D&D 5E I Calculated CRs for the Tasha Summon Stat Blocks

[MonkeezOnFire]

It's not bad having options, and there's nothing fundamentally wrong with the basic mechanics, but these spells seem like a whole lot of words for not a lot of content. Wouldn't one spell each for levels 2-6 have sufficed? Or even fewer?

Creating a spell for each level could be possible but I think the designers thought that would be too abstract. I recall that during the initial 5e playtests that they received negative feedback the first time they introduced the concept of replacing summon spells with generic stat blocks. People really wanted the 3e style of using the monster manual stat blocks so thats what they went with. The current iteration might be a bit of a compromise so as to not go too generic to avoid that kind of backlash.

And I really think the flavor argument is a strong one. If we were just given generic scaling stat blocks with a list of possible abilities to choose from then you could probably create some stretched creations lorewise that are mechanically powerful. This way they can create blocks that feel appropriate for each creature type and dish those out to classes as appropriate (though I think giving wizards summon fey is a bit of a headscratcher).

 

[MonkeezOnFire]

I have noticed what is probably a typo in the Summon Construct stat block. The HP calculation says "40 + 15 for each spell level above 3rd" even though the spell is 4th level. RAW this means that a 4th level summon construct has 55 hp. The spell is listed as 4th level in the start of chapter table, and in the aberrant sorcerer's extra spells list, so we can safely conclude that the spell is meant to be 4th level. All the other spells are formatted that the extra addition only applies for upcasting the spell. So I am working with the assumption that the text for hp is meant to say "40 + 15 for each spell level above 4th." If the designers clarify and say that constructs are supposed to start at 55 hp I will make the change.

 

[squibbles]

Flavour.

But the flavor is bland, isn't it? Consider the summon undead and animate dead spells. They're the same level, they both create relatively long lasting undead minions. Animate dead has flavor in spades--to the point that people argue about whether using it makes you evil--but clunky and niche mechanics. Summon undead has some flavor but roughly the same mechanics as 8 other spells.

I guess it the halfway-ness of these spells that bothers me.

Make a mechanically cool spell with a lot of use. Cool, I like it.

Make a thematically cool spell, with at least some mechanical utility. Cool, I like it.

Make one mechanically cool spell and reskin it 9 times with slightly different quirks. Meh, I'm not impressed. It's not hard for me to take a mechanically cool spell and reskin it myself.

I recall that during the initial 5e playtests that they received negative feedback the first time they introduced the concept of replacing summon spells with generic stat blocks.

You're absolutely right, that alternative isn't better.

If I condensed the list down to one summon spell per level, I'd pick a flavor for each level and then give that level's summon spell a distinctive mechanical flair to support its flavor, i.e.:

2nd gets generic animals​

3rd gets a choice of fey that charm & shadowspawn that fear​

4th gets big elementals that smash and each has a novel mobility feature​

5th gets glass cannon aberrations with multiple sweet spell-like abilities​

6th gets tanky fiends with resistances, immunities, and aoe effects​

They could all have comparable CR when cast at the same level, but scale differently.

Actually, I really would like a similar stat block for polymorph and wild shape and so on. Fixed hp, with option to buff a friend or debuff the enemy. Making a choice between a large animal or a diminuative one.

That is an excellent Idea, especially for polymorph.

I have noticed what is probably a typo in the Summon Construct stat block. The HP calculation says "40 + 15 for each spell level above 3rd" even though the spell is 4th level.

Ya, 100% typo.