Sorceror / Summoner build

[Magus Pierce]

I've got a build idea (or two) bouncing around my head for a cross class character. I realize summoners don't need much help by multiclassing but want to for the flavor.

The idea being a blaster with an elementally matching eidolon. This has left me with a pair of questions.

1) Is there a way to summon elemental templated monsters (think fiery wolves) using Summon Monster X instead of fiendish/celestial versions?

2) Could I get an elemental or elemental templated familiar?

It seemes like I remember having these options, but I'm not sure if it is from PF or just 3.5 flashbacks.

[Iterman]

1)The closest I can come up with off the top of my head is this:
Fire Music
Prerequisites: Spellcraft 5 ranks, ability to cast bard spells, ability to cast an arcane fire spell from some other spellcasting class.

Benefit: When you cast a bard spell that deals damage, you may replace the spell’s normal damage with fire damage or split the spell’s damage so that half of it is the normal damage type and half is fire damage.

If you cast a summon monster spell as a bard spell, you may choose to give the summoned creature a fiery appearance, which gives it fire resistance 5 and adds +1 fire damage to all of its natural attacks. The creature sheds dim light in a 5-foot radius. This aspect of the feat has no effect if the creature already has the fire subtype.

When you use this feat, the affected spell gains the fire descriptor
(not super good in comparison to celestial/fiendish templates but it does make it an elemental of sorts)

2)Improved Familiar allows you to take any small elemental as your familiar (the prerequisite being an arcane spellcaster level of 5 or higher).

[LazarX]

Unless you're going a gestalt build though, you're going to be mighty dissapointed with the result.

[Iterman]

As a bit of good news: at least bards, summoners, and sorcerers all use charisma as their main spellcasting stat, and if you go oracle you can become an elemental yourself at level 1 with the life revelation (energy body) for one whole round.

[Master of Shadows]

Howabout going single class summoner with the spirit summoner archetype (Advanced Class Guide) and choosing Flame Spirit.

It adds these to your spell list, and flavors your eidolon accordingly:
Burning hands (1st), resist energy (2nd), fireball (3rd), wall of fire (4th), summon monster V (fire elementals only, 5th), fire seeds (6th)

That'll make you plenty blasty. Also, I feel like the feat Arcane blast is a must for any summoner:

Paizo.com/PRD Feats wrote:

Arcane Blast

You can convert any spell into an attack.

Prerequisites: Arcane spellcaster, caster level 10th.
Benefit: As a standard action, you can sacrifice a prepared spell or unused spell slot of 1st level or higher and transform it into a ray, targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. This attack deals 2d6 points of damage plus an additional 1d6 points of damage for every level of the spell or spell slot you sacrificed. 0-level spells may not be sacrificed in this manner.

[LazarX]

Master of Shadows wrote:

Also, I feel like the feat Arcane blast is a must for any summoner:

If you say so. I ran mine to 12th in PFS quite fine without it. I preferred spending my actions either summoning, buffing, or employing battlefield control spells. Damage is what my lackeys, I mean adventuring companions are for.

[Master of Shadows]

That's a difference in play style for sure, I like my casters to be at the top of the curve for damage output, summoners are no exception. For the type of character the OP is looking to build, it will certainly help. I do feel the prerequisite for the feat is way out of line though. For a single target effect with damage that scales every other level at the fastest and has diminishing returns the more its used, the prerequisite should be half of what it is.

[LazarX]

Even though my Chelaxian was an Evolutionist Summoner, I did quite a bit of mix and match. In some sessions I forgone my Eidolon almost entirely, relying on my standard action summoning SLAs. Trying to compete with two handed fighters and Zen Archer monks for DPR bragging rights was just an waste of my spell slots, when I can be far more effective by either making my allies more effective, or giving my enemies more things to worry about.

[Master of Shadows]

It all depends on how you build your eidolon, those things can be intense, incredibly dangerous melee combatants if that's your focus, add that to the spell casting abilities (specifically improving the eidolon) or Arcane blast and you'll keep pace with the archers and fighters. But that's not to disparage your play style at all, mass buffing, and crowd control can be every bit as devastating. I just don't find it as satisfying personally.

[Cap. Darling]

Master of Shadows wrote:

Howabout going single class summoner with the spirit summoner archetype (Advanced Class Guide) and choosing Flame Spirit.

It adds these to your spell list, and flavors your eidolon accordingly:
Burning hands (1st), resist energy (2nd), fireball (3rd), wall of fire (4th), summon monster V (fire elementals only, 5th), fire seeds (6th)

That'll make you plenty blasty. Also, I feel like the feat Arcane blast is a must for any summoner:

Paizo.com/PRD Feats wrote:

Arcane Blast

You can convert any spell into an attack.

Prerequisites: Arcane spellcaster, caster level 10th.
Benefit: As a standard action, you can sacrifice a prepared spell or unused spell slot of 1st level or higher and transform it into a ray, targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. This attack deals 2d6 points of damage plus an additional 1d6 points of damage for every level of the spell or spell slot you sacrificed. 0-level spells may not be sacrificed in this manner.

I must say that i find the talk about a feat that can at max do 8d6 in Exchange for a spell a bit miss leading in a post talking about being at the top of the damage curve.

No matter hov i look at it it looks like a bad suggestion. But the flame spirit suggestion is good.

[Master of Shadows]

Its up to 8d6 points of untyped damage delivered as a ranged touch attack. That can be used round after round. It may not be a ton, but its consistent. And you're forgetting that it is added to all the damage dealt by the eidolon that round. So yeah, pretty high on the curve.

[kestral287]

Not round after round-- you're burning high-level spell slots to do it. You'll curve out at 6D6 for PFS play... and I'm pretty sure the Barbarian can do more than that on a full attack.

[Master of Shadows]

Again, you're forgetting, the summoner dpr includes all damage dealt by his eidolon. That can be quite alot if you focus build it and equip it properly.

[Magus Pierce]

A number of good suggestions, think I'll run Spirit Summoner. And so I'm clear on the archetype, I basically get the Shaman's Spirit abilities, but the Spirit Animal is my Eidolon and I lose the Summon Monster X abilities. Is that right? Haven't delved into Summoner archetypes too much.

[Master of Shadows]

Yes, and you get shaman hexes as well.

Spirit summoner archetype