Bard Summon Monster/spells help (dnd 3.5)

[NapazTrix]

I am currently running a skill-heavy bard build (Bard 5, Rogue (Fighter V) 1, Factotum 1) and I'm finding summon monster to be my main weapon for dealing damage and helping the party outside of songs.

I have Melodic Casting so I can summon whilst playing, so I really want to make the best out of my spells, with Summon Monster being the most help due to flanking bonuses for allies and another object for enemies to hit.

If people can, I would like a list of any items that make my summons better, hp, damage, size etc.
Anything that could help my other spells, making me a better caster would also be appreciated.

I'm not fussed about getting in there myself or using my weapons, since I only have a +3 to those and I'd rather improve something that is already good then try and make some bad more reasonable.

Current equipment: 2424gold, Longbow and rapier, mithral chain shirt.
Magic items: Rod of empower, boots of agile leaping, badge of valor, healing belt
Thanks in advance.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

The Savage Bard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bardVariantSavageBard) variant from UA gets Summon Nature's Ally instead of Summon Monster, which benefits from feats like Greenbound Summoning and Ashbound, as well as the Ring of the Beast in CC. If you can retrain (PH2, Chapter 8) your Bard levels to Savage Bard levels, you would be able to benefit from those things. Greenbound Summoning (LEoF) is particularly good because even a lowly Dire Rat from a first level SNA can immediately use its Wall of Thorns spell-like ability (spell-like abilities have no minimum caster level (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#spellLikeAbilities)) to automatically trap up to four opponents for ten minutes, and then it can spam Entangle for the rest of its duration. You can also summon a Unicorn with SNA IV (or SNA III with the Ring of the Beast), which can keep extraplanar creatures at bay and suspend mind control effects with its magic circle, and put out more healing than you would have been able to do with that spell slot (which you can boost with the Healing Hymn song in CC).

Other than that, an Eternal Wand (MIC) of Hound of Doom (CW) is particularly good for a character with a decent BAB and Cha score. Anyone who can cast arcane spells can use an Eternal Wand, regardless of what spell it contains, so it's extremely useful for gaining access to an otherwise exclusive spell like that one. You can even say that you summon the same hound every time and give it a name, similarly to how a certain iconic drow hero has an item that summons a panther companion.

[Gabrosin]

The Savage Bard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bardVariantSavageBard) variant from UA gets Summon Nature's Ally instead of Summon Monster, which benefits from feats like Greenbound Summoning and Ashbound, as well as the Ring of the Beast in CC. If you can retrain (PH2, Chapter 8) your Bard levels to Savage Bard levels, you would be able to benefit from those things. Greenbound Summoning (LEoF) is particularly good because even a lowly Dire Rat from a first level SNA can immediately use its Wall of Thorns spell-like ability (spell-like abilities have no minimum caster level (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#spellLikeAbilities)) to automatically trap up to four opponents for ten minutes, and then it can spam Entangle for the rest of its duration. You can also summon a Unicorn with SNA IV (or SNA III with the Ring of the Beast), which can keep extraplanar creatures at bay and suspend mind control effects with its magic circle, and put out more healing than you would have been able to do with that spell slot (which you can boost with the Healing Hymn song in CC).

Other than that, an Eternal Wand (MIC) of Hound of Doom (CW) is particularly good for a character with a decent BAB and Cha score. Anyone who can cast arcane spells can use an Eternal Wand, regardless of what spell it contains, so it's extremely useful for gaining access to an otherwise exclusive spell like that one. You can even say that you summon the same hound every time and give it a name, similarly to how a certain iconic drow hero has an item that summons a panther companion.

This is great advice, but because of its ludicrous power level in practical play, Greenbound Summoning is not for every table. Make sure your DM is aware of your plan rather than springing it on him by surprise.

[Warrnan]

I had never considered a summoning bard. Very cool concept! GLHF!

[NapazTrix]

Thanks Biffoniacus_Furiou, that is the kind of thing I was looking for, Summoning Unicorns will definitely help due to my Bard being the only one with heals.
GM is fine with me switching, but I won't end up being too powerful, I'm more support then lead charge.

[Hiro Quester]

The summoner's desk reference is a handy thing to have. Rates the better summons for each soell. http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?255219-The-Summoner-s-Desk-Reference-D-amp-D-3-5

Also the Summoning Handbook has some items (as well as feats, tactics, and much more), though I disagree about the usefulness of some of the items. http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11186

[NapazTrix]

The summoner's desk reference is a handy thing to have. Rates the better summons for each soell. http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?255219-The-Summoner-s-Desk-Reference-D-amp-D-3-5

Also the Summoning Handbook has some items (as well as feats, tactics, and much more), though I disagree about the usefulness of some of the items. http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11186

Thank you for the first link, that didn't come up in my search and should help me decide on summons a bit easier.

The second link I already found and I thought it was a bit lacking in the variety of items, only 7 to choose from kinda felt constraining. There was also no section on bards, though I can see why they might of been left out.

Since I can now swap to Summon Nature's Ally, a better version of summon monster in my opinion, a lot more of those feats open up to me.

Edit: Ok, ran into a snag.
I cannot use Eberron setting book or the Lost Empires of Faerun as they are campaign setting/specific books which are not allowed in the campaign. So earthbound and ashbound are off the table.

[NapazTrix]

Ok, so my bard should be good for a while.
Feats: lv9 Augment Summoning, lv12 Summon Elemental. (Need to find feats for 15 and 18)
Items: Ring of the Beast (8000g, Summon Natures Ally+1cl)

Rod of Empower does nothing for summons am I right?
Are there any magic items I should look out for besides the ones in the summoning handbook as they are too specific for my tastes, I prefer variety over specialization.

I have swapped to Savage Bard though Campaign setting/specific books are disallowed for the campaign.