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As a penalty for awesome summoning abilities, a Master Summoner's eidolon has only half the advancement of that of a regular Summoner. Does that eidolon still have access to evolutions that require a certain level at the normal time?
As an example, the flight evolution takes a 5th level Summoner. At fifth level, your eidolon will be treated as that of a Summoner 2. Can you spend 2 of his 4 evolution points to let your eidolon fly?
I'm fairly certain that anything in the Eidolons section (including evolutions) are treated as if you were at half your summoner level. However, anything that is a class ability not under the Eidolons section (including things such as Shield Ally, and Maker's Call) would be treated as normal.
So this means, yes you would need to wait until 10th level to give your Eidolon flight.
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So this means, yes you would need to wait until 10th level to give your Eidolon flight.
I am working on a Summoner build as well and have given the Master Summoner a few thoughts. Whether or not I would consider picking this archetype hinges on this very question.
From what I hear, Eidolons are glass cannons to some degree. Sure, you have spells to help with survivability, but you might not always act first, and then your fluffy friend might just get wasted in one hit. No doubt this problem is amplified with a half-level eidolon as that of the Master Summoner. As a result, I would probably hone such an eidolon to be a stealthy airborne radar platform, giving me my Shield Ally bonuses and spotting enemies for me, maybe Aiding me with its combat actions rather than really participating in the fray. More of a familiar than a combat monster. For that to be possible, Flight is rather essential.
Now, as I see it, the main reason Flight is available only at character level 5 is that all classes in the game are built that way. The Fly spell and similar spells, abilities, and class features all only become available at 5th or later. As such, I don't see harm in allowing a Master Summoner's pet to buy the ability with its precious few points. Half the evolution points and half the hit dice are devastating already. That baby is never going to be effective in combat after level 1 or 2. At least let it have a funky ability or two! After all, the point costs are supposed to be balanced... and I can tell from building a full-level, combat-oriented eidolon, those evolution points are precious. I had to choose Extra Evolution as a 1st level feat for my Summoner (although it only gives a single damn point!) just because I couldn't make things fit otherwise. There are too many good things to have.
I feel that with the Master Summoner, I could probably have more "harmless fun" building a funky eidolon that with the regular one. I'd have to worry less about effectiveness and about keeping it alive in combat, and could just concentrate on making it a fun and original pet. The expendable summons would then do the dirty job instead, and I'd have lots of them.
Can we have an official ruling on this?
The line in question is "A master summoner’s class level is halved (minimum 1) for the purposes of determining his eidolon’s abilities, Hit Dice, evolution pool, and so on." I would read this as not affecting prerequisites that involve the summoner level, because it doesn't say "evolutions it has access to", and because it's a different enough quality that it can't just be lumped into "and so on." Abilities, hit dice, evolution pool, as well as BAB, maximum attacks, etc. are all based on Table 2-9. Ability to qualify for evolutions isn't. Therefore, I would rule that the "and so on" means "and every other column in that table". Effectively, for purposes of that table you halve the summoner's level. For other purposes (when the summoner gets eidolon abilities, whether he meets prerequisites, etc), he's treated normally.
The line in question is "A master summoner’s class level is halved (minimum 1) for the purposes of determining his eidolon’s abilities, Hit Dice, evolution pool, and so on." I would read this as not affecting prerequisites that involve the summoner level, because it doesn't say "evolutions it has access to", and because it's a different enough quality that it can't just be lumped into "and so on." Abilities, hit dice, evolution pool, as well as BAB, maximum attacks, etc. are all based on Table 2-9. Ability to qualify for evolutions isn't. Therefore, I would rule that the "and so on" means "and every other column in that table". Effectively, for purposes of that table you halve the summoner's level. For other purposes (when the summoner gets eidolon abilities, whether he meets prerequisites, etc), he's treated normally.
This is my interpretation as well.
Hm. Unless there's an official ruling on this somewhere, it looks like it's up to the DM. I knew I couldn't be the only one seeing your interpretation.
I've converted my Summoner to a Master Summoner, and turned my former constrictor snake into a freakish little rogue with arms. Flight is probably the only other evolution he is interested in, other than several more iterations of the Skilled evolution.
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I've converted my Summoner to a Master Summoner, and turned my former constrictor snake into a freakish little rogue with arms. Flight is probably the only other evolution he is interested in, other than several more iterations of the Skilled evolution.
Yeah, that was also what I was thinking to do with my half-strength eidolon. A stealthy orbital sensor platform, basically, performing the occasional "fly-by attack" to aid someone in combat and maybe provide flanking if it seems safe enough.
as a Gm i could see both arguments, but i tend to rule in favor of the player. As a Gm i have to ask my self, "is this game breaking?" I don't think it is. Not considering Flight there's a few evolutions a master summoner will never even have access to if his level is treated as half for the purpose of evolution qualifying. Actually im not even a big fan of the master summoner as i feel it just completely nerfs the coolest feature of the summoner. If i wanted to play something that just summoned a ton of monsters i would probably pick a specialist wizard summoner... but if my player ends up playing one i going to allow him to count his enire level to qualify for evolutions.