Summoned creatures with cleric levels...

[Estrosiath]

I was wondering what my fellow DMs do in dealing with this kind of summoned monster. Do you stick with the spell list offered by the MM? Or do you give your players some kind of leeway as to what spells their creatures has memorized when it arrives?

Thanks a lot for the help.

[DM_Blake]

I don't think that sort of thing should be up to the player. It's not like his summons spell is saying "I summon Fred, the Trumpet Archon". The caster has no choice over which trumpet archon appears. There are countless trumpet archons in the multiverse, and the summoners gets one at random. There is no way to predict what spells it has prepared (or, feasibly, which ones have already been cast - though that's kind of a jerk thing to do to the summoner, having his monster show up with all his good spells used up already).

So, even if you want to shuffle around the prepared spell-list (the one in the Bestiary can be thought of as the absolutely-set-in-stone-inviolate list, or it can thought of as an example list), it really shouldn't be the summoner who chooses that alternate set of spells.

That said, there are alternate rules floating out there (home-brew rules, or 3rd-party stuff, might have even been an alternate idea from WotC in there somewhere) that allow a summoner to form a bond with one specific creature and always summon that one by name (so he literally would summon Fred, the Trumpet Archon). If you use those alternate rules, then your summoner could get to know Fred, and might even be influential in getting Fred to alter his daily spell preparations. Of course, none of that is Core Pathfinder.

[Estrosiath]

Although I agree it might be too handy to let the PC completely choose the spell list at every summon, since theoretically every ghaele summoned is one of an infinity, it just seems sort of silly that ALL Ghaeles choose the same spell regardless of what they are going to do that day.

[Kain Darkwind]

I'd never let a summon spell grab a creature with a spell-list customized by the player, although I'd agree with Blake that if you get to know your summons, you might convince them to start packing certain things.

[Matthew Morris]

Agreed,

Though a divinely summoned monster might have a different spell list, either because of the flavour of the deity or the deity's need.

Spoiler:

"Summon monster Z! I need you to cast flame strike on BBEG!"
"I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that."
"What! I-arrgh" hero is killed.
*summoned monster casts Reincarnate* "She felt this would be more useful. Enjoy your new life as a halfling, follower of Sheylin. And know that she watches over you."