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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sepulchrave II" data-source="post: 3091329" data-attributes="member: 4303">I'd considered increasing the range to 300 ft. and the duration to 200 mins and lowering the CR to 15 - this brings it in line with elemental swarm and its various relations in the SC. BTW, the original standardization I was looking for was in terms of SP, not range.At present, I'm actually thinking of paring back the duration to 20 rounds again: the spirit of the summon monster suite is definitely combat-oriented, and I think I'd like to retain that. It serves to further differentiate it from [call] as well.I also feel that summonings aren't *real,* in the sense that a called creature is real. They don't really die. They can't teleport etc. One argument for the mechanism of summonings that I like is that the target creature is somehow forced to astrally project a body onto the prime while its body remains in a protected temporal stasis for the duration. If one were to contrive an epic spell which duplicated this, the cost would be astronomical: a [remote manifestation] involving an irresistible [compel] coupled with [transport] and [time] - the mitigating factor which prevented the use of innate summoning or teleport abilities would be peanuts compared to this.However it works, I think that there is sufficient difference between [summon] and [call] for them to merit different seeds. Ability versus inability to use a wide range of powers. Susceptibility to antimagic and protection from evil. Discrete duration versus instantaneous duration. [Calling] versus [summoning]. You could add clauses to [summon] which turn it into a [calling] spell, which make its duration instantaneous, which allow creatures to use their teleport abilities etc. I think it's easier to simply go with a separate seed.I think I'd actually prefer to use greater planar ally as the basis of [call], though. Gate is too whacky - it's a 9th-level spell, and like wish and miracle its effects lie partly in the region of DM discretion: as such, it's probably unsuitable as the basis for extrapolation.The big problem with gpa is that it's HD-based and not CR-based. I think I'd hand-wave this and simply retool it based on CR (which the planar ally/planar binding spells should always have been, anyway). Bearing in mind that a gpa can call a pit fiend, CR20 would be the obvious place to start. +2SP/+1 CR would be a factor it shared with [summon], and presumably [animate dead] as well.Here's a start, mainly to see if it's viable. If the (deity's choice) requirement is rated as a minor flexible factor, this [call] is actually pretty weak without significant mitigation. I haven't swapped out the payment for equivalent power component mitigation yet, but the same thing had occurred to me.[Call]Conjuration (Calling) [see text]Root Spell: Greater planar allyPreferred Mitigation: Extended Casting Time, Ritual, Power ComponentsComponents: V,SCasting Time: 1 standard actionRange: 75ft.Effect: Called elementals or outsiders of CR 14 or lessDuration: InstantaneousSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: NoA spell incorporating this seed calls extraplanar creatures to serve you. If you know an individual creature’s name, you may request that individual by speaking the name during the spell. You may ask the creature to perform one task in exchange for a payment from you. Tasks might range from the simple to the complex. You must be able to communicate with the creature called in order to bargain for its services.The creature called requires a payment for its services. This payment can take a variety of forms, from donating gold or magic items to an allied temple, to a gift given directly to the creature, to some other action on your part that matches the creature’s alignment and goals. Regardless, this payment must be made before the creature agrees to perform any services. The bargaining takes at least 1 round, so any actions by the creature begin in the round after it arrives.A task taking up to 1 minute per caster level requires a payment of 100 gp per HD of the creature called. For a task taking up to 1 hour per caster level, the creature requires a payment of 500 gp per HD. A long-term task, one requiring up to one day per caster level, requires a payment of 1,000 gp per HD.A nonhazardous task requires only half the indicated payment, while an especially hazardous task might require a greater gift. Few if any creatures will accept a task that seems suicidal (remember, a called creature actually dies when it is killed, unlike a summoned creature). However, if the task is strongly aligned with the creature’s ethos, it may halve or even waive the payment.At the end of its task, or when the duration bargained for expires, the creature returns to its home plane (after reporting back to you, if appropriate and possible).Note: When you use a calling spell that calls an air, chaotic, earth, evil, fire, good, lawful, or water creature, it is a spell of that type.Factors: For each additional +1CR of the called creature, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +2.Limitation: If you devise a spell which waives your exact choice of called creature and calls a creature of similar alignment instead, reduce the Spellcraft Prerequisite by -4.Relevant half-factors: reduce casting time 3 steps (+6), reduce target CR by 7 (-14), determine specific target creature (+4), incorporate native XP cost (+2).</blockquote>

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