Summon Monster -- Alternate choices

[Pax]

Is there any way to choose something NOT on the default PHB lists?

What about MM2, or Monsters of Faerun, critters and beasties?

Can anyone point me at an official or at least semi-official source with alternate Summon Monster lists to choose from? Or rules on picking alternate beings ... ?

 

[gfunk]

Yes, a few issues of Dragon ago, they published an excellent article on variant summoning.

Basically, it is now done entirely by CR. SM IX is 12 or so and it goes down from there.

A much better and consistent system if you ask me.

 

[Destil]

Yes, a few issues of Dragon ago, they published an excellent article on variant summoning.

Basically, it is now done entirely by CR. SM IX is 12 or so and it goes down from there.

A much better and consistent system if you ask me.

Not really. CR often works poorly as a way to determin reletive power for much other than a PC challange.

For instance, adding teleport without error and plane shift at will to a weak creature most likely won't affect CR much, possibly +1 if that. But if you can summon something that can cast thoes at 1st or 3rd level you're just asking for abuse...

 

[Kevin O'Reilly]

Use the Astral Construct table in the PsiHB.

It's balanced and adds a lot more flavor.

Houserule of course

 

[gfunk]

Not really. CR often works poorly as a way to determin reletive power for much other than a PC challange.

For instance, adding teleport without error and plane shift at will to a weak creature most likely won't affect CR much, possibly +1 if that. But if you can summon something that can cast thoes at 1st or 3rd level you're just asking for abuse...

Well to be perfectly fair, the article does go into some detail about which specific outsiders/elementals to choose. Particularly in regard to the point you raise, they wrote something like, "Do not allow PCs to summon creatures that can cast a spell of their level or more."

 

[Pax]

What issue of Dragon was that? I'll have to look at getting a back=issue ...

 

[gfunk]

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