E6 Gestalt Summoner [Solved]

[Nytemare3701]

Specialist Conjurer2/Master Specialist4
Summoning Ooze 4/Druid2

Bonus feats at 2, 4, and 6 come from Kindom's of Kalamar's Antifeats system.
Bonus feats at 1 are from flaws.

1: Precocious Apprentice
Wizard: Scribe Scroll
Bonus: Metamagic School Focus
Bonus: Extend Spell
2: Arcane Thesis (Summon Monster I) +2 caster level and -1 to metamagic costs for selected spell only.
Automatic from Ooze: Augment Summoning
3: Arcane Thesis (Summon Monster II)
4: Repeat Spell
6: Arcane Thesis (Summon Monster III)
6: Easy Metamagic (Repeat Spell)


So, this is the skeleton I've got so far. Tell me your stories about summoners, tell me your tricks. I've read the handbooks, now I want personal experiences.

EDIT: This is a miniboss NPC, and I've got all WoTC/Dragon material available.
Changelog:
• Finalized race as Summoning Ooze
• Added 2 druid levels (which grant SNA II if I read the ooze's ability correctly)
• Added Augment Summoning from ooze.

[Max Zoran]

What are your stats and what schools of magic have you dropped?

The biggest issue for a summoner at low levels is duration, it's not worth it to spend a full round action casting Summon Monster 1 if what you summon only stays for one round. Also, as with any wizard, the lack of spell slots at lower levels can hurt.

From my Conjurer build I'd recommend-
Focused Specialist: worth it for the extra spell slots. Means forbidding a 3rd school though.
Immediate Magic: Swapped my familiar for an immediate action teleport usable INT bonus times per day, well worth it.
Can you use traits? If so I found the one that gives you +1CL in one school and -1CL in the others (not sure what it's called - I'm away from my books) is great for a Focused Specialist. Be aware though that at level 1 this will stop many non-conjuration spells from working at all as they will be CL0.
Feats:
Metamagic School Focus: -1 level adjustment for metamagic, 3 times per day, chosen school only.
Extend (metamagic): Doubles spell duration at the cost of +1 spell level.
Sculpt (metamagic): Doesn't help with summoning but is great for some of the battlefield control spells such as grease.

With 2 flaws you can get all this at level one.  +1 CL for conjuration (trait) combined with Extend (free from Metamagic School Focus) gives your spells a 4 round duration at level one.

Do you want to focus totally on summoning or do you plan on mixing in some battlefield control?

The alternative to Immediate Magic is Rapid Summoning, this may be more use depending on how heavily you concentrate on summoning. Also if you're not going to cast many battlefield control spells you won't need Sculpt.

What spell are you getting from Precocious Apprentice?  If you don't need sculpt (which if you want to use 3 extends a day you won't at level 1 as you will not be able to use it with Metamagic School Focus) I'd consider using Precocious Apprentice to get a spell with the [fire] type and use it to power the Fiery Burst reserve feat, 30" range 2D6 damage as a standard action. Gives some good direct damage and so lets you keep more spell slots for summoning.

Edit:
Many players seem to use summoning to put creatures between them and the enemy, I preferred placing them behind the enemy, this pins the enemy between the my creatures and my party's melee fighters for flanking bonuses all round (if you have a rogue in the party they will love this).

At low levels don't bother buffing, I've tried it and it never seemed to be as much use as summoning more monsters would have been. Buffs that effect all allies however are great, having a bard in the party is great for a summoner.

At level one you'll mostly want Celestial Badgers as they have 3 attacks each. When you get summon monster II you get Fiendish wolves, only one attack but if it hits they get a free trip attempt, these are great on enemy casters.

[Nytemare3701]

What are your stats and what schools of magic have you dropped?

32 Point buy, E6 rules (So LA just lowers my point buy), Haven't decided on dropped schools.

Do you want to focus totally on summoning or do you plan on mixing in some battlefield control?

Likely going to be entirely summon based. As many creatures as possible for as long as possible (Probably going to be an  NPC miniboss)

What spell are you getting from Precocious Apprentice?  If you don't need sculpt (which if you want to use 3 extends a day you won't at level 1 as you will not be able to use it with Metamagic School Focus) I'd consider using Precocious Apprentice to get a spell with the [fire] type and use it to power the Fiery Burst reserve feat, 30" range 2D6 damage as a standard action. Gives some good direct damage and so lets you keep more spell slots for summoning.

PA is being used to get into master specialist a level early. The spell gained is entirely secondary. As it's probably going to be a recurring enemy or a one-shot fight, the utility of the character isn't really too important.

Many players seem to use summoning to put creatures between them and the enemy, I preferred placing them behind the enemy, this pins the enemy between the my creatures and my party's melee fighters for flanking bonuses all round (if you have a rogue in the party they will love this).

At low levels don't bother buffing, I've tried it and it never seemed to be as much use as summoning more monsters would have been. Buffs that effect all allies however are great, having a bard in the party is great for a summoner.

At level one you'll mostly want Celestial Badgers as they have 3 attacks each. When you get summon monster II you get Fiendish wolves, only one attack but if it hits they get a free trip attempt, these are great on enemy casters.

^THIS is the kind of stuff I like to hear about.

[Max Zoran]

Likely going to be entirely summon based. As many creatures as possible for as long as possible (Probably going to be an  NPC miniboss)

That changes things a little, is the summoner an friend of the party or an enemy?

[Cagemarrow]

Druid summoners of 3rd level or higher can use SNA to call forth multiple creatures at a time, and then use Mass Snake's Swiftness to grant them all extra attacks. With Wolves this allows for great synergy with their Bite/trip attack.

Archivists can do the same, as can any other class that can add to their spell list from Druid's spells.

[Nytemare3701]

Likely going to be entirely summon based. As many creatures as possible for as long as possible (Probably going to be an  NPC miniboss)

That changes things a little, is the summoner an friend of the party or an enemy?

Even I don't know yet. I make these things off the top of my head, post the skeletons here to finish over a long period of time (while gathering input) then drop them into the campaign as needed. If I had to wager a guess though, it would be an enemy.

Druid summoners of 3rd level or higher can use SNA to call forth multiple creatures at a time, and then use Mass Snake's Swiftness to grant them all extra attacks. With Wolves this allows for great synergy with their Bite/trip attack.

Archivists can do the same, as can any other class that can add to their spell list from Druid's spells.

An item of Mass Snake's swiftness would do the same job (albeit at a high price) right? I would love to give one of those out as loot anyway >.>

[Cagemarrow]

If that won't break your game its actually fairly reasonably priced as a custom at will item. I'd suggest a rod for the item type. Could even make it multipurpose and add a summons spell as a secondary effect. SM III will allow for 1d4+1 wolves per use.

Rod of Snakes Swiftness Mass: 2 x 3 x 1800 = 10800 gp
Rod of Summon (nature's ally or Monster) III: 3 x 5 x 1800 = 27000 gp

Rod of the Pack Leader? (using the combine items rules): 27000 + (10800 * 1.5) = 43200 gp

probably not the most effective use of gold ever, but definitely fun.

[Nytemare3701]

If that won't break your game its actually fairly reasonably priced as a custom at will item. I'd suggest a rod for the item type. Could even make it multipurpose and add a summons spell as a secondary effect. SM III will allow for 1d4+1 wolves per use.

Rod of Snakes Swiftness Mass: 2 x 3 x 1800 = 10800 gp
Rod of Summon (nature's ally or Monster) III: 3 x 5 x 1800 = 27000 gp

Rod of the Pack Leader? (using the combine items rules): 27000 + (10800 * 1.5) = 43200 gp

probably not the most effective use of gold ever, but definitely fun.

It's E6, so 43k isn't exactly easy to come by. My artificer could probably pull it out though, so I might use it on him.

[Cagemarrow]

E6 actually makes it easier for artificers to make crazy items because of the number of feats they get, at least if feats from Forgotten Realms are allowed. The Exceptional Artisan feat can be used multiple times on every Item Creation feat used to make an item for stacking reductions in price. The Ebberon price reducers are considered Item creation feats themselves so with those you can stack 5 25% reducers onto the creation. After the first couple the reduction begins suffer from diminishing returns though.

[Max Zoran]

If fighting against a party a lot comes down to putting the right monster on the right target and staying alive whilst they fight, the players will almost certainly try to ignore the monsters and kill to summoner.

First you want a good meat shield between you and the party, 2 real choices-
A pair of Huge Monstrous Centipedes are a great meat shield as they take up a lot of space and have plenty of HP. Don't bother with their normal attacks they are much better grappling.
A pair of Fiendish Apes are smaller and have less HP than the Centipedes but they can put out a lot more damage with 3 attacks each.

Evil trick: Once you've got the 2 Huge Monstrous Centipedes use your third Summon monster III slot to summon 1D4+1 Medium  Fiendish Monstrous Centipedes (or D3 from a Summon Monster II spell if you feel lucky) behind the parties' front line and have them try to grapple, they will die to attacks of opportunity but anyone without combat reflexes won't be able to AoO the Huge Centipedes when they grapple right after the medium ones 

Then use some Summon Monster II spells to get a Fiendish wolf (2 is better) to attack and trip their caster, once tripped they have the choice of stand up to get hit with an AoO & tripped again or cast from the ground to get hit with an AoO & risk loosing the spell.

With your next Summon monster III slot summon a Dretch, stats wise they are utter crap they do however have a once a day Stinking Cloud (DC13 Fort save or become nauseated - can hit the whole party with this) and a once per Scare (DC12 will save or become frightened - hit the fighter or rogue) which makes them useful once your meat shield is up.

Evil tricks: You're a Conjurer, hit them with a cloud spell that blocks sight and then send in monsters with tremor sense, also a grease spell followed by Celestial Dire Badgers (they have 5 ranks in balance) can work well.
Really evil tricks: Either of the above when the party are on a narrow bridge or a steep flight of steps.

[Nytemare3701]

(click to show/hide)

E6 actually makes it easier for artificers to make crazy items because of the number of feats they get, at least if feats from Forgotten Realms are allowed. The Exceptional Artisan feat can be used multiple times on every Item Creation feat used to make an item for stacking reductions in price. The Ebberon price reducers are considered Item creation feats themselves so with those you can stack 5 25% reducers onto the creation. After the first couple the reduction begins suffer from diminishing returns though.

My current reductions are down to 29.5% of the original price, and unless I intentionally pick up the time-reduction one JUST so I can apply the global reduction value to it, I think I'm done with reductions.

If fighting against a party a lot comes down to putting the right monster on the right target and staying alive whilst they fight, the players will almost certainly try to ignore the monsters and kill to summoner.

Summoning Oozes have a great hide check and they can climb, so staying out of range should be easy enough.

First you want a good meat shield between you and the party, 2 real choices-
A pair of Huge Monstrous Centipedes are a great meat shield as they take up a lot of space and have plenty of HP. Don't bother with their normal attacks they are much better grappling.
A pair of Fiendish Apes are smaller and have less HP than the Centipedes but they can put out a lot more damage with 3 attacks each.

Evil trick: Once you've got the 2 Huge Monstrous Centipedes use your third Summon monster III slot to summon 1D4+1 Medium  Fiendish Monstrous Centipedes (or D3 from a Summon Monster II spell if you feel lucky) behind the parties' front line and have them try to grapple, they will die to attacks of opportunity but anyone without combat reflexes won't be able to AoO the Huge Centipedes when they grapple right after the medium ones 

Then use some Summon Monster II spells to get a Fiendish wolf (2 is better) to attack and trip their caster, once tripped they have the choice of stand up to get hit with an AoO & tripped again or cast from the ground to get hit with an AoO & risk loosing the spell.

With your next Summon monster III slot summon a Dretch, stats wise they are utter crap they do however have a once a day Stinking Cloud (DC13 Fort save or become nauseated - can hit the whole party with this) and a once per Scare (DC12 will save or become frightened - hit the fighter or rogue) which makes them useful once your meat shield is up.

Evil tricks: You're a Conjurer, hit them with a cloud spell that blocks sight and then send in monsters with tremor sense, also a grease spell followed by Celestial Dire Badgers (they have 5 ranks in balance) can work well.
Really evil tricks: Either of the above when the party are on a narrow bridge or a steep flight of steps.

As a boss monster, I can pretty much choose the location freely. Any custom terrain setups you favor? I'm thinking the entire fight will be in the worst conditions possible for the players, and the shame of being beaten by badgers will be the real damage.

[Max Zoran]

Make sure you have a few rounds warning when the party approaches. That way you can start summoning before they arrive so you out number them from the start, what you don't want is 4 PCs ganging up on each monster as you summon it. Summon the weak monsters first as they won't last long against the PCs anyway.

A nasty environment would be a large cave, badly lit with lots of broken ground, stalagmites & stalactites, a stream and/or a few pools of water and some holes in the ground. Several ways in and out including some in the floor. Your ooze will have a lot of places to hide; up in the cave roof where you can see everything would be the best place. Try to split the party members up so they cannot easily support each other, maybe have the Dretch as bait, have it open the attack by casting it's Scare and/or Stinking Cloud then running away across the cavern, hopefully they will spread out a bit as they chase it.

Start the real attack by summoning a Huge Monstrous Centipede (to big to hide so make it your first summons) and having the already summoned wolves charging in from behind the rocks, badgers attacking from holes in the ground and an apes (+14 Climb) dropping from above. Isolate the party members where possible. If the PCs enter water summon one of the aquatic monsters - they tend to have good stats for their level.

If you want it worse than that take the above but have the party crossing the cave on a rope bridge 15' up, then drop the bridge.

Feats (no Dragon Magazine):
1: Precocious Apprentice
Wizard: Scribe Scroll
Bonus: Arcane Thesis (Summon Monster I) +2 caster level and -1 to metamagic costs for selected spell only.
Bonus: Extend Spell
2: Cloudy Conjuration
Automatic from Ooze: Augment Summoning
3: Arcane Thesis (Summon Monster II)
4: Silent spell
6: Arcane Thesis (Summon Monster III)
6: Still spell

Silent and Still spell are to make it harder for the party to find you.

You can use the metamagics for free due to Arcane Thesis (they all cost +1).

If Dragon Magazine is allowed (for Easy Metamagic)
1: Precocious Apprentice
Wizard: Scribe Scroll
Bonus: Metamagic School Focus
Bonus: Extend Spell
2: Arcane Thesis (Summon Monster I) +2 caster level and -1 to metamagic costs for selected spell only.
Automatic from Ooze: Augment Summoning
3: Arcane Thesis (Summon Monster II)
4: Repeat Spell
6: Arcane Thesis (Summon Monster III)
6: Easy Metamagic (Repeat Spell)

Combining Metamagic School Focus, Arcane Thesis and Easy Metamagic reduces the cost of Repeat Spell to +0 three times per day, use for Summon Monster III to get an extra 3 creatures

[Nytemare3701]

Beautiful. I showed the DM that could be using this other than me, and he also approves. ^We have a winner!

[Max Zoran]

Great. Let us know how the party handle it.