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

[ChameleonX]

Mon - TV Tropes

A Monnote short for "monster", as in Pokémon (Pocket Monsters) and Digimon (Digital Monsters) is a creature, generally summoned by magic or sufficiently advanced science means, which fights on behalf of its summoner. This allows …

tvtropes.org

Mons Series - TV Tropes

Works which make Mons one of their focal tropes; e.g. where you can expect just about every plot-important character to possess at least one of these creatures, and a lot of battles are won and lost solely through Mon-on-Mon combatnote ( …

tvtropes.org

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I wonder if the subclasses should be for different type of monsters: plant, undead, construct, elemental, fey, dragon, aberration..

Sounds good to me:

Alienist: Aberrations and Monstrosities
High Priest: Celestials and Fiends
Marshal: Humanoids and Giants
Mechanist: Constructs
Planeswalker: Elementals
Shaman: Beasts, Fey, and/or Plants
True Necromancer: Undead
Wyrmspeaker: Dragons

I would let the base class summon any kind of creature by default, and have the subclasses give you benefits for summoning a particular type of monster, as well as thematically appropriate ribbons.

For instance, a Necromancer could get Necrotic resistance, or proficiency with death saves. Maybe they can reassert control over three undead per day without casting Animate Dead, etc

 

[SkidAce]

Summon a more powerful monster that your PC controls, while the character remains concentrating under a modified Sanctuary spell effect to deter foes from attacking them instead of the monster.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Pet and subclass hp should be fuel with the summoner's hit dice. That allows an extra creature on the board that does not increase the party resources over the course of the day.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I'm still chewing on a homebrew Summoner.

Only real problem is, it's built on the current 5e Warlock chassis. And given I strongly dislike the proposed Warlock changes....

 

[TwoSix]

I'm still chewing on a homebrew Summoner.

Only real problem is, it's built on the current 5e Warlock chassis. And given I strongly dislike the proposed Warlock changes....

If WotC does move forward with the half-caster Warlock changes, I would imagine the appetite for homebrew using the 2014 Warlock chassis would only increase.

 

[Vael]

I've also been noodling around with a Summoner design, but I've not given the Summoner any built in spellcasting, aside from their Summoning Spell. They have their own version of Invocations and I repurposed the new Mystic Arcanum Invocation (but it's now any Conjuration spell from both Arcane and Primal spell lists), so they can cast spells, but only if they choose to. Another Invocation grants some cantrips and such. I've also given them a Channel variant that follows the same progression as the Druid's Channel Nature, and can be used to either heal or grant a large attack or defensive buff to their summoned pet. (They can also expend uses of Channel to recast any of those Mystic Arcanum Conjurations they know).

What I've realized is I kinda have to flip the UA Warlock. The warlock picks a pact boon at first level that defines their strategy (A more castery Warlock picks Tome or Chain, a more fighty Warlock picks Pact of the Blade) and then their Subclass defines their Flavour (the type of Pact, Fiendish, Fey, etc.) ... my pass at the Summoner has to do the reverse. The first level feature ... Summoner's Call defines the type of creature they summon and therefore their flavour. Call of the Grave means you are summoning Undead, Call from Beyond ... Aberrations, Primordial Call for Elementals, Call of the Swarm, Call of the Dragon, etc. Then, Subclasses define strategy/playstyle. One Subclass for "mounting and riding your summoned pet into battle", one for having a multiple summons, one for the Pokemon style (have multiple summons available but choose between them in battle), one for merging with one's summoned pet ...

The thing that does now confuse me ... what class group does the Summoner belong to?

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Put it in the PHB