How to summon the same specific monster each time?

[reefwood]

I failed to find anything about this in a search of the messageboards, so maybe someone can point me in the right direction...

I believe there was some sort of variant rule in D&D 3.5 that allowed a caster using the summon monster spells to always summon the same specific monster. This let the caster give the summoned monster equipment that would be with the monster each time it was summoned again. On the flipside, if the monster was killed while summoned, it could not be summoned again right away.

What 3.5 books have this info?

Is there anything in Pathfinder-related products that presents this as an option?

And are any threads on this board that discuss this subject?

[Goth Guru]

reefwood wrote:

I failed to find anything about this in a search of the messageboards, so maybe someone can point me in the right direction...

I believe there was some sort of variant rule in D&D 3.5 that allowed a caster using the summon monster spells to always summon the same specific monster. This let the caster give the summoned monster equipment that would be with the monster each time it was summoned again. On the flipside, if the monster was killed while summoned, it could not be summoned again right away.

What 3.5 books have this info?

Is there anything in Pathfinder-related products that presents this as an option?

And are any threads on this board that discuss this subject?

Yes, sort of, Arcane anything, no, and yes.

This was delt with in Summon Paradox in advice.
In 3.5 a dead monster cannot be resummoned, you get a different monster.
In Pathfinder they regenerate from death.
I don't think summoned creatures keep equiptment unless you go to their home and equip them.

[0gre]

I don't think I've seen a feat where you can equip creatures and they reappear with the same equipment, by default when a creature is dismissed it returns to it's home plain and leaves any equipment behind.

All I can picture is that dire badger you summoned going back to it's home plane and coming back empty handed after swapping your Amulet of Mighty Fists for a few hundred pounds of rabbit.

[Ted Mosby]

I may be mistaken, but I remember reading that if you knew a creature's name, you could summon that specific being. It may have been some sort of demon summoning spells, like gate. If you are at a home game, you can try to convince the creature that you are its god that you require it to be ready for battle all the time. It may require DM approval, but I'd allow it in my games.

[Slime]

Wasn't it the 3.0 version of summon monster that offered that option in the DM guide?

The problem I seem to remember from that was that you could get a Super-Scout Goblin to get wacked far in front but could summon it back and get all the info.

[InfoStorm]

reefwood wrote:

I failed to find anything about this in a search of the messageboards, so maybe someone can point me in the right direction...

<<snip>>
What 3.5 books have this info?

Is there anything in Pathfinder-related products that presents this as an option?

And are any threads on this board that discuss this subject?

If my memory serves me properly, it was mentioned in the 3.0 Oriental Adventures setting book. I'll read through the book after I get the miniature monsters to bed. ;)

[Goth Guru]

0gre wrote:

I don't think I've seen a feat where you can equip creatures and they reappear with the same equipment, by default when a creature is dismissed it returns to it's home plain and leaves any equipment behind.

(A good joke)

Exactly. If you summon an Erinyes it will have the bow listed in the Beastiary. If someone hacks off her arm, the arm dissapears when she does. Creature summoning spells are option locked.

[reefwood]

I do know that what I'm looking for is not part of the standard 3.5 core rules and that it may not be in any Pathfinder rules.

One of the players in my game recently brought up the idea (summoning the same creature), and we both remember seeing rules for it in some 3.5 expansion book, but no one could remember the exact details, so I don't know if the options that I mentioned in the opening post are correct.

It is good to know that equipment given to a summoned creature may not be able to stay with the creature when it returns to its home plane, at least by the core rules, but does it actually say that somewhere?

One thing that my player wants to do is give armor to a bearded devil, but since the last time we talked, I noticed that a bearded devil, as an outsider, is not proficient with armor since no armor is listed in its entry, so this may drop the player's interest in this.

[LazarX]

The Summon Monster spells are not intended to give players access to part time cohorts.

[wraithstrike]

Ted Mosby wrote:

I may be mistaken, but I remember reading that if you knew a creature's name, you could summon that specific being. It may have been some sort of demon summoning spells, like gate. If you are at a home game, you can try to convince the creature that you are its god that you require it to be ready for battle all the time. It may require DM approval, but I'd allow it in my games.

Correct. You have to know its true name to summon it. According to D&D lore knowing a creature's true name gives you a great deal of power over it.

PS:A name and a "true name" may not be the same thing, but you at least have to know its names.

[LazarX]

wraithstrike wrote:

PS:A name and a "true name" may not be the same thing, but you at least have to know its names.

Those mechanics however belong to a different type of spell... the Calling spells of Summon Planar Ally and the like. With those spells you are summoning the actual creature as opposed to the astral projections that the Summon Monster ones bring forth.

[Alzrius]

Reefwood, you're looking for the "Variant: Summoning Individual Monsters" sidebar in the 3.5 DMG, p. 37.

[reefwood]

Alzrius wrote:

Reefwood, you're looking for the "Variant: Summoning Individual Monsters" sidebar in the 3.5 DMG, p. 37.

Ah, yes, this must be what I am looking for. Thank you!!!

And also thanks to the others who clarified what spell allows you to name individual creatures to summon.