Keep in mind trap springing, which the Pathfinder Society, in-game, recommends using summon monster for.
Like a mouse? Probably wouldn't set off a trap.
Now unseen servant dragging a bag of flour. That.s the ticket.
Keep in mind trap springing, which the Pathfinder Society, in-game, recommends using summon monster for.
What kind of creatures are we talking about? Like a mouse, a chicken, a parakeet, a garter snake? Also define balanced. Do you want a cantrip that can be cast over and over and over again. Say, like, it's a standard action to summon a mouse, and I just keep summoning mice every round until there's a huge swarm of mice, and that isn't really balanced?
Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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Isn't there already a Summon Minor Monster spell or something similar from Ultimate Magic (I think)? IIRC, the spell summons 1d3 creatures that are as combat ineffective as your average familiar. That could probably be scaled back to a 0 level spell that summons one such creature, but you'd still want to either limit the caster to one such creature at a time or cap the duration at 1 round to avoid spam-related problems.
Woot. I was right about the spell. Here's the text:
Summon Minor Monster
School conjuration (summoning); Level antipaladin 1, bard 1, cleric 1, sorcerer/wizard 1, summoner 1, witch 1
Casting Time 1 round
Components V, S, F/DF (a tiny bag and a small candle)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect 1d3 summoned creatures
Duration 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
This spell functions as summon monster I, except you can summon 1d3 Tiny or smaller animals, such as bats, lizards, monkeys, rats, ravens, toads, or weasels. The summoned animals must all be the same type of creature. As with animals summoned with summon monster I, you may apply one alignment-appropriate template to these animals.
Keep in mind trap springing, which the Pathfinder Society, in-game, recommends using summon monster for.
I would say not. As Summon Minor Ally and Summon Minor Monster(both from Ultimate Magic) are 1st level spells. Though I guess you could downpower those two spells to the point where they might work as a cantrip. I probably would not allow it.
Ninjad by Sebastian. *Shakes Fist*
I'd probably allow a 1 round casting time (V,S,M), duration: concentrention (max 1 round per level), Range: Medium (must remain visible) for a single tiny sized animal with the stats of a familiar basic (max CR 1/4).
Not sure how to distinguish the the "Nature's Ally" vs "Monster" versions.
Edit:
Ninjad by Sebastian. *Shakes Fist*
+1
Any creature, really. But specifically, a small, very weak, elemental.
Summmon a mouse or pigeon, duration is concentration, caster is stunned for ten rounds after spell expires
should be about the level of a cantripif its used to trigger traps, the caster is gonna be stunned - a big problem if the trap is an alarm.
That's at the opposite end of what I'm worried about.
If done right it should not be a problem.
(taken from 101 spells series)
School: Conjuration (Summoning); Level: Drd 0
Casting time: 1 round
Components: V, S, DF
Effect: 1 summoned creature
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
This spell functions like summon nature’s ally I, but it
summons a Tiny or Diminutive animal of no more
than 1/2 Hit Dice, such as a bat, cat, lizard, rat, raven,
Tiny viper, toad or weasel.
Just have the spell summon a specific minor creature once per hour. If the creature dies, it is unable to summoned for 24 hours. That should bottleneck the abuse.
If done right it should not be a problem.
(taken from 101 spells series)** spoiler omitted **
Yeah, I did the spell lists for a few of those. I'm only 50% convinced that that's balanced.
What specifically are you wanting this summoned monster to do? Attack, take damage, scout, flavor, something else?
Mostly just wondering if people think it is theoretically possible.
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I'd let a cantrip summon a Tribble.
Just have the spell summon a specific minor creature once per hour. If the creature dies, it is unable to summoned for 24 hours. That should bottleneck the abuse.What abuse? I'm missing it. Even at level 20 you could only have 20 such beings summoned. Which is not a lot. And not even even close to enough to form a swarm.
They are weak and insignificant creatures. What potential for abuse is there?
"A specific creature" leads me to believe that you can only have one at a time.
What abuse? I'm missing it.
Polymorph? Animal Growth? I'm not sure how it could be abused either. If I had access to such a spell, my first thought would be using the creature as a scout or to nibble some rope (if it was a mouse). But I'd expect a Summon Monster cantrip to have a very short duration - one minute at best (this assumes the creature is no good in-battle). I'm not a huge min/maxer though... Why don't you go ahead and allow players to use the spell and see what happens?
I'd suggest simple monsters for the summon:
mouse, pigeon, a non-venomous spider
I have had this spell in my game setting for a long time.
Summon Monster 0
Conjuration (Summoning) [see text]
Level: Brd 0, Clr 0, Sor/Wiz 0
Components: V, S, F/DF
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One summoned creature
Duration: 1 round +1 round/2 levels max 3 rounds
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell summons an extraplanar creature (typically an outsider, elemental, or magical beast native to another plane).
It must have 1/2hd or less and be either tiny or dimunitve in size. It appears where you designate and acts immediately, on your turn. It attacks your opponents to the best of its ability. If you can communicate with the creature, you can direct it not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to perform other actions.
The spell conjures one of the creatures from the 0 level list on the accompanying Summon Monster table. You choose which kind of creature to summon, and you can change that choice each time you cast the spell.
A summoned monster cannot summon or otherwise conjure another creature, nor can it use any teleportation or planar travel abilities. Creatures cannot be summoned into an environment that cannot support them.
When you use a summoning spell to summon an air, chaotic, earth, evil, fire, good, lawful, or water creature, it is a spell of that type.
Arcane Focus: A tiny bag and a small (not necessarily lit) candle.
Sample Monsters
0 Level
Celestial Mouse LG
Celestial Frog LG
Celestial Rabbit NG
Celestial Cat CG
Celestial Canary CG
Fiendish Rat LE
Fiendish Squirrel LE
Fiendish Bat NE
Fiendish Monstrous Scorpion, Tiny CE
Fiendish Salmon CE (see below)
Fiendish Snake, Tiny viper CE
Fractional hit dice don't exist anymore. You might want to fix that.
Also, fiendish salmon?
Was written back in the 3.0 days. Never really got around to updating it as the most common use has been little more than let me pull a rabbit out of my hat kind of stuff. I think my wife actually used the spell twice in a serious way, conjuring up a cat to help cover a failed stealth check, and once around level 4 using the squirrel as an improvised weapon. She rolled a 20 so I said it bit and latched on to the gnoll's nose.
As for the Salmon, I don't know... May have been a long day, or pehaps dinner time. Was trying to think of critters that would have little if any combat value, but might be useful.
Any creature, really. But specifically, a small, very weak, elemental.
Then it should compare (not as good as) to Spark, Create water, Acid splash and Cold touch.
2nd ed (maybe 1st) had Bee and Mouse as cantrips.
(...)
Thanks for the flashback! It does give me an interesting variant to take into consideration for what has been brought up: Creature Specific Cantrips.
Since you can can cast it unlimited per day I would follow the list of familiar based creature with Celestial or Fiendish (house-rule: also Protean or Axiomite) "upgrade" but for a SPECIFIC type chosen each type counting as a different spell.
Ex.: Cleric of Torag: Call Holy-Mole(y!)
Based on a badger with the young template with the holy template!
Maybe add a costly material component comparable to buying a tiny animal? It would allow for duration longer than concentration (which was my first thought) and probably even longer than regular summon monster 1 round/level.