Split Summoner
- Details
- Category: Classes
- Published on Monday, 06 December 2010 12:44
- Written by Matthew Thompson
Role: Summoners spend much of their time exploring the arcane arts alongside their eidolons or summoned creatures. While their power comes from within, they rely heavily on their summoned companions in dangerous situations. While a caller and his eidolon function as individuals, their true power lies in what they can accomplish together. A beckoner's true power lies in the strength of his companions, and the versatility and stamina of those summoned creatures.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills
Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier
| Level | Base Attack | Fort | Ref | Will | Special Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Augment Summoning, Life Link, Enduring Summon, Eidelon/Summon Monster/Nature's Ally I |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Bond Senses |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Summon Monster/Nature's Ally II |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Shield Ally, Bonus Feat |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Summon Monster/Nature's Ally III |
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Maker's Call |
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Summon Monster/Nature's Ally IV |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Transposition, Bonus Feat |
| 9th | +6/+1 |
+3 | +3 | +6 | Summon Monster/Nature's Ally V |
| 10th | +7/+2 |
+3 | +3 | +7 | Aspect |
| 11th | +8/+3 |
+3 | +3 | +7 | Summon Monster/Nature's Ally VI |
| 12th | +9/+4 |
+4 | +4 | +8 | Greater Shield Ally, Bonus Feat |
| 13th | +9/+4 |
+4 | +4 | +8 | Summon Monster/Nature's Ally VII |
| 14th | +10/+5 |
+4 | +4 | +9 | Life Bond/Greater Transposition |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 |
+5 | +5 | +9 | Summon Monster/Nature's Ally VIII |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 |
+5 | +5 | +10 | Merge Forms/Aspect of the Beckoned, Bonus Feat |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 |
+5 | +5 | +10 | Summon Monster/Nature's Ally IX |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 |
+6 | +6 | +11 | Greater Aspect |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 |
+6 | +6 | +11 | Gate |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 |
+6 | +6 | +12 | Twin Eidelon/TrueSummoning, Bonus Feat |
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Summoners are proficient with all simple weapons. Summoners are also proficient with light armor. A summoner can cast summoner spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a summoner wearing medium or heavy armor, or using a shield, incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass summoner still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.Summoner's Path: At first level a Summoner chooses a Path. The Path of the Beckoner, or the Path of the Caller. This path choice has a profound effect on the nacent summoner's powers, and cannot be undone after being made.
If the summoner chooses the Path of the Beckoner, he forgoes the benefits of a constant companion. Instead, he focuses on his summoning ability, using it to summon more varied and powerful creatures to do his beck and call.
If the summoner chooses the Path of the Caller, he calls a permanent boon companion to his side. This companion grows in power alongside the summoner, their souls merging over time until the two become two bodies with one shared soul.
Throughout the remainder of the class specifications, individual powers will be discussed based on the choice made. The term Beckoner indicates a Path of the Beckoner, and indicates these class abilities are given to those who have chosen this path. The term Caller refers to a summoner who has formed a bond with a specific outsider, an eidelon. If an ability is listed without either of these tags, the ability is common to both paths (such as the spells and cantrip abilities above).
Throughout the class description, certain abilities may refer to a summoner's 'Specially Summoned Creature'. This refers to either the summoner's eidelon (be it summoned via ritual or spell), or the summoner's summoned creatures via his spell-like ability, depending on the path he chose.
Augment Summoning: At first level, a summoner gains the Augment Summoning feat as a bonus feat. It applies to any spell with the word Summon in it (including Summon Eidelon or Summon Nature's Ally), as well as the Summon Creature spell-like ability (if the summoner follows the Beckoner's path). It does not apply to the eidelon if it is summoned via the 1 minute ritual.
Eidolon (Caller) (Su): A summoner begins play with the ability to summon to his side a powerful outsider called an eidolon. The eidolon forms a link with the summoner, who, forever after, summons this creature into a body of the summoner's design. The summoner channels the outsider's soul into a construct body. This body is formed of ectoplasm and fueled by the eidelon's spirit. Because the body is only a construct inhabited by the eidelon's spirit, if the construct is destroyed or banished, the eidelon is unharmed and may be resummoned.
An eidolon has the same alignment as the summoner that calls it and can speak all of his languages. Eidolons are treated as summoned creatures, except that they are not sent back to their home plane until reduced to a number of negative hit points equal to or greater than their Constitution score. In addition, due to its tie to its
summoner, an eidolon can touch and attack creatures warded by protection from evil and similar effects that prevent contact with summoned creatures.
A summoner can summon his eidolon in a ritual that takes 1 minute to perform. When summoned in this way, the eidolon hit points are unchanged from the last time it was summoned. The only exception to this is if the eidolon was slain, in which case it returns with half its normal hit points. The eidolon does not heal naturally by resting, his body is a construct. However, magical healing, as well as certain summoner abilities, can heal the eidelon normally. The eidolon remains until dismissed by the summoner (a standard action). If the eidolon is sent back to its home plane due to death, it cannot be summoned again until the following day. The eidolon cannot be sent back to its home plane by means of dispel magic, but spells such as dismissal and banishment work normally. If the summoner is killed, his eidolon is immediately banished.
The eidolon takes a form shaped by the summoner’s desires. The eidolon’s Hit Dice, saving throws, skills, feats, and abilities are tied to the summoner’s class level and increase as the summoner gains levels. In addition, each eidolon receives a pool of evolution points, based on the summoner’s class level, that can be used to give the eidolon different abilities and powers. Whenever the summoner gains a level, he must decide how these points are spent, and they are set until he gains another level of summoner. The summoner must spend all evolution points at each leveling, the eidelon, in essence, must have it's construct body reformed as if it were being built for the first time. This requires banishing and resummoning the eidelon via the standard 1 minute ritual.
The eidolon’s physical appearance is up to the summoner, but it always appears as some sort of fantastical creature. This control is not fine enough to make the eidolon appear like a specific creature (although the eidelon may look like a class of creature, for example, a cockatrice or a dragon or a human). The eidolon also bears a glowing rune that is identical to a rune that appears on the summoner’s forehead as long as the eidolon is summoned. While this rune can be hidden through mundane means (such as the disguise skill), it cannot be concealed through magic that changes appearance, such as alter self or polymorph (although invisibility does conceal it as long as the spell lasts).
Summon Creature I (Beckoner) (Sp): Starting at 1st level, a summoner can cast summon monster or summon nature's ally I as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. He can cast this spell as a standard action and the creatures remain for 10 minutes per level (instead of 1 round per level). At 3rd level, and every 2 levels thereafter, the power of this ability increases by one spell level, allowing him to summon more powerful creatures (to a maximum of summon IX at 17th level). At 19th level, this ability can be used as gate or summon IX. If used as gate, the summoner must pay any required material components.
Using this special ability is taxing to a summoner's magic, and he cannot have more than one summon or gate spell active in this way at one time. If this ability is used again, any existing summon or gate immediately ends. These summon spells are considered to be part of his spell list for the purposes of spell trigger and spell completion items. In addition, he can expend uses of this ability to fufill the construction requirements of any magic item he creates, so long as he can use this ability to cast the required spell.
Additionally, the summoner may spontaneously convert any spell he knows to either Summon Monster or Summon Nature's Ally of an appropriate level. A Beckoner adds Summon Nature's Ally at the appropriate level to his spells list (For example, he gains Summon Nature's Ally III at the same time he gains Summon Monster III). He does not need to know either spell to spontaneously convert and cast them. When using this ability to spontaneously convert spells to summon, the spells act like normally cast summon spells (including using the summoner's enduring class ability). When casting Summon Monster or Summon Nature's Ally as an actual spell, they do not count against the summoner's limit of one at a time for this spell-like ability.
Enduring Summon (Su): Starting at first level, whenever a summoner casts a spell with the word Summon in it, the duration of the spell is increased from rounds to minutes. Thus, a 3rd level summoner who cast Summon Monster 1 would have his summon last 3 minutes. This applies only to spells cast by the summoner, and does not apply to spell-like abilities, activation items, or the eidelon if the summoner has one (unless the summoner is using the Summon Eidelon spell as a cast spell, in which case the duration of the spell is in minutes).
Bond Senses (Su): This ability works with either the eidolon, or with any creature summoned via the beckoner's spell like ability.
Shield Ally (Ex): This ability works with either the eidolon, or with any creature summoned via the beckoner's spell like ability.
Bonus Feat (Beckoner) (Ex): At 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the summoner gains a bonus feat from the following list of feats. He does not need to meet most prerequisites (only those noted below).
Many of these feats allow the summoner to take on some of the traits of the creatures he summons, be it enhanced senses, natural attacks, or others. While he does not need to meet all the listed prerequisites, he must still posess the ability to use the feat (for example, a summoner without claws could not select the eldritch claws feat). Additionally, if a feat lists a BAB requirement (such as 6+ for example), the summoner must have that BAB, or have that many levels in this class (for example, rending claws requires a BAB of 6+, and thus cannot be taken at 5th level unless the summoner has multiclassed and has a BAB of 6+, however a 10th level summoner could take a feat that required an 8+ BAB). Finally, if a feat has another feat as a prerequisite, and that feat is on the list of bonus feats, the summoner must have that feat already (although it does not need to have been taken as a bonus feat, if he meets the prerequisites for it normally and takes it as a regular feat, it counts).
The list of bonus feats a summoner chooses from are : Aspect of the Beast, Diehard, Ectoplasmic Spell, Eldritch Claws, Endurance, Fleet, Ironhide, Keen Scent, Razortusk, Rending Claws, Run, Toughness
Maker’s Call (Su): This ability works with either the eidelon, or a creature summoned via SNA.
Transposition (Su): This ability works with either the eidelon, or a creature summoned via the SLA.
Aspect (Caller) (Su): A summoner can divert up to 2 points from his eidolon’s evolution pool to add evolutions to himself. He cannot select any evolution that the eidolon could not possess, and he must be able to meet the requirements as well. He cannot select the ability increase evolution through this ability. Any points spent in this way are taken from the eidolon’s evolution pool (reducing the total number available to the eidolon). The summoner can change the evolutions he receives from these points any time he can change the eidolon’s evolutions.
Greater Shield Ally (Su): This ability works with either the eidelon or a creature summoned via SLA.
Life Bond (Caller) (Su): A summoner’s life becomes linked to his eidolon’s. As long as the eidolon has 1 or more hit points, the summoner cannot be killed. Damage in excess of that which would kill the summoner is instead transferred to the eidolon. This damage is transferred 1 point at a time, meaning that as soon as the eidolon is reduced to a number of negative hit points equal to its Constitution score, all excess damage remains with the summoner, killing him.
Effects that cause death but not damage are unaffected by this ability. This ability does not affect spells like baleful polymorph, flesh to stone, or imprisonment, or other spells that do not cause actual damage.
Greater Transposition (Beckoner) (Su): At 14th level, a summoner's ties with his specially summoned creatures is so strong, that the summoned creatures will protect him from death itself. So long as at least one of his special summons is alive, if the summoner takes damage that would kill him, the summoned creature transposes positions with the summoner. The summoned creature then takes the damage instead, and the summoner is transported to the summoned creature's former position. If the summoner has more than one creature summoned using his special summon ability, the closest creature transposes with him.
This ability does not affect spells like baleful polymorph, flesh to stone, or imprisonment, or other spells that do not cause actual damage.
Merge Forms (Caller) (Su): As a full-round action, a summoner can touch his eidolon and the two can merge forms. This transformation includes all of the summoner’s gear. While merged in this way, the summoner is protected from harm and cannot be the target of spells or effects. All effects and spells currently targeting the summoner are suspended until the summoner emerges from the eidolon (although durations continue to expire).
The summoner can cast spells while inside the eidolon by taking control of the eidolon for the duration of the casting. Any material components used for these spells are taken from the summoner’s gear, even though they are otherwise inaccessible. The summoner can direct all of the eidolon’s actions while merged, can perceive through its senses, and can speak through its voice.
The summoner can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to his summoner level. He can end this effect at any time as a swift action. The summoner emerges in a square adjacent to the eidolon if able. If the eidolon is returned to its home plane while the summoner is merged with it, the summoner is immediately ejected, taking 4d6 points of damage, and is stunned for 1 round.
Aspect of the Beckoned (Beckoner) (Su): The summoner, at 16th level, has grown so close to those summons, that he can take on their aspect.
This ability functions like the druid wildshape ability, except the summoner can only take on the aspect of creatures on the Summon Nature's Ally or Summon Monster summoning list. Use the summoner's level as his effective druid level for determining what polymorph spell equivalents he uses.
This ability is usable 1 minute per level of summoner per day. These minutes do not need to be used all at once, but must be used in 1 minute intervals. While taking on the aspect of the beckoned, the summoner's gear merges into his new body, as per normal with the polymorph spells.
The summoner may cast summoner spells normally while taking on the aspect of the beckoned. Any spell components must be in his gear, and are used as if he had full access to them.
Twin Eidolon (Caller) (Su): A summoner and his eidolon share a true connection. As a standard action, the summoner can assume the shape of his eidolon, copying all of its evolutions, form, and abilities. His Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores change to match the base scores of his eidolon. He can choose to have any gear that he carries become absorbed by his new form, as with spells from the polymorph subschool. Items with continuous effects continue to function while absorbed in this way. The summoner loses his natural attacks and all racial traits (except bonus feats, skills, and languages) in favor of the abilities granted by his eidolon’s evolutions. The summoner retains all of his class features. The summoner can keep this form for a number of minutes per day equal to his summoner level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-minute increments. The summoner can end this effect as a free action.
True Summoning (Beckoner) (Su): At 20th level, the beckoner has mastered the art of summoning. He may use his spell-like ability to summon creatures as an at-will ability. He may still only have one special summon active at a time, but his summoned creature's no longer return after their time expires, they stay until dismissed by the summoner, or until they die. If the summoner dies, his summoned creatures are immediately banished.
Eidolon Changes
Armor Bonus: The number noted here is the eidolon’s base total armor bonus. This bonus may be split between an armor bonus and a natural armor bonus, as decided by the summoner. This number is modified by the eidolon’s base form and some options available through its evolution pool.An eidelon's default body type is a physically stable ectoplasmic construct. This gives the eidelon enhanced armor capabilities, but it also makes the body hard for the eidelon to anchor it's spirit to. This means the eidelon requires a connection to the summoner for the eidelon to be able to remain anchored to his construct body. Armor interferes with this link, and thus precludes the eidelon from wearing armor.
Alternately, a summoner may have crafted a spiritually stable body. Such a construct body has a much stronger spiritual matrix, and allows the eidelon to anchor it's spirit without the need for the link to the summoner.
This has a downside though. As is often the case, spiritual strength often comes at the expense of physical strength. If the eidelon has a spiritually stable body, halve the armor bonus granted to the eidelon (round down), and halve the natural armor granted by the base form, as well as the armor granted by any evolutions the eidelon has (for example, a spiritually stable construct body gains +1 armor bonus at 2nd level, +2 at 5th, +3 at 7th, and so on). All such armor from the armor bonus and evolutions are treated as Natural Armor in this case, not armor bonus. Any armor purchased for the eidelon must be purchased using the rules for exotic armors (unless the eidelon is a humanoid biped). A quadruped eidelon can use the rules for barding instead.
Whenever the eidelon's evolution pool can normally be changed, the summoner may change from a spirtually stable body to a physically stable body, or vice versa.
Max. Attacks: This column indicates the maximum number of attacks that the eidolon is allowed to make as a full-round attack action at a given level. As the summoner grows in level, his ability to craft the eidelon's body is refined, and the eidelon can make additional attacks per round.
This limit is an absolute limit on attacks, and represents the ability of the eidelon to control his construct body in a stressful combat situation. The eidelon may posess as many natural attacks or manufactured weapon attacks as the summoner wishes (and his evolution pool allows!), but the eidelon can only make up to his limit in attacks per round. For example, if an eidelon with four attacks had four arms, four legs, 2 sets of claws, two great swords, four daggers, a bite, and a tail slap, the eidelon could make any combination of attacks that added up to four. This could be four dagger attacks, two great sword attacks and two claw attacks, four claw attacks, or any other combination of four attacks. The eidelon treats any manufactured weapon it has proficiency with as if it were a primary natural attack when calculating BAB, and any weapon it does not have proficiency with as a secondary natural attack (note that the secondary natural attack penalties stack with the non-proficiency penalties).
Magic Items: A special note must be made of magical items. An eidelon's construct body is not a natural body, and thus it is normally not effected by worn magical items in the way they are intended. However, as the summoner progresses and continues to refine his craft of making the eidelon's ectoplasmic body, this body begins to resemble a living body sufficiently that an eidelon can benefit from magical items. A summoner may assign a number of magical item slots equal to ½ his level (rounded down).
In order to use a magical item in a slot, the eidelon must possess an evolution that allows that slot. For example, to wear a ring, the eidelon must have the limbs (arms) evolution, or the tentacle evolution. To wear bracers, the eidelon must have a pair of tentacles or the limbs (arms) evolution. The GM is the final arbiter of what slots a summoner may apply to his eidelon.
Additional Ratings  |
|
| Balance: |
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 3.00 (4 Votes) |
| Utility: |
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 2.75 (4 Votes) |
| Clarity: |
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 3.00 (4 Votes) |