Alternative Summon Monster Lists [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alternative Summon Monster Lists [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
hat
08-09-05, 07:10 PM Hi all,

Does anyone know of any 3 or 3.5 Summon Monster lists that contain alternative monsters.

In particular I am trying to find out what Summon Monster spells would be needed to summon all the different Demons and Devils in the Monster Manual, Monster Manual 2 Monster Manual 3, Fiend Folio, Monsters of Faerun etc.

Is there a formulae related to CR or some other way of deciding what is appropriate for each spell level?

Thanks
tarkin
08-09-05, 07:18 PM Basic rule is most of them are innappropriate.

They get way too many special powers.

In 3.0 they had a rule like the one you want, but it was totally overpowered.

Wizards would summon up a set of Formian workers and they would use Cure spells at will, making the Wizard the best healer around.
hat
08-09-05, 07:49 PM Setting aside the appropriateness or inappropriateness of such a rule, does anyone know the mechanics of the 3rd ed. version or better still a 3.5 ed. version of this alternative system?

I recall seeing something in a Dragon Magazine in relation to alternative summoning lists but have forgotten which issue.
mvincent
08-09-05, 07:55 PM The Dark Sun issue of Dragon (or Dungeon, not sure which) had alternate summon tables suited for that setting.
questionc
08-09-05, 10:46 PM I skimmed through the Summon Monster spells and noted the highest CRs I could find in the lists.

Summon Monster I -- Up to CR 1/2
Summon Monster II -- Up to CR 1
Summon Monster III -- Up to CR 3
Summon Monster IV -- Up to CR 4
Summon Monster V -- Up to CR 5
Summon Monster VI -- Up to CR 7
Summon Monster VII -- Up to CR 9
Summon Monster VIII -- Up to CR 11
Summon Monster IX -- Up to CR 13

When I say 'Up to', I just mean that... only up to.

For example, look at Summon Monster IX:
The only CR 13 Monster is Fiendish monstrous spider, Colossal. It is a relatively simple monster whose only threat is it's ability to hit stuff.
Most of the monsters on the IX list are in fact CR 11. Then again, they have more interesting abilities than the spider.

To be honest, I don't see how you could reduce these lists to a simple formula.
hat
08-09-05, 10:53 PM Okay, thanks.

I think I saw something like that in the Dragon Magazine issue I referred to above.

I think they had a list with the CR value of the monsters on the individual spell lists and suggested that you could swap them out for other monsters of a similar power level (CR).

I will have to look deeper into it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
hat 08-09-05, 07:10 PM	Hi all, Does anyone know of any 3 or 3.5 Summon Monster lists that contain alternative monsters. In particular I am trying to find out what Summon Monster spells would be needed to summon all the different Demons and Devils in the Monster Manual, Monster Manual 2 Monster Manual 3, Fiend Folio, Monsters of Faerun etc. Is there a formulae related to CR or some other way of deciding what is appropriate for each spell level? Thanks
tarkin 08-09-05, 07:18 PM	Basic rule is most of them are innappropriate. They get way too many special powers. In 3.0 they had a rule like the one you want, but it was totally overpowered. Wizards would summon up a set of Formian workers and they would use Cure spells at will, making the Wizard the best healer around.
hat 08-09-05, 07:49 PM	Setting aside the appropriateness or inappropriateness of such a rule, does anyone know the mechanics of the 3rd ed. version or better still a 3.5 ed. version of this alternative system? I recall seeing something in a Dragon Magazine in relation to alternative summoning lists but have forgotten which issue.
mvincent 08-09-05, 07:55 PM	The Dark Sun issue of Dragon (or Dungeon, not sure which) had alternate summon tables suited for that setting.
questionc 08-09-05, 10:46 PM	I skimmed through the Summon Monster spells and noted the highest CRs I could find in the lists. Summon Monster I -- Up to CR 1/2 Summon Monster II -- Up to CR 1 Summon Monster III -- Up to CR 3 Summon Monster IV -- Up to CR 4 Summon Monster V -- Up to CR 5 Summon Monster VI -- Up to CR 7 Summon Monster VII -- Up to CR 9 Summon Monster VIII -- Up to CR 11 Summon Monster IX -- Up to CR 13 When I say 'Up to', I just mean that... only up to. For example, look at Summon Monster IX: The only CR 13 Monster is Fiendish monstrous spider, Colossal. It is a relatively simple monster whose only threat is it's ability to hit stuff. Most of the monsters on the IX list are in fact CR 11. Then again, they have more interesting abilities than the spider. To be honest, I don't see how you could reduce these lists to a simple formula.
hat 08-09-05, 10:53 PM	Okay, thanks. I think I saw something like that in the Dragon Magazine issue I referred to above. I think they had a list with the CR value of the monsters on the individual spell lists and suggested that you could swap them out for other monsters of a similar power level (CR). I will have to look deeper into it.