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In an upcoming reign of winter campaign our GM has stated that all characters should have some way of dealing with cold environments... Well duh it isn't called holy crap it's hot outside, but I digress.
I had a thought that whatever class I decided to play, if I played an Aasimar, I would at least have energy resistance cold 5. So my thoughts began thinking what do Aasimars do best, Cleric came to mind. I then thought about what type of cleric I would most like to play and remembered that I really enjoyed my PFS Conjuration wizard who summoned monsters, and I recalled my wife recently telling me about a feat for clerics allowing them to cast summon monster spells to summon celestial creatures as a standard action.
When looking at the build I thought the archetype of a Cloistered Cleric looked like fun because of all the access to knowledge, which is something that our party really lacks, but wondered about the diminished spell-casting. Also I looked really hard at the Animal Domain because of the Celestial Servant feat.
I hope that you can see where this is going and PLEASE do not tell me to "Just play a summoner" But if you have some advice on how you would flesh out this concept with mechanical benefit please post it.
I cannot see a way to get all the feats that I want before level 9, but I'm open to suggestions.
Desired Feats:
Celestial Servant
Boon Companion
Spell Focus (Conjuration)
Augment Summoning
Superior Summoning
Sacred Summons
My dilemma should be apparent very early in that I can only take one of these feats before level 4, if I go Cloistered Cleric because I will want to take Augment after getting a free Spell focus at level 4. After level 4 because of the diminished casing it is CRITICAL that I get Both Celestial Servant and Boon Companion at levels 5&7 which pushes Augment summoning to level 9 and Superior Summoning all the way back to level 11!
Any help would be appreciated, Thanks-Altus
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This is actually me telling you to play a summoner but see if you can get the Celestial Commander approved.
Casts spells as divine spells, has no eidolon, if they have just a single summon in play at once then it gets bonuses (speeds up play with not swamping the table with summons) and you get one domain which can be Animal Domain (or Feather domain...) for use with Boon Companion and Celestial Servant. It feels quite like a cleric in play.
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ok so here is an option. don't take cloistered cleric. Stick with a standard cleric of erastil and take the feather domain and the family domain, or take the Evangelist and take the feather domain. Then you can buff you summons in the time you don't have the better summoning spells.
Then take Spell focus at one, augment summoning at 3, boon companion at 5 and celestial servent at 7.
What ever you do, do not take sacred summons. It does not work at promoted. It requires that you summon a monster with the exact same SUPTYPE as your alignment. And the celestial template does not bestow a subtype. So you can't summon anything as a standard action except Honest natrual Good subtype outsiders (if you neutral good) of which there are abut 3 throughout the course of the first 5 summoning spells.
Actually Seriphim, Sacred Summons works when you summon a monster with the exact same SUPTYPE as your DEITIES alignment.
Looking at the summon monster lists, that means 3, 4, 7, 9 for LG; 3, 7, 9 for NG; and 3, 5, 6, 9 for CG.
If you're going the evil route, it gets a bit better with 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 for LE, and 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 for CE.
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wow thanks for pointing that out for the sacred summons, I almost fell for that, I still like the concept though, and that brings it down to this:
Lvl 1. Spell Focus Conjuration
Lvl 3. Augment Summoning
Lvl 5. Celestial Servant (If it were not Reign of Winter Boon companion, but I think that cold resistance is more important for the companion at this junction.
Lvl 7. Boon Companion
Lvl 9. Superior Summoning
Trait/gear/skill advice? I was thinking perhaps reactionary for initiative, and possibly the Erastil trait for +2 diplomacy in combat situations.
As far as gear is concerned I believe most of his money should go for pearls of power and rods of Extend spell. plus the basics of increased armor, (ring of protection, Amulet natural armor, cloak of resistance)
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What level are you starting at? how much money will you have?
If you start at 1 and only starting gold then get a hold of cold weather gear and some basic armor.
If you are starting at higher levels and have some cash to spare a one or two pearls of power would be a great investment. It will allow to you cast multiple uses of endure elements which you may need to protect your team. You may also need it yourself. I have known GMs who say energy resistance doesn't protect from environmental cold. Maybe ask your GM to be sure.
At rounds per level once you get high enough level to buy a rod of lesser extend it won't matter. You will have your creatures for a full fight and even extended you probably won't have enough time to find a second fight. Pearls of power will do you much better.
At high levels invest in a ring of invisiblity. Summoning monsters doesn't not end invisibility and you can just generate and direct at will.
As for traits and skills: Perception is a big deal for you, take a trait that will give it to you as a class skill, you need to act early to get those monsters out while it still matters.
Knowledges are useful as are social skills, diplomacy and since motive are a great combination.
As a cleric of Erastil survival is a must.
I would use your other trait to help with one of the ideas above. I hope you enjoy the game!
You might consider the Evangelist archetype for buffing your summons - that gets you bardic performance in exchange for a domain and a few channel dice. It's not very good if you want to be the group healer, but if you want to stay in the back and direct summoned critters it's neat.