Cauldron of overwhelming allies - How it work?

[Diego Rossi]

The description is taken from Hero Lab (I don't want to check the Reign of Winter AP PDF as I am a player):,

Hero Lab wrote:

Cauldron of overwhelming allies (1/day) Wondrous Item

The artistic scrawls on the dark surface of this small bronze
cauldron depict an array of exotic animals, legendary beasts, leering
fiends, and hosts of elementals. Once per day, if used as the focus
or divine focus for a summon monster or summon nature’s ally
spell, the cauldron automatically conjures 1d3 additional creatures of
the same kind from the next lower level list. For example, if a user
casts summon monster III to summon 1d3 wolves, he could also
summon 1d3 additional wolves (or other creatures from the 2nd level
list).
Construction
Requirements: Craft Wondrous Item, Spell Focus (conjuration),
summon monster IV or summon nature’s ally IV ; Cost 2,250 gp
Appears In : Reign of Winter

My problem is that: "conjures 1d3 additional creatures of

the same kind from the next lower level list".
Using the cauldron require you to choose exactly the same kind of creatures twice (so 1d3 wolves+1d3 wolves if you are casting summon monster III) or kind is a bit more loose and if you are casting summon monster V and call a large earth elemental you can call 1d3 medium fire elemental (same kind but not the same monster) from the next ower level list?

That part "(or other creatures from the 2nd level list)" make it even more confusing.

We should read kind as type, as per the bestiary? I.e if you call an animal you should call animals?

[Seiryu]

This is a very badly worded item for sure. One part says you must summon additional of the same kind of creature (wolves = wolves) another part states you can summon others within the same creature type. I'd say it's up to the GM at this point.

If it were me, I'd rule based on "The artistic scrawls on the dark surface of this small bronze
cauldron depict an array of exotic animals, legendary beasts, leering
fiends, and hosts of elementals." and "the cauldron automatically conjures".

The first part describes a variety of beasts, second part shows that it's outside of the player's control of what comes out.

As the GM I would roll randomly within the same type of creature (animals to animals, elementals to elementals, etc) to see what pops out on the lower tier.

[Diego Rossi]

The text in the AP is the same. (It is in the appendix, so very little spoilers there, as we have completed it).

I think that my first post could benefit from a spoiler, clicking it. should have spoilered it immediately.

The GM say that the cauldron need to be put on a fire to work and that I need to summon exactly the same version of the creatures with the spell and the cauldron ability when I use it.

For a wandering druid it has very little interest.

[Ambrus]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but our group just collected this item during last night's session and it remains unclear how it's intended to work. Also, we were wondering whether it would work with a summoner's Summon Monster class ability. Any help would be appreciated.