
Waldham |

Hello, is it possible to summon a version of a creature more powerful ?
For example, with a summon animal heightened to 7th, a character can summon a creature with a level 9 max : Giant Anaconda CR 8.
With a summon animal heightened to 10th, is it possible to summon a giant anaconda with a CR 15 ?
Thanks for your future answer.

Finoan |

If the GM uses the Building Creatures rules to create a version of a Giant Anaconda with a creature level of 15, and makes it available for a PC to summon, then they could summon it with Rank 10 Summon Animal.

Perses13 |
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I've always wondered this but specifically about the elite/weak adjustments. I've always assumed you couldn't summon an elite anaconda, but wondered if there was some sort of explicit rule allowing or disallowing it or if it was ever useful.

Finoan |

I've always wondered this but specifically about the elite/weak adjustments. I've always assumed you couldn't summon an elite anaconda, but wondered if there was some sort of explicit rule allowing or disallowing it or if it was ever useful.
It does not explicitly forbid it. However, it is not explicitly allowed either.
I would say that it is a houserule because the level change for the Weak and Elite templates are intended to "Adjust the XP players earn for defeating the creature and how you build encounters with it". Not for summoning spells.
It would probably be a reasonable houserule to allow Elite or Weak versions of creatures for summoning spells. But there are some things to be aware of because of it.
Elite and weak adjustments work best with creatures that focus on physical combat. These adjustments overstate the normal numerical gains the creature would make from increasing its level to make up for the lack of new special abilities. Creatures that cast spells or rely on noncombat abilities typically need specific adjustments to those spells or abilities. These adjustments have a greater effect on the power level of low-level creatures, as noted. Applying the adjustments more than once to a creature should be avoided. If you need to alter a creature’s level more drastically, use the GM Core guidance on building creatures.
So it would be a terrible idea to use the Elite template 7 times to bump the Anaconda from level 8 to level 15. The overstated numerical gains would be outrageous at that point.
It does have a more noticeable effect on lower level summons than higher level ones. And it doesn't work as well on spellcasting summons.