Summoners?

[lipphilzletha]

I looked for a class discussion forum and didn't see one. I'm sure my questions have been answered before. If a kind soul could provide links to a discussion, I'd be much obliged.

I'm new to Pathfinder, and I plan to jump into organized play at a game shop that has a well established group of players who have eratic attendance. From my understanding, they have a barbarian, bard, druid, fighter, ranger, and sorceror.

To start, I figured I would show up with four 1st level characters and play whatever role was needed.

I want one of each of the basic party roles: blaster, tank, expert, and healer.

My first thoughts where for a:

"blaster" summoner - I need a link to general summoner discussion and builds. I've always loved wizards in homebrew games, but their strength was capturing others' spellbooks to copy, learn, or memorize from in order to have a horde of spells from which to choose...however in organized play, that doesn't seem as viable as I understand you have to pay for each spell. I always thought a summoner would be cool, but being a specialist summoner and having a few extra monster summonings isn't great. 3.5 play had tons of optional rules to make a conjurer built to waste people with spells that had no save or SR, but Pathfinder organized play doesn't allow such builds. As a side note, does Augment Summoning feat apply to a summoner's eidelon?

"expert" rogue - I think I have that cover from 3.5 D&D play...I built a halfing rouge with a good mix of skills likely going the path of 2W fighting.

"healer" cleric - the party has a bard and druid who probably often fill this role, but a straight cleric probably heals better. I imagine skills come up a fair amount in organized play so I can pick traits to get some cross-classed skills on my list. With a few feats, I can diversify the character to have some combat umph when there is a better healer.

"tank" paladin or fighter? - I think a paladin might be fun as I haven't played one since 1st ed. Healing capabilities could suppliment the bard or druid while adding some melee to help the barb or ftr. A figther of course would be straight combat, but I think it would be fun with the combat maneuver system relying less on specialized situational feats.

Can anyone point a newb in the right direction?

[Kamelguru]

Summoner is more battlefield control. He has some excellent buffs and debuffs, and his eidolon (which is specifically NOT enhanced by Augment Summoning) can provide some glass-cannon type damage (great offense, poor defense). If you want a "blaster" you're better off with a sorcerer.

Your rogue sound like a normal rogue build, and if he is going single class, he should cover the skills needed quite well. Make sure to juice his to-hit modifier however you can. A 3/4 BAB class dual-wielding hits nothing unless you optimize a little.

No-one can out-heal the cleric. The only one up there is the oracle of life, but he is much weaker as he is restricted to a list of spells known. Meaning you pretty much have to base your entire existence on being a healbot where the cleric can prepare as he sees fit. The healer should not do melee in my mind, as he NEEDS to be alive after the fight. If you follow a deity that gives you the animal domain, get a pet and take Boon Companion instead.

Tanking is flawed, as you cannot persuade the enemy to stick around in PF. But a paladin has the best survivability in the game next to a caster with the right spells and the time to do them. I have played a paladin for 9 levels, and I have only been knocked down once, due to a freak string of nat 20s on the GM's side. Combat maneuvers are seldom really worth the investment, doubly so for the feat-starved paladin. If you want top trip or disarm, get a ranseur and do it at a distance that doesn't give the enemy the attack of opportunity to screw you over.

All in all, considering the existing party, I would go for the cleric. A druid and a bard have the ability to heal, just like the bard has the ability to melee. Not something they SHOULD do. Ignore combat, that seems to be covered more than enough. Focus on high wis, high cha, ignore physical stats (except con) and stay in the back, wearing breastplate and a heavy shield. Pick up Selective Channeling and Improved Initiative, get those buffs up and heal them with channeling when needed. Now you are directly making a contribution to combat equal to the entire party's output, since you are making them hit, and keeping them around to hit more.

[Nymor]

Eidolon can actually be buffed by Augment Summoning, but only if you conjure it with a spell and not with your class power.

Here there's the Summoner's Handbook

[Shoga]

Why go to all the effort to make 4 characters when only 2 are necessary.

I would go Inquisitor. Decent tanking abilities, healing capabilities and knowledge skills for knowing the weakness's of all those pesky critters.

2nd character, Summoner. your eidolon is your tank and you can cast Summon Monster I with your spells. Then stand back and shoot a crossbow.

Done deal...

:)