A way to make a summoner decent in combat


Advice


Hello guys, i'm going to play a summoner and i want him to be a second line for the party: think to him like a backup plan. I'll focus his spell list on support spells only and i'd like to protect the wizard and the crossbowman in case the evil guys reach them ignoring the frontline (paladin, ranger, eidolon). The problem is i don't know how to make him decent: he doesn't have to be good,but i'd like him to help the party in close combat if band only when necessary, even if in a slight way. I'LL start at lv8 with a half elf wild caller, for background reasons. Part of the starting money will buy toys for the eidolon. I know that making a melee summ isn't the best idea but i'd like it and i'd appreciate your help since i don't know how to justify his spear hahaha


My first thought is be a reach summoner. Grab a long spear, mage armour and buff yourself as well as the eidolon. I think you need combat reflexes and maybe power attack. Not sure how effective it would be but it wouldn't be terrible.


Doable. I'm sure at least one of the summoner guides talks about this style of play.

You'll probably want Improved Spell Sharing on both summoner and eidolon so as to speed up the buffing process. There's no reason to use mage armor on him BTW (as opposed to on the eidolon) since summoners can wear light armor anyway, and a +1 spell storing mithril chain shirt (for example) is a useful piece of kit. A +1 Fortuitous longspear and the Combat Reflexes feat sounds like a good start on intercepting enemies who get past the front line. Probably not Power Attack since you may have difficulty hitting things without an accuracy boost from somewhere.


Yep, i think the same about Power attack. Combat reflexes and improved spell sharing are both great advices guys, thank you both: i'LL include them both in the build. I was wondering if i should buy a spell storing weapon aswell: maybe with the help of the wizard i could use it to debuff an enemy with an AoO while he's charging the most fragile party members


Spell storing is a reasonable alternative to Fortuitous, but you probably don't want to buy two 8K weapons at this level unless you have a fair bit more than the standard 33K wealth by level. Choose one.

The Exchange

If you're playing a half-elf you may as well go with the Ancestral Arms alternate race trait and bag him a decent weapon proficiency beyond the usual Simple Weapon choices of longspear or crossbow. Summoners get Enlarge Person on their spell list, so you can make some mileage out of grabbing a lucerne hammer and going large for extra reach and 3d6 base damage. Take Brew Potion too if you're worried about the long casting time on the spell. If you stand right behind your front-line melee with that set-up you'll be AoOing bad guys who try to reach them let alone those you try to reach you or your support-line buddies. With a good Dex and Combat Reflexes you should do well.


-Max Strength, since you don't really need that much Charisma
-get a good Reach Weapon via Ancestral Arms
-Pick Combat Reflexes and Enlarge Person
-Furious Focus is ok on a 3/4Bab Class

The Spirit Summoner Archetype could help turning you into more of a Fighter picking the right Spirits. You will lose some some overall Power and Flexibilitxy sacrificing Summon Monster, but you can still be plenty powerful.
A Synthesist woul obviously turn you into a melee mnonster.


Well, the archetype is decided (background reasons) but the hammer idea is nice... I could actually try to sunder some armors, even with a 16 base str it should be doable with bull strenght, enlarge person and other bonuses

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Have you thought about dipping one level in Swashbuckler? You could focus Scimitar and get Slashing Grace, then you don't need Strength at all, but your Dex doubles for offense and defense, plus you can use your Charisma as Int for qualifying for combat feats, if you decide to go that way later.

Priorities:
1. Dex
2. Cha
3. Con

Class
1 - 2. Summoner
3. Swashbuckler (Free finesse, deeds)
4 - 8. Summoner

Feats:
1. Arcane Strike
3. Weapon Focus (Scimitar)
5. Slashing Grace
7. Extra Evolution

Then you and your Eidolon can take some teamwork feats together, or you can be Expertise guy. Parry & Riposte is really nothing to sneeze at. Of course, you need people to attack you for that to work, so weigh the probability of that before committing.

I like the reach idea above, too.


Nice idea, but it doesn't fit the background... Moreover i see both the summ and the swashbuckler as no-multiclass classes hahaha
Thank you anyway

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