Sunmoning

[Atalius]

I'm creating a Bard character and just wondering if getting Summon Fey is worth it? Is the extra body on the battlefield much useful in this version? Is it as good as a Summoning spell as some others ie. Summonal Animal etc?

[Xenocrat]

My impression is that it's useful for spell levels 1-4, but drops off as you get higher level and I wouldn't think it does much level 5+.

[Bigguyinblack]

Summon Fey is probably the best summon at level 1. Sprite has a Color Spray, can fly, Speaks Common. Has more hit points then the other summons.
And you count it as an ally if you have Inspire Courage.

The downside is with just 2 spells at level 1 you won't be summoning often.

And you spend 1 action maintaining the summon and maybe 1 action Inspiring that means you can't cast most cantrips.

I actually want to create a character built around summoning. Xenocrat has been posting reviews of the summon spells but there are lots of them so it might take him awhile.

Druid has a level 12 feat that grants summons some bonuses. And get Heal Animal as a focus spell.
Conjuration Wizard has the Augment Summon focus power.
Bards can Inspire them.

If there are other ways to improve summons I haven't spotted them yet. I'm just getting started on the SRD though.

[Cooldods]

Bigguyinblack wrote:

Summon Fey is probably the best summon at level 1. Sprite has a Color Spray, can fly, Speaks Common. Has more hit points then the other summons.

And you count it as an ally if you have Inspire Courage.
.

The only issue is that using a level 1 summon fey spell means that the fey can not cast any level 1 spells. It can only cast spells of a lower level than what it was cast at (this is from page 301 of the CRB under 'summoned'

[lordcirth]

Cooldods wrote:

Bigguyinblack wrote:

Summon Fey is probably the best summon at level 1. Sprite has a Color Spray, can fly, Speaks Common. Has more hit points then the other summons.

And you count it as an ally if you have Inspire Courage.
.

The only issue is that using a level 1 summon fey spell means that the fey can not cast any level 1 spells. It can only cast spells of a lower level than what it was cast at (this is from page 301 of the CRB under 'summoned'

Good catch! I think that makes the Animated Broom one of the better summons, as it can stun without casting spells.

[Atalius]

Xenocrat wrote:

My impression is that it's useful for spell levels 1-4, but drops off as you get higher level and I wouldn't think it does much level 5+.

Legend has it you've been posting reviews of the summon spells, where can I find these?

[Bigguyinblack]

Just 2 so far afaik.

https://paizo.com/threads/rzs42o1l?Summon-Fey-spell-options-considered
https://paizo.com/threads/rzs42nyu?Summon-Entity-spell-options-considered

[Glimturen Runekeeper]

Bigguyinblack wrote:

And you spend 1 action maintaining the summon and maybe 1 action Inspiring that means you can't cast most cantrips.

Wow I totally missed the fact that summons were sustain spells. That really limits what else you can do on the turns you have the summons act.

[lordcirth]

Glimturen Runekeeper wrote:

Bigguyinblack wrote:

And you spend 1 action maintaining the summon and maybe 1 action Inspiring that means you can't cast most cantrips.

Wow I totally missed the fact that summons were sustain spells. That really limits what else you can do on the turns you have the summons act.

No, the sustain action also grants the minion 2 actions. Page 301, Minion

[Bigguyinblack]

The point still holds that spending 1 of your 3 actions each turn limits what you can do.

Turn 1 of combat summon and the summon gets 2 actions.

If you are lucky and don't have to move you can spend an action to sustain the minion and still cast a spell.

Augment Summons mostly prevents that. Though there are some useful 1 action things you can do. Identify the enemy, Demoralize, Inspire Courage, fire the crossbow you've been holding, etc...