D&D 5E Summon Monster: 5th Edition

[Xeviat]

Let me ask the original poster this. You say you have been missing the summon monster spell. Why? What do you miss about it? If the answer is you miss how it dominates the battle and let you kick butt over everything, that's one thing. If the answer is you miss some specific role or the like that cannot be met by other spells already in 5e, then please explain.

I miss the existence of them. I miss the ability to play a summoner from level 2, when the wizard picks up their subclass.

Find Familiar is not a first level summon. It has no attacks. It's not quite the same.

If balance is the issue, they could be balanced with some effort.

I'd even be down for 4E style summons that take your action to sustain them if action economy is the ultimate thing that needs to be balanced.

Polymorph allows you to take the form of some pretty potent creatures, for instance.


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[MechaTarrasque]

Action economy is pretty much the main reason for limiting summoning (and on twitter, the devs say that current summoning [and creating undead] is already very powerful, and as such, they aren't inclined to expand on it).

Both in 4e and 5e, they have been trying to get back to the notion that summoning is dangerous. Sure there is no risk in summoning some mooks, but summon with a CR level equal to the spell, and you risk a new enemy if you lose concentration (and easy money says the final version of the mystic will have the same limitation). High risk and high reward, like the demon summoning spells in the Black Magic Unearthed Arcana, is probably the future of summoning (if there is any future for it in 5e), and I, for one, am glad of it.

 

[Antonlowe]

I created this summoning spell to be an upgrade to unseen servant.

Summon Commoner
2nd level conjuration (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 60 feet
Components: VSM
Duration: Concentration up to 8 Hours

You summon an average commoner to do your bidding. The commoner appears in an unoccupied space within the spells range. It disappears when it reaches 0 hit points or the spell ends.

The commoner is friendly to you and your companions for the duration. Roll initiative for the commoner, which has its own turns. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any commands to the commoner, it defends itself from hostile creatures but otherwise takes no actions.

If your concentration is broken, the commoner doesn’t disappear. Instead, you lose control of the commoner, it becomes hostile toward you and your companions, and it might attack. An uncontrolled commoner can’t be dismissed by you, and it disappears 1 hour after you summoned it. The DM has the commoner’s statistics.

 

[Antonlowe]

I also created these two spells to be more combat related.

Summon Blood Hawk
1st level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 60 feet
Components: VSM
Duration: Concentration up to 1 Hour

You summon an average hawk to do your bidding. The hawk appears in an unoccupied space within the spells range. It disappears when it reaches 0 hit points or the spell ends.

You may direct the hawk to attack your enemies (no action). Roll initiative for the hawk, which has its own turns. If you don’t issue any commands to the hawk, it defends itself from hostile creatures but otherwise takes no actions.

If your concentration is broken, the hawk disappears.

At Higher Levels: If you cast this spell using a 2nd level spell slot, you summon two blood hawks. If you cast this spell using a 3rd level spell slot you summon four blood hawks. If you cast this spell using a 4th level slot you get eight blood hawks.

Summon Dretch
1st level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 60 feet
Components: VSM
Duration: Concentration up to 1 minute

You summon an average dretch to do your bidding. The dretch appears in an unoccupied space within the spells range. It disappears when it reaches 0 hit points or the spell ends.

The dretch is friendly to you and your companions for the duration. Roll initiative for the dretch, which has its own turns. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any commands to the dretch, it defends itself from hostile creatures but otherwise takes no actions.

If your concentration is broken, the dretch doesn’t disappear. Instead, you lose control of the dretch, it becomes hostile toward you and your companions, and it might attack. An uncontrolled dretch can’t be dismissed by you, and it disappears 1 hour after you summoned it. The DM has the dretch’s statistics.

At Higher Levels: If you cast this spell using a 2nd level spell slot, you summon two dretchs. If you cast this spell using a 3rd level spell slot you summon four dretchs. If you cast this spell using a 4th level slot you get eight dretchs.