1Mac
First Post
A core Summoner is pretty darn powerful. He and his Eidelon get a suite of flexible powers (spells and evolutions respectively), and their power is multiplied by the expanded action economy. Take away spells, though, and suddenly the Summoner's power is mostly tied up in the Eidelon. One successful dismissal and the Summoner is feeling pretty silly.
A Synthesist Summoner is also pretty darn powerful. The action economy is mitigated, but we're basically in the realm of the 3e druid. Again, though, take away spells and you've got a sort of supernatural barbarian with lots of little magical animal friends.
So let's combine the two ideas; let's put a spell-less core Summoner and spell-less Synthesist into one class. This Summoner variant would get a pool of evolution points to be spent and redistributed among both the Summoner and his Eidelon. It could be a daily thing, or it could be something the Summoner can do on the fly, but either way it gives the Summoner some supernatural flexibility without relying on a gonzo spellcasting progression on top of everything else he gets.
This approach makes the Summoner more of a combined pet-master and transmuter, which I actually like, as it invites some colorful reskinning. Already I'm thinking of Summoner-style alternative druids, necromancers, and artificers (the latter modelled on Headless Hydra's summoner-esque Clockworker class).
A Synthesist Summoner is also pretty darn powerful. The action economy is mitigated, but we're basically in the realm of the 3e druid. Again, though, take away spells and you've got a sort of supernatural barbarian with lots of little magical animal friends.
So let's combine the two ideas; let's put a spell-less core Summoner and spell-less Synthesist into one class. This Summoner variant would get a pool of evolution points to be spent and redistributed among both the Summoner and his Eidelon. It could be a daily thing, or it could be something the Summoner can do on the fly, but either way it gives the Summoner some supernatural flexibility without relying on a gonzo spellcasting progression on top of everything else he gets.
This approach makes the Summoner more of a combined pet-master and transmuter, which I actually like, as it invites some colorful reskinning. Already I'm thinking of Summoner-style alternative druids, necromancers, and artificers (the latter modelled on Headless Hydra's summoner-esque Clockworker class).