Summoning that's not broken for level 1+

[PhoenixPhyre]

Prompted by an offhand comment in another thread, but running parallel to a project I'm working on--

what parameters would be needed to allow summoning abilities (spells or otherwise) that start at level 1?

Thoughts--
* No monster book diving. If you want to not be abusable (or not as abusable), they'll have to be standardized stat blocks or at most a fixed list of creatures.
* From a level 1 ability, you shouldn't get more than one creature. In fact, the most abusable forms of the Conjure X line are the "bunches of CR <tiny>" options.
* Probably limited to something equivalent to about CR 1/4.

I'm working on a project (an extension of my "turn the wizard into specialized classes" meta-project) to build a proper summoner. Warlock chassis with a permanent[1] pet, but thematically inverted. Instead of making a pact with a bigger thing to give you power, you are the patron and summoning (either forcibly or not) smaller things to serve you. The "invocations" will be mostly focused on making the pet better or giving synergy with you. Subclasses specializing in a particular "plane"--elementals, fiends (not decided if one subclass for both or separate subclasses), and undead. Leaving celestials and fey out of it because those seem more clerical/druidic respectively.

[1] although I've considered that some of them might treat their pet as disposable, including invocation-replacements that allow it to go boom on death/command. Or maybe have several smaller pets. Either way, the pet will have a lot of their power locked up in it, but be easily replaceable if it dies.

[MrStabby]

I think using your action to command it to attack and concentration should help ensure I doesn't break action economy.

[Amnestic]

Warlock chassis with a permanent[1] pet, but thematically inverted. Instead of making a pact with a bigger thing to give you power, you are the patron and summoning (either forcibly or not) smaller things to serve you. The "invocations" will be mostly focused on making the pet better or giving synergy with you. Subclasses specializing in a particular "plane"--elementals, fiends (not decided if one subclass for both or separate subclasses), and undead. Leaving celestials and fey out of it because those seem more clerical/druidic respectively.

This sounds similar in nature to the Soul Binder (https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-M52cRhAFDI_bXSIPhbJ) homebrew class, if you're not aware of it already.

It's a half-caster, rather than a pact magic full caster which lets it boost the pet power a bit, but I'd be starting there.

[8wGremlin]

Allow them to be spells that target a specific entity.
Allow them to be any class spells

I think we had a thread about a year ago about this as well.
the things were that some creature types were deemed more potent than other types.

So taking the classic Conjure Animals a 3rd level spell that lasts an hour, via concentration. and work back.
at 2nd level you get



One beast of challenge rating 1 or lower
Two beasts of challenge rating 1/2 or lower
Four beasts of challenge rating 1/4 or lower


that means at level 1 you'd get


One beast of challenge rating 1/2 or lower
Two beasts of challenge rating 1/4 or lower


Now that's beast, taking the other types of creatures you'd reduce the number summoned by one category.
So Summon Aberration 1st level would allow you to summon


One Aberration of challenge rating 1/4 or lower


Or Summon ABERRATION, CELESTIAL, CONSTRUCT, DRAGON, ELEMENTAL, FEY, FIEND, GIANT, HUMANOID, MONSTROSITY, OOZE, PLANT, UNDEAD level 1 would be

One <Type> of challenge rating 1/4 or lower


it could be said that Humanoid, and plant might follow the same formula as Summon Beast as on the whole the other types are more potent.

Note that each spell type would be a different spell, so you could learn Summon Dragon 1, and Summon Ooze 1 etc.

[stoutstien]

Action limits I think is the big one. They shouldn't be able to do all that much outside a limited range.

[PhoenixPhyre]

Action limits I think is the big one. They shouldn't be able to do all that much outside a limited range.

For a primary pet class (as in most of the power comes from the pet), I don't want to make the action economy too limiting/clunky. I think the big thing will be to limit what abilities they have access to.

@8wGremlin--I don't think I want to even open the can of worms of allowing free choice from the books. That's broken from the get-go and unstable--each new book makes things worse. Especially for a pet class that's going to use "talents" to modify it (more damage, more health, adding wings, etc).

[sambojin]

Would "Summon Warhorse" be too powerful? It moves a bit too quick, and might hit a bit too hard, but it has plenty of movement and sight and size and HP/AC limitations. Maybe something like this:

Summon Warhorse
-------------------------------
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 30'
Components: V, S, M (a small wooden figurine of a horse)
Duration: 1 hour (requires concentration)
Conjuration school.

You summon a Warhorse for one hour (see MM for stats). You may command it to take any action in its stat-block by using your own bonus action to do so, otherwise it can only take the dodge action. It acts on your turn.

You may enhance the warhorse in several ways, by using extra spell slots when casting the spell to do so. Each level of spell used in this way counts as one spell slot's worth for these purposes. Things marked with (m) may be used multiple times.

1 slot: Add 7HP and +2AC to the Warhorse.(m)
1 slot: The Warhorse gains +2 to all saves.(m)
2 slots: Add +1 to-hit and +1 damage to the Warhorse's attacks.(m)
2 slots: The Warhorse's attacks count as magical.
2 slots: The Warhorse can be one size larger or smaller than usual when summoned.
3 slots: The Warhorse gains Extra Attack.
3 slots: The Warhorse gains a fly and swim speed equal to its movement speed, and can hold its breath for 1 hour.
----------------------

Admittedly it's uber powerful at lvl1, but it really is just a Warhorse (that you could in theory just buy, although this one attacks while being ridden as well). Not really sure on the balance of the abilities, but they sound fair enough. You could dump a lot of spell slots into it for a super steed, or just summon up a pet whenever you need. It can't be up-cast persay, so once you're out of lvl1 slots, it gets pretty pricey.

Probably not exactly what you're looking for, since it's an all-in-one spell, but it would work pretty well. Maybe a bit too well at low levels. It does hamper your action economy a tiny bit with the use of your bonus action (to stop super-DPR martial builds getting the most out of it), but it's a pretty scary spell none-the-less.

Could pretty easily drop it back to Summon Fastieth or Hadrosaurus or Wolf if you think the Warhorse is too good (it probably is). This is for a standard full-caster, not a warlock, but it might even work fairly well for that depending on what beast chassis you want to run it on and the invocations you create (when you blow one of your short-rest spell slots on it, you could simply have the difference from lvl1 as auto-abilities or something). I'd prefer a beast with some kind of built-in ability, so maybe the Fastieth's dodge(?), though tracking 5-6 recharge for dodges is annoying. Trampling charge is a little weaker in combat than Elk charge, so it's great at lvl1, but it tapers off a fair bit after a couple of levels.

If it just said "You summon a Warhorse for one hour", it'd be a pretty good spell. I'd use it.