[3.5] Conjurer/Master Specialist Help

[Sniper]

So I'm kicking around an idea for a campaign that may or may not happen, and wanted to get a rough idea of what options I should look at taking. Basically the core of it is combining the Rapid Summoning variant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/specialistWizardVariants.htm#conjurerVariants) with the Master Specialist ability to swift action cast Conjuration spells as a swift action to be able to both cast Summon Monster and <insert buff spell here> on Summoned Monsters/PC's in the 1st round, with the ability to swift action debuff (Black Tentacles, Cloudkill and the like) and still cast something else to help control the field.

What I want to know is what are some good options (feats, ACF's, items, etc.) to back this up? Is the Enhanced Summoning variant worth giving up Scribe Scroll and the 5th/10th level bonus feats a wizard gets? What about Focused Specialist? I'm already banning Enchantment (we'll have a Bard) and Evocation (Summoner and (de)buffer, not a blaster), is losing a 3rd school going to be too much? It'll most likely be Illusion (Again, Bard) but I'm open for suggestions.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

[Sniper]

Gonna give this a minor shameless bump, since it seems to be a bit ignored

[prufock]

Is the Enhanced Summoning variant worth giving up Scribe Scroll and the 5th/10th level bonus feats a wizard gets? What about Focused Specialist? I'm already banning Enchantment (we'll have a Bard) and Evocation (Summoner and (de)buffer, not a blaster), is losing a 3rd school going to be too much? It'll most likely be Illusion (Again, Bard) but I'm open for suggestions.

If your DM likes to use dispelling, I say yes, go for it. At first level you're really just trading a feat for a feat, but the increased DC versus dispelling and the increased augmentation to Str and Con I don't think are available from feats. Of course, if you're planning to go into a prestige class as early as possible, much of that is moot.

Alienist might be fun later. All your summons get the pseudonatural template.

I don't really recommend the focused specialist, but I guess you could drop Necromancy. If you do, might as well take spontaneous summoning.

[TheMooch]

losing the 5th and 10th level bonus feats isn't a big deal, you shouldn't be in the wizard class farther than lvl 3 (after that master specialist)

For a summoning build i would suggest the Malconvoker(complete scoundrel) and get the fiendish legion ability ASaP.
Cloudy Conjuration is a nice bonus on a conjurer build for a bit of extra defense as is abrubt jaunt ACF.
augment summoning is a nice boost for your minons
don't forget the archmage PRC is you need filler at high levels master specialist gets you one of the prereqs anyway

[Heatwizard]

If you're playing through first level, you might consider taking Abrupt Jaunt instead of Rapid Summoning; PHB2, lets you teleport 10 feet as an immediate action INT times per day. Enemy barbarian slips past your fighter buddy, and now he's in your grill? Bamf, he's swingin' at air. Unfriendly fireball got you down? Bamf. Stuck in a jail cell without your spellbook? Bamf. Grappled by the kraken? Bamf. Once you're of a level that you have spells to spare, it'll be less awesome, but in the early game, it's a lifesaver. Takes the same feature as rapid summoning, though, so you can't have both.

e: Don't bother taking Spontaneous Summoning; trading spell slots for lower level Summon Monsters is a pretty poor deal. You can just use that extra slot to prep Summon Monsters of the proper level, anyway.

[Sniper]

I originally thought of just going back to Wizard after Master Specialist unless I could figure out a good PrC, but if I end up PrC'ing out Augment Minions for free could be nice.

Spontaneous Summoning did look rather weak... Focused Specialist can net me spell slots enough for Summon Monster if I feared hurting for spell slots

We'll be starting somewhere around the 8-10th level range, so not that far away that Rapid Summoning and Major Esoterica is a long wait.

Any suggestions for High Arcana if I do take Archmage?

I've never really looked at Malconvoker, so don't know that much about it, could I get a quick rundown of what exactly it does? I'm AFB at the moment

[JeminiZero]

If your DM allows it, look up the Spontaneous Diviner in Complete Champion. You give up the rest of your wizard bonus feats (5, 10 etc), in exchange for the ability to cast any Divination spell you know (the "you know" limitation was added in errata).

This is mutually exclusive enhanced summoning though (which also trades out your 5,10 etc feats), but I think the ability ass-pull divination spells when needed, is worth more than a free augment summoning feat.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

Abrupt Jaunt is better if you don't plan on being summoning focused. If you want to summon like a monster, then I suggest going Wizard 3/Master Specialist 2/Malconvokor 5/Master Specialist +8/Whatever else 2

Feats should be Spell Focus (Conjuration), Cloudy Conjuration, Augment Summons, whatever else floats your boat.

[Randomguy]

If you're going to be a summoner rather than a conjurer then rapid summoning is better than abrupt jaunt. It's also less likely to get a book thrown at your head.

The enhanced sumoning variant seems worth it.

Spontaneous summoning is useful, but your extra spell slots are much more useful. Don't take it.

Imbued summoning is a decent metamagic feat. It's from phb 2 and lets you cast a touch spell of 3rd level or lower on a monster as you summon it. This goes well with what you're trying to do: With the addition of this feat you can summon a monster and hit it with 2 buffs all in the same turn.

[Garwain]

For heavy focus on summoning, take the rapid summoning variant, be a focused conjurer and take malconvoker PrC:

human Focused Conjurer 3 / Master Specialist 2 / Malconvoker 5 / Master Specialist +8/ something 2 (maybe Archmage?)

ACF:
Specialist wizard: +1 conj spelllvl/day give up necromancy and evocation
Focused Specialist:+1 conj spelllvl/day give up enchantment
Rapid Summoning: give up familiar
Enhanced summoning: give up scribe scroll

bluff, 7 languages, K:planes, K:Arcana, Spellcraft, concentration

0 - focused specialist +2 conj spells / lvl / day
0 - Rapid summoning cast summons as standard action
0 - Augment summoning +2 HD / summons
0 - Spell Focus (Conjuration) +2 CL conjration spells1

feats to consider: extend spell, metamagic school focus: conjuration, Summon elemental reserve feat, Cloudy Conjuration.

Opinions differ on cloudy conjuration, but note that you can summon and place the cloud in front of yourself to take away LoS.


If not so much into summoning, then indead go for master specialist straight away, and take abrubt jaunt, which you will enjoy many many times:

[Mooch]

I've never really looked at Malconvoker, so don't know that much about it, could I get a quick rundown of what exactly it does? I'm AFB at the moment

Basically the important ability doubles your summons if they are evil (which is why a lot of the builds stop at level 5) it has some other stuff as well it is definatly worth taking a look

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Master Specialist 10 is extremely overrated:

Major School Esoterica (Ex):
At 10th level, your knowledge of your
chosen school reaches its peak. You gain
an ability from those below based on
your chosen school; each one can be
used three times per day.

The idea of summoning and then buffing is just bad, considering you can use Imbued Summoning (PH2) with Metamagic School Focus (CM) just as often without wasting ten levels on it. If you're worried about your summons getting dispelled, just get a Ring of Enduring Arcana (CM). I wouldn't even get Master Specialist at all, take Wizard 5 and use the domain power ACF in Complete Champion to get the Summoner domain's granted power.

If you want Rapid Summoning, see if you can get Abrupt Jaunt at 1st level, then spend a feat on Obtain Familiar at 3rd level and trade that for Rapid Summoning.

For a dedicated summoner, you're really better off using Summon Nature's Ally spells with a Ring of the Beast from Complete Champion. Get Ashbound, Greenbound Summoning, and Rashemi Elemental Summoning, and never even consider using arcane summons again.

For an arcane summoner, I'd go Wizard 5/ Malconvoker 3/ Thaumaturgist 5/ Malconvoker 7, using Arcane Disciple for the Summoner domain to qualify for Thaumaturgist, and get a Ghaele for your planar cohort at 13th level.