Help Optimizing a Summoner Wizard

[Drago]

I have a fairly simple request; I would like help optimizing a summoner. Now I'll be starting the game at level one, but the DM wants to know all the players' planned builds.

I'm playing a human wizard using the focused specialist (conjuration) and I have access to 2 flaws.

Right now I really just need to know some good feats; as the DM is okay with PRCs being chosen later. I also would not mind some general conjurer optimization.

[Optimystik]

Malconvoker is your go-to summoning PrC. Master Specialist is good too.

[Sc00by]

If you use the conjourer ACF in the SRD you can get augment summoning free. There's also an option there to make summon spells not a full round action, which is more than worth it.
Extend is good too.

tbh If I were making a summoner I'd want druid levels (there's an ACF in the SRD that loses wildshape, but grants Wis bonus to AC, fast movement and some other stuff) for access to the much better at low levels Summon Natures ally. Maybe look to do both and go Arcance Hierophant?

Greenbound and Ashbound summoning are good feats to look at too.

[CubeB]

If you're playing Pathfinder, you may want to consider The Summoner as an alternative based class.

Unfortunately, your Spells Known only go to CL 6 in exchange for a greater focus on summoning. You gain the Summon Monster series of spells (And Gate) as Spell Like Abilities, and you have a persistent, customizable, summoned companion. I'm not sure if it's worth giving up some of your caster progression in exchange for a pet though. (Admittedly, it is a very useful pet. You can use it as a spy, hide inside of it, use it to boost your AC, and even use it as an emergency safety net. Starting at level 14, you can't die as long as it has at least one hit point. At level 20, you can turn into an exact copy of it. But you can't cast wish, so YMMV.)

No matter what base class you pick, Spell Focus (Conjuration) and Augment Summoning would be very useful, as both are required for Malconvoker (And those ability score bonuses for your summons are nice.)

[Fouredged Sword]

Cloudy conjuration is a great feat that lets you use your conjurations to short term debuff foes. Also take the summon elemental reserve feat so you can always throw some magic around.

Also never undersetimate a good illusion for a summoner. It is counter intuitive, but if you got a great bluff from malconvoker you can strech your spells with a few well placed illusions to help out your minions. I would give up enchantment, necromany, and evocation schools and keep illusion for low level SoD and good illusions later.

A greater invisable colosal centipied is a nasty threat.

[Azernak0]

Malconvoker is great. It's got some cool flavor and can still be really useful. You can summon a Vivacious Celestial Dog as a Second Level spell that lasts 10 + Level Rounds, gives Fast Healing 1 to everyone around it, and can do Positive Energy attacks to heal. It's almost completely worthless in combat, but it is great out of combat. Also remember that using Celestial Monkeys to "disarm" traps is very powerful and even if a summon seems pointless, they can clog up the Battlefield and can use Aid Another to give decent bonuses to your friends.

Another option for a Summoner type character is a Binder, though Summoning as a Binder is not available until level at least 10. Binders can summon more often but their summons are not nearly as beefy as a Malconvoker's.

[Drago]

Cloudy conjuration is a great feat that lets you use your conjurations to short term debuff foes. Also take the summon elemental reserve feat so you can always throw some magic around.

Also never undersetimate a good illusion for a summoner. It is counter intuitive, but if you got a great bluff from malconvoker you can strech your spells with a few well placed illusions to help out your minions. I would give up enchantment, necromany, and evocation schools and keep illusion for low level SoD and good illusions later.

A greater invisable colosal centipied is a nasty threat.

I agree wholly with you as far as illusions go, however another player is a sorcorer that is focusing on illusion spells. So as loath as I am to ban illusion I think it is an apporiate chioce for this campiagn. Plus the two of us are the members of our group who really know the system, I'm sure he (and his character) would be more than willing to work together. I forgot about the summoning reserve feat, I'll mark that down as a future feat. Also were is cloudy conjuration from?

CubeB We are actually playing the original pathfinder modules for this campiagn, however we are just using normal 3.5 for it.

Everyone else, thanks I was already thinking of the Malconvoker, with all of your support for it I'll take it as long as the DM will allow it.

[thompur]

There is a Ring in Complete Mage that boosts summoned creatures to Maximum HP at the cost of 1/2 duration. Also be sure to take the Augment Summoning Feat.