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Pika...
2009-10-30, 12:47 PM
I have been toying with this idea for a while now.

Basically, as many of you know when a caster summons a creature he pretty much yanks it from it's native plane and forces it to fight on it's behalf. Then it pops back, even if slain (it returns unharmed).

I have been thinking, what if I rolled a 1d1000 for each player at the start of each session. If a player gets a nat 1 it gets summoned to one of the lower planes by a demon or devil or obiloth (sp?) to fight for them, if they roll a nat 1000 the same thing happens, but the summoner is from a plane of my (the DM's) choosing.


Any thoughts?

Zaydos
2009-10-30, 12:51 PM
Might be fun, but depends: Is it a summoning effect (which I assume from the name of the thread) or a calling effect? Summoning it's a WTF moment which might very well add some interesting flavor and RP to the game, but calling you're putting them at serious random threat if they are unlucky enough to be summoned.

That said it might be a fun adventure to have some planar entity Gate in the PCs or bind them and send them on his quest.

So I'd use summoning for random lols and even to test character battle abilities (you can't really die) and calling for plot hooks and not as something random.

Edit: oops missed the returns unharmed part (which clarifies as definitely summoning not calling). Sounds fun.

Kurald Galain
2009-10-30, 12:55 PM
High Priest: Soooo, young acolyte. My divination spells tell me you have fought for the Hordes of Hell. Would you care to explain yourself?

Panicked apprentice: No! It was not my fault! It was a summon spell!

High Priest: Let me guess, and the dog ate your homework? You are so expelled from the Order of Light!

jiriku
2009-10-30, 12:56 PM
Since only animals, outsiders, elemntals, and beings with the celestial or fiendish template can be summoned, most of your PCs are safe. But if there's an aasimar or tiefling in your group....

Moriato
2009-10-30, 01:00 PM
I've always wanted to run a one-shot based around this. Demon/devil gets tired of being summoned, researches his own spell to do the same thing to the players, and makes you do his bidding fighting some other devil/demon.

Rather than getting raised/ressurected when you die, you'd just have to be summoned again.

Plus, it's an instant adventuring party. No need to whittle out why your characters are working together, which makes it great for a one-shot, since there always seems to be one person who makes up a character, and then inexplicably doesn't want to adventure with the group, and spends the entire session holding up the game expecting everyone else to try to convince them to come along.

I hate that sooooo much. It bcame such a problem that eventually whenever it happened, the regulars of my gaming group would just say "Ok, cya" and leave whoever it was behind until they either wised up and came up with their own reason they'd be traveling with us, or left entirely. In which case, nothing of value was lost.

Saph
2009-10-30, 01:02 PM
I actually did this as the premise for a one-off game.

The players were summoned by a dragon to help him out in dealing with a hobgoblin platoon invading his lair. Unfortunately the dragon hadn't read the fine print on the scroll and hadn't noticed that it was a [Calling] effect, not a [Summoning] one.

So at the end of the battle he turned away from the PCs and ignored them. After a few rounds he gave them a look.

Dragon: "Why aren't you disappearing?"
PCs: " . . . Uh?"
Dragon: "I dismiss the spell. Go back wherever summoned monsters go."
PCs: " . . . Huh?"
Dragon: "Well? Go poof already."

After the PCs convinced him that they couldn't, he came up with a banishment spell and they vanished.

They reappeared in a magic circle in one of the Nine Hells, with a couple of very young-looking devils watching them.

Devil 1: "Hah! I did it!"
Devil 2: "Wow, I really didn't think that would work."
PC: "Uh, where are we again?"
Devil 1: "You have been summoned by my command! I am Gravyxskynk of Baator, and I compel you to do my bidding!"
PC: "What?"
Devil 1: "Now, identify yourselves. Are you humanoids from the Material Plane?"
PC: "Uh, I guess so."
Devil 1: "Good. I command you to use your extraplanar powers to smite my enemy, Kragythriak!"
PC: "Smite him?"
Devil 1: "Yeah."
PC: "How?"
Devil 1: "I dunno. You're extraplanar creatures, right? Inflict a horrible fate upon him."
PC: "What did this guy do to you, again?"
Devil 1: "He's in my class. He keeps saying my mother was a celestial. Anyway, I want you to smite him."
PC: "What kind of smiting are we talking about here?"
Devil 1: "How should I know? Use your special humanoid powers."
PC: "We don't really have any special powers."
Devil 1: "Can't you strike him with holy energy or something?"
PC: "Not really."
Devil 2: "Snatch him away to the Material Plane?"
PC: "Nope."
Devil 1: "So what CAN you do?"
PC: "I suppose we could talk to him."
Devil 1: "That's it?"
PC: "Pretty much."
Devil 1: "You're lame. I'm sending you back."
Devil 2: "Now I see why nobody summons humanoids."
Devil 1: "Yeah. They suck."

The PCs reappeared back on the Material Plane . . . next to the dragon.

Dragon: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

. . . and the game went on from there. Cookie for anyone who can identify where I stole the idea from. :P

Shhalahr Windrider
2009-10-30, 01:04 PM
Might be fun, but depends: Is it a summoning effect (which I assume from the name of the thread) or a calling effect?
Well, the title of the thread is "Summon Humanoid I-V"…


Summoning it's a WTF moment which might very well add some interesting flavor and RP to the game, but calling you're putting them at serious random threat if they are unlucky enough to be summoned.
The seriousness depends on whether or not you have a day to spare. Can't be lethal, 'cause summoned creatures that are killed regenerate after 24 hours. The biggest threat is if you wind up using up to many spell slots and hp but don't get killed and then wind up back home in a depleted state.


Since only animals, outsiders, elemntals, and beings with the celestial or fiendish template can be summoned, most of your PCs are safe. But if there's an aasimar or tiefling in your group....
That's why the fiends are using summon humanoid. It's not exactly an official spell. :smalltongue:

No my question is: Why would fiendish spellcasters bother summoning weakling humanoids?

Eldariel
2009-10-30, 01:07 PM
. . . and the game went on from there. Cookie for anyone who can identify where I stole the idea from. :P

...I know you get this a lot, but you're awesome. Can't say where that was copied from; doesn't diminish the awesome at all though.

SurlySeraph
2009-10-30, 01:08 PM
High level adventurers are always worth summoning. Low level adventurers won't be missed.

Kurald Galain
2009-10-30, 01:10 PM
. . . and the game went on from there. Cookie for anyone who can identify where I stole the idea from. :P

...Sliders?

Shhalahr Windrider
2009-10-30, 01:12 PM
. . . and the game went on from there. Cookie for anyone who can identify where I stole the idea from. :P
Now, the Devil part was from a comic in Dragon magazine. Nodwick, I think.

The Dragon part, as far as I can tell, is totally original.

Pika...
2009-10-30, 01:15 PM
I actually did this as the premise for a one-off game.

The players were summoned by a dragon to help him out in dealing with a hobgoblin platoon invading his lair. Unfortunately the dragon hadn't read the fine print on the scroll and hadn't noticed that it was a [Calling] effect, not a [Summoning] one.

So at the end of the battle he turned away from the PCs and ignored them. After a few rounds he gave them a look.

Dragon: "Why aren't you disappearing?"
PCs: " . . . Uh?"
Dragon: "I dismiss the spell. Go back wherever summoned monsters go."
PCs: " . . . Huh?"
Dragon: "Well? Go poof already."

After the PCs convinced him that they couldn't, he came up with a banishment spell and they vanished.

They reappeared in a magic circle in one of the Nine Hells, with a couple of very young-looking devils watching them.

Devil 1: "Hah! I did it!"
Devil 2: "Wow, I really didn't think that would work."
PC: "Uh, where are we again?"
Devil 1: "You have been summoned by my command! I am Gravyxskynk of Baator, and I compel you to do my bidding!"
PC: "What?"
Devil 1: "Now, identify yourselves. Are you humanoids from the Material Plane?"
PC: "Uh, I guess so."
Devil 1: "Good. I command you to use your extraplanar powers to smite my enemy, Kragythriak!"
PC: "Smite him?"
Devil 1: "Yeah."
PC: "How?"
Devil 1: "I dunno. You're extraplanar creatures, right? Inflict a horrible fate upon him."
PC: "What did this guy do to you, again?"
Devil 1: "He's in my class. He keeps saying my mother was a celestial. Anyway, I want you to smite him."
PC: "What kind of smiting are we talking about here?"
Devil 1: "How should I know? Use your special humanoid powers."
PC: "We don't really have any special powers."
Devil 1: "Can't you strike him with holy energy or something?"
PC: "Not really."
Devil 2: "Snatch him away to the Material Plane?"
PC: "Nope."
Devil 1: "So what CAN you do?"
PC: "I suppose we could talk to him."
Devil 1: "That's it?"
PC: "Pretty much."
Devil 1: "You're lame. I'm sending you back."
Devil 2: "Now I see why nobody summons humanoids."
Devil 1: "Yeah. They suck."

The PCs reappeared back on the Material Plane . . . next to the dragon.

Dragon: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

. . . and the game went on from there. Cookie for anyone who can identify where I stole the idea from. :P

That is so awesome!

I laughed through the whole thing. :smallbiggrin:

You are an amazing DM Saph.

Ravens_cry
2009-10-30, 01:16 PM
*bit about devils summoning humanoids*
If there's a paladin in the party, they really could Smite the little bastard. Saying his mother was a Celestial, indeed!

Moriato
2009-10-30, 01:16 PM
. . . and the game went on from there. Cookie for anyone who can identify where I stole the idea from. :P

Sounds like something that might happen in Disgaea

tyckspoon
2009-10-30, 01:23 PM
Sounds like something that might happen in Disgaea

FaustEric, I think. In Disgaea, you'd actually have a fair chance of summoning somebody badass.

Douglas
2009-10-30, 01:24 PM
As I recall, Icewind Dale II has a scene where a wizard is trying to clear out a temple full of Yuan-ti or something like that. The cutscene starts near the end of it where he's failing. The Yuan-ti have him cornered and deliver some line about him being doomed because he's out of spells. He replies that he has one single spell left, then proceeds to cast Summon PCs. Cue you and your party being teleported in, thoroughly confused, and set to the task of finishing the wizard's job after he apologizes and explains what's going on.

Myrmex
2009-10-30, 01:29 PM
That's hilarious Saph.



I've wanted to have one where some of the PCs, when they slept, would get summoned to go fight stuff. Their dreams would be about these epic battles in the Astral Sea where they would get summoned to fight the encroaching Illithid Umbra, as huge walls of thralls & outsiders would line up to do battle.

Zovc
2009-10-30, 01:30 PM
High Priest: Soooo, young acolyte. My divination spells tell me you have fought for the Hordes of Hell. Would you care to explain yourself?

Panicked apprentice: No! It was not my fault! It was a summon spell!

High Priest: Let me guess, and the dog ate your homework? You are so expelled from the Order of Light!

Best backstory for a high-school age blackguard. XP

Inhuman Bot
2009-10-30, 01:49 PM
Just wondering, but... What's the point of a 1-500 chance of this happening, and breaking up the session?

Myrmex
2009-10-30, 01:55 PM
Just wondering, but... What's the point of a 1-500 chance of this happening, and breaking up the session?

Yeah, good call.

What if you were to have it as a subplot that you use everytime someone can't make the session and you don't want to have them dragged along or get drunk in the bag of holding?

jiriku
2009-10-30, 02:00 PM
No my question is: Why would fiendish spellcasters bother summoning weakling humanoids?

Probably fodder for greater consumptive aura, unfortunately.

Myrmex
2009-10-30, 02:05 PM
Probably fodder for greater consumptive aura, unfortunately.

It wouldn't work on a Summoning spell, though. Would work for Calling.

sofawall
2009-10-30, 02:07 PM
Just wondering, but... What's the point of a 1-500 chance of this happening, and breaking up the session?


Pika... runs some crazy games. Looks like it'd fit in perfectly.

Dimers
2009-10-30, 11:34 PM
I like the idea and have toyed with it myself -- haven't used it, though. I agree with commenters above that making it random won't do you any good. Just use it when it's funny or when the players need a break from heavy RP and are looking for something to kill. It's a good way to test out new spells, set up interesting tactical boards, change the laws of reality for a little while (like sending them into a "zombie massacre" setting where no magic items work and spells above 1st level are likely to fizzle, something like that) ...

I created a spell based on summoning one specific humanoid, or rather, different possible incarnations of that one. You have to meet him to learn the spell. He's a demigod in your timeframe, but can send back echoes or fugues of his previous selves in response to the spell. Once you know it, you can cast it as any level of spell and get the appropriate level of well-equipped, well-feated NPC goodness instead of ... *yawn* ... bigger and bigger fire elementals.

Fitz10019
2009-10-31, 02:11 AM
Some DMs prefer PCs to be trained for feats, or in the very least, to see someone demonstrate a feat ability, even if it's an opponent. It would be funny if a wizard ran a fighter training academy based on the existence of Summon Humanoid.

1. A PC asks for a feat, like High Sword, Low Axe.
2. The wizard contacts the 9 hells, and asks around. A deal is made, and a demon is told the PC's name.
3. The PC gets summoned into a training academy in Hell, where he is the sparing dummy for some young demon learning the same feat.

Seffbasilisk
2009-10-31, 02:33 AM
It's a Nodwick bit, word for word for a while.

Summoning is the deus ex machina I keep prepared in the case of a TPK that I want to avoid.

I'd say it'd be a lot trickier, because of the typical diversity invested in the humanoid races, especially in the case of class levels and such.

ShneekeyTheLost
2009-10-31, 02:41 AM
Now here's the cheese part...

The wizard casts this spell... on the Tank. Tank is now a Summoned creature, meaning he can't die. It's like a Contingency True Resurrection, only without the level loss!

Fitz10019
2009-10-31, 02:59 AM
Now here's the cheese part...

Tsk, tsk. This is why we can't have nice things.
[heh]

Jayngfet
2009-10-31, 03:25 AM
Now here's the cheese part...

The wizard casts this spell... on the Tank. Tank is now a Summoned creature, meaning he can't die. It's like a Contingency True Resurrection, only without the level loss!

Munchkins. You see, this is why we can't have nice things!

EDIT: Ninjad.

Saph
2009-10-31, 05:37 AM
Now, the Devil part was from a comic in Dragon magazine. Nodwick, I think.

The Dragon part, as far as I can tell, is totally original.

Yep, you got it.

It made for a pretty fun one-off, especially when the party rogue decided to try and steal some treasure from the dragon's hoard . . . while it was 30 feet away.

bosssmiley
2009-10-31, 07:16 AM
Devil 1: "Hah! I did it!"
Devil 2: "Wow, I really didn't think that would work."
PC: "Uh, where are we again?"
Devil 1: "You have been summoned by my command! I am Gravyxskynk of Baator, and I compel you to do my bidding!"
PC: "What?"
Devil 1: "Now, identify yourselves. Are you humanoids from the Material Plane?"
PC: "Uh, I guess so."
Devil 1: "Good. I command you to use your extraplanar powers to smite my enemy, Kragythriak!"
PC: "Smite him?"
Devil 1: "Yeah."
PC: "How?"
Devil 1: "I dunno. You're extraplanar creatures, right? Inflict a horrible fate upon him."
PC: "What did this guy do to you, again?"
Devil 1: "He's in my class. He keeps saying my mother was a celestial. Anyway, I want you to smite him."
PC: "What kind of smiting are we talking about here?"
Devil 1: "How should I know? Use your special humanoid powers."
PC: "We don't really have any special powers."
Devil 1: "Can't you strike him with holy energy or something?"
PC: "Not really."
Devil 2: "Snatch him away to the Material Plane?"
PC: "Nope."
Devil 1: "So what CAN you do?"
PC: "I suppose we could talk to him."
Devil 1: "That's it?"
PC: "Pretty much."
Devil 1: "You're lame. I'm sending you back."
Devil 2: "Now I see why nobody summons humanoids."
Devil 1: "Yeah. They suck."

More than a little reminiscent of Faust Eric by Terry Pratchett, or of one of the Simon the Sorcerer/Discworld point-and-click games...

Lvl45DM!
2009-10-31, 07:35 AM
In my multi party campagin alot of characters reached epic levels and they settled down, made castles got married one took over a nation and noone wanted to go adventuring except the bat**** crazy mage

SO i let him craft a spell called "Adventurer" and it summoned them all and forced them into a bunch of one shots

Shhalahr Windrider
2009-10-31, 09:15 AM
Now here's the cheese part...

The wizard casts this spell... on the Tank. Tank is now a Summoned creature, meaning he can't die. It's like a Contingency True Resurrection, only without the level loss!
Summon spells don't really give you any control over which creature you summon. That is, you can't summon a specific fire elemental that you had tea with while on the Elemental Plane of Fire once. No, the spell just plucks a random fire elemental away (probably while he's in the middle of some important business meeting). To grab specific individuals, you need to Call them, which doesn't provide the insurance.

So, summoning your party's 9th-level fighter when casting summon humanoid VI would be left to an improbable random fluke. Kinda hard to make useful cheese out of that.


Yep, you got it.
Ooh! Goodie! Cookie! *nom, nom*