Summoners in D&D...

[Feyd Rautha]

Here are my opinions on the various options for a Summoner character:

Sorcerer: <SNIP>You can cast lots of spells, and use metamagic on them with no increased casting time (summon monsters are 1 round anyway). <SNIP>

Actually this is incorrect. Pg. 88 of the PHB states that applying metamagic to a spell that is already a full-round action takes ANOTHER full round action.

As for my take?

Druid. You can do so much with your full spell list and then if the situation warrants it you can summon a more powerful creature to fight on your side. A friend of mine has a saying..."There is no problem in DnD that cannot be solved by a number of thoqquas or unicorns." It is true too. Do you need to fly? Don't burn that Air Walk spell. Do you need healing and don't have any memorized? Unicorn on it's way. Need to get through that wall/door? Well, you could stone shape it or you could summon a thoqqua and dig through like a hot knife through butter.

Featwise you should definitely pick up Spell Focus (Conj.) and Augment Summoning. Pick up Greater Spell Focus (Conj.) at higher levels as a lot of high level druid "blaster" spells are conjuration. Arc of Lightning, Cometfall, Fire Seeds, and healing (vs. Undead).

As for the lack of the planar ally spells? If that is what floats your boat then by all means. Personally, I'm not too keen on paying out a wad of cash or relying heavilly on outside allies that aren't going to be around permanently.

 

[Evilhalfling]

I played a High level game with a specialist Druid Summoner - he had augment summon as a feat and would use as many spells as possible for summoning with.
He summoned mostly elementals - They were amazing in combat if they got to fight (protection from good became common for our enemies.) He never summoned Unicorns, im not sure if it was flavor or just not realizing there uses. We used dire badgers over throqua - as they made bigger tunnels.
As the cleric I used planar binding once. For a lesser Xorn to scout the underdark for us. It worked great, as it had instructions to retreat into stone if it was threatened, and avoid anything dangerous.
Planar bindings make for great scouts, but are costly for other activities.

 

[Storm Raven]

Druid/Conjuror/Mystic Theurge.

The key to a summoner character in combat is getting lots of creatures into the fray, rolling yourself into having a half-dozen or more beasts and other things doing your bidding. The double spell progression allows you that many more spell slots to fill with summon spells, and the Augment Summoning feat works double for you. You take a caster level hit, but the increased mass of spell slots (in this case) makes up for it.

 

[Feyd Rautha]

We used dire badgers over throqua - as they made bigger tunnels.

You will note that under the "burrowing" trait in the MM (in the back) it says that the tunnel collapses on itself unless the text specifically says it does not. That is the case with the Thoqqua.

Also, instructing the thoqquas to grapple is fun!

Finally, if you have a high level druid then there is no need to cast lesser planar ally to get a scout. Just send the druid!

 

[Remathilis]

Wow. I began this thinking the cleric/mystic was the best summoner, but its looking like the UA variant conjurer or druid (or both!) are the way to go...

I wonder though: why the lack of good summoner PrCs?

Second aside: Is there room for a summoner base class?

 

[philreed]

You may want to check out Patrick Younts' Summoner Options PDF at RPGNow.

http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=3849&SRC=EnWorld

 

[Abraxas]

Is there an updated list of the creatures that can be summoned via the various summon monster/natures ally spells anywhere? One that includes all the WoTC books (MMII, MMIII, Monsters of Faerun, Fiend Folio, etc).

 

[Plane Sailing]

One reason for using planar binding now is for instant messaging, since they can still teleport and user planar magic, while your summoned creatures cannot (since 3.5).

I'm considering a summoner for my next PC, and I'm tossing up between a druid and a sorcerer (the latter for planar binding purposes mostly)

Cheers

 

[Plane Sailing]

A while ago someone made a list of all the special powers available via suitable summoned monsters. It was 3.0 rather than 3.5, but I'll reproduce it here for interests sake

Summon Monster II
Summon Monster II
Ink Cloud: Squid
Poison: Viper
Scent: Wolf
Telepathy: Lemure
Trip: Wolf



Summon Monster III
Blindsight: Bat
Blood Drain: Weasel
Burn: Fire Elemental
Darkness: Dretch
Drench: Water Elemental
Heat: Azer
Scare: Dretch
Stinking Cloud: Dretch
Telekinesis: Dretch
Tremorsense: Thoqqua
Whirlwind: Air Elemental


Summon Monster IV
Aid: Lantern Archon
Aura of Menace: Lantern Archon
Burrow: Xorn
Commune: Imp
Cone of Fire: Hell Hound
Continual Flame: Lantern Archon
Detect Evil: Lantern Archon
Detect Good: Imp
Detect Magic: Imp
Fiery Aura: Magmin
Magic Circle Against Evil: Lantern Archon
Melt Weapons: Magmin
See in Darkness: Imp
Shriek: Varguille
Suggestion: Imp

Summon Monster V
Boiling Rainstorm: Steam Mephit
Chill Metal: Ice Mephit
Draw Moisture: Salt Mephit
Glitterdust: Salt Mephit
Gust of Wind: Air Mephit
Heat Metal: Fire Mephit
Magic Missile: Fire Mephit
Melph's Acid Arrow: Ooze Mephit
Message: Hound Archon
Pyrotechnics: Magma Mephit
Soften Earth: Earth Mephit
Wind Wall: Dust Mephit

Summon Monster VI
Animate Dead: Barbazu
Charm Monster: Erinyes
Charm Person: Barbazu
Command: Barbazu
Corporeal Instability: Chaos Beast
Cure Light Wounds: Unicorn
Dancing Chains: Kyton
Desecrate: Barbazu
Fear (by touch): Barbazu
Magic Weapon: Barbazu
Major Image: Barbazu
Neutralize Poison: Unicorn
Paralyzing Gaze: Rast
Produce Flame: Barbazu
Rope Entangle: Bezekira
Smoke Form: Belker
Stunning Croak: Slaad, Red
Unholy Blight: Erinyes
Unnerving Gaze: Kyton



Summon Monster VII
Animal Telepathy: Avoral Guardian
Animate Objects: Ravid
Armor Damage: Bebilith
Circle Against Chaos: Bebilith
Circle Against Good: Bebilith
Circle Against Law: Bebilith
Create Food and Water: Djinni
Create Wine: Djinni
Dimension Door: Avoral Guardian
Dimensional Anchor: Osyluth
Dispel Magic: Avoral Guardian
Doom: Hamatula
Find Target: Bebilith
Hold Person: Avoral Guardian
Improved Tracking: Invisible Stalker
Know Alignment: Osyluth
Light: Avoral Guardian
Lightning Bolt: Avoral Guardian
Major Creation: Djinni
Order Wrath: Hamatula
Passwall: Slaad, Blue
Persistant Image: Djinni
Plane Shift: Djinni
Stun: Hamatula
Sunder: Earth Elemental
True Seeing: Avoral Guardian
Wall of Ice: Osyluth
Web: Bebilith
Wind Walk: Djinni
Wound: Hamatula

Summon Monster VIII
Alarm: Lillend
Animal Trance: Lillend
Blindness/Deafness: Lillend
Blur: Lillend
Bull's Strength: Lillend
Cat's Grace: Lillend
Cause Fear: Lillend
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance: Succubus
Cure Moderate Wounds: Lillend
Dancing Lights: Lillend
Daylight: Lillend
Daze: Lillend
Delay Poison: Lillend
Detect Secret Doors: Lillend
Detect Thoughts: Cornugon
Dispel Chaos: Cornugon
Dispel Good: Cornugon
Energy Drain: Succubus
Enlarge: Janni
Enthrall: Lillend
Erase: Lillend
Ethereal Jaunt: Janni
Expeditious Retreat: Lillend
Feather Fall: Lillend
Fireball: Cornugon
Flaming Sphere: Salamander
Flare: Lillend
Ghost Sound: Lillend
Grease: Lillend
Hallucinatory Terrain: Lillend
Hypnotic Pattern: Lillend
Hypnotism: Lillend
Identify: Lillend
Invisibility: Janni
Knock: Lillend
Levitate: Lillend
Locate Object: Lillend
Mage Armor: Lillend
Mage Hand: Lillend
Magic Mouth: Lillend
Mending: Lillend
Misdirection: Barghest
Obscure Object: Lillend
Open/Close: Lillend
Prestidigitation: Lillend
Read Magic: Lillend
Reduce: Janni
Resistance: Lillend
See Invisibility: Lillend
Shatter: Lillend
Silence: Lillend
Silent Image: Lillend
Sleep: Lillend
Sound Burst: Lillend
Speak with Animals: Lillend
Speak with Plants: Lillend
Tasha's Hideous Laughter: Lillend
Tongues: Lillend
Undetectable Alignment: Lillend
Unseen Servant: Lillend
Ventriloquism:Lillend
Wall of Fire: Cornugon
Whipering Winds: Lillend

Summon Monster IX
+11 Tumble: Xill
Alter Self: Rakshasa
Animate Rope: Rakshasa
Arcane Eye: Coatl
Arcane Lock: Rakshasa
Arcane Mark: Rakshasa
Astral Projection: Nightmare
Bestow Curse: Coatl
Blade Barrier: Astral Diva
Blink: Rakshasa
Burning Hands: Rakshasa
Chain Lightning: Ghaele Eledrin
Change Self: Rakshasa
Chill Touch: Rakshasa
Cleric 0 Air: Coatl
Cleric 0 Animal: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 0 Chaos: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 0 Good: Lammasu
Cleric 0 Healing: Lammasu
Cleric 0 Knowledge: Lammasu
Cleric 0 Law: Lammasu
Cleric 0 Plant: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 1 Air: Coatl
Cleric 1 Animal: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 1 Chaos: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 1 Death: Rakshasa
Cleric 1 Destruction: Rakshasa
Cleric 1 Earth: Rakshasa
Cleric 1 Evil: Rakshasa
Cleric 1 Fire: Rakshasa
Cleric 1 Good: Lammasu
Cleric 1 Healing: Lammasu
Cleric 1 Knowledge: Lammasu
Cleric 1 Law: Lammasu
Cleric 1 Luck: Rakshasa
Cleric 1 Magic: Rakshasa
Cleric 1 Plant: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 1 Protection: Rakshasa
Cleric 1 Strength: Rakshasa
Cleric 1 Sun: Rakshasa
Cleric 1 Travel: Rakshasa
Cleric 1 Trickery: Rakshasa
Cleric 1 War: Rakshasa
Cleric 1 Water: Rakshasa
Cleric 2 Air: Coatl
Cleric 2 Animal: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 2 Chaos: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 2 Good: Lammasu
Cleric 2 Healing: Lammasu
Cleric 2 Knowledge: Lammasu
Cleric 2 Law: Lammasu
Cleric 2 Plant: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 3 Air: Coatl
Cleric 3 Animal: Chaele Eledrin
Cleric 3 Chaos: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 3 Good: Lammasu
Cleric 3 Healing: Lammasu
Cleric 3 Knowledge: Lammasu
Cleric 3 Law: Lammasu
Cleric 3 Plant: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 4 Air: Coatl
Cleric 4 Animal: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 4 Chaos: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 4 Good: Lammasu
Cleric 4 Healing: Lammasu
Cleric 4 Knowledge: Lammasu
Cleric 4 Law: Lammasu
Cleric 4 Plant: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 5 Air: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 5 Animal: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 5 Chaos: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 5 Good: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 5 Plant: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 6 Air: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 6 Animal: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 6 Chaos: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 6 Good: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 6 Plant: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 7 Air: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 7 Animal: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 7 Chaos: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 7 Good: Ghaele Eledrin
Cleric 7 Plant: Ghaele Eledrin
Color Spray: Ghaele Eledrin
Comprehend Languages: Ghaele Eledrin
Cone of Cold: Gelugon
Confusion: Coatl
Contagion: Coatl
Cure Disease: Night Hag
Darkvision: Rakshasa
Detect Poison: Rakshasa
Detect Scrying: Coatl
Detect Undead: Rakshasa
Discern Lies: Astral Diva
Dispel Evil: Astral Diva
Displacement: Rakshasa
Disrupt Undead: Rakshasa
Dream Haunting: Night Hag
Emotion: Barghest
Endurance: Rakshasa
Endure Elements: Rakshasa
Enervation: Coatl
Evard's Black Tentacles: Coatl
Explosive Runes: Rakshasa
Fear: Coatl
Fire Shield: Coatl
Flame Arrow: Rakshasa
Fly:Rakshasa
Fog Cloud:Rakshasa
Gaseous Form: Rakshasa
Gaze (slay): Ghaele Eledring
Gentle Repose: Rakshasa
Ghoul Touch: Rakshasa
Greater Magic Weapon: Rakshasa
Halt Undead: Rakshasa
Haste: Rakshasa
Heal: Astral Diva
Hold Monster: Ghaele Eledrin
Hold Portal: Rakshasa
Holy Aura: Astral Diva
Holy Smite: Astral Diva
Holy Word: Astral Diva
Ice Storm: Coatl
Illusory Script: Rakshasa
Illusory Wall: Coatl
Improved Invisibility: Lammasu
Invisibility Sphere: Rakshasa
Jump: Rakshasa
Keen Edge: Rakshasa
Leomund's Secret Shelter: Coatl
Leomund's Tiny Hut: Rakshasa
Leomund's Trap: Rakshasa
Lesser Geas: Coatl
Locate Creature: Coatl
Mass Charm: Vrock
Minor Creation: Coatl
Minor Globe of Invulnerability: Coatl
Mount: Rakshasa
Nondetection: Rakshasa
Nystul's Magical Aura: Rakshasa
Nystul's Undetectable Aura: Rakshasa
Obscuring Mist: Rakshasa
Otiluke's Resilient Sphere: Coatl
Paralysis: Xill
Phantasmal Killer: Coatl
Phantom Steed: Rakshasa
Planewalk: Xill
Polymorph Other: Coatl
Polymorph Self: Coatl
Protection from Arrows: Rakshasa
Protection from Elements: Rakshasa
Protective Aura: Astral Diva
Rainbow Pattern: Coatl
Ray of Enfeeblement: Night Hag
Ray of Frost: Rakshasa
Remove Curse: Astral Diva
Remove Disease: Astral Diva
Remove Fear: Astral Diva
Resist Elements: Rakshasa
Rope Trick: Rakshasa
Scrying: Coatl
Secret Page: Rakshasa
Sepia Snake Sigil: Rakshasa
Shadow Conjuration: Coatl
Shield: Rakshasa
Shocking Grasp: Rakshasa
Shout: Coatl
Shrink Item: Rakshasa
Sleet Storm: Rakshasa
Slow: Rakshasa
Solid Fog: Coatl
Spectral Hand: Rakshasa
Spider Climb: Rakshasa
Stoneskin: Coatl
Tenser's Floating Disk: Rakshasa
True Strike: Rakshasa
Unholy Aura: Gelugon
Vampiric Touch: Rakshasa
Wall of Force: Ghaele Eledrin
Wall of Ice: Gelugon
Water Breathing: Rakshasa

 

[qaaral]

An alternative to the druid tha no one's mentioned is the Spirit Shamen. Like a sorcerer but with the druid spell list and the known spells are selectable each day.