So the Summoner in my group summoned a celestial dolphin to rescue the group of swimming (some drowning) PC's (summoner is on shore 80' away). She tells the dolphin, "Go help my friends." As the GM my response was that type of command would confuse the dolphin as it's to vague for something with and Int of only 2.
The spell Summon Monster I is fairly vague about other types of actions you can give a summoned creature. After an argument about it I allowed the types of commands that you might give a trained dog. Example: sit, stay, fetch, (I would allow others but I don't want to make an exhaustive list).
What are the RAW limitations on actions that summoned creatures can take? If there aren't any "hard and fast" rules can anyone suggest some guidelines for the future. A little checking shows that most of the lower level summoned creatures are not the brightest bulbs in the box most of the time. So I'm assuming that this issue will come up again.
Thanks,
Kizan
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Summoned creatures have this built in limitation:
It 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.
Essentially a celestial dolphin is still a dolphin and unless he can or she can talk dolphin...it doesnt quite work like that. But well, not like it is a problem , later on, there are many intelligent creatures that summoners can summon...so communication and giving orders end up not being a problem.
They could attempt a Handle Animal check to "push" an Animal to do something it normally wouldn't.
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Rule 1 is that the Summoned Creatures attack your opponents.
To command your Summoned Creatures to do otherwise you have to be able to speak with the Summoned Creatures. For example, in your situation, did the Summoner use "Speak with Animals" or some other ability to communicate with the dolphin? If not, then all the dolphin heard was "blah, blah, blah".
PRD: "It 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."
Once you get past the ability to communicate with the creature, you get into the more subjective realm of what a GM would allow. For example, unlike yourself, I would allow the Summoner to direct the dolphin to go help the people over there in the water. I wouldn't let the Summoner direct the dolphin insofar as telling the dolphin which person to help first, or how to build a raft for the people, or to help drowning people before helping people being attacked by a shark. Then, as GM, I'd try to play the dolphin as an animal. It may realize that some are drowning versus swimming and help those first (dolphins are relatively smart for animals).
If it was a summoned Monkey, I'd let the caster (if he can speak with it) tell the Monkey to go steal the keys hanging on the peg by the door, and bring them to the caster.
With more intelligent creatures, I'd allow more specific directions. Like telling an outsider to use its healing spell on a particular character.
But each GM will do it his or her own way. Technically, they are all correct as its their game. However, these "alternative" uses of Summon Monster can be fun, interesting and humorous, so I'd give the players some leeway.
For example, it sucks (big time) to have your character die because he missed a couple of swim rolls. Summoning a dolphin to help out and keep a PC alive is creative. Doesn't mean there won't be some tense moments, and maybe the dolphin can't save everyone, but the Summoner gets to be the hero, the PC whose character is saved avoids feeling sucky, and the group gets a memorable experience. Me, I'd let it happen.
