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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Storm Raven" data-source="post: 976897" data-attributes="member: 307">Wrong. For potentially several rounds. Given the extreme vulnerability of most targets of hold person to Will saves (obvious fighter types, for example), the liklihood is that they will fail their save on a consistent basis. Note that the target of hold person is apparently not scot free if he saves once, he has to resave the next round or be held for that round.Summoning the wolf into flanking position gives the meless guy +2 to hit. It also makes the wolf's attack significantly better. Coupled with the wolf's natural trip ability, there is a good chance that you will give your melee type +6 to hit on one or more occassion when the wolf is in play. So, the end result is that the wolf is likely to do as much damage as the increased damage from bull's strength and is going to be better at increasing the attack rolls of the melee type.If I summon a celestial wolf into flanking position with such a combatant, then the 3rd level fighter will have a +9 bonus to hit and deal 2d6+4 damage (11 average) while the wolf will attack at +5 to hit (also likely to hit 3rd level adversaries) and inflict 1d6+1 damage (4.5 average) with the possibility of a trip attack succeeding in that sequence (raising the fighter's attack bonus to +13 while the opponent is prone).Hmm, more damage, better side benefits. Summon monster II sure seems like a no brained over bull's strength.And the fighter's increased damage is spread out over many rounds, which makes it less useful. In addition, you left out the fact that burning hands can (and usually does) encompass more than one opponent in its area of effect. if the party is facing, say a group of six gnolls (An EL 3 encounter), an average damage roll probably kill three of them immediately, a situation far prefereable to having the fighter slowly work his way through them.No, they are generally far crappier that spells of similar level. Heck, the animal buffs as they stand in 3.5 are less useful than many 1st level spells.</blockquote>

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