Summoning monsters as a standard action -- featable?

[rkanodia]

I think that it shouldn't be a problem, provided you only allow the monsters to take a standard action on their first turn. Maybe I just haven't met a really good summoner player or I am missing something, but it seems like the low duration on Summon Monster XYZ means that you can't really cast it ahead of time, while the one-round casting time means that you're rather likely to lose the spell if the action has already started. Outside of combat, the difference between a one round casting time and standard action casting time isn't likely to matter.

 

[The Souljourner]

Yeah, all the summon spells are pretty weak. In one campaign, the DM gave a friend of mine the ability to cast the next highest summon spell (so Summon Monster X is a Level X-1 spell) and is using the conjurer variant from UA. With all that, it's about balanced with other spells he could cast.

-The Souljourner

 

[Storm Raven]

Maybe I just haven't met a really good summoner player or I am missing something, but it seems like the low duration on Summon Monster XYZ means that you can't really cast it ahead of time, while the one-round casting time means that you're rather likely to lose the spell if the action has already started. Outside of combat, the difference between a one round casting time and standard action casting time isn't likely to matter.

To be good at summoning things you need to (1) be good at Concentration, and/or (2) stay well away from the line of fire, hiding around a corner usually works pretty well.

 

[CapnZapp]

To be good at summoning things you need to (1) be good at Concentration, and/or (2) stay well away from the line of fire, hiding around a corner usually works pretty well.

That's probably true.

Which is why being one sucks so much!

Giving summoning spells a casting time of full-round instead of 1-round would generally move those spells from "worthless" to "nice for the niche caster".

That (possibly together with only allowing summoned critters a standard action when they appear) should IMHO be changed in the official rules!

 

[Piratecat]

Well, I'm sticking to the rules as written here - so thank you for the help! This was exactly what I was looking for.

 

[Pielorinho]

I've played and DMed for druids, and as written, druids are incredible summoners. The druid PC IMC liked to open battles by summoning 1d3 Dire Apes and then casting Animal Growth on them and on her animal companion. It tended to decide battles.

Daniel

 

[physics_ninja]

There is a fast summoning feat in Green Ronin's Avatar's Handbook. It has (I think) two other feats and a high Cha as pre-requisites. If you like summoning monsters it's a nifty class and a usefull book.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Well, I'm sticking to the rules as written here...

You're sticking to the rules as written... by using Unearthed Arcana?

You lost me

-Hyp.

 

[Storminator]

To be good at summoning things you need to (1) be good at Concentration, and/or (2) stay well away from the line of fire, hiding around a corner usually works pretty well.

Even better, use Inviso. It's not an attack, so you can summon monsters all day long. If a cleric, use Sanctuary. Not as good as Inviso, but still worthwhile.

PS

 

[Gunslinger]

The real problem with summoning is that summon nature's ally is way more powerful than summon monster. Preparing a Summon Monster spell, as written, is always a sub-optimal choice. If you do allow a spell that allows summoning as a standard action, IMO it should only apply to Summon Monster spells.