The Merge Forms ability that summoners get at level 16 says that a summoner can cast spells while he is merged with his eidolon by controlling its body. So, I'm wondering if doing this causes the eidolon to lose the actions that the summoner is using during the casting?
I can easily see that spells with a casting time of a full round or more would prevent the eidolon from doing anything during the casting. However, what about standard action or swift action casts?
What about Silent+Still spells and spell-like abilities that don't require any movements whatsoever? It would seem silly for a summoner to have to stop his eidolon from attacking so that he can cast a spell when all he has to do is think it.
I'm guessing the answer to all of these is "yes, your eidolon loses the equivalent actions in all cases" simply because that is the simplest way for this to work. However, I still wanted to check, because Merge Forms becomes a lot less useful if it causes you to lose half of your actions. I would only use the ability if my summoner was dieing from something.
*Bump* I guess no one is really sure? I guess I shouldn't be surprised since not very many games reach 16th level.
Also, the Summoner is a (relatively) new class. A lot of people probably don't have much experience with one yet; especially a high level one.
The way its worded and described, my initial guess would be that, yes, the eidolon does lose an action as it seems to me that the eidolon/caster is effectively one creature with one set of actions. That's just a quick guess on my part though.
SJ
To me it seems relatively clear that the eidolon itself cannot act while the summoner controls it for spellcasting. I see the ability mainly as the eidolon becoming a giant meat shield with the summoner perfectly protected, but still able to cast - nothing to snuff at.
To me it seems relatively clear that the eidolon itself cannot act while the summoner controls it for spellcasting. I see the ability mainly as the eidolon becoming a giant meat shield with the summoner perfectly protected, but still able to cast - nothing to snuff at.
Yea, I suppose. It just seems odd to me that the ability wasn't taking into account things like still spells (which shouldn't take away from the eidolon's actions), so I was wondering if there had ever been any official clarifications on it.
To me it seems relatively clear that the eidolon itself cannot act while the summoner controls it for spellcasting. I see the ability mainly as the eidolon becoming a giant meat shield with the summoner perfectly protected, but still able to cast - nothing to snuff at.Yea, I suppose. It just seems odd to me that the ability wasn't taking into account things like still spells (which shouldn't take away from the eidolon's actions), so I was wondering if there had ever been any official clarifications on it.
"The summoner can cast spells while inside the eidolon by taking control of the eidolon for the duration of the casting."
That indicates that the summoner DOES take control of the eidolon in order to cast spells - not just that he may - which to me says that the eidolon does not control its actions with its own mind during this time.
The issue with purely mental spells isn't one specific to this situation. A wizard with eschew materials has a full round, and he decides to use a still silent casting of light. Even though it's a purely mental action and he was physically doing nothing during this time, he is still unable to attack and even weirder, unable to take a double move action during this turn. Apparently he can't even move and think at the same time!
It's a little weird, but that's just how the mechanics work.