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1) When casting a Summon Monster spell, and using it to summon monsters from a lower spell list, can you select where each monster appears (within your range, of course)?
2) If you summon a monster so it appears next to an enemy, does it provoke attacks of opportunity?
3) Some summoned creatures have no languages listed. This was an issue in our previous session: I had summoned a few creatures but either they had no languages listed or I didn't speak them. I've seen here and there that summoned creatures get Common for free, but I can't find a source for that. So, how is this handled? If a creature has no languages, I can't tell it to do this or that.
1) When casting a Summon Monster spell, and using it to summon monsters from a lower spell list, can you select where each monster appears (within your range, of course)?
Yup.
2) If you summon a monster so it appears next to an enemy, does it provoke attacks of opportunity?
What are you asking, exactly? If appearing out of thin air provokes an AoO? Then the answer is no.
If it needs to enter the enemy's square to attack because of its size, then that's a whole different question.
3) Some summoned creatures have no languages listed. This was an issue in our previous session: I had summoned a few creatures but either they had no languages listed or I didn't speak them. I've seen here and there that summoned creatures get Common for free, but I can't find a source for that. So, how is this handled? If a creature has no languages, I can't tell it to do this or that.
He's right. You can't. The default setting for a summoned monster is to attack your opponents, which it does. You need to share a language in order to be able to direct it to attack specific targets, to go to specific places or use its powers.
One suggestion: Learn Celestial and stick to summoning from the good subtype list.
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Thanks for the reply!
3) Some summoned creatures have no languages listed. This was an issue in our previous session: I had summoned a few creatures but either they had no languages listed or I didn't speak them. I've seen here and there that summoned creatures get Common for free, but I can't find a source for that. So, how is this handled? If a creature has no languages, I can't tell it to do this or that.He's right. You can't. The default setting for a summoned monster is to attack your opponents, which it does. You need to share a language in order to be able to direct it to attack specific targets, to go to specific places or use its powers.
One suggestion: Learn Celestial and stick to summoning from the good subtype list.
Yeah, I know I can't order them without sharing a language. Some creatures, though, don't have a language listed. Are they just "unorder-able"? Also, I took Celestial, but the Celestial template doesn't seem to grant the Celestial language...?
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Correct. Celestial and Fiendish creatures no longer get their Int increased to 3 and do not get a language. Your best bet with them is to use the Handle Animal skill to "Push" them to do a trick. Otherwise they'll just go after your enemies by default, closest first I'd imagine, or any that are attacking you.
Correct. Celestial and Fiendish creatures no longer get their Int increased to 3 and do not get a language. Your best bet with them is to use the Handle Animal skill to "Push" them to do a trick. Otherwise they'll just go after your enemies by default, closest first I'd imagine, or any that are attacking you.
Well, heck. Here I am giving bad advice. You're right. Sneaky change that I didn't realize!
In which case, it's Go-Go-Gadget "Speak with Animals" if you want tactics. Otherwise, Handle Animal it is.
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I took Celestial, but the Celestial template doesn't seem to grant the Celestial language...?
The official response to questions about that was that they wanted the
templates to take as little room as possible in the book, not that the Int 3 / celestial thing was cut for any sort of balance reason.They also aren't automatically good or evil any longer, making it impossible for a Paladin to Smite Evil on that Fiendish Dire Wolf summoned up from the Nine Hells... :/
Check if your GM would be inclined to adding that back in, as part of a 'not-so-Simple' Celestial / Friendish template, raising the Celestial / Fiendish beasties Int to 3, making them good or evil, and having them understand celestial, infernal or abyssal, depending on their alignment.
Some things, IMO, got overlooked in the rush to compress word count.