Bargain summoners

[Bjørn Røyrvik]

I've just barely started a new mini-campaign and one of the players wanted to play a more traditional literary type of summoner, i.e. one who makes bargains with individual creatures and can then call on them with spells - think Elric of Melnibone. I love this sort of thing and at first we intended to just fluff it but I started wondering if there was some class or 3rd party mechanics that could do something similar.
If anyone has some suggestions, we would appreciate it.

[IluzryMage]

Okay so technically, what you are looking for are the Planar Binding and Planar Ally spell lines that are ya know, really intense.

That said, if you don't want to deal with that hastle, and are okay with 3rd party, I have just the class for you

The Pactmaker By Radiance House is all about binding spirits and getting super powers from them, even if you can't always summon them into the material world. You can use vestigal bonds to usually get some sort of companion.

Also has a whole system for binding called Pact Magic

Have fun!

[Bjørn Røyrvik]

I'll look into it. Thanks for the tip.

[Sysryke]

You might want to also go digging through the archetypes of Summoner a bit. I know there is a spell that lets you move around an eidonlon's evolution points. If you have some means to do that semi-consistently, you could have the character repeatedly casting this, or otherwise tweaking the eidolon. Each new combination of points would be a "new" summoned ally. I do know there's at least one archetype that lets you have multiple eidolon's, but they are still limited by the max stat distribution from the main table. Makes for a collection of weaker, but uniquely customized, eidolons.

[zza ni]

you might want to check the summon guardian spirit feat. as well as planner ally\binding spells.

[Melkiador]

I feel like the fluff of this is pretty close to how the shaman works. The Dark Tapestry Spirit also fits the theme.