Hello, all.
I will be running a gestalt campaign soon, and one of the players has come to me with a character idea: Summoner/Druid. The concept he wants is basically that of a necromancer, but with companions and summoned creatures instead. This class combination would give him (unless I'm mistaken) an animal companion, an Eidolon, and access to Summon Monster and Summon Nature's Ally. As long as he took the Summon Monster Spells instead of using the SLA's, he could have as many as 4 companions/minions out at a time. He then plans to take the feat that grants a player the 1st Bloodline Power of a Sorcerer and gain a familiar, and eventually the Leadership Feat (cohorts in my campaign cannot be gestalt and cannot take the leadership feat), possibly another Druid or Summoner. In short, he will be a walking army.
I'm posting this because I can't seem to find anything similar, and I have some questions: first of all, is there anything in the rules that says a player can't have an animal companion and an Eidolon? Can Summon Monster and Summon Nature's Ally be used together? And is there anything I can do to stop his turn from taking an hour? I did have a thought regarding the first and last questions: I was thinking of combining his Animal Companion and Eidolon together. Basically, it would work like the Synthesist Summoner Archetype, but the Eidolon would be fused with his Animal Companion.
I really love this idea, and don't want to tell him he can't do it. But I'm acutely aware of how OP it could become. Any advice would be appreciated! :)
by RAW there is no limit to the number of summons for summon monster or summon natures ally you can have out at the same time. However each casting does take 1 round to cast and the spell only lasts 1 round / lvl.
It is entirely possible to have an animal companion, eidolon and familar with the same character, if that character takes the appropriate classes/feats.
However, having an army of minions taking part in combat usually means a very slow combat with other players waiting for the minions to finish up. If you are playing with 4 or less players it could still work. But with 5+ I would suggest limiting the number of extra allied combatants to 1 per PC. Especially with leadership also thrown into the mix.
Be aware that having loads of minions could drag combats down to a crawl and could irritate other players since they are getting less screen time.
I'm posting this because I can't seem to find anything similar, and I have some questions: first of all, is there anything in the rules that says a player can't have an animal companion and an Eidolon? Can Summon Monster and Summon Nature's Ally be used together?
Nothing prevents it. If you were a druid and multiclassed into a summoner you would have both an animal companion and an elidolon.
Again nothing prevents a multiclassed druid/summoner from using both summon monster and summon nature's ally so nothing theoretically would prevent the gestalt from doing so.
The synth animal companion idea sounds neat actually. I'd be wary about allowing leadership (in any campaign, not just gestalt ones but doubly so with someone trying a concept like this).
make them gestalt the eidolon and companion