I ran a level 1 summoner in the 'assault on the kingdom of the impossible' organized play module last week. We were playing at APL 4-5, and I was the only first level PC. I played a summoner with a bipedal eidolon, with a bite, reach on the bite attack, and trip on the bite attack. Eidolon feat was Combat Reflexes.
At the start of play I had 14hp. My summoner cast Shield on the eidolon, giving it an AC of 19 w/dex(another PC had a wand of mage armor and cast it on him, giving me the ability to cast shield during multiple battles) . I only cast Shield during the last fight. Summoner had SF: Conjuration and Augment Summoning as feats. He spent all his time summoning fiendish riding dogs that lasted one round (but could also trip). Since he had an 18 CHA he could summon 7 of these per day; that sufficed.
The character was competitive with all of the other PCs, even though I was several levels lower than most of them. My summoner never got attacked. The eidolon at one point went up to scout with the 2nd level rogue; he was as effective a scout as the rogue (better climb skill, worse stealth) and more importantly, when they both got in battle he did far more damage than the rogue due to his attacks of opportunity and his 3 primary attacks. In fact, the rogue died , and the player lost the PC. The summoner faced no such risk since the eidolon took the hits. And with reach and trip, the eidolon was much harder to engage and damage than the rogue was. The eidolon was healed out of combat once with a clw wand, but was never healed in combat.
The consensus of the other players was that the summoner was an overpowered class. It didn't matter so much because I was much lower level than them, but I am confident that if I had had a 4th level summoner my PC would have been completely imbalanced relative to the others.
Ken
Not Criticisms, just questions.
Did you buff the rogue at all?
How were the attack bonuses on the Eidolon?
How did the scouts get spotted? Was it because of the Big E's failed check or the rogue's?
-S
Yes , I believe the Rogue got a Mage Armor spell as well (adding just one to his AC, I suppose). The guy with the wand was handing them out like candy, which was good for my summoner because I got to save my slots for Shield spells.
Neither the rogue nor the Eidolon made a remarkable sneak check. I don't know which one was spotted first. The enemies were archers (who also had axes) on two walls that had to be climbed.
Here is the stat block for the Eidolon:
Higgins the Eidolon:
Biped Eidolon
HD 2 HP 14
AC 11 (15 Mage Armor, 19 Mage Armor + Shield)
Fort +4 Ref +1 Will +3
Str 16 Dex 12 Con 13 Int 7 Wis 10 Cha 11
CMB = 2bab +3str = +5
CMD = 10 +2bab +3str +1dex = 16
Skills: 8
Acrobatics 2r +3T +1dex = +6
Perception 2r +3T = +5
escape artist 1r +3T +1 dex = +5
swim 1r +3T +3 str = +7
climb 1r +3T +3 str = +7
stealth 1r +3T + 1dex = +5
4 extra class skills: acrobatics, escape artist, swim, climb
Feats: 1 (Combat Reflexes)
Evolution pool: 3 (bite,trip, reach (bite) )
SA: Darkvision, link, share spells
Attacks: 2 claws +5|1d4+3, bite +5|1d6+3 (10ft reach)
free evolutions: claws, limbs (arms), limbs (legs)
Higgins is a creepy looking humanoid with dark black skin, long claws, and a toothy maw
He wears a butler outfit. He has the unsettling ability to elongate his neck and snap with a savage bite!
I would also put in that since you were apparently several levels their 'weakest' that the DM at the time also chose to be gentle with you - and in that case, your Eidolon's multiple attacks cleaved right into the soft fleshy underside of his plans.
Now, if you were of equal level to them, and you ripped through it all yourself, I could see that as a more accurate bit of 'overpowered'.
However, you were lower level (even the Eidolon was, 2 Hit dice versus 4-5, even with d10's, means they probably had more HP than it), you were both given comparable buffs, so neither of you had an edge in that field, if anything, your Eidolon was the one trick pony waiting to be made into glue, but since no one pays any attention to the 'ponies', it got a good kick in and ate all the hay.
Combat type 'monsters' have an edge in varied attacks, but usually mediocre HP and/or AC. Idea is usually they pounce and kill before their Defense becomes an issue. If your Defense was never genuinely put to the test, then they can't call you overpowered in that situation with fair intent (IMO).
Finally, you may have played 'intelligently' versus 'not so intelligently'. Good tactics, a lucky roll or two, and careful consideration of actions can do a lot for ones survival at any level.
I played the rogue mentioned in the playtest report. It was a lvl 2 rogue.
My rogue rolled a 1 on his sneak check, and was spotted. He took a bunch of ranged damage and closed to melee at under half hit points. It was a risky play. I thought about pulling him back to the CLW wand. But the character was a brash, swashbuckler type. Anyway, he was low on hp when he took a crit that killed him outright.
To add to Ken's point about how strong the Eidelon was in play, I should also point out that the party was 3 wizards, 1 bard, 1 rogue, and the summoner. They beat three melee combats after the rogue died.
I have three points. The Eidelon was a more effective damage dealer than the rogue. The Eidelon served well as the primary fighter at a table a few levels above it's level. If an Eidelon drops it can be re-summoned, while I'm rolling up a new pc ;)
Steve
roedog wrote: I have three points. The Eidelon was a more effective damage dealer than the rogue. A level 2 rogue. At that point, it should be a more effective damage dealer than the rogue, especially in a party that apparently isn't setting up much flanking for SA.
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