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So... I'm entirely enamored with the SMT Persona games. I was thoroughly entertained, and was looking to try to capture some of that feel in the Pathfinder game.
So after much thinking, perusing the OLD web forums talking about the subject, and seeing what other people did for conversions, here's my version.
I sought to keep it within the Pathfinder mythos, so I went with the Harrow Deck instead of Tarot Arcana. It converted rather nicely, so I feel I managed to make it all fit right. I did out with the wild card bit; I figured that was more of a... video game-ism, but I did have something kinda like it in the Examine Harrowing feature.
If you could, please look at this and tell me what you think of it, and if it's got a glaring weakness, or is poorly worded, or is OP (I hear summoners have that problem anyways) let me know. I would like to do another pass at refining it once I get enough feedback.
SUMMONER ARCHETYPE
Most summoners bond with an eidolon, summoning it from beyond. However the Harrow Personifier uses the same principles to call upon something inside of them, instead of without. Most commonly found in Varisia, the summoner learned to personify their connection through the infamous Harrow Deck. By drawing on the Suit most closely aligned to them, they bring it to life in order to face the world around them.
PERSONIFICATION
A personifier begins play with the ability to summon to his side a powerful facet of their own self in connection to the Harrow. This Persona links with the summoner, who, forever after, summons the same creature. A Persona always bears features reminiscent to the Harrow card associated with the summoner’s alignment. The Persona speaks all languages the Summoner knows. Unlike Eidolons, they are never treated as summoned creatures, and can touch and attack creatures warded by protection from evil and similar effects that prevent contact with summoned creatures.
A summoner can summon his Persona as a ritual that takes a full round action to perform. The Personification's saving throws, skills, feats, and abilities are tied to the summoner’s class level and increase as the summoner gains levels. In addition, each Personification receives a pool of evolution points, based on the summoner’s class level, that can be used to give the personification different abilities and powers. Whenever the summoner gains a level, he must decide how these points are spent, and they are set except for special circumstances.
A Harrow Personifier draws their creature from a facet of themselves by using the Harrow. Because it is in essence a part of themselves, the Persona does not have a separate hit point pool like most eidolons. Instead, any damage dealt to the creature is actually taken by the summoner. This is obviously a dangerous vulnerability.
Harrow Personifiers are a tough lot, and can take the painful feedback better than most summoners. They have D10 hit die instead of D8.
This ability replaces Eidolon
SOCIAL LINK
A personifier understands that they are not an island; the people they interact with regularly has an affect on their lives and in some small way, their selves. The Harrow Personifier forms a bond with others. This bond must be solid, worked on over time, and are reinforced by the harrow.
Gaining a bond requires a number of days spent with the person the summoner is trying to bond with equal to the character's hit dice. This time does not need to be consecutive, but if the character's hit dice increases, so does the number of days needed to form the bond. Similarly, already formed bonds need to be maintained, and additional days of time spent must be done every time they increase in hit dice. Once the number of days spent bonding have been completed, a Harrowing must be performed to idealize the bond in a way that the summoner can focus through. This harrowing requires a Perform (Harrowing) or profession (Fortune-Teller) check, the DC equal to 15+the bonded character's hit dice as the reading needs to be as accurate as possible.
Each character in the bond gains some benefits from the bond. Those around the summoner gain double the normal bonuses granted by the aid another action when used in combat or out, and they gain double the bonus granted by any spells cast by the summoner! (Morale, Enhancement, etc) Additionally, the effects of Harrowing cast by the summoner on one member of the bond is shared with all members, with the additional bonuses.
The summoner in exchange gains the support of their friends. When the summoner's persona would transfer damage to the summoner, any bonded characters within 100ft of the summoner may elect to take an immediate action to absorb some of the damage in the summoner's stead. They can take one point of damage per hit dice of the summoner.
Should a bond be broken, whether through willful action, negligence, or death, the summoner can begin to work on forming a new bond with someone else.
This ability replaces Life Link
HARROWED SUMMONER
A Harrow Personifier gets the Harrowed Feat (Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide 287) and the Harrowed Summoning Feat (Pathfinder Player Companion: The Harrow Handbook 14) at level 1.
Summon Monster 1 is received at level 2 instead, and the Harrowed Summoning Feat must be used with any summon monster class feature, though they do not need to utilize this feature with regular summon monster spells.
This ability replaces Summon Monster 1, and Bond Senses
LINKED FORTITUDE
A Harrow Personifier learns to shield himself from some of the damage taken through their link to their Persona. At level 4 the Summoner gains reduces any damage taken through the link by 5 points. At level 12 the amount of damage prevented increases to 10.
This ability replaces Shield Ally and Greater Shield Ally
EXAMINE HARROWING
By taking another look at their harrowing, the Harrow Personifier re-examines their persona. A personifier can change the evolution points of their Persona at any point by receiving a harrowing focusing on themselves. Even better, the bonuses provided by a Harrowing spell transfer over to their Persona.
This ability replaces Transposition
GREATER HARROWING
Whenever the Harrow Personifier casts Harrowing, (Pathfinder Player Companion: The Harrow Handbook 9) they treat it as if they had cast Greater Harrowing instead
This ability replaces Merge Forms
TRUTH BEHIND THE WORLD
Summoners like Harrow Personifiers do not look beyond the planes to entreat powerful outsiders the way that other summoners do. They instead focus on seeing the truth of their world. Personifiers gain True Seeing as a spell-like ability that can be used for one minute per level of the summoner. They can activate this ability as a swift action, but they must use it in one minute increments.
This ability replaces Gate
Examine Harrowing seems a bit powerful, but other than that it looks great!
Is it? Okay. I thought that since it was a level 16 power and Harrowings take at least 10 minutes, that it would be about right for that level. What if I changed it to be once a day? or week?
Bump!
No it doesn't.
Dot for sure.
I'm curious, it sounds like the 'Persona' is still out and running around, just that the summoner takes all the damage for it. What happens with evolutions that give the eidolon damage reduction? How would it interact with Linked Fortitude?
Not sure I like them being able to adjust the Persona at higher levels so easily in a mere 10 minutes. Would probably adjust that to something else myself (maybe extra, lesser personas based on their links they could summon instead? Gives the extra flexibility still but make them a bit more niche or something).
Awesome idea though. Seriously. Kudos.
Here's my proposed changes:
>Include note in the Personification Class Feature that says how the increase in hit dice doesn't affect the Summoner's BAB
>Include note in Personification Class Feature that they do not respond to spells specifically targeting Eidolons.
>Adjustment that the Examine Harrowing ability can only be used 1 time a day.
... Question, should healing effects be able to affect the Summoner through their Persona?
I would think the link is two-way enough that spells that would heal the persona could tranfer through the link too. :/ What do you all think?
Dot for sure.
I'm curious, it sounds like the 'Persona' is still out and running around, just that the summoner takes all the damage for it. What happens with evolutions that give the eidolon damage reduction? How would it interact with Linked Fortitude?
Not sure I like them being able to adjust the Persona at higher levels so easily in a mere 10 minutes. Would probably adjust that to something else myself (maybe extra, lesser personas based on their links they could summon instead? Gives the extra flexibility still but make them a bit more niche or something).
Awesome idea though. Seriously. Kudos.
Sorry I was working on my last post while at work and didn't refresh before posting.
The persona is up and running around, yes. As for the persona abilities, even in the game they could have abilities that reduced the damage their creator took from certain types, so I don't see how that would be a problem. It would be resolved as if the Persona was a character, and whatever damage goes through their defenses then goes into the Summoner. This can... make the persona tankier than usual. Hrm... Think it's OP?
I am planning on reducing Examine Harrowing to once a day in a ten minute ritual. The real benefit I wanted to include in that power was that the benefits of Harrowing spells on the summoner apply to the persona too.
[EDIT] Aww, thanks man! I take making an elegant and effective conversion a challenge. I did the same with a Fallout game type conversion for the Deadlands system.
I really do love the Persona games though. So I wanted to do it justice.
[RE-EDIT] The more I think about it, the more that your idea of multiple, lesser personas. The Social Link connection would help reinforce the purpose of forming bonds too... Oooh. Maybe I can make something work with that. I'll be back when I've pondered it out.
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Okay, so here's my Adjusted Archetype. I think I'm glad for the changes I made.
SUMMONER ARCHETYPE
Most summoners bond with an eidolon, summoning it from beyond. However the Harrow Personifier uses the same principles to call upon something inside of them, instead of without. Most commonly found in Varisia, the summoner learned to personify their connection through the infamous Harrow Deck. By drawing on the Suit most closely aligned to them, they bring it to life in order to find the strength to face the world around them.
PERSONA
A personifier begins play with the ability to summon to his side a powerful facet of their own self in connection to the Harrow. This Persona links with the summoner, who, forever after, summons the same creature. A Persona always bears features reminiscent to the Harrow card associated with the summoner’s alignment. The Persona speaks all languages the Summoner knows. Unlike Eidolons, they are never treated as summoned creatures, and can touch and attack creatures warded by protection from evil and similar effects that prevent contact with summoned creatures.
A summoner can summon his Persona as a ritual that takes a full round action to perform. The Personification's saving throws, skills, feats, and abilities are tied to the summoner’s class level and increase as the summoner gains levels. In addition, each Persona receives a pool of evolution points, based on the summoner’s class level, that can be used to give the Persona different abilities and powers. Whenever the summoner gains a level, he must decide how these points are spent, and can only reassign evolution points when they gain a level.
A Harrow Personifier draws their creature from a facet of themselves by using the Harrow. Because it is in essence a part of themselves, the Persona does not have a separate hit point pool like most eidolons. Instead, any damage dealt to the creature is actually taken by the summoner. This is obviously a dangerous vulnerability.
Harrow Personifiers are a tough lot, and can take the painful feedback better than most summoners. They have D10 hit die instead of D8. This doesn't affect their BAB.
This ability replaces Eidolon
SOCIAL LINK
A personifier understands that they are not an island; the people they interact with regularly has an affect on their lives and in some small way, their selves. The Harrow Personifier forms a bond with others. This bond must be solid, worked on over time, and are reinforced by the harrow. Additionally, the personifier's connections need to be with strong personalities, so the bond cannot be formed with just anyone. (Only NPC's and creatures with class levels have a strong enough sense of self to form a solid bond)
Gaining a bond requires a number of days spent with the person the summoner is trying to bond with equal to the character's hit dice. This time does not need to be consecutive, but if the character's hit dice increases, so does the number of days needed to form the bond. Similarly, already formed bonds need to be maintained, and additional days of time spent must be done every time they increase in hit dice. Once the number of days spent bonding have been completed, a Harrowing must be performed to idealize the bond in a way that the summoner can focus through. This harrowing requires a Perform (Harrowing) or profession (Fortune-Teller) check, the DC equal to 15+the bonded character's hit dice as the reading needs to be as accurate as possible. At the end of the Harrowing, the key Harrow card that exemplifies the character bonded to becomes their Link.
Each character in the bond gains some benefits from the bond. Those around the summoner gain double the normal bonuses granted by the aid another action when used in combat or out, and they gain double the bonus granted by any spells cast by the summoner! (Morale, Enhancement, etc) Additionally, the effects of Harrowing cast by the summoner on one member of the bond is shared with all members, with the additional bonuses.
These bonds themselves are part of the summoners benefit, but several of the Personifier's abilities rely on the Social Link to be more effective.
Should a bond be broken, whether through willful action, negligence, or death, the summoner can begin to work on forming a new bond with someone else.
This ability replaces Life Link
HARROWED SUMMONER
A Harrow Personifier gets the Harrowed Feat (Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide 287) and the Harrowed Summoning Feat (Pathfinder Player Companion: The Harrow Handbook 14) at level 1.
Summon Monster 1 is received at level 2 instead, and the Harrowed Summoning Feat must be used with any summon monster class feature, though they do not need to utilize this feature with regular summon monster spells.
This ability replaces Summon Monster 1, and Bond Senses
LINKED FORTITUDE
Any Social Link characters within 100 feet of the summoner grants them the mental fortitude to resist the pain transferred down the line when their Persona is hurt. At level 4, each linked character within 100 feet of range reduces the damage the summoner receives through their connection to the Persona by 1 each. At level 12 the amount of damage each Social Link character reduces increases to 2.
This ability replaces Shield Ally and Greater Shield Ally
WILD CARD
The Harrow Personifier unlocks the connection his Social Link friends have with the Harrow, allowing him to call a different Persona to aid them. The summoner can instead draw up a Persona of a character linked to them. The Wild Card is constructed just like a standard persona, but only has half the evolution points his true Persona has. This persona always bears traits in common with the Harrow Card that signifies the Social Link.
Creating a Wild Card Persona takes an additional day spent reinforcing the bond of the Social Link with the character that he hopes to draw the Persona from. After the link is successfully reinforced, the character of the link determines where to spend the Persona's evolution points since it is inspired from their Harrowing, not the summoners!
Once created, the summoner can choose to summon that Persona instead of their own, which then acts as theirs in all other respects than their evolution point assignment.
This ability replaces Transposition
GREATER HARROWING
Whenever the Harrow Personifier casts Harrowing, (Pathfinder Player Companion: The Harrow Handbook 9) they treat it as if they had cast Greater Harrowing instead
This ability replaces Merge Forms
TRUTH BEHIND THE WORLD
Summoners like Harrow Personifiers do not look beyond the planes to entreat powerful outsiders the way that other summoners do. They instead focus on seeing the truth of their world. Personifiers gain True Seeing as a spell-like ability that can be used for one minute per level of the summoner. They can activate this ability as a swift action, but they must use it in one minute increments.
This ability replaces Gate
Loving Wildcard. Insanely fitting I think and really cool on top of that. Gives versatility but also doesn't go overpowered with what you can do with the evolutions.
I do think you should consider putting a limit on linked fortitude. It feels vaguely abuse-able without one. I'd say five links or so max. More likely I'd allow one link per 4 levels to contribute to this.
Also the more I think about it...should be a way to establish a 'true' social bond link with someone. Still trying to decide what that should entail...but forge a bond that can't be broken by anything. Something to consider. Perhaps the persona they grant through wild card gets extra evolution points or something similar.
Speaking of the bond, I am wondering if getting double bonuses from your buff spells to a bond might be a bit much. I could see a small bonus (+1) but it makes some spells scary as it is. Something simple like a bull's strength becomes like a +8 enhancement bonus...Barkskin becomes +10 natural armor. Mage Armor becomes +8 AC. Consider Greater Heroism for a moment...
What I'd actually recommend alternatively is make the spells count as extended on them (double duration). Helpful but not overpowering.
Loving Wildcard. Insanely fitting I think and really cool on top of that. Gives versatility but also doesn't go overpowered with what you can do with the evolutions.
I do think you should consider putting a limit on linked fortitude. It feels vaguely abuse-able without one. I'd say five links or so max. More likely I'd allow one link per 4 levels to contribute to this.
Also the more I think about it...should be a way to establish a 'true' social bond link with someone. Still trying to decide what that should entail...but forge a bond that can't be broken by anything. Something to consider. Perhaps the persona they grant through wild card gets extra evolution points or something similar.
Speaking of the bond, I am wondering if getting double bonuses from your buff spells to a bond might be a bit much. I could see a small bonus (+1) but it makes some spells scary as it is. Something simple like a bull's strength becomes like a +8 enhancement bonus...Barkskin becomes +10 natural armor. Mage Armor becomes +8 AC. Consider Greater Heroism for a moment...
What I'd actually recommend alternatively is make the spells count as extended on them (double duration). Helpful but not overpowering.
Thanks for the feedback!
Yeah double duration sounds good.
What about the true link being the capstone ability? Then I can do some other stuff with it and the extra EP
A new capstone would be cool I think.
I think something like above and since it's a capstone...perhaps a true bond can once per week? month? ...grant a true resurrection effect if the summoner is defeated perhaps?
Reworded it so it's not so overpowered.
SOCIAL LINK
A personifier understands that they are not an island; the people they interact with regularly has an affect on their lives and in some small way, their selves. The Harrow Personifier forms a bond with others. This bond must be solid, worked on over time, and are reinforced by the harrow. Additionally, the personifier's connections need to be with strong personalities, so the bond cannot be formed with just anyone. (Only NPC's and creatures with class levels have a strong enough sense of self to form a solid bond)
Gaining a bond requires a number of days spent with the person the summoner is trying to bond with equal to the character's hit dice. This time does not need to be consecutive, but if the character's hit dice increases, so does the number of days needed to form the bond. Similarly, already formed bonds need to be maintained, and additional days of time spent must be done every time they increase in hit dice. Once the number of days spent bonding have been completed, a Harrowing must be performed to idealize the bond in a way that the summoner can focus through. This harrowing requires a Perform (Harrowing) or profession (Fortune-Teller) check, the DC equal to 15+the bonded character's hit dice as the reading needs to be as accurate as possible. At the end of the Harrowing, the key Harrow card that exemplifies the character bonded to becomes their Link.
Each character in the bond gains some benefits from the bond. Those around the summoner gain double the normal benefits granted by the aid another action the summoner uses when used in combat or out, and any spells that provide morale/enhancement bonuses last twice as long, as if under the effects of Extend spell! Additionally, the effects of Harrowing cast by the summoner on one member of the bond is shared with all members, with the additional bonuses.
These bonds themselves are part of the summoners benefit, but several of the Personifier's abilities rely on the Social Link to be more effective.
Should a bond be broken, whether through willful action, negligence, or death, the summoner can begin to work on forming a new bond with someone else.
This ability replaces Life Link
PERSONA MASTER
The Harrow Personifier has reached the peak of their ability to create a Persona and enhance the bonds they have formed.
Any Social Link bonds formed at this level become permanent, unshakeable bonds. Even if the character bonded with gains more levels, there is no more need to upkeep them after the bond is formed.
Additionally, the Wild Card Personas created by those who have bonded with the summoner gain the ability to go through an evolution of form. Spending another day enhancing the bond with a character signifying a wild card will enhance the Persona further, increasing their evolution points to the summoner's max evolution points -2.
The summoner finds great mental and emotional solace in the presence of his friends. The Link Fortitude bonus they receive from bond members being within 100 ft of them increases to 3 each.
This ability replaces Twin Eidolon
Really cool. Will give it a few more readings but I think it's pretty solid overall.
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Really cool. Will give it a few more readings but I think it's pretty solid overall.
Okay thanks. I think it's a bit wordier than most archetypes though, or am I mistaken? A lot of the other archetypes only change like 2-3 things though so that might be why I think it's inflated.
I reworded Harrowed Summoner so that they don't actually get a pair of free feats, but instead only applies to their summon monster class feature.
Here's the compiled, updated and as of right now reworded version.
SUMMONER ARCHETYPE
Most summoners bond with an eidolon, summoning it from beyond. However the Harrow Personifier uses the same principles to call upon something inside of them, instead of without. Most commonly found in Varisia, the summoner learned to personify their connection through the infamous Harrow Deck. By drawing on the Suit most closely aligned to them, they bring it to life in order to find the strength to face the world around them.
PERSONA
A personifier begins play with the ability to summon to his side a powerful facet of their own self in connection to the Harrow. This Persona links with the summoner, who, forever after, summons the same creature. A Persona always bears features reminiscent to the Harrow card associated with the summoner’s alignment. The Persona speaks all languages the Summoner knows. Unlike Eidolons, they are never treated as summoned creatures, and can touch and attack creatures warded by protection from evil and similar effects that prevent contact with summoned creatures.
A summoner can summon his Persona as a ritual that takes a full round action to perform. The Personification's saving throws, skills, feats, and abilities are tied to the summoner’s class level and increase as the summoner gains levels. In addition, each Persona receives a pool of evolution points, based on the summoner’s class level that can be used to give the Persona different abilities and powers. Whenever the summoner gains a level, he must decide how these points are spent, and can only reassign evolution points when they gain a level.
A Harrow Personifier draws their creature from a facet of themselves by using the Harrow. Because it is in essence a part of themselves, the Persona does not have a separate hit point pool like most eidolons. Instead, any damage dealt to the creature is actually taken by the summoner. This is obviously a dangerous vulnerability.
Harrow Personifiers are a tough lot, and can take the painful feedback better than most summoners. They have D10 hit die instead of D8. This doesn't affect their BAB.
This ability replaces Eidolon
SOCIAL LINK
A personifier understands that they are not an island; the people they interact with regularly has an affect on their lives and in some small way, their selves. The Harrow Personifier forms a bond with others. This bond must be solid, worked on over time, and are reinforced by the harrow. Additionally, the personifier's connections need to be with strong personalities, so the bond cannot be formed with just anyone. (Only NPC's and creatures with class levels have a strong enough sense of self to form a solid bond)
Gaining a bond requires a number of days spent with the person the summoner is trying to bond with equal to the character's hit dice. This time does not need to be consecutive, but if the character's hit dice increases, so does the number of days needed to form the bond. Similarly, already formed bonds need to be maintained, and additional days of time spent must be done every time they increase in hit dice. Once the number of days spent bonding have been completed, a Harrowing must be performed to idealize the bond in a way that the summoner can focus through. This harrowing requires a Perform (Harrowing) or profession (Fortune-Teller) check, the DC equal to 15+the bonded character's hit dice as the reading needs to be as accurate as possible. At the end of the Harrowing, the key Harrow card that exemplifies the character bonded to becomes their Link.
Each character in the bond gains some benefits from the bond. Those around the summoner gain double the normal benefits granted by the aid another action the summoner uses when used in combat or out, and any spells that provide morale/enhancement bonuses last twice as long, as if under the effects of Extend spell! Additionally, the effects of Harrowing cast by the summoner on one member of the bond is shared with all members.
These bonds themselves are part of the summoners benefit, but several of the Personifier's abilities rely on the Social Link to be more effective.
Should a bond be broken, whether through willful action, negligence, or death, the summoner can begin to work on forming a new bond with someone else.
This ability replaces Life Link
HARROWED SUMMONER
A Harrow Personifier gets the Summon Monster 1 class feature at level 2 instead of level 1, and uses their summon monster class feature as if they have the Harrowed Summoning Feat. (Pathfinder Player Companion: The Harrow Handbook 14)They do not need to utilize this feature with regular summon monster spells they may have prepared.
This ability replaces Summon Monster 1, and Bond Senses
LINKED FORTITUDE
Any Social Link characters within 100 feet of the summoner grants them the mental fortitude to resist the pain transferred down the line when their Persona is hurt. At level 4, each linked character within 100 feet of range reduces the damage the summoner receives through their connection to the Persona by 1 each. At level 12 the amount of damage each Social Link character reduces increases to 2.
This ability replaces Shield Ally and Greater Shield Ally
WILD CARD
The Harrow Personifier unlocks the connection his Social Link friends have with the Harrow, allowing him to call a different Persona to aid them. The summoner can instead draw up a Persona of a character linked to them. The Wild Card is constructed just like a standard persona, but only has half the evolution points his true Persona has. This persona always bears traits in common with the Harrow Card that signifies the Social Link.
Creating a Wild Card Persona takes an additional day spent reinforcing the bond of the Social Link with the character that he hopes to draw the Persona from. After the link is successfully reinforced, the character of the link determines where to spend the Persona's evolution points since it is inspired from their Harrowing, not the summoners!
Once created, the summoner can choose to summon that Persona instead of their own, which then acts as theirs in all other respects than their evolution point assignment.
This ability replaces Transposition
GREATER HARROWING
Whenever the Harrow Personifier casts Harrowing, (Pathfinder Player Companion: The Harrow Handbook 9) they treat it as if they had cast Greater Harrowing instead
This ability replaces Merge Forms
TRUTH BEHIND THE WORLD
Summoners like Harrow Personifiers do not look beyond the planes to entreat powerful outsiders the way that other summoners do. They instead focus on seeing the truth of their world. Personifiers gain True Seeing as a spell-like ability that can be used for one minute per level of the summoner. They can activate this ability as a swift action, but they must use it in one minute increments.
This ability replaces Gate
PERSONA MASTER
The Harrow Personifier has reached the peak of their ability to create a Persona and enhance the bonds they have formed.
Any Social Link bonds formed at this level become permanent, unshakeable bonds. Even if the character bonded with gains more levels, there is no more need to upkeep them after the bond is formed.
Additionally, the Wild Card Personas created by those who have bonded with the summoner gain the ability to go through an evolution of form. Spending another day enhancing the bond with a character signifying a wild card will enhance the Persona further, increasing their evolution points to the summoner's max evolution points -2.
The summoner finds great mental and emotional solace in the presence of his friends. The Link Fortitude bonus they receive from bond members being within 100 ft of them increases to 3 each.
This ability replaces Twin Eidolon
Still feel like Linked Fortitude should have some sort of limit on the number of links. Otherwise, I think the rest is looking very good!
Still feel like Linked Fortitude should have some sort of limit on the number of links. Otherwise, I think the rest is looking very good!
I can understand your concern. When I did the maths on it, however, I feel that it wouldn't be broken. Average party size is 4-5 characters. One being the summoner, that means there's 3-4 potential social links to be made. that means on average you're getting the equivalent of 3-4 DR or Resistance at level 4, which won't get any better until level 12. The benefit is restricted by the person having to be within 100ft of the summoner and the time restraints used to form the links. I know the alchemist might need a day to make potions, or the fighter to hammer out a sword they need in a few days, but on average (and especially if you're playing an adventure path which railroads the hell out of the group) the characters won't have much time to spend on forming social bonds.
I mean, I also included that they have to be a character or creature with class levels. That doesn't include NPC levels or animal HD.
I suppose, after thinking about it, if EVERYONE in the party took Leadership or the Torchbearer feat and kept their cohorts with the party... that could be upwards of 8+ characters that one could social link with. :/ Hrm... I mean that's a layer of Cheese, but it is an easily identified exploit.
What kind of suggestion do you have? 1+CHA mod?