conjurer class

[kodyboy]

I have been thinking about a summoner/conjurer class for 4e, what do you guys think of this concept:

Conjurer:

Summon Monster:
Power Source: Arcane. You have studied creatures of all shapes and sizes and learned how to call them forth with arcane power, but it drains you physically to do so.
Role: Controller/striker? It depends on whether you call forth a monster or do an area affect.
Key Abilities: Constitution, Intelligence
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth
Weapon Proficiencies: Dagger/staff
Bonus to Defense: +2 fort, + 1 will
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution score
Hit Points per Level Gained: 4
Healing Surges per Day: 6 + Constitution modifier
Trained Skills: 4
Class Skills: Arcana (Int), Knowledge [nature, planes, dungeoneering] (Int), Insight (Wis)
Build Options: ?
Class Features: Summoning, Vitality
in addition the conjurer gets an extra daily spell (starts with two then progresses normally) and an extra at will spell (three to start), normal encounter spells and no utility spells.


CONJURER CLASS FEATURES

Summon Monster
In a cloud of smoke (or a dazzling light or whatever) a monster appears to do your bidding.
Daily ◊ Arcane
Standard, Minor and Move Action (yes all three) Range: 5 when cast, and then the monster can move up to 20 away after it appears. If the monster moves over 20 away it is dismissed.
Effect: You summon a standard monster (no minions, elites or solos) that appears up to 5 away from you. You also have a telepathic link to the monster. In addition you must spend at least one healing surge (and have one available) to summon a monster. The monster has your healing surge in HP. You can spend up to your con mod in healing surges on a summoned monster. The monster can act in the round summoned and has a minor/standard and move action available. The monster acts on the conjurers initiative.
Duration: five minutes
Sustain standard Dismiss: minor

Vitality: Class feature
A conjurer gains extra healing surges equal to his con mod for conjuration purposes only. So a conjurer with an 18 con gets 10 normal healing surges (6+4) and 4 HS towards conjuration only. At level 21 this bonus is doubled.

CONJURER SPELLS
Your powers are known as spells.

LEVEL 1 AT-WILL SPELLS

Summon Effigy Conjurer Attack 1
A monster swirls into being for an instant in front of you, clawing, biting or stabbing at your opponent and blocking your opponents attacks, then disappears.
At-Will ◊ Arcane
Standard Action
Target: One creature
Attack: Fortitude vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + Constitution damage and the caster gets a +2 to AC until the end of his next turn.
Increase damage to 2d8 + Constitution at 21st level.

Energy Ball Conjurer Attack 1
With a minor gesture a ball of energy appears in your hand and you throw it at your opponent.
At-Will ◊ Arcane + appropriate energy type
Standard Action
Target: One creature + adjacent
Attack: Fortitude vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d6 + Constitution damage to the main target and con damage to all adjacent targets. You can pick from the following energy types when you use the power: cold/fire/electricity/acid/force/thunder.
Increase damage to 2d6 + Constitution to the main target at 21st level and con+2 to all adjacent creatures.
Special: This power counts as a basic melee attack

Arcane Shield: Conjurer Defense 1
A shimmering field appears around your protecting you from both physical and energy attacks.
At-Will ◊ Arcane + appropriate energy type
Immediate interrupt
Target: yourself or one ally
You gain a +2 to AC and resistance 5 to one energy type: cold/fire/electricty/acid/force/thunder
this becomes a +4 to AC and resistance 10 at 21st level.

thsi is just an idea, what does everyone think?

 

[Starfox]

I have been thinking along these paths too, but come to quote different conclusions. I think summoning should be a paragon path and maybe a racial ability.

My main influence for this is Mikael Moorcock's Elric novels. Elric is not a Wizard, he is a Fighter. Summoning is something he does with rituals, or very occasionally to solve a major crisis. This fits perfectly with the limited number of dailies in a paragon path. You can have more wizardly summoners like Teleb Kaarna, or priestly summoners like those in Conan. Elven rangers can summon fey, and so on. Basically, summoning is an emergency power outside the normal class structure.

But what if you what low-level summoning? First, I don't really think summoning fits in a low-level game. I was always annoyed at celestial badgers. Second, if you want this, create a race for it. Elric above was a Melnibonean, and the author keeps telling us how special they are and the pacts Elric has inherited from his forebears. I'd just play them as eledrin with a summoning power instead of fey step.

 

[kodyboy]

thanks for the reply,
The idea of a paragon path is interesting, but I really wanted to come-up with a 1-30 conjurer class.
Anyone else have ideas, comments, PEACH? Thanks

 

[Starfox]

First, decide what it is you want. Something like a 3E wizard specializing in conjuration, or someone who ONLY conjures allies.

If it is the former, probably just add some optional wizard powers, like the illusionist powers from Dragon.

If the later, start from scratch.

 

[Tuft]

The problem with having something like this as a Paragon Path, is that you really only get to play seriously with the stuff it contains in the mid-teens. If you go the full 30 levels, then that is midcareer, but if you only go to e.g. 20, then it is just a little gravy at the end.

To me, something like a conjurer feels like something more character-defining, and you'd really like that as early as possible.

I know that I'm speaking from gross inexperience, but it feels like 3E Prestige Classes kicked in earlier than it feels like 4E Paragon Paths will do.

Or, to put it differently, anything character-defining should be at lvl 5-6-7 at the latest, 11, 12, and not to mention 20, is for character refining.

 

[Starfox]

Maybe do it like multiclassing? Introduce feats at level 1, 4, 6(?), and 10, then a paragon path?

 

[Tuft]

Maybe do it like multiclassing? Introduce feats at level 1, 4, 6(?), and 10, then a paragon path?

Since multiclassing feats works by swapping out powers, this would basically make it into a new class that you can play only by giving up all your feats.

If it was something really cool, that "feat tax" might be worth paying (or if the feats carry "freebies" as the first multiclass feat does with a skill), but it feels like it would be better to make an original class out of it.

 

[kodyboy]

My ideas for this class are the following:
to use the summoned monsters as dailies, utilities and rituals. You get them for five minutes and they can do all sorts of cool things. Do you think this is too limiting or that the class has too much versitility? One of the main problems with summoning in 3.5 was the monsters being too weak to be useful. I think summoning a monster that is your level, and having as a daily (although you do give up healing surges and it takes a standard action to use) should be useful. No stinking celestial badgers to be booted!
I was looking at limiting what could be summoned by linking creature type to a certain trained knowledge skill, such as you need knowledge arcana for magical beasts, dungeoneering for oozes/aberations etc. In addition you can summon a number of different creatures equal to 1 + your intelligence modifier per level. Everytime you get a new daily you get a new set of monsters to summon.
What about instead of getting an extra daily at first, how about getting one daily at every level (no utilities or rituals)? too much too weak?
Any comments?

 

[Starfox]

Most probably the right way to go.

I'd make it wizard-like in that you decide ahead of time which creatures you can summon (variable dailies/encounter powers), then when you summon them you can use at-wills to give them actions and buffs.

Make sure everyone has an encounter power with a good basic summon in it - a summoner should never be out of critters.

Preserve the economy of action by having it take actions to order your creatures around - basically they act instead of you, not in addition to you.

 

[1013dragon]

Wizard/Conjurer

Digging the conjurer concept. I have been working on a 4th edition Necromancer class and I decided to make it another build option for the wizard class instead. I analyzed the Clerics daily power ,Guardian of Faith, and the Wizards Daily power, Flaming Sphere, and created something similar for a Necromancer build. You could also use Necromancer as a optional build for your Conjurer Class. I should have the Necromancer build option posted by Tuesday next week for critique.

Shadow Slave Wizard Attack 1
You conjure a ghostly slave, indistinct except for a
glowing scythe emblazoned with necrotic energy.

Daily: Conjuration, Arcane, Implement, Necrotic
Standard Action Ranged 5

Effect: You conjure a spirit that occupies 1 square
within range. Every round, you can move the spirit
3 squares as a move action. The spirit lasts until
the end of the encounter. Any creature that ends
its turn next to the conjured spirit is subject to a
Intelligence vs. Fortitude attack. On a hit, the attack
deals 1d8 + Intelligence modifier Necrotic damage.