Question about Summon Monster IX

So, after searching the forums, reading back and forth between the relevant section in UM and the spell descriptions, I'm still not sure how Summon Monster works (more so, at higher levels, when outsiders come into play).

UM has this section, where the bolded text (above all) confuses the hell out of me:

CALLING OUTSIDERS
"The first step in calling extraplanar assistance is
to determine the method of bringing the outsider
to the Material Plane. If the caster is a cleric, the
spell of choice is planar ally; wizard, sorcerers,
and summoners rely primarily on planar binding
(or summon monster, which controls without
requiring binding). However, none of these
necessarily bind the outsider to the caster’s
needs, and a wise spellcaster augments the
summoning with additional encouragement,
usually in the form of gifts or bargains."

So, if we use SM to summon an outsider, we still have to bargain/etc.? I'm not sure if the "none of these" part is including summon monster.

Specifically, if I summon a trumpet archon, can I command it to heal me and my party? More realistically (since I'd never treat a Trumpet Archon so foolishly), as a Chaotic Good character, could I summon it and say something like "My apologies for calling you here, but we have just finished fighting off this great evil, and need your aid to continue further."

(For now, ignore the fact that I'm summoning after fighting is done.)

There is a difference between casting summon monster and casting a long term spell like planer ally to bind them to you for a long service.

If you are using Summon Monster to fight or to cast spells for you or whatever, you can the spell they show up and generally do what you request. If you share a language there is more variety in your commands. But after a few rounds they go away as the spell ends.

If you want to BIND them to you they stick around for a long time... maybe even years. But when you try this you have to set up the whole circle, or have special materials, or make requests that they would like to do anyway.

The main point is, if you call them and they show up for a short time measured in rounds via summon monster or summon natures ally they basically do what you ask. Binding is more of a long term deal that has major DM involvement and should not be considered a combat option most of the time.

I see. What are the limits of the summoning spell? "Lick my boots, carry this super heavy gear, smite my enemies?"

Again, out of curiosity. Telling an Archon to lick your boots seems like fail-safe way to get in deep s.

As long as you share a common language you can give very specific commands. You also can only summon things that are close to your alignment.

So if you are evil you cannot summon an archon. If you are good why are you asking them to lick your boots? A good person would not ask an archon to do something like that.

The alignment restrictions of the spell are there to limit the spell in some ways. If you go against your alignment in your commands a DM would be free to have the spell "break" and either the creature goes back to where he came... or gets to act freely for a round or so before you dismiss them. Those options are not spelled out in the rules, but a DM would be free to use them in my opinion.

Overall as long as the spell is being used for "good" reasons they will do what you ask without any issues. Remember the duration of Summon Monster spells is pretty short so you do not have too many options to abuse them as pack animals or slaves even if you are evil.

No worries, as I said, was just testing the limits of the spell. Rest assured, my PC's would not do anything like that. Even if I did, my DM would ensure my head rolled shortly after...

Thanks a lot Thazar, that helped a lot :)