How to make a non-optimized summoner

[Foxdie13]

That might seems funny but lets face it: summoner is very strong. I really like the idea but the mecanics are strong and can destroy the fun of the other players AND the gm (i play on both sides so I know how it is)

I was wondering if there is a way to make a summoner fun to play but for everyone.

Obviously synthesist and master summoner are both out of the way. Maybe if i use an eidolon with weapons instead of natural attack to balance everything? He would need to spend evo points for arms and proficiency, would not have full bab and full str and touch and damage and would force the summoner (me) to buy these weapons to compensate.

Doest that feel ok or is there other GM or players with idea of summoners fun to play but not broken as hell?

Thank you

[Nox Aeterna]

Hum im playing one right now (mine is an evolutionist), never had any problems with him.

To me the trick is simple focusing on what i want my eidolon to be more than a meat shield.

-Mine got high perform(strings) taking skilled and so on, think i will later even give it a feat for this.
-I will evolve mine into a centaur , many people say to simple modify how it looks and keep the large weapons (centaurs use medium weapons), but since i want it to look like a centaur (or naga if i use claws ... still thinking) i dont care, i will use medium.

And so on.

What idea you have for your eidolon , when you decide on that , you can just grow around it.

[Spastic Puma]

The brood master could make the summoner more utility focused with a flier pet, a bruiser pet, etc.

Maybe you could do some sort of silly multiclass, with two levels in Holy Tactician for awesome saves via divine grace, as well as an okay team buff.

[Gerald]

Make a skilled serpent form eidolon. They can make a really good rogue, instead of the normal combat monster biped or Quadraped. That's a good start.

[Azten]

Use a Small Eidolon. Oh, use Quadrapeds, give it Limbs(legs) twice so it's a spider, then carry is around on your back! That's just cool.

[XMorsX]

If all your party is optimised, then it is not such a big deal.

Anyway, a nice idea is to make him a mounted combatant. Go Half-Elf vanilla Summoner or Wild Caller. You will still out-DPS almost anyone, but now you are a d8 light-armored character in the middle of the battle, nobody will call you a "cheater". The downside is that you will have to w8 until 10th lvl to ride your eidolon. Unless you start with a Halfling, which also has the added "benefit" of being weaker overall.

[Wycen]

The first world summoner archtype is less powerful.

As for other choices, my summoner has a few less than great feats, like Inscribe Rune and Experimental Spellcaster. I'm sure you can find other less useful feats.

[Anonymous Visitor 163 576]

You've got two possible problems, social and mechanical.

Regarding social problems, you could end up with a bigger share of the spotlight than you should, by having each of your turns take longer than everyone else's. To remedy:

Have it together. If you're looking it up, you already blew it.
Summon one kind of thing per battle
Summon what you need, not what you can.
Move faster, make decisions.