What do you do with your summoner?

[rpewin01]

I played a summoner for the first time last session. DM allows me to change anything I want for the second session, provided I stay in class. I am a 6th level Half-Elf summoner. I went with a serpent build focusing on one bite with grab and constrict (and feats and evolutions to improve the damage of the bite).

I am struggling to figure out how to play my summoner and, by extension, what feats to take. I like having different options at my disposal.

So I would like to hear from people with experience: how have you played your summoner, what feats have you taken, and what was the best balance of effective and fun?

BTW, I think the pounce eidolon is out, as my DM already expressed concern about my eidolon being overpowered doing 25-30 on hit with constrict, so anything that increases that would scare him even more.

[Deidre Tiriel]

you could take broodmaster archetype (Ultimate Magic) and get two lesser eidolons, instead of one "overpowered" one.

[rpewin01]

Deidre Tiriel wrote:

you could take broodmaster archetype (Ultimate Magic) and get two lesser eidolons, instead of one "overpowered" one.

I already think the group is as large as it should be with 6 PCs, so anything that adds extra characters beyond my eidolon is out. So no broodmaster or master summoner. Only reason I went summoner over straight wizard is because our group had a need front-line fighters/tanks.

Synthesist is a possibility, but I get bored just trading attacks every round and a regular summoner gives me the option to do other fun/useful stuff while my eidolon attacks.

[Bomanz]

From playing a Summoner level 1-9, I can say this...

The Summoner himself ought to just cast and buff...thats hard to do at lower levels, but by level 6 you should be doing very little other than buffing your Eidolon and party members. Its ok to also Aid Another sometimes, but really I found that my combat monster Eidolon was doing all the work in combat for me.

It sounds as if you have him well in hand already, and sometimes (especially if the encounter is going smoothly) you as the Summoner won't really need to do much anyhow...but even a 0 level spell like "Guidance" on either the pet or a party member might help enough to save the day.

For those times when I absolutely needed to fight, I used a Heavy Crossbow and just plinked away at foes. I backup healed with a CLW wand. I would put myself into flanking positions to make combat easier on my friends.

Out of combat, in social situations, I made myself the master of knowledges (second to the Bard, but with more of a general knowledge about everything more than a specialized +15 in just one). Obviously had a high CHA, so I also focused on Diplomacy, Bluff, and Intimidate...having the Eidolon squeeze someone he just constricted would garner a bonus on top of the high CHA, I would imagine.

Most Combats for me (I played a HE, took favored class options to add EVO points to Eidolon) went something like this:

1st S - Haste
1st E - Charge/Attack

2nd S - Shield/Mage Armor
2nd E - Full Attack-Kill Something

3rd S - Some other buff (Bulls STR usually)
3rd E - Kill Something

Rinse, Repeat.

Sometimes I'd shoot something if it wasn't engaged in combat already (I didnt take any shooting feats, was relying on decent DEX and BAB and Masterwork XBow).

I found the Reach evolution to be so totally worth the points it wasnt even funny....with it and the Large size (or Enlarge Person) My Eidolon had a buttload of ways to help flank/assist/hit others.

Eidolon had Combat Reflexes to get extra AoO because of that...all of which helped him even more.

Have fun, good luck! Hope that helps!

[Diego Hopkins]

I am run a Random Dungeon of TPK with my players. It gives me, as the GM, a chance to test out things I couldn't introduce in our main campaign without worrying about killing a beloved character. It also gives my players a chance to test out new builds. Tonight I put them up against a lvl 9 summoner and his eidolon.

I found that the summoner worked well as a controller, and buffer for the eidolon. He used a ranged weapon when not casting, and tried to stay hidden. I built him with Spell Focus(conjuration), Augmented Summoning, Resilient Eidolon, and Extra Evolutions. Most of my spells were to boost my AC and buff (cat's grace, shield, etc), heal my eidolon, and debuff (ray of sickening.)

The eidolon wasn't too overpowered, but the combination of the eidolon and the summoner was devastating. At level 7 you get Black Tentacles. I had a flying eidolon with energy attacks. Once I had the party trapped it was over pretty quickly. (I built the summoner and eidolon around the concept of black tentacles and ranged attacks.)

Your summoner and eidolon are going to be pretty powerful. I would say take spells that let you buff your party and help them to shine as well.