The spell text states: "It (the summoned creature) attacks your opponents to the best of its ability. If you can communicate with the creature, you can direct it not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to perform other actions."
Our party summoned a dinosaurus to help break a magical object last session. Now our DM is unsure whether the beast could attack the object, as it isn't an "opponent". I see no problems here, since the summoned creature should attack anything I attack if it doesn't see other targets for the attack. What do you think?
Handle Animal full round action to push it to attack DC 25
I honestly don't expect a creature with Int < 3 to consider an object to be an "opponent".
I could be convinced to grant a bonus to the HA check since it is clearly friendly/helpful to you.
Archaeik wrote: I honestly don't expect a creature with Int < 3 to consider an object to be an "opponent". How can you expect a creature with Int < 3 to determine who is "opponent" and who isn't then?
I treat this rule simply: the summoned monster attacks the closest non-friendly living creature, if there is some. If there isn't, it attacks everything the caster attacks. A communication is needed only to make it stop attacking or attack another target.
Problem is, it's tough to argue that an object is an opponent. I'd say that a non-mindless creature already inclined to attack what the summoner is attacking would get the idea after a round or two of seeing the summoner attack the object, but I could certainly see how another DM might disagree.
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I would require the Handle Animal check, but could be convinced to give a circumstance bonus for the summoning caster attacking the item they want attacked and then doing the HA check.
The answer is no.
You must communicate with the creature to convince it to attack the object. The spell "magically" tells the creature to attack all opponents. Objects are not opponents (except for some constructs, which are actually creatures). And this is only done so that summoning isn't a complete waste without making investments to be able to speak with animals or having a high handle animal. For anything besides letting it attack the closest enemy, you must communicate with it. Assuming you do not have access to speak with animal, or share another language with the summoned creature, you must use handle animal to indicate what you would like it to do.
Some summoned monsters are outsiders with high mental stats. If it can figure out that the object needs to be destroyed then yes, but if it is a summoned animal then you would need to use handle animal to make it do so.
OK, I understand the common opinion. Can I order a summoned elemental to attack the object then? The elementals have INT 4, and they aren't animals, so there are no clear way to "communicate" with them.
Ector777 wrote: OK, I understand the common opinion. Can I order a summoned elemental to attack the object then? The elementals have INT 4, and they aren't animals, so there are no clear way to "communicate" with them. The easiest way would be to have the right language: Aquan, Auran, Ignan, Terran... however they should be smart enough to understand gestures of some sort (again, possibly a full round action).
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