Judging by initial observations, it definately looks like something fun to play around with. I just hope some of those grafts give spell-like abilities, becouse that's been a pretty major boon to summoning for as long as I've played d&d. Without that though, even just being able to summon an extra body that can hurl ranged attacks either form air or from cover seems quite worthwhile.
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Summon monster is always good in my opinion. Also don't forget the duration if your combats last a few rounds summon monster gets better and better. 3 rounds is 9 attacks at +9 or +11 with flank if all hit that's 9d6+45. If your foe targets them congrats your now the best combat healer >_>. Use them for cover, use them to find traps, use them to intimate lost children the options are endless. And at The Start of starfinder having a spell that can flex to fit the fight you have and not the fight you want helps I think.
Summon monster is always good in my opinion. Also don't forget the duration if your combats last a few rounds summon monster gets better and better. 3 rounds is 9 attacks at +9 or +11 with flank if all hit that's 9d6+45. If your foe targets them congrats your now the best combat healer >_>. Use them for cover, use them to find traps, use them to intimate lost children the options are endless. And at The Start of starfinder having a spell that can flex to fit the fight you have and not the fight you want helps I think.
Yup even if their damage is not stellar having extra bodies to help flank and take attacks from players is extremely useful. Every shot they take is basically a healing spell being cast on your party.
At lower levels the damage seems very much in line with what it should be. At higher level it tails off a bit but they also become better meat shields and still are providing soft cover/flankers for your party.
I'm very happy the this initial data on summons.
Consider that max to-hit is 28, a 24 is pretty damn good
What class can cast this?
I think they're plenty strong enough to keep it viable.
I will most likely have it as one of my spells known.
I'm not a big fan of direct damage spells, so I'm really happy to see this option coming back.
Once you get a few levels under your belt I can cast one of these and then get to work with my own laser rifle. I can use the summons to pull agro (by placing melee enemies right on top of the enemy) and that can harass them. Seems like a very solid option.
What class can cast this?
It's on both the Technomancer's and Mystic's spell lists.
What class can cast this?It's on both the Technomancer's and Mystic's spell lists.
Awesome, thanks!
Wonder when they'll approve this guide for SFS...
Mystics desperately need this, their core options are dire against things immune to mind affecting.
Summoning is at worst a situational ability.
There is probably also an attempt not to make the same over-power mistakes of PF summoners.
If you can bring up a flying creature to fight a flying creature when your party is weak at ranged combat then it's a good spell.
And given the way the duration scales, you probably don't want to take this spell at 1st level. Later on, it is definitely worthwhile.
Starfinder Design Lead
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It's also a scaling spell, so if you take it as a 3rd level spell known, you can also cast it as a 2nd level spell or a 1st level spell.
Normally you won't want to have a much-weaker creature in combat, but it does broaden the situations when having it might be useful.
"I think this corridor is trapped to explode."
"Really? Okay, lemme send a celestial skittermander whelp to check it out..."
>>BOOM<<
It's also a scaling spell, so if you take it as a 3rd level spell known, you can also cast it as a 2nd level spell or a 1st level spell.
Normally you won't want to have a much-weaker creature in combat, but it does broaden the situations when having it might be useful.
"I think this corridor is trapped to explode."
"Really? Okay, lemme send a celestial skittermander whelp to check it out..."
>>BOOM<<
HEY!
... well they do like to help...
The have plenty of uses!
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Even the poor earth elemental won't be as effective since it requires contact with a planet or astroid and most combat will be on ships or inside on metal flooring.
Ah, how I miss the battle in the steel shrouded forests of Endor, the raids on the plastic coated deserts of Tatooine, and the weekly fist fights of Captain Kirk against monsters from new planets who inexplicably teleported onto the bridge of the Enterprise.
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I took a closer look at the book and there are a few interesting abilities you can get from the summons that aren't the basic elemental/summoning grafts:
Level 2
Security Robot: 2 Stickybomb Grenades (Entangle DC 10)Level 3
Crest-eater: every attack drains one Con DC 13
Haan: Balloon attack, raises enemy into the air 30 ft each round, DC 14. Firespray 30 ft cone 3d6 DC 14 halfLevel 4
Mountain Eel: Paralyze 1 round DC 14. Trample 1d8+11 DC 16
Orocoran: Projectile Vomit +16 1d10+6 plus confusion 1d4 rounds DC 16. Constant see invisibility. Augury (but can't use due to reserve point rule)Level 5
Surnoch: Acid Jet +18 3d6+9 Line 60ft. Also has constrict style grab damage but its attack doesn't grab so not sure how useful that would be.All six levels
Air Elemental: Whirlwind (can suck people in and do damage to them and cause them to be grappled, off-target, and flat-footed). Sidenote, anyone know how to calculate the DC for whirlwind? I don't see it listed anywhere for air elementals.
Water Elemental: Vortex (same as whirlwind) but in the water so not as useful.The most exciting option to me is the Orocoran. It's no Bralani Azata but confusing a bunch of enemies seems fun.
Unless I am mistaken all the summon that are based on the elemental stat block use the table on page 129 for ability DC.