The Summoner is a unique base class in Pathfinder, specializing in summoning and conjuration․ They form a powerful bond with an Eidolon, a customizable outsider companion, and excel in both combat and strategic spellcasting, offering versatile playstyles for players who enjoy controlling the battlefield with summoned allies and powerful magical abilities․
Overview of the Summoner’s Role and Unique Features
The Summoner excels as a master of summoning and conjuration, forming a unique bond with their Eidolon, a powerful, customizable outsider companion․ This class combines spellcasting with strategic summoning, offering versatility in combat and exploration․ The Summoner’s role revolves around controlling the battlefield, summoning creatures, and using their Eidolon for offense, defense, or support․ Their ability to adapt to situations makes them invaluable in parties, blending magical prowess with tactical summoning to overcome challenges effectively․
Key Differences Between the Summoner and Other Classes
The Summoner stands out with their unique Eidolon companion, a customizable outsider that grows in power alongside them․ Unlike classes like the Wizard or Sorcerer, who focus solely on spellcasting, the Summoner balances magic with summoned allies․ While other pet classes exist, the Eidolon’s adaptability and bond with the Summoner make it distinct․ This blend of personal magic and companion-based tactics sets the Summoner apart, offering a versatile playstyle that combines direct magical impact with strategic summoning and companion synergy․
Summoner Class Features
The Summoner wields a unique blend of summoning magic and personal spellcasting, with the Eidolon serving as their loyal, evolving companion․ Class features enhance both the Summoner’s magical prowess and the Eidolon’s combat effectiveness, creating a balanced and versatile playstyle focused on teamwork and strategic adaptability․
Eidolon: The Summoner’s Powerful Companion
The Eidolon is the Summoner’s loyal, otherworldly companion, evolving in power and form as the Summoner progresses․ This customizable creature can take various shapes, from fearsome beasts to towering constructs, and is tailored to the Summoner’s playstyle․ Through evolutions, the Eidolon gains new abilities and enhancements, making it a versatile asset in combat․ Its abilities scale with the Summoner’s level, ensuring it remains a potent ally throughout the campaign․ The Eidolon’s bond with the Summoner is unbreakable, and its actions are seamlessly coordinated, enhancing the party’s overall effectiveness in battle․
Spellcasting and Summoning Abilities
The Summoner excels in spellcasting, with a focus on conjuration and summoning․ They gain access to spells that enhance their Eidolon and control the battlefield․ Key abilities include summoning creatures to aid in combat and persistent area effects․ Their spellcasting progresses steadily, unlocking stronger summoning options․ Strategic use of these abilities ensures the Summoner’s role as a versatile and powerful asset, capable of adapting to various combat scenarios while supporting allies and overwhelming foes with summoned forces․
Class Progression and Ability Score Importance
The Summoner progresses by enhancing their magical prowess and Eidolon abilities․ Charisma is crucial for spellcasting effectiveness, while Constitution boosts survivability․ Early levels focus on spellcasting improvements and summoning capabilities, with key milestones at higher levels․ Ability scores like Dexterity and Wisdom also play roles in combat and perception․ Balancing these scores ensures the Summoner remains effective in both magical and physical aspects of the game, making them a versatile and formidable class․
Eidolon Guide
The Eidolon is the Summoner’s powerful, customizable companion, forming a lifelong bond and evolving in strength․ It serves as both a loyal ally and versatile combatant․
Eidolon Types and Their Specializations
Eidolons come in various types, each with unique strengths․ Combat Eidolons excel in battle, dealing significant damage and withstanding heavy blows․ Support Eidolons focus on aiding allies, providing buffs and healing․ Utility Eidolons excel in skills and exploration, making them invaluable for non-combat tasks․ These specializations, combined with their customizable abilities and evolutions, allow Eidolons to adapt to any role, making them indispensable companions for Summoners․
Eidolon Evolutions and Customization Options
Eidolons can be customized through evolution points, allowing Summoners to tailor their abilities․ Evolutions include natural attacks, flight, and energy-based offensive capabilities․ Summoners can also enhance their Eidolon’s defenses, such as increasing natural armor or granting resistance to specific elements․ Additionally, skill and ability score improvements further refine the Eidolon’s role in combat and exploration․ These customization options ensure each Eidolon is unique, adapting to the Summoner’s playstyle and the party’s needs, making them highly versatile companions․
Advanced Eidolon Strategies and Tactics
Advanced Eidolon tactics involve utilizing their abilities synergistically with the Summoner’s spells․ Positioning the Eidolon to control battlefield chokepoints or protect allies can be crucial․ Using evolutions like flight or high mobility ensures the Eidolon can adapt to dynamic combat situations․ Coordinating attacks with the Summoner’s spellcasting enhances overall effectiveness․ Additionally, leveraging the Eidolon’s unique skills, such as perception or intimidation, can provide strategic advantages outside of direct combat, making them invaluable assets in various scenarios․
Summoner Archetypes
Summoner Archetypes offer diverse playstyles, such as the Synthesist, who merges with their Eidolon, and other variations that enhance summoning abilities, spellcasting, or combat effectiveness uniquely․
Synthesist Archetype: Merging Summoner and Eidolon
The Synthesist archetype allows the summoner to become one with their Eidolon, merging into a single entity․ This unique playstyle enables the summoner to share health and abilities with their Eidolon, creating a powerful synergy․ The Synthesist gains enhanced combat capabilities while retaining spellcasting abilities, making them a formidable force on the battlefield․ This archetype is ideal for players who want a more hands-on approach, blending summoning and personal combat seamlessly․
Other Notable Archetypes and Their Playstyles
Beyond the Synthesist, the Summoner has access to diverse archetypes․ The Unchained Summoner refines Eidolon customization, offering greater flexibility in evolution choices; The Master Summoner enhances summoning spells, increasing their duration and power․ Meanwhile, the Evoker focuses on elemental spellcasting, sacrificing Eidolon abilities for potent magical damage․ Each archetype tailors the Summoner to specific roles, whether as a summoning specialist, a combatant, or a spellcaster, ensuring versatility for any playstyle․
Feats and Spell Selection
Summoners rely on strategic feat and spell choices to enhance their Eidolon and summoning abilities, with key options like Extra Evolution and spell focus (conjuration) proving essential․
Essential Feats for Summoners
Summoners benefit from feats that enhance their Eidolon and summoning prowess․ Extra Evolution allows additional Eidolon upgrades, while Improved Initiative boosts combat readiness․ Augment Summoning increases summoned creatures’ durability, and Spell Focus (Conjuration) improves spellcasting accuracy․ These feats are crucial for maximizing the Summoner’s effectiveness in both combat and strategic play, ensuring their Eidolon and summoned allies perform at their peak potential in various scenarios․
Summoning Spells and Their Strategic Use
Summoning spells are the backbone of a Summoner’s arsenal, offering flexibility in combat and exploration․ Spells like Summon Monster provide combat versatility, while Augment Summoning enhances creature durability․ Strategic use of these spells allows Summoners to adapt to situations, whether summoning allies for offense, defense, or utility․ Mastery of summoning spells ensures the Summoner remains a dynamic force, capable of addressing diverse challenges effectively in any campaign setting․
Optimizing Your Summoner Build
Optimizing a Summoner build involves balancing class features, ability scores, race selection, feats, and spell choices․ Focus on enhancing the Eidolon’s abilities and spellcasting efficiency․ Prioritize Charisma for spellcasting and consider Strength or Dexterity for the Eidolon’s combat effectiveness․ Choose races that offer bonuses to these stats․ Select feats like Extra Evolution or Spell Focus to boost your Summoner’s capabilities․ Experiment with different spell selections and build structures to find the optimal playstyle for your Summoner․
Stat Prioritization and Race Selection
For Summoners, Charisma is the primary ability, as it governs spellcasting and Eidolon abilities․ Strength or Dexterity is also crucial, depending on the Eidolon’s role․ Races like Humans or Half-Elves offer bonuses to Charisma, making them ideal choices․ Tieflings are also strong options due to their innate spellcasting enhancements․ Stat prioritization should focus on maximizing Charisma while ensuring the Eidolon’s combat effectiveness․ Race selection should complement these stats and playstyle preferences, offering additional traits that enhance summoning capabilities and survivability in combat․
Sample Builds for Different Playstyles
- Offensive Eidolon Build: Focus on maximizing damage with a high-Strength Eidolon, using archetypes like the Synthesist to merge with your companion for enhanced combat prowess․
- Defensive Tank Build: Prioritize AC and HP with an Eidolon specialized in protection, making it a formidable frontline defender while you provide support․
- Support Summoner Build: Emphasize utility spells and abilities to buff allies and control the battlefield, with an Eidolon that excels at debuffing enemies․
Advanced Tactics and Tips
The Summoner excels as a master of strategy, combining spellcasting and Eidolon tactics․ Positioning your Eidolon effectively and managing summoning spells wisely can turn the tide of combat․
Mastering Summoner Tactics in Combat
Summoners shine in combat by strategically deploying their Eidolon and summoned creatures․ Use the Eidolon to control key areas or intercept enemies, while reserving summoning spells for critical moments․ Positioning is crucial—keep the Eidolon between foes and allies to protect the party․ Coordinate spellcasting with the Eidolon’s attacks to maximize damage output and create tactical advantages․ Effective communication with teammates ensures optimal use of abilities, making the Summoner a versatile and invaluable asset in any battle scenario․
Maximizing Eidolon Effectiveness
To maximize Eidolon effectiveness, focus on strategic positioning and ability synergy․ Use evolution points to enhance its combat prowess, such as increasing strength for melee or dexterity for ranged attacks․ Ensure the Eidolon is positioned to control chokepoints or protect allies․ Maintain line of sight for spellcasting support and coordinate attacks with the party․ Invest in evolutions that complement the Eidolon’s role, whether tanking, dealing damage, or providing utility, ensuring it remains a formidable and adaptable companion in every encounter․