| ShoulderPatch |
+Assuming we're discussing Sum Mon 7-9 and Sum Nat Ally 7-9, during character levels 15-16+
+Assuming we're generally talking casters who don't have class/archtype rules that otherwise alter the question (not shaman druids, summoner class, conjuring wizards, etc).
Q: How often do you use summons at those levels?
(once per fight or more? once per adventuring day? once in a blue moon?)
Q: Do you have a favorite go-to summons? Why?
Q: What role are you using them for?
(tank? dpr? just flanking? special powers?)
Q: Augment Summoning, do you feel it's needed/useful/pointless at that level of play?
Posted a question like this a week or two ago but I made it WAY too intricate for casual answering, so hopefully attempt #2 gets at least a few replies.
xebeche
|
The highest level play that I've seen is 11th-level, so take what I say with a grain of salt.
I think we can come to some reasonable conclusions about these summoning spells. Firstly, when a summoning spell like these is memorized it offers a great deal of flexibility in that the caster doesn't need to decide in advance exactly what they are summoning. Summon nature's ally and summon monster allow for the caster to decide in the moment whether they want a fire elemental that can exploit weakness to cold, an animal that is capable of performing maneuvers such as grab, a creature with a fly speed, and so forth. When one of these are summoned it puts more standard actions on the table in your party's favor, more hit points, more flanking, and offers access to abilities that may be outside your party's own abilities.
Augment Summoning is going to be useful, even at higher levels, especially with creatures that have Strength- or Constitution-based DCs. Most creatures become more accurate to hit with attacks that many times trigger these abilities that require saves. The feat is extremely useful as your character is leveling as well. Truly a win-win, despite requiring Spell Focus (conjuration), which for druids in particular is more limited in usefulness.
However, a wizard or druid (for example) could go their entire career without ever summoning a creature and probably be a great asset to their group. There will be times though when that summon would have been much more useful than a spell cast in its place. But the opposite is often times true as well.
| 666bender |
well, it depends.
summoning is great when you can summon freely.
since the spell is a full round cast, most time you'll get interapted.
summonners, arch-type druids, clerics with sacred summon are all in a very good place to summon ASAP.
Augment Summoning keep the spell alive at all levels and allow you do use lower summon spells / bring armada with 1 spell.
i personally LOVE summons, i think its the most versitle caster in the game.
my 2 optimal tactics are as a druid, in elental form that is under the wall in the floor or as a summoner.
even if the summon is killed in 1-2 rounds by the opponent, its like a big DR spell... you just prevented the fighter form that amount of damage didnt you?
the monsters themselves can be great:
celectial with smite can do big number damage Vs 1 evil fellow.
giants or demons / angels make grea meat shields.
the monster is a flying machine? bring air elementals.
the monster is a killing bitter witth 20 DR? bring archons that shoot for noDR damage...
the opponent is a caster? bring someting with grab...
it's even stay a good option in level 20, have you seen the amount of damage 3-6 (suppirior summon) dire celectial tigers do ??
they ALL smite, charge and pounce toauto kill 1 boss...