I am building my summoner for a friends campaign and I have a question on the evolution point system. My basic question is how many evolution points I get at each level. And do the points carry over? For example, on the table it says that at level 1 I have 3 evolution points to spend and at level 2 I have 4 points. Does that mean that I add one point each level, or the entire number that's listed? So from level 1 -> 2 to I get one additional evolution point, or 4?
Also does anyone have a step by step build I can look at? I looked at the guidelines page, but most of the builds have leaps and bounds in between levels.
For the rules question you get 3 total at first level and 4 total at second level.
For the build question, do you have something in mind? or do you just want help with a powerful eidolon? If you want an optimized eidolon build I don't think you can do any better than a Kali/centaur type quadroped build with wakizashis, pounce, as many arms as you can buy, and claw claw bite.
For the rules question you get 3 total at first level and 4 total at second level.
For the build question, do you have something in mind? or do you just want help with a powerful eidolon? If you want an optimized eidolon build I don't think you can do any better than a Kali/centaur type quadroped build with wakizashis, pounce, as many arms as you can buy, and claw claw bite.
I hate to sound dumb but could you elaborate on your first answer?
From what I took from it, I add one evol. point per level. Is that right?
I think it would be awesome to make a berserker-type eidolon. Something in the biped category. But the centaur thing, can you use that as a mount as well? What is the post powerful eidolon? How effective are hydras?
Sorry about all the questions, but I'm new to summoners and I'm super excited. Thanks for all your help.
If you want a rather powerful eidolon, just go quadruped with pounce and the maximum listed natural attacks at a given level that it can take. At level 1 that is 3 natural attacks. Bite/claw/claw is fairly good. At level 4 add a rake.
That leaves you one evolution point to do whatever you want with because you spend 1 on claws and 1 on pounce. The bite is free with quadruped. Recommendations for your last point:
Improved Damage (claws): Because it increases the damage of both of the claws, and rolling d6s is much more satisfying that d4s. I hate trying to pick those things up.
Improved Natural Armor: Because another +2 armor is pretty great.
Magic Attacks: For dealing with ghosts. That's about it.
Climb/Swim/Skilled: Depending on the campaign, these can be great!
And you don't need a guide. Part of the fun of an eidolon is being able to entirely change your allocation of evolution points every level.
The table lists the total points you get at each level, excluding bonus points from other sources such as the Extra Evolution feat or favored class bonuses. Also note that you re-spend the points each level, which means that you are not forced to keep the evolutions you picked at the previous level but can rebuild the eidolon's evolutions from scratch at each level.
You advance the eidolon as you would a character in regard to such things as feats, skills, and ability score increases (at second level, you only get the additional skill ranks since 2nd level/2nd hit die is not a level at which you gain a feat or ability score increase). The eidolon's base form is unchanged (assuming that you have a standard summoner and not an archetype that allows you to change it), as are its free evolutions.
The evolution points and the evolutions that you buy with them are basically the eidolon's "class features". Technically, you lose the non-free evolutions you selected at 1st level and now have 4 evolution points to spend on a fresh set -- you are in no way required to take the same evolutions, although you will probably find a few that you like enough to give the eidolon at every level.
From what I took from it, I add one evol. point per level. Is that right?
I think it would be awesome to make a berserker-type eidolon. Something in the biped category. But the centaur thing, can you use that as a mount as well? What is the post powerful eidolon? How effective are hydras?
Sorry about all the questions, but I'm new to summoners and I'm super excited. Thanks for all your help.
No. At level 1 you have 3 points total. At level 2 you gain another point to bring your total evolution point "pool" to 4 points. 5 points at level 3. 7 points at level 4. So sometimes (based on the chart) you get 2 points instead of just 1.
A berserker-type biped eidolon is perfectly fine as well. Quadrupeds are generally recommended because only they get access to Pounce. Pounce is amazing. However, if you don't want to make the fighter regret his life choices whenever he sees your eidolon fight, you can go for the biped or serpentine forms.
For biped, I recommend building similarly to a 2H fighter. I'd take Slam (replacing both of your d4 claws with a d8 slam), Improved Damage(Slam) (increasing slam damage to d10), and Reach(Slam), which gives the eidolon 10 ft. natural reach (which is better than polearm reach). Power Attack for its feat, of course.
Edit: The biped may seem better at a first glance at level 1, but it doesn't scale nearly as well into high level as the quadruped as far a sheer combat capability.
I wouldn't replace a biped's claws with a slam attack. You are still at a very low level with no evolution points to spare. Your eidolon gets two claw attacks that each do 1d4+3 damage, for a total of 2d4+6. That is better than the 1d8+3 you would get from a slam -- and you do not have the points to buy enough additional primary attacks to make up the difference. At future levels, when you have 4 or more attacks, you might want to consider getting a second pair of arms with claws -- then that Improved Damage evolution (which improves the damage for a single attack form) will really pay off.
I suppose you could ride the centaur with too many arms into battle once you get to 8th level, or ride it from level 1 as a small character. Someone already mentioned it making Fighters rethink their life choices, and that is the truth. I can explain how to make it attack 11 times per round on a charge by 6th level while your Gnome attacks with a lance for triple damage, but would you really want to play such a thing?
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/summoner/eidolons
In this table you can see how many evolution points, feats, natural attacks etc etc, your eidolon has according to its level.
The most basic effective eidolon is quadruped with as many natural attacks as you can. Buff them up with evolutions, while dont forget to take improved natural armor evo and +2 str evolution, energy attacks and other very basic stuff that increases the eidolons offense.
Summoners spell list is packed with buffs and you wont have much to do your self anyway during combat, so your eidolon will be naturally beefed up.
Here is a very basic guide, that doesn't have every available stuff right now, but it will lead you to the right way.
ps: notice his centaur build. A quadruped eidolon with a weapon AND natural attacks. You might find it interesting.
ps2: Large evolution at lvl 8 is A MUST. Drop whatever else and get this. Never look back. Pounce is second.
ps3: half elf favourite class bonus gives extra evolutions. There is a feat for your summoner that increases your eidolons evolutions. (extra evolution feat)
Some extra advice:
Look at the Eldritch heritage feat line. You can through Arcane Bloodline to get a familiar. With improved familiar at 7 lvl, you can increase your action economy significantly. Faerie dragon improved familiar casts as a 3d lvl sorcerer. Most DM's will let you customize his spells. Great for buffing up your eidolon faster.