Just want to make sure I have this right (Summoning 3.5)

[Chells]

OK spellcaster begins to cast Summon Monster/Natures Ally/etc. It takes 1 round to cast the spell. Lets say he is Init 10, Dex15.

So we go around the table until just before Init 10, Dex 15 and poof the creature(s) appears. It immedietly attacks. If the spell was cast by a 1st level caster (or more precisely if it has a 1 round duration) the creature dissapears as soon as the attack is done.

Now it's the caster's turn, so he gets to act. Also if the spell has more than a 1 round duration, the creature also acts.

At the end of the casters turn we check to see if the creature vanishes.

That is the way it seems to me but I want to make sure since this means that on round 2 the caster acts once and the creature essentally acts twice (which keeps causing my tablemates to squawk).

Thanks

PS. Sorry if this topic has been beaten to death already. I spent 20 minutes looking for a thread that answers this but any search with the word "Summon" in it brings up a massive number of threads.

[Urpriest]

Ah ok, I see the problem here. When the creature appears it doesn't act before you, it acts at the same time as you do. It breaks down like this:

Round 0, Init 10: You begin casting the spell
Round 1, just before Init 10: You finish casting the spell (note that you're still casting during the turns in between)
Round 1, Init 10: Creature appears. Creature takes its turn, you take yours. If creature only lasts for a round, creature winks out at the end of this turn.
Round 2+, Init 10: Creature and you act.

The creature doesn't act twice in one turn.

[Salbazier]

I thought 1 round duration means it ends just before the caster's next turn (round 2, just before init 10).

[tyckspoon]

I thought 1 round duration means it ends just before the caster's next turn (round 2, just before init 10).

It does, which is relevant if you're wanting the summon to be a flanking partner or keep somebody inside threat of an AoO.