I'm somewhat confused as to why there are subtype requirements on evolutions.
Not just because some make little sense (such as requiring a subtype and a base form that can't exist together) but also that some subtypes end up quite limited as to possible results.
Agathions can't take mount, but are fluffed as looking like animals and can be both the appropriate base forms - they seem like they would make more sense to have as mounts than the purely biped devils who get listed.
Whereas Azata are basically blocked from natural weapons - yes they get martial weapon proficiency instead, but that just emphasises the "where do the weapons go when the eidolon is banished, this halfling summoner can't carry that great big sword" problem.
The introduction to unchained says the subtypes are to flavour the summoners choice but they are looking much more like they will simple block certain evolutions from being taken - and worse that this will sometimes be cause by alignment. The one step alignment limit means LG summoners can not have an eidolon with mount at all.
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Agathions can't take mount, but are fluffed as looking like animals and can be both the appropriate base forms - they seem like they would make more sense to have as mounts than the purely biped devils who get listed.
Whereas Azata are basically blocked from natural weapons - yes they get martial weapon proficiency instead, but that just emphasises the "where do the weapons go when the eidolon is banished, this halfling summoner can't carry that great big sword" problem.
Devils are listed under Mount? Silly imagery aside, that is quite the head scratcher. I've looked over subtypes but not the additional Evolution restrictions yet. I'm kinda worried that this is sneaky little nerf that can further restrict building your own Eidolon.
As for carrying a weapon, In my year of PFS I have yet to see a DM who would rule that their gear is left behind. Summon Monsters come with gear that leaves with them, so why not the Eidolon. All it would do is bog the game down with more carrying capacity nonsense and make Summon Eidolon a poor choice. And even then, it all serves to punish a small fraction of the types you can build.
The problem with magic items for the summoner and eidolon was they shared some slots as well. Not to mention you could game the system to use the eidolon to carry treasure that you couldn't manage to do normally with the party. Or hide things in such a way they'd basically never be found... More than a few pertinent reasons exist that made them restrict that whole thing.
If the GM didn't want to enforce it for a few items, okay cool hand wave it. But when people start to look for ways to abuse it "oh look, I've been nice and not enforced it, I'm going to now, my bad."
It isn't punishment because it never worked that way, nor was intended to. People just don't like it, so they complain. That is all there is to it. Just like some people like more realistic games and track encumbrance and follow the rules as they are written, but hey that seems to be "nonsense" to you, right? Your way is the only way to play the game? Anything else is just badwrongfun? Just some things to consider.
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I'd hardly call having the Eidolon carrying your backpack "gaming the system" as much as "waiting for a handy haversack to make it all a moot point." Handing your few items (since casters aren't as dependent on mundane cear) to the party fighter/barbarian/whatever and you'd be hard pressed to find a DM who'd get upset with that. When it comes to using the Eidolon for Item Hiding Shenanigans, I'll concede that you have a point, but when it comes to rare and powerful magical MacGuffins the DM is well within their right to make it so the important item doesn't make the journey. Or maybe it does, but there are disadvantages to leaving your Eidolon alone in non-space with the Defiled Black Blade of One Thousand Screams over an extended period of time.
If an Eidolon focused on natural attacks instead, then the ruling doesn't matter either way. And if the difference between two perfectly viable branches of combat styles is is "one of them has issues keeping their main weapon on hand" then you can bet most players are just going to go Tooth and Nail style just to avoid the trouble.
Though I'll admit playing the part of a magical squire who golf-caddies the favored sword of an angelic knight is a really cool concept that I'd like to try out sometime.
And for the record, I never said encumbrance was nonsense or that my way is the only way to play. Let's be calm here. I will say that micromanaging a mundane inventory is one of the less fun aspects of Pathfinder, and I won't lose any sleep over using a perfectly legal workaround that saves time for everyone.
I think the issue with eidolon backpacks would be that they don't go to non-space when not summoned, they go back to another plane of existance. What happens if they drop the items, and then don't pick it back up by the time you summon it again?
I think the issue with eidolon backpacks would be that they don't go to non-space when not summoned, they go back to another plane of existance. What happens if they drop the items, and then don't pick it back up by the time you summon it again?
As a class feature Eidolons when not summoned are in some undefined place, someplace you can't reach or get to them. The reason being, whatever they do when not around has no impact on game play. And shouldn't have any. Should they give even more utility or power to the summoner by crafting when away? There is significant mechanical impact on allowing them to carry things back and forth. And the game designers did the intelligent thing and made it a non issue by not going down that rabbit hole. They just disallowed it.
Oh shucks, the summoner has to maintain inventory when it is away, it isn't like they aren't a caster who can bend reality to their will... You find it inconvient to do? Play another class then maybe? It was a choice you made, you decided to play a class after reading how it works, right?
I just don't understand that.
As a class feature Eidolons when not summoned are in some undefined place, someplace you can't reach or get to them. The reason being, whatever they do when not around has no impact on game play. And shouldn't have any.
Well, as written it would be possible to reach them. If your playing an unchained summoner in golarion with an Archon eidolon, it'll be in Heaven.
Though, based on some of the wording in the eidolon ability, it states your always summoning an aspect of the outsider. Which means, the real outsider might Always be on the plane and your just getting a fake copy of a creature in the vein of a standard summoning.
Which would completely explain why you can't use them for storage.
There is significant mechanical impact on allowing them to carry things back and forth. And the game designers did the intelligent thing and made it a non issue by not going down that rabbit hole. They just disallowed it.
I have always assumed they can't take things with them, but I have never managed to actually find anything official that says that.
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Half-elf goes with anything, I think. I need more info (alignment/personality ideas) before I can make any suggestions. :)
My gut reaction to kitsune is an agathion, based on the vulpinal agathion. Alternatively, the azata is the most trickster-flavored. Unfortunately, there's no spell-like ability evolutions in Unchained. :(
Thoughts?
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Half Elves have the alternate favored class bonus of giving you extra evolution points, and that's at a premium now more than ever. Kitsune are a really fun race especially with the Realistic Likeness feat, but rocking skills as a Summoner is tricky.
The big question you want to ask yourself is how you want the relationship between your Eidolon and your Summoner to play out. Not just on a character level, but mechanically. While the typical Summoner sits in the back and slings buffs at a combat ready Eidolon, it's entirely possible to use decent strength along with a decent weapon to fight with it on the front lines. Or heck, you can build your Eidolon as very functional skill monkey and use your Summon Monster spell-like ability for combat, picking up stuff like Augment Summons and Superior Summons.