Summon Monster for 5E

[the Jester]

Isn't that what makes this one a little overpowered? Compared to conjure elemental you don't need concentration and you can get a more powerful creature to do your bidding.

I noticed this when I was copying it into my spells document. I agree that this is highly problematic. I added concentration (and changed the tables up a little bit).

 

[Xeviat]

I was reading this Summon monster spell as starting at CR 1/4 and going up by one step each spell level:

Level 1: CR 1/4
Level 2: CR 1/2
Level 3: CR 1
Level 4: CR 2
Level 5: CR 3
Level 6: CR 4
Level 7: CR 5
Level 8: CR 6
Level 9: CR 7

I suppose I misread. That's how I think it should be. And it should have concentration.

 

[dave2008]

I was reading this Summon monster spell as starting at CR 1/4 and going up by one step each spell level:

Level 1: CR 1/4
Level 2: CR 1/2
Level 3: CR 1
Level 4: CR 2
Level 5: CR 3
Level 6: CR 4
Level 7: CR 5
Level 8: CR 6
Level 9: CR 7

I suppose I misread. That's how I think it should be. And it should have concentration.

That looks about right to me, nice correction

 

[Stormonu]

I was reading this Summon monster spell as starting at CR 1/4 and going up by one step each spell level:

Level 1: CR 1/4
Level 2: CR 1/2
Level 3: CR 1
Level 4: CR 2
Level 5: CR 3
Level 6: CR 4
Level 7: CR 5
Level 8: CR 6
Level 9: CR 7

I suppose I misread. That's how I think it should be. And it should have concentration.

Granted, I haven't had the chance to actually try out the higher levels of the spells, but a 18th level wizard casting this spell and getting a CR 7 monster out of it seems grossly underwhelming - but that may be my 3E memory poking out. I did try to match the lists to the old 1E/2E version for what could be summoned with the spell...

 

[Li Shenron]

I think it's a nice spell, and I like its simplicity.

As for monsters power, it doesn't seem too powerful to me to summon up to a CR12 creature, but at the same time it should be compared with existing spells (i.e. Conjure Elementals) to say it's balanced.

The only thing that got me thinking, is the option to summon 256 creatures at once. Maybe it's not an issue, but if this was a WotC official spell I don't think it would allow that. Maybe a limit of max 3 levels increase (8 creatures) to play it safe.

 

[scholz]

Starting to use this. I added a couple of clarifications for my game:
1. Requires Concentration (they disappear without concentration)
2. Bonus Action to command, stand idle once it has completed its command.
3. Average Hitpoints
4. Standard Equipment doesn't include magic items (those are made non-magic items)
5. Only dead creatures can be summoned (summoning creates an echo, incarnated in flesh, but not 'real'), but you can summon it more than once, and it can remember past summoning.

 

[Xeviat]

Granted, I haven't had the chance to actually try out the higher levels of the spells, but a 18th level wizard casting this spell and getting a CR 7 monster out of it seems grossly underwhelming - but that may be my 3E memory poking out. I did try to match the lists to the old 1E/2E version for what could be summoned with the spell...

Eh, CR 7 is still meaningful at level 18. A CR 7 creature is worth 2900 xp. For a party of 4 level 18 characters, 4 CR 7 opponents would be worth 23,200 xp; 2900 x4, x2 for multiple monsters (3-6 monsters is x2). That is more than a medium encounter, less than a hard encounter. So in a "medium" encounter, a CR 7 summon is going to be about equal to the creature's you're facing.

 

[TheCosmicKid]

Eh, CR 7 is still meaningful at level 18. A CR 7 creature is worth 2900 xp. For a party of 4 level 18 characters, 4 CR 7 opponents would be worth 23,200 xp; 2900 x4, x2 for multiple monsters (3-6 monsters is x2). That is more than a medium encounter, less than a hard encounter. So in a "medium" encounter, a CR 7 summon is going to be about equal to the creature's you're facing.

Yeah, what with bounded accuracy and all, a young black dragon is nothing to sneeze at at any level.

 

[Stormonu]

I think it's a nice spell, and I like its simplicity.

As for monsters power, it doesn't seem too powerful to me to summon up to a CR12 creature, but at the same time it should be compared with existing spells (i.e. Conjure Elementals) to say it's balanced.

The only thing that got me thinking, is the option to summon 256 creatures at once. Maybe it's not an issue, but if this was a WotC official spell I don't think it would allow that. Maybe a limit of max 3 levels increase (8 creatures) to play it safe.

5E doesn't use the "double of a double is a triple" rule? Wasn't aware of that.

I'm also looking to do a revised list where the CR maxxes out at 7. May be a day or two before I have it completed.

 

[Li Shenron]

5E doesn't use the "double of a double is a triple" rule? Wasn't aware of that.

I am not 100% sure, but I don't think there is such a rule at least in Basic. It used to be a "safety rule" to prevent multiple effects (or multiple uses of the same effect) to skyrocket, but it might be that they avoided such rule and instead tried to use more natural language, so that when they don't want something to multiply, they'll say "add X again" instead of "double X, but see the rule about doubling twice really meaning tripling etc...".