I'm back again!
This time taking a step away from spontaneous full casters to learn what the f$#$ bounded casting is! And also delve into action economy more with Act together (which I'm still not sure I get lol) and look into the Martial side of things with the Eidolon.
Overall I found this one very interesting to learn about and learning how martial damage math works what cool too, assuming the Eidolon scales reasonably well of course.
Also I will admit, this character took on a lot of life in my head as I was making it so some choices are more fluffy than Mechanical, however I was pleasantly surprised to find the fluffy summoner choices also felt pretty viable.
Name: Angel
Ancestry: Halfling, Aasimar Heritage
Background: Lost Loved ones
Class: Devotion Phantom Summoner
Languages: Common, Halfling, Orcish (B), Celestial (A), Elvish (M)
Stats:
Cha: 18 (22)
Int: 10 (12)
Wis: 16 (20)
Con: 12 (18)
Str: 8 (10)
Dex: 14 (20)
Ability boots:
5) Cha/Con/Dex/Wis
10) Cha/Con/Dex/Wis
15) Cha/Con/Dex/Wis
20) Cha/Dex/Int/Str
Skills:
Perception (Expert)
Medicine (P) (Trained)
Occultism (P) (Trained)
Deception (F) Expert
Diplomacy (Legendary)
Society (A) (Trained)
Stealth (Master)
Acrobatics (Master)
Skill increases:
3: Diplomacy
5: Stealth
7: Acrobatics
9: Diplomacy
11: Society
13: Acrobatics
15: Diplomacy
17: Stealth
19: Society
I focused on diplomacy, cause face and the angelic language stuff from being an Aasimar seemed to mesh nice with that. And Acrobatics to give Angel an escape route, since I think he will need to be relatively near combat. Otherwise his main contribution will be buffing Cord and cantrip attacks.
Skill Feats:
1: Multilingual (Orcish)
2: Encouraging Words
4: Bon Mot
5: Multilingual (Elvish)
6: Quiet Allies
8: Fanes Escape
10: Shameless Request
12: Holistic Care
14: Aerobatics Mastery
16: Kip Up
18: Foil Senses
20: Swift Sneak
General Feats:
3: Toughness
7: Ancestral Paragon
11: Incredible initiative
15: Incredible Investiture
19: Diehard
Ancestry Feats:
5) Angelkin
7) Halfling Luck
9) Celestial Wings
13) Truespeech
17) Eternal Wings
Summoner Feats:
1: Advanced Weaponry (Trip)
2: Steed form
4: Dual Studies (Athletics and Deception)
6: Eidolon’s Opportunity
8: Hulking Size
10: Weighty Impact
12: Towering Size
14: Resilient Shell
16: Trample
18: Effortless Concentration
20: Eternal Boost
I know you lose your lower slots and spells known as you gain higher ones, I've included the spells I'd likely take at each level, hence there is so much overlap. My goal was to try and have access to at least 2 out of 3 of a buff, debuff/save or suck and a blast. Overall I think I did pretty well.
Focus Spells: Evolution Surge
Spells:
Cantrips) Haunting Hymn, Telekinetic Projectile, Protect Companion, Shield, Message, Boost eidolon
1) Bless, Magic Weapon
2) Calm Emotion, False Life
3) Vampiric Touch, Haste
4) Phantasmal Killer, Heroism
5) Synaesthesia, Dimension Door
6) Vampiric Exsanguination, Heroism
7) Reverse Gravity, Haste
8) Spirit Song, Maze
9) Prismatic Shield, Heroism
Name: Cord
Ancestry: Phantom (Formerly Half Orc)
Background: Lost Loved ones
Class: Devotion Phantom
Languages: Orcish
Stats:
Cha: 10 (12)
Int: 10 (14)
Wis: 10 (18)
Con: 16 (20)
Str: 18 (24)
Dex: 14 (18)
Skills: Same as the summoner + Athletics Expert, -Deception
Athletics (31)
Ability Boosts:
5: Str, Con, Wis, Dex,
9: Str, Con, Wis, Dex
13: Str, Con, Wis, Int
17: Str, Wis, Int, Cha
Evolutions:
1: Advanced Weaponry (Trip)
2: Steed form
6: Eidolon’s Opportunity
8: Hulking Size
10: Weighty Impact
12: Towering Size
14: Resilient Shell
16: Trample
AC:
1: 15
11: 28
17: 35
19: 39
Weapon:
Hammer Arm - 1D8 blugeoning + Trip + Grapple + Shove (Lv10)
Punch – 1D6 + Agile/Finesse
[spoiler=actions and strikes by level]
A Note here. I don't usually include items, but I was also using this to learn how martial damage math ramps up and I found without the handraps, you really didn't get a useful picture of the math, so included them for my own understanding
Handwraps progression:
Mighty Blows (lv2)
Mighty Blows +1 Striking (lv4)
Mighty Blows +2 Striking (lv10)
Mighty Blows +2 Greater Striking (lv12)
Mighty Blows +3 Greater Striking (lv16)
Mighty Blows +3 Major Striking (lv19)
Strike
LV1: +7 (1D8 + 4) +Trip/Grapple) Secondary +3 (1D6+4)
LV5: +14 (2D8 + 4) +Trip/Grapple) Secondary +10 (2D6+4)
LV7: +16 (2D8 + 6) +Trip/Grapple) Secondary +12 (2D6+6)
LV9: +19 (2D8 + 7) +Trip/Grapple) Secondary +15 (2D6+7)
LV12: +23 (3D8 + 7) +Trip/Grapple) Secondary +19 (3D6+7)
LV13: +26 (3D8 + 8) +Trip/Grapple/Shove) Secondary +22 (3D6+8)
LV15: +28 (3D8 + 11) +Trip/Grapple/Shove) Secondary +24 (3D6+11)
LV16: +30 (3D8 + 11) +Trip/Grapple/Shove) Secondary +26 (3D6+11)
LV17: +33 (3D8 + 13) +Trip/Grapple/Shove) Secondary +29 (3D6+13)
LV19: +35 (4D8 + 13) +Trip/Grapple/Shove) Secondary +31 (4D6+13)
Saves:
Fortitude: Expert (LV11: Master) Successes are critical successes)
Reflex: Trained (LV9: Expert)
Will: Expert (LV15: Master) Successes are critical successes)
Actions:
Strike (1 action) See above)
Stride 25ft (1 action)
LV16: Trample 50ft line, secondary attack (3-4d6+11-13) (3 actions) (DC 35-42)
Reaction:
Dutiful Retaliation (within 15 feet of Angel, when Angel is struck)
LV6 Attack of Opportunity reach 5ft (10ft at level 8, 15ft at level 12)
Abilities:
LV7 Steadfast devotion (+2 on mind effecting effect, success becomes critical success)
LV17 Devotion Order (Choose to reduce ally damage by 5 in 20ft aura, summoner takes 2)
[/spoiler]
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For Act Together, I am going to re-post this:
with some modifications since there is at least one error the last time.
This is for my Beast Eidolon Summoner that I still haven't actually started playing yet. GM is going through some life things.
◆◆ Act Together (◆ Summoner Boost Eidolon, ◆◆ Eidolon Beast's Charge)
◆ Eidolon Strike
----------
◆◆ Act Together (◆◆ Summoner Electric Arc, ◆ Eidolon Stride)
◆ Eidolon Strike
----------
◆◆◆ Act Together (◆◆◆ Summoner Summon Animal, ◆ Eidolon Strike)
◆ Minion Strike, ◆ Minion Strike
----------
◆ Act Together (◆ Summoner Sustain Summoned Animal, ◆ Eidolon Stride)
◆ Eidolon Strike
◆ Eidolon Strike
◆ Minion Stride, ◆ Minion Strike
----------
◆◆ Act Together (◆◆ Summoner Animal Form, ◆ Eidolon Stride)
◆ Tandem Strike (Summoner Strike, Eidolon Strike)
----------
◆ Summoner Demoralize
◆ Act Together (◆ Summoner Boost Eidolon, ◆ Eidolon Srike)
◆ Summoner Lifelink Surge
----------
The things to note are
* The action cost of Act Together is always the highest of the two actions inside it.
* One of the actions inside Act Together is always one action cost.
* Counting up all of the outer actions still adds up to 3 (not counting minion actions which I am now separating out a bit).
So if I'm understanding right Act together represents two actions happening in tandem, where the act together cost only accounts for the larger of the two actions and never allows for 2, 2 cost actions.
and is used to circumvent them technically sharing 3 actions each turn.
So it can be a 1:1 that leaves the team with 2 actions?
It can be a 2:1 that leaves the team with 1 action?
Or it can be a 3:1 which leaves the team with no actions?
For for example
Act together 2
Angel casts Telekinetic projectile
Cord Stride's
Then Cord can Strike as his own independent action since even though we've done three actions worth of stuff, we've only used two, according to act together.
Or for example
Eidolon Tramples and Angel Flys
as Act together 3
Or
Angel cast Boost Familiar, Angel Strides
act together 1, then Angel strikes twices?
Looks right as far as I have analyzed.
Yes, the idea is to give the pair 4 actions, but without letting them get a 2/2 split - because that would let them both cast a 2-action spell (or other 2-action powerful ability) in one round.
Better to build up Con over Dex as a summoner. That shared hit point pool means you will almost always be in melee or at least under attack since you have two points of attack.
Yeah, unfortunately I was really set on halfling and lost loved one.
Thats why I picked Toughness and had false life, vampiric touch and later vampiric exsanguination make the list, to provide a bit of a hit point buffer. Although tbh, false life does feel a bit underwhelming. Maybe Mirror image would be better, but then that feels like it fights with dutiful retaliation
At least he'll be pretty good in all saves with the high dex lol.
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I like that you choose to start at the deep end of character pool.
Summoner is a difficult place to start! One of my players right now is a Summoner, so here's another quick explanation of Act Together, even though it seems like you've got it already.
Act Together should give you a pool of 4 total actions between you and your Eidolon, which puts it on par with other pet classes. (For example: Ranger with Animal Companion - the Ranger spends 1 action to gain 2 actions, for a total of 4 on their turn between them and their Animal Companion).
The actions can be split between you and your Eidolon and used for any actions or abilities either of you has, with 2 exceptions. 1 - Both you and your Eidolon must take at least 1 action. 2 - Both of you cannot use 2-action activities in the same turn (like a spell and the Dragon Eidolon's breath attack).
The Summoner in my game falls back on this combo a lot: Boost Eidolon, Move(if needed), Eidolon Attack (1-2 times), Reinforce Eidolon
The Move Together Tandem Movement feat is so good it's almost mandatory, it allows both the Summoner and Eidolon to move for 1 action, instead of each spending an action to move.
I like that you choose to start at the deep end of character pool.
I can’t do anything I’m not interested in doing lol.
So that means if what I’m interested in doing is hard, I do the hard stuff first. I was a bit worried about spamming the forums but I reminded myself these forums really demand activity so I probably wasn’t hurting anyone.
I’m glad you’re enjoying it, I am too haha.
Summoner is a difficult place to start! One of my players right now is a Summoner, so here's another quick explanation of Act Together, even though it seems like you've got it already.
Act Together should give you a pool of 4 total actions between you and your Eidolon, which puts it on par with other pet classes. (For example: Ranger with Animal Companion - the Ranger spends 1 action to gain 2 actions, for a total of 4 on their turn between them and their Animal Companion).
The actions can be split between you and your Eidolon and used for any actions or abilities either of you has, with 2 exceptions. 1 - Both you and your Eidolon must take at least 1 action. 2 - Both of you cannot use 2-action activities in the same turn (like a spell and the Dragon Eidolon's breath attack).
The Summoner in my game falls back on this combo a lot: Boost Eidolon, Move(if needed), Eidolon Attack (1-2 times), Reinforce Eidolon
The
Move TogetherTandem Movement feat is so good it's almost mandatory, it allows both the Summoner and Eidolon to move for 1 action, instead of each spending an action to move.
Hehe yeah it seemed a bit complex but nothing worth not smashing my head against
And I’m reasonably experienced in PF1 and 5e.
I think I get act together reasonably enough that mistakes would flukes, not misapprehension.
How do you feel with move together vs steed form/mount?
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Only lunatics like myself would ride their Eidolon into battle. The Summoner half is not terribly well defended. No armor and often has to give up DEX in order to get other stats.
Tandem Stride is generally more flexible in a combat situation.
Steed Form is more for literally piggybacking on the Eidolon's speeds or movement types during exploration mode.
If you do happen to build a rather well defended Summoner, riding into battle on your Eidolon Steed does make for a really impressive scene.
Only lunatics like myself would ride their Eidolon into battle. The Summoner half is not terribly well defended. No armor and often has to give up DEX in order to get other stats.
Tandem Stride is generally more flexible in a combat situation.
Steed Form is more for literally piggybacking on the Eidolon's speeds or movement types during exploration mode.
If you do happen to build a rather well defended Summoner, riding into battle on your Eidolon Steed does make for a really impressive scene.
AoE’s do seem scary for that reason, otherwise Angel’s fairly low con is compensated by the fact they have fairly high dex and also toughness haha.
Althogh I might just be clinging to the cinematic sand not learning how tandem movement works lmao
The Eidolon's CON score is only relevant for calculating their Fortitude save. The pair's HP total is based on the Summoner.
Tandem Movement is easy enough to understand. The trick is finding the creative ways of using it to maximum effect.
Often it will be the Summoner moving out of danger and the Eidolon moving into danger to attack or protect. But there may be other use cases in more complicated tactical situations.
Personally I don't value Tandem Movement all that high. But I haven't actually played my summoner character in game yet either.
Tandem Strike, on the other hand, is almost certainly a low value option. Because of its limitation on melee strikes from both the summoner and eidolon, and the fact that the summoner has weaker defenses and terrible weapon proficiency - the only use case I can find for Tandem Strike is if you are using it after the Summoner uses a polymorph battle form spell like Animal Form or Dragon Form. At that point the Summoner half might actually have the stats for attacking in melee with.
Yeah I get the Eidolon HP thing, sorry if I caused some muddle up somewhere.
I think for now I’ll leave as is regarding tandem and mount. Seems like it’s probably something you’d only get a real grip of by playing.
Tandem strike seems terrible lmao. The class seems poorly set up to build for melee haha.
Actually I think I am the one getting things mixed up.
otherwise Angel’s fairly low con is compensated by the fact they have fairly high dex and also toughness
I was thinking you were talking about an Angel Eidolon and having their CON score affecting the character's HP - not your Halfling Summoner named "Angel".
Ooooh haha yeah I realised an opportunity to tie this characters backstory into the story if another character I’d played. A 5e character for what it’s worth but I don’t think it matters especially.
Pamela L.T (the little traveler) a half elf orphan raised by halfings, who became a priestess of Yondola(halfling cheif goddess), she travelled for a time, she was always running away as a girl (hence little traveler). Anyway she ended up coming back to the halfling settlement and ran the orphanage. A raiding band of orcs ran through and she didn’t want to abandon the village (defence is a big part of Yondala’s teaching). In the end she successfully defended the village but two halfling orphan boys, her boys, died in the invasion.
That was her backstory, her story ends with her getting enough wealth and enough power to cast true resurrection and bring back those boys. Lorded as a hero.
The initial were a reference to P.L. traverse the woman who wrote Mary poppins.
Angels backstory would pick up being the first child of the village born after the resurrection of the boys, and that’s where his Aasimar stuff comes from. They’re straight forward people, an angel is born in the village they call him angel.
Cut to 18 years later, he starts to stretch his legs, explore a bit, and falls in love with a half orc named Cord. Suddenly Angel knows what he’s there to do, he believes his life is meant to mend the feud between orcs and halflings in his village.
Only cord dies early, murdered, angel never knew why or by who. And that’s where his story picks up.
I can't stress enough how important it is to take Tandem Move. There's before and after Tandem Move. Before, you play a clunky character, after, you play a mobile character. It's a tax feat considering how it will affect every aspect of your Summoner.
I don't know at what level you'll play your Summoner. If you start at level 1 I'm fairly confident you'll switch to Tandem Move, but if you start at higher level, lacking it may really hinder your overall experience.
If you’re a small character and choose to take steed form in order to ride your medium eidolon does that count for having tandem move for all intents and purposes?
Not really. If you squint just right it kinda seems to.
While you are riding your Eidolon, then you will both be able to move with one action. But that is where the similarities end, because by riding your Eidolon you have to move starting from the same location and ending in the same location.
Tandem Move lets you move both characters completely independently.
If you’re a small character and choose to take steed form in order to ride your medium eidolon does that count for having tandem move for all intents and purposes?
Yes and no. It will definitely help for move intensive fights, when you either need to run away or chase the enemy or when you suffer from nasty difficult terrain, moments that are very difficult as a Summoner before Tandem Move.
But it will put the Summoner and the Eidolon in always the same position. So you need to build them accordingly (certainly by choosing a ranged Eidolon as I hardly see any reason to prefer melee as a Summoner). But with the right build, I'd say it should do the job. There are pros and cons in choosing it over Tandem Move, but overall they are equivalent.
I think I’ll keep steed form.
But I don’t actually think effortless concentration would come up for this character.
So I’ve chopped that, moved resilient shell up a bit, moved a couple of other things around to get tandom move cause it does seem important.
Do you intent on riding your Eidolon during battle? Because if it's the case, then you don't need both Steed Form and Tandem Move.
I do and I don’t.
I don’t suppose I would need it to ride him outside of combat and in combat it’s probably not gonna come up, so maybe I should give up on mount.