Joshua Goudreau |
Have you recently chosen to switch your Pathfinder game over to 2E but didn't know what to do with the Summoner in your party? Well, have no fear because the AD&D 2nd Edition Summoner is here!
Summoner
A Summoner is a spell caster of the Wizard group. They follow the experience and proficencies table for classes of the group.
Characters cannot multi-class with the Summoner.
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 12, Constitution 15, Charisma 9
Prime Requisite: Intelligence
Races Allowed: Human, Gnome, Half-Elf
A Summoner with an Intelligence score of 16 or higher gains a 10% bonus to experience points earned.
Spells: Summoner have access to spells on the Wizard spell list. They prepare their spells from spell books, just like Mages.
Spell Specialty: A Summoner has become adept at casting spells from the Conjuration and Summoning spell schools, gaining the ability to memorize one extra spell from those schools per day. This focus on Conjuration and Summoning spells prevents a Summoner from learning spells of the Divination and Invocation schools.
Eidolon: A Summoner creates a deep bond with an other planar creature and has the ability to summon the creature as if casting a spell with the casting time of 9. This is considered a spell for the purposes of Imitative and spell failure. The eidolon is granted at 1st level and evolves, increases in size and power as the Summoner gains every four levels (4th, 8th, 12, 16th, and 20th).
Level 1 - 1st: 1
Level 2 - 1st: 1
Level 3 - 1st: 1
Level 4 - 1st: 1
Level 5 - 1st: 2
Level 6 - 1st: 2; 2nd: 1
Level 7 - 1st: 2; 2nd: 1
Level 8 - 1st: 2; 2nd: 2
Level 9 - 1st: 3; 2nd: 2; 3rd: 1
Level 10 - 1st: 3; 2nd: 2; 3rd: 1
Level 11 - 1st: 3; 2nd: 3; 3rd: 2
Level 12 - 1st: 4; 2nd: 3; 3rd: 2
Level 13 - 1st: 4; 2nd: 4; 3rd: 3; 4th: 1
Level 14 - 1st: 4; 2nd: 4; 3rd: 3; 4th: 1
Level 15 - 1st: 4; 2nd: 4; 3rd: 3; 4th: 1
Level 16 - 1st: 5; 2nd: 4; 3rd: 3; 4th: 2; 5th: 1
Level 17 - 1st: 5; 2nd: 4; 3rd: 3; 4th: 2; 5th: 1
Level 18 - 1st: 5; 2nd: 4; 3rd: 3; 4th: 2; 5th: 2; 6th: 1
Level 19 - 1st: 5; 2nd: 5; 3rd: 4; 4th: 3; 5th: 2; 6th: 1
Level 20 - 1st: 5; 2nd: 5; 3rd: 4; 4th: 3; 5th: 3; 6th: 2
Level 1
Int: Semi (2-4)
AC: 7
Mv: 12
HD 1+1
THAC0 19
Att: 1
Dmg: 1d4
Size: S (3')
XP: 35
Level 4
Int: Semi (2-4)
AC: 7
Mv: 12
HD 2+2
THAC0 19
Att: 1
Dmg: 2d4
Size: M (5')
XP: 65
Level 8
Int: Semi (2-4)
AC: 6
Mv: 12
HD 3+3
THAC0 17
Att: 3
Dmg: 1d3(x2)/1d6
Size: m (6')
XP: 175
Level 12
Int:Semi (2-4)
AC: 6
Mv: 12
HD 5+5
THAC0 15
Att: 3
Dmg: 1d6(x2)/1d8
Size: L (9')
XP: 420
Level 16
Int: Semi (2-4)
AC: 5
Mv: 12, Sw 6
HD 6+6
THAC0 13
Att: 3
Dmg: 1d8(x2)/1d10
Size: H (12')
XP: 650
Level 20
Int: Semi (2-4)
AC: 5
Mv: 12, Sw 6
HD 8+8
THAC0 11
Att: 3
Dmg: 1d10(x2)/2d12
Size: H (14')
XP: 1400
Enjoy!
idilippy |
Yeah, when I look at other 2e monsters the Eidolon seems to hit appropriately hard for it's hit dice, but it has nothing else. Other monsters have nasty special abilities like poison, paralysis, gaze attacks, spells, and so on, or at least movement like flight. The Eidolon is only ever going to be a melee combatant (unless you decide to radically change things up and allow the eidolon to be customized or gain special abilities, which could be interesting but very complicated) so being harder to hit makes them better at their only job.
I'm not sure exactly what AC progression I'd use, maybe start at AC 7 like you have it and drop the AC by 1 each 4 levels, so it ends at AC 2 (plate and shield) at level 20? It won't ever outpace the other PCs in attack and AC, which is a good thing since it's only part of the Summoner's power, but it'll be a little harder to hit.
Joshua Goudreau |
I agree so here are some changes. The AC is lower and I changed the swim speed to a fly speed since that seems more versatile. I also fixed some formatting errors.
I originally considered doing evolutions like the PFRPG Summoner but it really strays to a more modern game design style away from the stark simplicity of the AD&D classes. So the eidolon became a simple summoned creature that kicks tail. Supported by spell casting the class should fill a decent martial/arcane niche.
Int: Semi (2-4)
AC: 7
Mv: 12
HD: 1+1
THAC0: 19
Att: 1
Dmg: 1d4
Size: S (3')
XP: 35
Level 4
Int: Semi (2-4)
AC: 6
Mv: 12
HD: 2+2
THAC0: 19
Att: 1
Dmg: 2d4
Size: M (5')
XP: 65
Level 8
Int: Semi (2-4)
AC: 5
Mv: 12
HD: 3+3
THAC0: 17
Att: 3
Dmg: 1d3(x2)/1d6
Size: M (6')
XP: 175
Level 12
Int: Semi (2-4)
AC: 4
Mv: 12
HD: 5+5
THAC0: 15
Att: 3
Dmg: 1d6(x2)/1d8
Size: L (9')
XP: 420
Level 16
Int: Semi (2-4)
AC: 3
Mv: 12, Fly 6
HD: 6+6
THAC0: 13
Att: 3
Dmg: 1d8(x2)/1d10
Size: H (12')
XP: 650
Level 20
Int: Semi (2-4)
AC: 2
Mv: 12, Fly 6
HD: 8+8
THAC0: 11
Att: 3
Dmg: 1d10(x2)/2d12
Size: H (14')
XP: 1400
So, the Summon Monster ability is just gone?
I tried to keep the class simple and decided to build it based on a Specialist Wizard. So they get extra conjuration or summoning spells each day that the player can then choose to use for monster summoning or not, rather than give them monster summoning for free. It fits within an existing design that way instead of tweaking the rules more than it already does.
I had to remind myself a few times while I was working this up to stop thinking like a modern game designer and think like a game designer from 20 years ago. The games were definitely developed differently and a lot has changed in the philosophy.