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molten_dragon
2012-10-20, 07:16 AM
I'm playing an archivist, and just hit 7th level, which has a ton of awesome spells. One of the little gems that I found was the spell Summon Giants from frostburn. Has anyone used the spell before? I'm wondering just how badly this is going to break the game if I use it on a regular basis.
Alleran
2012-10-20, 07:42 AM
If you're only a 7th level Archivist, wouldn't that limit you quite selectively to 4th level spells rather than 8th level spells? The "Summon Giants" spell I'm looking at right now is an 8th level Cleric spell or Winter domain spell.

Anyway, at best you can only summon a single CR 12 fiendish fire giant, so I wouldn't think it'd be that game-breaking. Unless you actually are only 7th level and somehow managed to get access to 8th level spells. At that point, there are a whole lot of other things wrong rather than just a single spell. And a lot more options.
Arcanist
2012-10-20, 07:48 AM
Not very game breaking... Personally, I'd just use it to get out 3 Fiendish Hill Giants, hide behind them and call it a day... Not TOO threatening. Just go with Summon Monster 8 and call out a few Bone Devils for the Fly, the Poison, the fear aura, the free Greater Teleport Taxi

All around a better spell anyway... :smallsigh:
Slipperychicken
2012-10-20, 08:18 AM
If you're only a 7th level Archivist, wouldn't that limit you quite selectively to 4th level spells rather than 8th level spells? The "Summon Giants" spell I'm looking at right now is an 8th level Cleric spell or Winter domain spell.


Disciple of Thrym (Frostburn Divine PrC w/ separate progression. Page 56) gets it as a 4th level spell, so I assume that's how the Archivist is getting it at 4th level.


It's horrible as an 8th level spell, but pretty broken as a 4th level one. Summoning a CR 12 creature at level 7 can be crazy. Save it for emergencies, like if your tank goes down or a boss fight comes up.
ThiagoMartell
2012-10-20, 08:21 AM
Well, getting that on a prayer book is completely DM dependent, so I don't think it's broken at all.
Kelb_Panthera
2012-10-20, 08:27 AM
Thiago's right. If your DM lets you nab that it's mostly his own fault.

Still, it would be polite to hold it in reserve rather than using it as the solution to every melee problem that crops up.
molten_dragon
2012-10-21, 09:56 AM
Disciple of Thrym (Frostburn Divine PrC w/ separate progression. Page 56) gets it as a 4th level spell, so I assume that's how the Archivist is getting it at 4th level.


It's horrible as an 8th level spell, but pretty broken as a 4th level one. Summoning a CR 12 creature at level 7 can be crazy. Save it for emergencies, like if your tank goes down or a boss fight comes up.

Disciple of Thrym is how I got hold of it as a 4th level spell. The way I have it set up with the DM, there's a knowledge check and cost involved in knowing strange prestige class and domain spells, and I got lucky with that one. Other than that, there's just a gentleman's agreement not to break the game, she doesn't micromanage what spells I have access too.

So I guess I'll put it in my spellbook, but just save it for if things go REALLY pear shaped.
Slipperychicken
2012-10-21, 10:07 AM
So I guess I'll put it in my spellbook, but just save it for if things go REALLY pear shaped.

Or to TPK the party with a CR+5 encounter! :belkar: