Summon Monster 6 - strange choices

[Rashak Mani]

I am a recently arrived at 12th level Sorceror... and looking thru my spell options I checked the Summon Monster 6 monster list.

The big difference between Celestial Dire Bear and ALL other creatures is so big ! It has more HD, damage and resistances. Being 12HD its a 10/+3 creature ! Rast and Hound Archon are much weaker. Even a large elemental isnt too good. Shocked by how bad the others are in comparison.

It this correct ? Is there any errata on this ? Someone mentioned errata on Dire Bear size and reach ... where is this ?

Were are in a Drow rich campaign and I figured that Disintegrate wasnt as much fun as summoning huge bears... or am I wrong ? Disintegrate is a ray spell and my dex is +2 only... Drows are nimble people too.

Other 6th level spell recommendations instead ?

 

[dkilgo]

When dealing with the drow one would definitely want to look at Antimagic Field. The drow have a tendency to lay too much faith in their magic weapons, and not so much in their actual abilities. Greater Dispelling is cool too. Quite handy!

 

[dcollins]

Someone mentioned errata on Dire Bear size and reach ... where is this ?

The MM Web Errata changed the Dire Bear's Face/Reach to 5x10/5 ft. Here: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article1.asp?x=dnd/er/errata,3

I disagree with this change and believe the size should have instead been revised to Huge.

 

[Rashak Mani]

I was badly surprised how relatively weak the Elementals seem... not that good... They look cool... but dont have much bang for the buck.

Should I just get the ray spell Disintegrate and forget SM 6 ?

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Don't forget the dire rabbit of aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

It has a hyperkeen vorpal bite that always gives a critical threat, can make charge attacks as a jump action, and has STR 100!

 

[Archer]

Elementals don't get good at combat until huge but earth elementals can fetch something buried deep within the earth at any size. Hound Archons can teleport at will, have an aura of menace, and a lot of other spell-like abilities. Sure the dire bear is great for ground based combat at close ranges but nothing else.

 

[Kwalish Kid]

SM VI may actually be more effective if used for 1d3 fiendish giant crocodiles. Those things can really mess things up.

 

[Stalker0]

The dire bear is in many people's minds too strong for 6, it should have been for 7.

Still its not the end all of the 6th level summoning spells. While its ground power can't be beat, special abilities can be much more handy at special times.

But level 6 is when summoning seems to get preety good. Although 4 does have some nice things too. Its a versatile spell that can come in handy for a whole lot of different situations.

 

[Rashak Mani]

What is the official ruling on alignment issues of Summoning Monsters ? Only clerics have restrictions ?

Sorcerors and Wizards can summon opposite alignments with no problem ? Officially speaking ...

Now in your games how do you handle the alignment of summoned creatures ?

Is there anywhere an expanded list of monsters to summon that is official ?

 

[shilsen]

What is the official ruling on alignment issues of Summoning Monsters ? Only clerics have restrictions ?

Sorcerors and Wizards can summon opposite alignments with no problem ? Officially speaking ...

Now in your games how do you handle the alignment of summoned creatures ?

Is there anywhere an expanded list of monsters to summon that is official ?

Yes, only clerics have restrictions.

Yes.

The only change I make to the official rules for summoning is allow casters to replace the celestial template with the fiendish one, and vice versa. So the caster of a SM IV could summon a celestial lion or a fiendish lion, depending on what suited him.

No, although one of the latest Dragon magazines apparently had suggestions for changes to the lists. I haven't seen it, so I can't vouch for its quality.