard, etc) and so does your new friend.
Why Summoning kind of sucks- This is an aside. Summoning kind of doesn't get you what you want-a super powerful friend to kill all the bad guys. The creatures you summon are usually a few levels behind you, and will not hit that hard compared to you. Its a good way to throw some hit points between you/your friends and the monsters your righting, but most monsters at your CR will carve up your summoned creatures pretty easily.
In either case, GOOD LUCK BUD!
Here are the steps:
1) You cast Summon Monster (x). X is the level of the spell. Now remember that summon monster has a 1 round casting time not 1 action. So you can't do anything else for that turn!
2) If you don't get hit/distracted/dead in that round, your spell goes off next turn at the start of your turn. For this example, let's cast a Summon Monster 1. a great resource for you is the SRD online. It is your friend! Here is Summon Monster 1 http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/summonMonsterI.htm
3) When the spell goes off, you choose a creature from the list provided by the spell. You don't get anything that is CR 1, just something off the list. Some things have Fiendish or Celestial template. That just adds a few abilities based on how many HD the creature has. HD is listed under the creatures entries. Also, your spell counts as a spell type (good, evil, etc) based on the type of creature you summoned. Celestial dog is makes the spell good, while Fiendish dire rat makes the spell evil.
4)Now you have this extra creature, so you basically get to have two turns on your turn, even on your first turn the new creature is around!. When you have a turn, you get your actions (move, standard, etc) and so does your new friend.
Why Summoning kind of sucks- This is an aside. Summoning kind of doesn't get you what you want-a super powerful friend to kill all the bad guys. The creatures you summon are usually a few levels behind you, and will not hit that hard compared to you. Its a good way to throw some hit points between you/your friends and the monsters your righting, but most monsters at your CR will carve up your summoned creatures pretty easily.
In either case, GOOD LUCK BUD!
Grogg of the North
Adventurer
In my experience, summoning can be a lot of fun. Nothing says Game Over like dropping a trio of fiendish T-Rexes on the BBEG. Bite, Grapple, Repeat. Plus each hit that your summoned creatures take is a cure spell you're not casting on your fighter. The summoned creatures give your rogue flanking bonuses and sneak attack.
biotech66 has a few good points. Remember that summoning takes time. So be careful of where you are when you start casting. You can only summon monsters that are not opposed by your alignment. So if your'e good, no evil monsters for you.
Augment summoning is a great feat for you as a summoner. If you are allowed to use feats from Complete Divine, Divine Metamagic and Rapid Spell are a great combo for summoning. Malconvoker, from Complete Scoundrel, can expand your summoning lists and let you summon evil creatures even if you're good.
What I would highly, Highly, HIGHLY recommend is take a look at each of the tables for Summon Monster. Pick one or two monsters off of the list that you're probably going to summon most often and have their stats all written out in a notebook or with your character sheet.
biotech66 has a few good points. Remember that summoning takes time. So be careful of where you are when you start casting. You can only summon monsters that are not opposed by your alignment. So if your'e good, no evil monsters for you.
Augment summoning is a great feat for you as a summoner. If you are allowed to use feats from Complete Divine, Divine Metamagic and Rapid Spell are a great combo for summoning. Malconvoker, from Complete Scoundrel, can expand your summoning lists and let you summon evil creatures even if you're good.
What I would highly, Highly, HIGHLY recommend is take a look at each of the tables for Summon Monster. Pick one or two monsters off of the list that you're probably going to summon most often and have their stats all written out in a notebook or with your character sheet.
Starfox
Hero
A problem for a cleric is that the firt round is vital. If you do a summon on the first round, you are not buffing. If you do a buff the first round and then a summon, your summon does not get the buff and the fight might be over when it arrives.
The exception is Prayer, which is an area that emanates from you and affects creatures summoned into it.
A great thing about a summon is that it is not an attack. Spells that break when you attack, like sanctuary and invisibility (does the trickery domain get invisibility?) work well because of that.
The best summoning and the best buffing is done before battle - this is why good recon is priceless.
The exception is Prayer, which is an area that emanates from you and affects creatures summoned into it.
A great thing about a summon is that it is not an attack. Spells that break when you attack, like sanctuary and invisibility (does the trickery domain get invisibility?) work well because of that.
The best summoning and the best buffing is done before battle - this is why good recon is priceless.
Grogg of the North
Adventurer
Trickery domain does get invisibility.
Also, if you take the Animal Domain you can add Summon Nature's Ally to your list and some different critters to summon.
However, finding a deity with both of those domains may require some work.
Though I suppose a homebrewed Nature Trickster deity wouldn't be out of the question.
