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View Full Version : Suggestions for Contingent Conjuration?



Skjaldbakka
2007-11-18, 07:02 AM
What are some good summoning or calling spells for me to use with an 18th level Thaumaturgist's Contingent Conjuration?

Awetugiw
2007-11-18, 03:56 PM
That depends a bit on the type of party you have, and the type of campaign, but usually the normal Summon Monster spells are the best choice.

If your party is caster-heavy, you should probably get yourself 1d4+1 huge earth (or any other element, really) elementals (SM IX), to act as meat (well, stone really) shield. This won't work in confined spaces though, so only use this if you approximately know where you'll be in advance.

1d4+1 avorals (SM IX) is also a pretty good choice. Their spell-like abilities give them a pretty good offense, and their lay on hands ability is also a good thing. (Note that with your augment summoning they can heal more than usual.) I'd use this as my contigent conjuration most of the time, since it gives a lot less trouble with having enough space for the monsters.

Of course both these choices give you a lot of accounting to do. You might make the players and DM (though probably not the characters) happier by summoning just one creature.

If you're willing to spend a level 9 spell on it (And you should, usually), consider an elder elemental for a defensive choice, or a Leonal for a slightly more offensive choice. For lower levels, the pattern continues: elementals for defense, usually something else for offense. (Level 8 has a pretty decent celestial triceratops, level 7 the aforementioned avoral)

There aren't really a lot of useful other high-level summoning spells. There are a couple of high level summoning spells that last 10 minutes per level in the spell compendium, but they take 10 minutes to work, so they aren't really of much use in a contigent conjuration.

I'd stay away from the calling spells myself, as they tend to have XP or material components, which you probably don't want for a contigent conjuration.

-edit: added note about sufficient space.

Armads
2007-11-19, 07:55 AM
How about 1d3 Fiendish Colossal Monstrous Centipedes as meat walls? Make sure you use a ring of mighty summons on them as you prepare the contingency, and sudden maximize the number of centipedes.

Keld Denar
2007-11-19, 08:12 AM
If you are going 9th level spells, take a look at the Elemental Monoliths in Complete Arcane. Summon Elemental Monolith has a duration of round and requires concentration (Sonorous Hum 4tw), BUT they kick major ass.

The air one can spin into a whirlwind that requires huge creatures and smaller to make a DC fourtysomething reflex save or be picked up and tossed about like a ragdoll, taking massive damage. Just 1 of them can cut a massive swath of destuction that make your enemies look like trailer parks.

The Earth monolith is pretty beefy too. Weighing in at somewhere around 300 hp, this bad by comes complete with greatcleave, awesome blow, improved bullrush, Power Attack, and enough hit dice and bonus to hit that he'll pretty much crush everything when he power attacks for full, without fear of missing. For added fun after Sonorous Humming, cast Heroics (SC) to grant your earth monolith any fighter bonus feat he qualifies for. Supreme Cleave grants your elemental the ability to take 5' steps every time he cleave, which can grant him to ability to reach and mow down many foes in a round. Combat Brute (for sundering cleave) lets you hit your enemies weapons so hard, they disintegrate (from his massive +hit and damage) and the force of the blow will probably take your opponents head off as well. Shock Trooper will let your monolith bull rush someone in any direction you choose, allowing you to push even most dragons around as if they were chess pieces. So much fun to be had.

The water one is just as baddass as the air one, provided you are under water. If not, stick to air. Vortex is pretty sick though, as the DCs for a monolith are almost unsaveable.

Avoid the fire one. He's kind of lame. Like the red-headed step-child of the elemental family. For a monolith, you got better choices.