Strategic Use of "Summon Monster" in Pathfinder

Most Pathfinder players have come across the summon monster spell list at some point in their careers. Whether it was dealing with a campaign villain who called upon summoned creatures to fight for them, or as a spellcaster who attempted to do the same, it's a fairly common spell. Given that it takes a full-round action to cast (in most cases), and that the monsters one can call never seem to be quite up to the task of carrying a fight, it tends to feel like a subpar use of one's actions in combat unless you have some serious time to prepare.

However, with a little bit of strategy, this spell (and class features or spell-like abilities that mimic this spell such as the one gained by summoners, and by clerics and warpriests of certain domains) can make a huge difference when it comes to how difficult a battle becomes.

Let's get crafty, shall we?

Giving Your Summoned Monsters a Hand Up

When most of us think of summoned monsters, we tend to think of front-line baddies that stand between us, and our enemies. Whether they're as bodyguards for you, or for the bad guy, they exist on the field for a round per caster level, or until they're beaten down to the point that they poof out of existence. And in some circumstances a summoned creature can act as a battering ram, hammering into an enemy's formation and wrecking havoc.

But it is very rare that a summoned monster is going to prove more powerful than you and your companions. At least without a little help.

You called me all the way up from hell for this?

For example, let's take a low-level summoned monster like a lemure. This devil's natural attack isn't anything to write home about (it does a d4 and some change damage), and its bonus to hit isn't that great. However, it's got a pretty beefy chunk of hit points, and it's got damage reduction that's going to be tough for low-level enemies to overcome. It's also immune to fire and mind affecting effects, and it has the see in darkness ability that will allow it to function even in magical darkness.

So, in short, we have a meat shield. It's not likely to do a lot of damage all on its own, but it can take a pounding.

But let's say your party has a bard, or a skald. If their music starts going, the lemure is going to get the bonuses from song of courage or the raging song along with other allies. If the sorcerer casts haste, then the lemure can get all those benefits, too. If the tiefling in the party casts darkness on themselves, the lemure can wade right in hacking and slashing without being negatively affected by the lowered light condition in that area, but while also benefiting from the miss chance on attacks that target it.

As I said in Vulgar Displays of Power: Tips For Getting The Most Out of Your Magic in Pathfinder, if your party is slinging around buff spells that improve all your allies, you're going to quickly notice that your summoned creatures are far more effective when they get caught in the power up fields.

You Don't Always Need The Biggest, Baddest Bruisers

If you are willing to crunch the numbers, and to memorize all the creatures you could summon at any given level, you will likely be able to select something that is appropriate for any particular fight. However, it's important to remember that summoned monsters don't necessarily have to be front-line combatants. Sometimes they are the ones who provide support.

Worry not... I am here to help.

At their absolute most basic, a summoned monster can provide important positioning bonuses on the battlefield. Even if it's something small, it still threatens a space. That means the creature can move into a flanking position, granting an ally a +2 bonus to hit their target (and, if the ally is a rogue, a slayer, etc., ensuring the ally gets their sneak attack off). The monster may not be able to hit the enemy's armor class, but they could use the aid another action to provide an additional +2 to either the ally's armor class, or their next attack.

That last one can get particularly nuts if you have several small monsters all providing aid another bonuses.

Sometimes you'll actually get more bang for your buck using a monster's spell-like abilities, or their senses to help you on the field. A hound archon, for example, has an aura of menace that goes off automatically against any enemy within the area of effect, and if they fail they're shaken until they hit the archon. That can provide a serious benefit if you need enemies to fail some saving throws. More importantly, a hound archon is one of several celestial creatures who permanently exude an aura that acts as magic circle against evil. So if your allies need bonuses against attacks from evil creatures, or you want to be sure that no mind control effects can take hold, a hound archon is an ideal ally even if all it does is stand nearby and supervise. When you add in that you can summon it into the thick of the battlefield, putting itself and its aura where it's most needed, that can be a particularly useful trick.

Especially since it frees you up to cast other spells, and take other actions on your turn.

Also, though it can sometimes make us feel bad, let us not forget that sometimes the most important role a summoned monster can serve is to take the hit so that the PCs don't have to. Whether it's opening a door you know is trapped, or running straight into an attack of opportunity so the fighter can close on their turn, it's important to remember that sacrificing a pawn can often net you a much bigger advantage in the larger game of strategy between you and your enemies.

And if it helps, summoned monsters don't die when their hit points run out. They just poof back to where they came from, which can make for interesting roleplaying between you and your occasional allies when you call on them once more as I mentioned in Make NPCs Part of Your Story (It Makes Everything More Interesting).

Preparation is The Key

When it comes to getting the most out of your summoned monsters, you need to make sure you bring the right monster to the right fight. If you need a tank, if you need a shield, if you need a striker, or if you need a flanker, it's important to keep note cards on-hand with the most appropriate monsters so you can just whip them out at a moment's notice. Feats like augment summoning won't go amiss, either, if you intend on calling on others to do your fighting for you. Just remember that enemies may have protection from X spells as well, which can limit your monsters' abilities to close with them.

However, just as important, is discussions among your party about strategy, and what you can do. Because you might be able to pull an army out of your hat... but if you can get the bard, the skald, the cleric, the sorcerer, or any others with buff spells up their sleeves to wait until you field those allies, the sum of your spells together is going to be a lot more impressive when all is said and done.

Like, Share, and Follow For More!

That's all for this week's Crunch topic! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio! Or if you'd like to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well! And if you'd like to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little bit of help can go a long way, trust me on that one.

The Field Commander Conjurer

Shaheen Redoras watched the battle line from atop the hill. Below her was the slow grind of attrition as the enemy pushed back the line step by step, leaving blood and bodies in its wake. The men were holding, but only by the skin of their teeth. Next to her Captain Fandras was chewing on the ends of his mustache. She could feel his silent demands, but the time wasn't right just yet.

Then the line broke, and the foe committed themselves to the charge. They roared through the gap, feet pounding and blades upraised. Shaheen smiled. It was a sad smile. She'd hoped it wouldn't come to this, but she knew that sooner or later it always did.

"To me," she bellowed, hammering her staff into the ground. "Rise to me you pit-born jackals!"

She barked the names and ranks in an unbreaking tide of words. There was no pretty ritual to her calling; no chalked runes on a slab of stone, or an upraised knife for a sacrifice. Those things were for one begging a boon... Shaheen commanded, and hell rose to meet her.

The only warning the enemy had was the smell of brimstone, and a sound like the striking of a match. Then the fiends were upon them. Roaring beasts with shards of bone jutting from their fists tore apart the enemy's front line, and winged creatures with the bodies of women and eyes of fire lanced into those behind with arrows from above. Skittering hellhounds harried the flanks, tearing and scorching anything they came into contact with. Holding a finger to her ear, Shaheen roared her orders, directing the devils by name to where they would do the most damage.

Conscripts they might be, but in her hands they were a precision machine that quickly turned a sure victory into a rout.

Fall in, maggots!

Conjuring The Cavalry

Magic is one of the most potent forces in most fantasy settings, and as such it has the potential to act as the main mechanic of an arms race. From evokers acting as living artillery batteries (as we saw in the Military Grade Evoker), to necromancers who can command legions of undead troops, to abjurers who can shield troops from harm, magic is of prime interest to those that deal in war.

Which is why a conjurer who can make tactical decisions with the minions they call forth from the ether can be a literal one-caster-army.

Page 875, devil dogs somatic component: Oorah!

The advantage that conjurers have is they can call on a variety of creatures to suit the needs of a particular engagement, as long as they have the time and knowledge to call in the proper reinforcements. However, matching the creature to the conflict is only one skill the field commander needs... the other is strategy.

For example, any conjurer can summon a squad of celestial warriors... but can they direct them to use their abilities in conjunction with one another? Can they make the best possible use of flanking, or aiding another, and of providing a shield? Even something as simple as making grapple checks, executing a trip, or using conjured creatures that can fight in ranks (one in front, one with reach behind them) can be a huge boon.

To really bring this concept home, though, it's important to ask who the conjurer fought for, and what troops answer their call? You can also get a lot of mileage out of what sort of relationship the conjurer has with their summoned creatures, and how they respond to being press-ganged into the action.

For instance, is the conjurer one who sings the celestial hymns of war, bringing forth angels they've fought side-by-side with through several battles? Someone who has earned these beings' respect and loyalty? Or is this conjurer one who summons beasts, howling with the pack or bellowing with plane-touched bears? Do they bend demons to their will, or cow devils who fear that if the conjurer does die then they'll be placed so high in hell's hierarchy that these unwilling troops will still have to follow their orders?

While this concept can work with summoners and druids, as well as with conjurers, the key is to incorporate strategic summoning, military experience, and the relationship with the creatures being summoned. Once you have those three elements worked out, you've got a unique version of this idea. Whether your conjurer is an eager young officer testing their skills in the field, or a jaded ex-soldier who left the life and has turned mercenary, you've got something unusual to contribute to the party's endeavors!

Additional Resources

If you like the idea of the field commander conjurer, you might find some of the following resources to be helpful in filling out your character's background, history, and personality.

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Wizards: One of my more popular 5 Tips guides, it's important to remember that not all wizards are stodgy scholars in long robes. There's also 5 Tips For Druids and 5 Tips For Summoners, if you're going down those paths instead.

- 100 Knightly Orders: If you're looking for an order to command your PCs loyalty (or whom they'd one day like to join), then organizations like the Masters of the Unbreakable Chain might be just what you're looking for. Or if you'd rather be a little less scrupulous, in 100 Random Mercenary Companies you can find groups like the Acolytes of Arannis, which employs mages of all varieties to win the field of battle.

- 100 Fantasy Battle Cries (And Their Histories): From ancient warrior-philosophers, to elite mercenary companies who've been dead for a millennia, these battle cries add a touch of flavor to any warrior. And if one is to lead, it never hurts to have a signal for your troops that it is time to fight.

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned For More!

That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a dungeon master.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal and Gamers archives, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my most recent collection of short stories The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!