D&D (2024) How should a Summoner/Pet Class be implemented in 1DnD?

[Tonguez]

A syntheist summoner seems like it gives the most benefits to the player who wants to play a summoning PC (you are effectively playing a monster, you can still talk to the pet [from inside it], and you can customize it] with the least annoyance to everyone else. Most customizations would be smite-style spells that are cast on a bonus action, letting the pet use its action/reactions for combat; these can be "class spells" like the mages get (and thus the summoner gets to be a mage). Bigger changes can come from transmutation or abjuration spells from the arcane list (obviously any spell with range: self can apply to the pet, since you will be wearing it).

I could see subclasses being big brute (your pet is large), valor (your pet has a weapon), stealth, and chaos (your pet can temporarily change your body, so it and you could act like an ooze or be one size smaller)

That does tresspass on Moon Druid territory a bit too much though. Though I suppose msking it the monster druid class might be fair game.

 

[CleverNickName]

So in 1DnD, how should the concept of a summoner/pet class be handled? Continue to split it among subclasses, or give it a dedicated class?

I think the best way to implement it would be to create a subclass, and open it up to multiple full casters. Sort of like how the different academies were done in Strixhaven: one subclass that can be accessed by Druids (who summon fey creatures and/or animals), Clerics (who summon angelic/demonic beings), and Wizards (who summon aberrations and magical beasts).

Spoiler: You've heard it before

I'll say this every time the topic comes up (and it keeps coming up): we don't need more base classes. We need fewer.

There is already too much competition between base classes. I wish they would pare them back to four, and let subclasses do the rest.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I think the best way to implement it would be to create a subclass, and open it up to multiple full casters. Sort of like how the different academies were done in Strixhaven: one subclass that can be accessed by Druids (who summon fey creatures and/or animals), Clerics (who summon angelic beings), and Wizards (who summon aberrations and magical beasts).

Spoiler: You've heard it before

I'll say this every time the topic comes up (and it keeps coming up): we don't need more base classes. We need fewer.

There is already too much competition between base classes. I wish they would pare them back to four, and let subclasses do the rest.

And every time I and others will repeat the appropriate response.

No.

4 classes with subclasses trying desperately to do the rest would either fail utterly to do anything well, or just be many classes disguised as few.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

I think the best way to implement it would be to create a subclass, and open it up to multiple full casters. Sort of like how the different academies were done in Strixhaven: one subclass that can be accessed by Druids (who summon fey creatures and/or animals), Clerics (who summon angelic beings), and Wizards (who summon aberrations and magical beasts).

Spoiler: You've heard it before

I'll say this every time the topic comes up (and it keeps coming up): we don't need more base classes. We need fewer.

There is already too much competition between base classes. I wish they would pare them back to four, and let subclasses do the rest.

Imo full casters are the worst classes to give pets to. They're already the most powerful by far, and so there is even less power budget for the pet.

Then again WotC doesn't care and will happy give full casters powerful subclasses on top of a powerful base class. While nerfing martials in every way they can.

 

[Tonguez]

Imo full casters are the worst classes to give pets to. They're already the most powerful by far, and so there is even less power budget for the pet.

Then again WotC doesn't care and will happy give full casters powerful subclasses on top of a powerful base class. While nerfing martials in every way they can.

Make Summoner a Martial Class!

The Beast Master Ranger - Animals
The Monkey King Monk - Aardlings
The WarHorde Barbarian - Monsters
The Vanguard Knight - Paladins
The Pied Piper Bard - Swarms of Vermin

 

[CleverNickName]

And every time I and others will repeat the appropriate response.

Yes, that is how discourse is supposed to work. (I would have written "predictable" instead of "appropriate," but anyway.) The thing is, I don't mind people disagreeing with me on this. I've never claimed to have all the answers or to know what's best for the hobby.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

I vote for half caster, with something like Summon Beast" given a duration of 24 hours and castable as a ritual, with concentration for the first summon removed.

Summon Beast - DND 5th Edition

dnd5e.wikidot.com

Add something akin to invocations where they add ala carte options for players to customize their summons. Let the beast attack as a bonus command at higher levels, or the player cast a cantrip while it attacks.

Let them pick their spell list: primal, divine, or arcane, type of summon (undead, genie, dragon, elemental, outsider). Subclasses could be a more martial one where they fight alongside/riding their pet, a caster-y one with the "mystic arcanum" of the warlock playtest to give them higher level casting, and a horde master than can summon minions with simplified stat blocks, options and 1 hit point to make management easier.

 

[Vael]

I'm actually leaning towards the Summoner not having spells at all, or the equivalent of the new Warlock's Mystic Arcanum. If we are giving them a pet that is the bulk of the class's power, especially if it's at-will, then I'd start with very limited casting.

Or maybe the old Warlock's Pact Magic casting progression? Lol

 

[FitzTheRuke]

They definitely should use swarm statblocks for summons that come in multiples. Swarm of Ravens; Pack of Hounds, Horde of Zombies. Faster/easier to control that way.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I'm actually leaning towards the Summoner not having spells at all, or the equivalent of the new Warlock's Mystic Arcanum. If we are giving them a pet that is the bulk of the class's power, especially if it's at-will, then I'd start with very limited casting.

Or maybe the old Warlock's Pact Magic casting progression? Lol

Idk I think it’s much easier to balance and much more fluid and versatile if they have spellslots and can spend them to boost the pet, cast through the pet, etc.