If summoner is gonna take a 1 level dip into another class, what should it be?

[Wycen]

So we are planning a new Pathfinder campaign in March and I want to run a summoner. But I'm also considering maybe trying to stick a little closer to the DM's background which includes training by the town to handle the coming expected annual attack by a fire weilding monster. And his design notes mention only the core book classes. This would mean 1 level of maybe wizard though I think a magus would be ok too.

What should-could that something else be? I'm prepared to stick with just being a summoner, since extra classes screw up spell progression, but maybe someone will show me something really clever. I'm envisioning the summoner as a weird flavor of druid.

The DM wants Celtic flavor, but almost anything goes. He says he trusts us not to come up with ninja or gunslingers, which was sad cause I want to try a gunslinger sometime as well.

 

[Dingo333]

I would say do not dip.

As a summoner, you lose on spells and your eidolon's abilities. Many of the best abilities require a certain summoner level (flight is 5th, Fast Healing is 9th etc)

With your background in mind, I would say a fighter type if you have to dip (to represent your militia training). Paladin is best (play of high Cha) and you get a couple useful things from pally over time

 

[paradox42]

If Summoner is your primary and it is just a dip of a level or two, then you definitely want something CHA-based- Wizard is a Bad Idea, for example, because it depends on INT. Going CHA-based means you have better synergy with your Summoner levels, since CHA is by far the Summoner's most important stat.

Beyond that, I'd say your choice of dip class (if you even do it) should depend on which Archetype you're using (if any). For example, Synthesist is usually a frontline fighter in a party, so for a Synthesist it makes sense to dip a fighting class (like Paladin, as Dingo suggested- and in fact I am currently playing in a game where our party Summoner is a Synthesist and plans to dip Paladin in a level or few). However, if you're playing a Master Summoner, you probably don't intend to ever get into melee if you can avoid it at all, so I'd recommend dipping something to get you increased spell ability- like Sorcerer or Oracle. If you're in a game that allows psionics, maybe Wilder.

Dipping out of spellcasting classes is a Bad Idea by conventional wisdom, but that's based on the notion that you're a "full" spellcaster that gains 9 levels of spells. For them, losing out on even one new spell level pretty much shoots their power-for-character-level ratio down. But with six-level casters like Summoner, Bard, and Inquisitor, you don't lose as much by doing it- because spell levels come more slowly for you anyway and you don't have as many to gain to reach the top of your power curve. So dipping for the six-level caster classes makes some sense.

But you have to make sure you synergize- stick with classes that depend on stats you wanted to keep high anyway. For Summoner, that means CHA.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I agree with Dingo, Summoner loses more than almost any other class when he dips, every single thing he gets is heavily tied to his class level. That said, if you don't care about raw power, a dip can be helpful for certain things. If you wanted to do a mounted character that rides your Eidolon, dipping Sohei for a level means you get +2 to all saves, some new class skills, the ability to act in all surprise rounds, proficiency with all simple and martial weapons, and most importantly... you can take Mounted Skirmisher as a bonus feat (you could also take Trick Riding or any other high level mounted feat, but I'd go w/ Mounted Skirmisher!). Then, with a quadruped mount w/ Pounce, you can both full attack on a charge. With a lance. And preferably Spiritual Charge.

Just one option, but it's my personal favorite were I to dip out of Summoner...

 

[Wycen]

Hmm. Bard could be useful until we get to higher levels, though I guess I can still take ranks in perform somehow. I like the +2 to Ref saves and all the cool stuff.

Never considered monk, partly because of the flavor difference since we are in a minimally Celtically inspired campaign and partly because I've never been a big fan of monks. I'll have to take a better look at the sohei option.

 

[SnowleopardVK]

One of the summoners in my group dipped into Monk. Not Sohei, but the good saves and ability to flurry with his quarterstaff have been somewhat helpful for him. It depends on the summoner though. This one has built himself to be a front-line fighter alongside his eidolon. A lot of summoners wouldn't do very well if they tried that.

 

[Oryan77]

One of the summoners in my group dipped into Monk. Not Sohei, but the good saves and ability to flurry with his quarterstaff have been somewhat helpful for him. It depends on the summoner though. This one has built himself to be a front-line fighter alongside his eidolon. A lot of summoners wouldn't do very well if they tried that.

Funny that you brought this up. I just created a 3rd level Monk of the Sacred Mountain PC for a new game that will multiclass into a Master Summoner. I'd rather play another class other than Monk, but the Monk levels are mandatory. I don't know if my build will totally suck, but a front line Monk/Summoner seemed pretty fun to play. The Monk class seems to work ok for the Summoner if you build it right and focus on melee rather than casting.

 

[Qik]

I agree with the others who have said that, in general, dipping is a no-no for the summoner. That said, an oracle with the Nature mystery who takes "friend to the animals" can qualify for some of the handy UM summoning feats such as Starlight Summons. They're especially nice for a Master Summoner who needs to overcome DR.