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Endarire

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LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« on: January 04, 2011, 07:40:35 AM »
LOES (Level One Elemental Spammer OR Lil' Ol' Elemental Summoner) - A Handbook to Elemental Summoning

"Don't get comfy on this plane.  I'll be resummoning you in 24 seconds."

Disclaimer
Not to be confused with Lowe's.  Ahem.

Intro
[spoiler]Elementals, while a common part of the fantasy genre, feel underrepresented in D&D.  This guide focuses on using a 3.5 Conjurer to summon Elementals.  With a bit of effort, Archivists, Clerics, and Bards could do similar things, but Wizards generally make the best LOES.  Note that the acronymn LOES is single and plural, like sheep.  (Pathfinder changes some things, especially helping those relying on summonlings, but that is outside the scope of this guide.)

Elementals are also pure.  They embody the essence of what makes up the fantasy universe; water, air, fire, and earth.  D&D has other elementals, and even a song about them!  Still, an Elemental's role is mostly as a meat shield, or a trap triggerer, or a means of lighting fires, or a means of dousing fires.

For a summoning-focused build, there will be plenty of times when summoning a non-Elemental is better than summoning an Elemental.  That's just how it goes.  For example, summon monster III can give you a Small Elemental or a Fiendish Dire Bat.  The Dire Bat has 40' blindsense and can unquestionably carry a Medium or smaller rider.  A Small Elemental may be able to set off a trap, but that's it.[/spoiler]

Links
[spoiler]
-Feat Finder (RealmsHelps): Find the full text of most feats!

-Greenbound & Ashbound SNA Summonling List: Includes full stats for all core summon nature's ally creatures affected by Greenbound Summoning or/and Ashbound.

-IMarvinTPA's D&D Database: Has short descriptions of seemingly every official spell and some unofficial.  Also has short magic item descriptions, domains, and lots more!

-Improved Elemental Summoning Feat: Homebrew, but meant for dedicated Elemental summoners.  If allowed, take this instead of Augment Elemental.  [BG]

-Malconvoker Report, Endarire's Edition:  Lists the best creatures to bind with the planar binding series.  Includes my revisions.

-Mastering the Malconvoker: Treantmonk inspired this guide and this build.  Thank you!  [BG]

-Optimized Initiative Compilation: Going first ensures you get a turn.  Besides, the sooner you go, the more you can control!

-Practical Demonkeeping (A Summoner's Guide to the Lower Planes): Sometimes, you want to summon demons, devils, and daemons.  Malconvoker abilities typically work on these folk.  [BG]

-Raising Caster Level: CL affects your summonlings' duration, ability to be dispelled, and perhaps their HP also.

-Rising Above (A Summoner's Guide to the Upper Planes): Sometimes, you want to summon celestials.  Typically, Malconvoker abilities don't apply. [BG]

-SRD: 3.5, Pathfinder

-Summoning Handbook: General advice to summoners.  Heavy emphasis on summon nature's ally.  [WotC]

-Treantmonk's Guide to Pathfinder Wizards: Being a God: Just in case you need it.  [Google Docs]

-Treantmonk's Guide to Wizards: Being a GOD: What more is there to say?  [WotC]

-Walking the Line (A Summoner's Guide to the Middle Planes): Summoning neutral creatures.  Typically, Malconvoker abilities don't apply.  May this guide aid in the completion of Walking the Line.  [BG][/spoiler]

Credits
[spoiler]Jesus.  Yes, THAT Jesus!: Father, thank you for encouraging me in this, even when I should have been doing DM prep.[/spoiler]

How This Works
[spoiler]Ever want to have a pet elemental?  Ever want to use the Summon Elemental reserve feat (Complete Mage 47) at a time when the elemental is a viable combatant?

Your dream is now a reality.

This build focuses on summoning creatures, especially Elementals.  The term "Elemental" could refer to either creatures listed under "Elemental," or any creature of the Elemental type.  I interpret "Elemental" to mean "Any creature with the Elemental type."

Summon monster seems to support my definition of "Elemental," since summon monster III says "Elemental, Small (any)," and there are no other summonable creatures of the Elemental type.[/spoiler]

Ratings
[spoiler]BLUE: Excellent.  Almost always the default choice.
NAVY: Generally solid.  A worthy choice in most circumstances.
BLACK: A niche choice, or an ability that requires favorable DM interpretation to work well.
RED: Extremely niche, or utter crap.  I cannot recommend this if there is something better available.
UNDERLINE: Link
[/spoiler]

Races as Elemental Summoners
[spoiler]
General Race Notes
Summoners are feat-heavy.  There are so few classes that give worthy class features to summoners, and fewer still that progress casting while doing it.

These are your priorities, approximiately in this order:
-Bonus Feats.  Summoning is feat-intensive!
-Bonus to Primary Casting Stat
-DEX or CON Bonus
-Other

Race Ratings
Aleithian Dwarf: Medium, -4 CHA, +2 CON/INT
A Dwarf made to be a Wizard!  Woohoo!  If this also had a bonus feat, I'd call it the race.  As-is, it's generally better than a Gray Elf.

Gray Elf: Medium, -2 STR/CON, +2 DEX/INT
I like the +2 INT (which should stack with the Fire racial variant), but in most cases, I'd prefer the bonus feat.

Human: Medium, Bonus Feat
You get a bonus feat and bonus skill points.

Strongheart Halfling: Small, -2 STR, +2 DEX, Bonus Feat
You get a bonus feat, +2.DEX, Small size, and the ability to ride in your Elementals starting from L1.  I prefer the Strongheart Halfling to Human because I'm less likely to get squished (+2 AC, +1 initiative, and +4 Hide, all else equal).[/spoiler]

Base Classes as Elemental Summoners
[spoiler]Archivist (Heroes of Horror 82)
You can learn any divine spell (which turns out to be any spell with enough tricks) and you have more HP and a higher Fort save than a typical Conjurer, but fewer notable class features.

The main reason to be a summon-heavy Archivist is for summon nature's ally spells at low levels and summon monster at high levels.  Archivist11's Dread Secret is a major plus.

Why the switch?

Summon nature's ally II can get yas a Small Elemental, while you'd need to wait 'til summon monster III for a Small Elemental.  In general, SNA gets Elemental access a spell level or 2 sooner.

Until spell level 5, summon nature's ally gets you the meat shields.  Starting at spell level 5, spell-like abilities gained from summon monster become more available and important.

(Cloistered) Cleric
You're in a similar situation to the Archivist.  You potentially have a smaller spell selection, but no Dread Secret.  The Cleric and Archivist have very similar PrC and feat options, though Clerics have native access to Divine Metamagic.

Druid
Druids do many if not most things well, but outside core, their Elemental summoning abilities are questionable.  Druids are often excellent summoners, but other creatures gotten by summon nature's ally are often far better.

On the upside, summon nature's ally II can get yas a Small Elemental, while you'd need to wait 'til summon monster III for a Small Elemental.  In general, SNA gets Elemental access a spell level or 2 sooner.

Also, Druids can get Summon Elemental (Complete Mage 47), despite my initial misreading.  It's still handy, but lacks the Malconvoker oomph that seems to justify this feat late-game.

That's the good news.

Druids miss out on native Malconvoker access, two major reasons to be an Elemental summoner.  While they get the Ashbound feat (Eberron Campaign Setting 50), that's their only unique feature relating to Elemental summoning.

Wizard (Conjurer)
Very spiffy.  You can take Abrupt Jaunt (Player's Handbook II 70) to almost ensure your survival.  You can also access these Conjurer variants; Rapid Summoning, Enhanced Summoning, and Spontaneous Summoning.  Those who really, really want to get more Conjuration spell slots should consider Focused Specialist (Complete Mage 34), though I'm rarely a fan.

Wizards also get access to spiffy arcane-only PrCs, including the Incantatrix (Player's Guide to Faerun 61), Master Specialist (Complete Mage 70), and Archmage.

Wizard (Other)
You get most the Wizard goodies, but not the Conjurer-only variants.  If you're a Wizard who wants to emphasize Elemental summoning, why are you not a Conjurer?

Other Classes
Sorcerers, Bards, and some other classes can summon Elementals.  Mechanically, there's no great reason for these classes to do so.  Maybe you can convince me otherwise.[/spoiler]

Alternative Class Features
[spoiler]Abrupt Jaunt (Conjurer1, Lose Familiar, Player's Handbook II 70)
EFFECT: As an IMMEDIATE ACTION, teleport up to 10' away.  You can teleport outside line of effect with this!  Usable INT bonus times/day!

This prevents you from being hit and lets you jaunt through floors, walls, doors, walls of force, prismatic spheres, and any place where your teleportation magic normally works.

Probably not allowed by your local DM, and for good reason!  Were this a Conjurer10 ability, it would probably still be worthwhile!

Domain Granted Power (Wizard5/10/15/20, Lose Bonus Feat, Complete Champion 52)
EFFECT: Gain the granted power of one Cleric domain.  Use your Wizard level instead of your Cleric level for level-dependent effects.

I prefer Domain Granted Power: Travel for contingent freedom of movement 5 rounds/day.  It helps prevent me from stepping in my own spells, and is insurance against my enemies.  If your DM doesn't frequently use movement impairing effects, get something else.

Enhanced Summoning (Conjurer1, Lose Scribe Scroll)
EFFECT: Gain Augment Summoning and skip the feat prereq.  Booyah!

Competes with Martial Wizard for Scribe Scroll.

Focused Specialist (Specialist Wizard1, Lose 1 extra school, Lose 1 general spell slot/spell level, Gain 2 specialty slots/spell level, Complete Mage 34)
EFFECT: Gain more specialist slots (assumedly Conjuration slots for summoning and crowd control) and lose generalist slots.

I know this means more spells/day, but I like my generalist slots!  As a Conjurer, I want Transmutation spells, too!

Still, many consider the sacrifice worthwhile; thus, my ranking.

Martial Wizard (Wizard1/5/10/15/20, Lose Scribe Scroll and Wizard Bonus Feats, Gain Fighter Bonus Feats)
EFFECT: If you're wise, you use this to take Improved Initiative, Battle Jump, or a high importance prereq.

Martial Wizard still allows you to trade your Wizard1/5/10/15/20 for other things, like Domain Granted Power (Complete Champion 52) or reserve feats as if they were Wizard feats.

Competes with Enhanced Summoning for Scribe Scroll.

Planar Wizard (Wizard10, Lose Wizard10 Bonus Feat Planar Handbook 36)
EFFECT: All your spells gain an alignment descriptor (Chaotic/Evil/Good/Lawful), regardless of your alignment.  Gain slight bonuses to DC and SR breaching against creatures of the opposing alignment.

Choose the [Evil] descriptor.  It's the best of the bunch for you.  That way, you can apply Malconvoker goodies to Elementals you summon.  Like it or not, this is the ONLY way by the rules as written for you to do so.

Ask your DM if you can instead skip this step and just let your Malconvoker abilities apply to Elementals.  If not and you still want to combine yummy Malconvoker stuff with Elementals, this is the only way.

Rapid Summoning (Conjurer1, Lose Familiar)
EFFECT: You cast summon monster spells as standard actions, but your summonlings can only take a standard action on their first turn.

Worth it for rapid reinforcement.  You must be a diehard summoner to choose this over Abrupt Jaunt if both are allowed.[/spoiler]
Hood - My first answer to all your build questions; past, present, and future.

Speaking of which:
Don't even need TO for this.  Any decent Hood build, especially one with Celerity, one-rounds [Azathoth, the most powerful greater deity from d20 Cthulu].
Does it bug anyone else that we've reached the point where characters who can obliterate a greater deity in one round are considered "decent?"

Endarire

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LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2011, 07:41:00 AM »
Prestige Classes for Elemental Summoners
[spoiler]Archmage - Requires Knowledge (Arcana) 15 Ranks, Spellcraft 15 Ranks, Skill Focus: Spellcraft and Spell Focus x2, and- just be a Conjurer, already!
NOTABLE BENEFITS:
-Mastery of Shaping: Poke holes in your crowd control spells!

-Spell-like Ability: time stop is one of my faves.  No one can counterspell you!

-Spell Power: +1 CL helps.

NOTABLE DRAWBACKS:
-3 feats to enter seems much.  For you, Spell Focus: Conjuration is assumed.  With Master Conjurer, you get Skill Focus: Spellcraft.

-Late entry.  Entering at level 14 at soonest means that most games won't reach here.

-Each special ability costs you at least one spell slot.  At least you can pay in specialty slots!

EXPIRATION DATE
-As many levels as you find useful.  Most likely, that's 1, 2, or 3.

Incantatrix - Requires Concentration 4 Ranks, Knowledge (Arcana) 8 Ranks, Spellcraft 8 Ranks, Iron Will, a metamagic feat, and opposing one additional school like a specialist Wizard does
BEFORE YOU ENTER
-Ask your DM whether you can still cast spells you know from the school you forbid upon entering Incantatrix.  The rules are unclear on this.

NOTABLE BENEFITS:
-Metamagic feats at levels 1, 4, 7, and 10.

-Cooperative Spell: With a Spellcraft check, use your metamagic feats on allies' spells without affecting the spell slot level.  Works best with Persistent Spell.

-Metamagic Effect: With a Spellcraft check, use your metamagic feats on ANY spells or ongoing magic effects without affecting the spell slot level.  Works best with Persistent Spell.

NOTABLE DRAWBACKS:
-You oppose another school.  It's unclear whether you can still cast spells you know from that school.  Losing 4 schools hurts for a Focused Specialist.

-No abilities specifically for summoners (hence the rating), but this PrC is better in almost all ways than straight Wizard or Sorcerer!

EXPIRATION DATE
-As many levels as you find useful.  Most likely, that's 1, 3, 4, 7, or 10.

Malconvoker (Complete Scoundrel 48) - Requires a Non-Evil Alignment, Bluff 4 Ranks, Knowledge (Planes) 4 Ranks, Augment Summoning, Spell Focus: Conjuration, ability to speak Celestial & Infernal, and the ability to cast summon monster III
BEFORE YOU ENTER
-Ask your DM whether the Malconvoker's summoning enhancers work on all Elementals as well as Evil creatures.  If so, this PrC is blue.  Since you're so focused on summoning, Malconvoker is at least navy.

-Read and understand Treantmonk's Mastering the Malconvoker.

NOTABLE BENEFITS:
-If you pass a Bluff check, your Evil summons are Extended.  At L4, these summons also get +2 weapon damage and +2 HP/HD.  At L5, you summon one additional Evil creature.

NOTABLE DRAWBACKS:
-You lose a caster level @1!  You must greatly want in to accept this loss!

-By default, Malconvoker abilities don't apply to all your Elementals.  Instead, they apply only to Belkers, Elemental Grues, and Living Holocausts.  See the Favorite Summonlings section for details.

EXPIRATION DATE
-5.  If you want to focus on calling elementals too, 8.

Master Conjurer (Complete Mage 70) - Requires Knowledge (Arcana) 5 Ranks, Spellcraft 5 Ranks, Spell Focus: Conjuration, ability to cast L2 arcane spells, and you must be a Conjurer
BEFORE YOU ENTER
-Ask your DM if you're using Complete Mage errata.  If not, you can learn any Conjuration spell of a level you can cast at Master Conjurer2/5/8.

NOTABLE BENEFITS:
-L1: Skill Focus: Spellcraft.  Whee!
-L4: Summonlings and called creatures get +your CL in HP
-L6: +1 Conjuration CL
-L9: +1 Conjuration CL
-L10: 3/day cast a standard action Conjuration spell as a swift action.

NOTABLE DRAWBACKS:
-Master Conjurer is pretty good for a dip, but not for the long haul, unless you take all 10 levels and greatly want the L10 ability.

-With access to all of D&D 3.5, you have these other PrCs competing for your time.

EXPIRATION DATE
-1 for Skill Focus: Spellcraft, 4 for the Minor School Esoterica, or L10 for the 3/day Quicken.  I recommend 1, or if your guys greatly would like the HP, then 4.

Paragnostic Apostle (Complete Champion 94) - Requires Knowledge (Arcana) 5 Ranks, Knowledge (Planes) 6 Ranks, Knowledge (Religion) 5 Ranks, ability to use L3 spells or spell-like abilities, and you must be part of the Paragnostic Assembly (Complete Champion 72)
BEFORE YOU ENTER
-Ask your DM about the Paragnostic Assembly (Complete Champion 72).  Sometimes, DMs enforce organization reqs.

-Does the fast healing stack with a creature's existing fast healing?

NOTABLE BENEFITS:
-L1: Your Conjuration (Summoning) summonlings get fast healing 2.  This increases by 1/3CL (max fast healing 5).
-L2: If you have Knowledge (Engineering) 5 ranks, your spells that grant an armor bonus to AC give +2 armor AC.  I consider it meh, but some people want to use mage armor or greater mage armor (Spell Compendium 136) on their summonlings or themselves.

-With Heighten Spell and Metamagic School Focus (Complete Mage 46), you can enter this PrC at L3!

NOTABLE DRAWBACKS:
-There's only one compelling ability for you.  Oh well.

EXPIRATION DATE
-1 for most people.  2 for AC enthusiasts.[/spoiler]

Summoner Feats
[spoiler]Ashbound (Eberron Campaign Setting 50) - Requires the ability to spontaneously cast summon nature's ally
EFFECT: Summon nature's ally summonlings get +3 accuracy and double duration.  

Handy for all summoner Druids.  If only it worked on all class's summonlings!

Augment Elemental (Magic of Eberron 46) - Requires Knowledge (Planes) 2 Ranks
EFFECT: Elementals you summon get +2 enhancement accuracy and damage and 2 temp HP/HD.

The sooner you take Augment Elemental, the better.  It's a spiffy boost, but there may be far better feats for your caster in general by the time you could get this.

If you can take Improved Elemental Summoning, take that instead!

Augment Summoning - Requires Spell Focus: Conjuration OR Enhanced Summoning OR the Dragon Below Domain (Eberron Campaign Setting 106)
EFFECT: ALL your summonlings get +4 enhancement STR and +4 enhancement CON.

ALL Elemental summoners need this, and Augment Summoning is an expected part of any summoner build!

Divine Metamagic (Complete Divine 80) - Requires another metamagic feat, the ability to cast divine spells, and the ability to turn or rebuke undead
EFFECT: Apply Divine Metamagic to another metamagic feat you know.  At cast time, you can spend turn attempts equal to 1 + the metamagic's slot level adjustment to cast this spell with no slot adjustment.

Best effects: Heigthen for reserve feats (but see Controversies, below), Persistent for buffs and 24 hour-long Summon Elemental pets, and Quicken for extra in-combat actions.

Easy Metamagic [Metamagic] ("Dragon #325") - Requires another metamagic feat
EFFECT: One metamagic feat you know has its slot cost reduced by 1 (minimum +1 slot level).

Handy with Quicken and Persist.  Nasty on Fell Drain (Libris Mortis 27).

Fell Drain [Metamagic] (Libris Mortis 27)
EFFECT: Whenever your spell does damage, it also inflicts a negative level.  +2 slot levels

Suddenly, that flock of low-level summons is a lot more deadly!  Couple with Easy Metamagic or Practical Metamagic to make this feat practical.  Combine with Metamagic School Focus to reduce costs to +0 on occasion

Heighten Spell
EFFECT: Spells are in all regards considered a spell of this higher level.  Use it to meet prereqs early.

Combine with Divine Metamagic or Metamagic School Focus to qualify for reserve feats early, like Summon Elemental at L1.

Using Divine Metamagic (Heighten) for early entry is debatable, however.

Improved Elemental Summoning (Homebrew) - Requires Knowledge (Planes) 2 Ranks
EFFECT: Most Elementals you summon are one step up (Greater instead of Huge, for example) and you can summon more of them at a time.

I made this feat because I tired of Elementals being ineffective by the time I could summon them.  Here you go!

Imbued Summoning [Metamagic] - Requires Augment Summoning[/u] and Spell Focus: Conjuration[/b]
EFFECT: When you summon a creature, it's instantly buffed with a L3- melee touch spell you have prepared, +1 spell slot level.

As-is, you're spending a low level touch range buff spell and a higher level slot for your summonlings and and action and possibly a spell slot to summon something.  There are times when this is useful, but save this for the spontaneous casters built for it.

If you can bypass the spell slot level adjustment, this feat is black.  If you can bypass the slot adjustment, the buff spell level restriction, and the buff spell range constraint, this feat is navy.

Improved Initiative [Fighter]
EFFECT: +4 initiative.

If you go first, you are guaranteed a turn!  Start the fight off right by your uber initiative!

Invisible Spell [Metamagic] (Cityscape 27), Requires another metamagic feat
EFFECT: Your summonlings and other spell effects are invisible akin to greater invisibility!  +0 slot levels!

Whoever wrote this feat probably didn't expect invisible summonlings.  Most Monster Manual or stock creatures would need true seeing, blinsight, or blindsense to detect your summonling.  Wow!

Invisible creatures attack against flat-foot AC and get +2 accuracy.

Metamagic School Focus: Conjuration - Requires Spell Focus: Conjuration OR a that you be a Conjurer
EFFECT: 3/day reduce the cost of a metamagic feat you know by 1 slot level to a minimum of +0 slot levels.

Woohoo!  Heighten Spell with this feat makes spamming the Summon Elemental reserve feat possible!

This feat is still useful in the expected sense.   Apply it to Fell Drain to make your summonlings bestow negative levels.  Use it on Imbued Summoning to make Imbued Summoning less burdensome.

I'm sure you can find some other uses for this feat.

Persistent Spell (Complete Arcane 81) - Requires Extend Spell
EFFECT: Spells you cast with a fixed range or a personal range instead last 24 hours.  +6 (!) slot levels

1: Ask your DM if "touch" spells work with this feat.  If so, its rating goes up greatly.

2: If you can avoid paying more spell slots or higher level spell slots, this feat is wonderful!  See Incantatrix's Cooperative Metamagic and Metamagic Effect abilities and the feat Divine Metamagic for details.

If you can't avoid such costs, you must either greatly reduce this feat's slot adjustment or ignore it.  +6 slot levels is almost never worth it!

Practical Metamagic [Metamagic] (Races of the Dragon 101) - Requires (Dragonblood) subtype, Spellcraft 8 Ranks, a metamagic feat, and the ability to spontaneously cast L3 spells
EFFECT: One metamagic feat you know has its slot cost reduced by 1 (minimum +1 slot level).

Handy with Quicken and Persist.  Go Dragonborn to meet the Dragonblood prereq.

Practiced Spellcaster (Eberron Campaign Setting 50) - Requires Spellcraft 4 Ranks
EFFECT: Your caster level in the chosen class increases by 4 to a maximum of your HD.

This is slightly helpful for Malconvokers.  Combine with Spellgifted for best effect.

Quicken Spell
EFFECT: You can cast spells with a casting time of 1 round or less as swift actions.  +4 slot levels

Best used on buffs or crowd control spells once you can cast level 5 or 6 spells.  Wizards are known for having a blah level 6 spell selection, at least in core.

The black rating is from needing to wait so long, and from which spells you cast with it.

Rashemi Elemental Summoning (Unapproachable East 45) - Requires Spellcaster Level 5
EFFECT: Air elementals you summon gain the Orglash template, allowing them to cast cone of cold 3/day, among other things.  Your summoned earth elementals gain the Thomil template, granting them slight defensive bonuses (+2 natural AC, DR 10/magic, cold resist 5, and SR of 5 + their HD) and some other goodies.

With the Summon Elemental reserve feat, air elementals become blasters!  Stay out of their way or use anticold sphere (Spell Compendium 13) to become cold damage immune.

Summon Elemental [Reserve] (Complete Mage 47) - Requires L4 Spellcasting and a spell slot dedicated to a summoning spell
EFFECT: You can spam a Small Elemental (water, air, fire, or earth) with a 30' tether.  Its duration is 1 round of the highest level summoning spell you have in resesrve.  This increases to a Medium Elemental with a L6 spell and a Large Elemental with a L8 spell.

One of the major points of this guide is using the reserve Elemental ASAP!  Combine this feat with Heighten Spell and Metamagic School Focus: Conjuration to start spamming Elementals at level 1!

Water Devotion (Complete Champion 64)
EFFECT: Once per day as a standard action (and more if you ignore Complete Champion errata), any character can dump out a full waterskin to summon a Small water elemental for 1 minute.  This Elemental becomes Medium at L6, Large at L11, and Huge at L16.

This feat is cool!  Now anyone can summon a water elemental, if only for a short time!  Since it's summoned, other summon boosters (just about everything in this guide) apply.

If you play with Complete Champion errata, you're limited to using this feat 1/day.  You can retake the feat to gain another daily use each time, but it ain't worth it.

If you ignore the errata (which I recommend), you can spend a turn or rebuke undead attempt to summon another water elemental.[/spoiler]

Summoner Items
[spoiler]Ehlonna's Brooch - Masterwork Holy Symbol (350G, Requires Patron Deity: Ehlonna, Complete Champion 134)
EFFECT: Summonlings have +1 HP/HD.  These are real HP, not temporary HP.

Note that this is a nonmagical item.

Metamagic Rod: Chain (14,000G Lesser, 54,000G Normal, 121,500G Greater, Magic Item Compendium 165)
EFFECT: Chain Spell 3/day.  Lesser rods work on spell levels 3-, normals on L6-, and greaters on L9-.  You need only possess this rod to benefit from it.  You may only use no more than one metamagic rod per spell.

Give your party nerveskitter (Spell Compendium 146) with this.  If you can afford it, polymorph your party or/and army into something nasty, like hydras, including pyrohydras or cryohydras as appropriate.

Metamagic Rod: Extend (3000G Lesser, 11,000G Normal, 24,500G Greater)
EFFECT: Extend Spell 3/day.  Lesser rods work on spell levels 3-, normals on L6-, and greaters on L9-.  You need only possess this rod to benefit from it.  You may only use no more than one metamagic rod per spell.

Handy for making crowd control spells, buffs, or summons last just a bit longer.

Metamagic Rod: Quicken (35,000G Lesser, 75,500G Normal, 170,000G Greater)
EFFECT: Quicken Spell 3/day.  Lesser rods work on spell levels 3-, normals on L6-, and greaters on L9-.  You need only possess this rod to benefit from it.  You may only use no more than one metamagic rod per spell.

Very expensive, but possibly cheaper than the spell slots.  The lesser is probably the best deal, so you can drop a mass buff or distracting summon or a crowd control spell in a pinch.

Metamagic Rod: Reach (9000G Lesser, 32,500G Normal, 73,00G Greater, Magic Item Compendium 165)
EFFECT: Reach Spell 3/day.  Lesser rods work on spell levels 3-, normals on L6-, and greaters on L9-.  You need only possess this rod to benefit from it.  You may only use no more than one metamagic rod per spell.

Give summons touch buffs at range, such as cat's grace or barkskin.  If you have Augment Summoning (and you should!), your summonlings already have the effects of bull's strength and bear's endurance.

See Treantmonk's Guide to Wizards for spell ratings and descriptions.

Orange Ioun Stone (30,000G)
EFFECT: +1 CL.  Only one orange ioun stone affects you at a time.

Ring of Arcane Might (20,000G, Complete Arcane 144)
EFFECT: +1 CL on arcane spells.  Only one of these items affects you at a time.

Ring of Mighty Summons (14,000G, Complete Mage 127)
EFFECT: Summonlings have max HP per HD, but their duration is halved.[/spoiler]

Wondrous Locations
[spoiler]Metamagic Storm (Requires 1 Metamagic Feat, 5000G, Lasts 1 Year, Complete Mage 151)
EFFECT: Get a metamagic feat for 1 year*.

Sometimes, you really want another metamagic feat for cheap.  This can do it.

*The metamagic feat granted by a Metamagic Storm can't be used as a prereq.  You must meet all prereqs for the bonus metamagic feat before choosing it.

Otyugh Hole (3000G, Lasts Permanently, Complete Scoundrel 151)
EFFECT: You get Iron Will, qualifying you for Incantatrix.  Yay!  You also get +2 Will from this feat.  Yay!

Worldmeet Glade (18,000G, Lasts 1 Year, Complete Mage 157)
EFFECT: Summonlings get +2 HP/HD and +2 on damage rolls and d20 rolls.[/spoiler]

Favorite Summonlings
[spoiler]Belkers: [Large], [Evil], [Air], [Sense Motive +0]
Evil Large Air Elementals in Core.  Woohoo!

Elemental Monoliths (Complete Arcane 156-160): [Colossal], [Neutral], [Air/Earth/Fire/Water], [+15 Sense Motive]
Normally, you need to maintain concentration to summon these, but they're more painful than they may seem.  You can use gate to bring in something far more powerful, but that costs XP.  See the spell summon elemental monolith on Complete Arcane 124 for details.

Elemental Grues [Medium] (Complete Arcane 153-156): [Medium], [Evil], [Air/Earth/Fire/Water], [+0 Sense Motive]
They're evil and Elementals.  All your summoning augments apply!  Air and Earth Grues are my favorite for natural invisibility and sneak attack respectively.

Living Holocausts (Fiend Folio 117): [Small], [Evil], [Air & Fire], [+21 Sense Motive (!)]
If you're mean, you'll spam these at level 1.  They're [Air] and [Fire], meaning Rashemi Elemental Summoning applies.  They're Evil, meaning Malconvoker goodies apply.  Beware their +21 Sense Motive!

Storm Elementals (Monster Manual III 48-49): [Small to Huge], [Neutral], [Air], [+0 Sense Motive]
Once per round, they can shock someone within 10' as a free action.  Also, once per minute (probably once per summon) they can do a 60' radius sonic AoE (Fort half) and a 120' line of electricity (Reflex half).  Especially at low levels, this is a lot of damage.

They're Elementals with the [Air] descriptor, which may make them Air Elementals for purposes of Summon Elemental.  Also, the summon spells say Small Elemental (any), but Storm Elementals can be summoned 1 spell level later.  Ask your DM at which levels you can summon Storms.

Thoqqua: [Medium], [Neutral], [Earth & Fire], [+1 Sense Motive]
They're core Earth Elementals with tremorsense and a 2d6 fire slam.  (Not even the standard Earth Elementals have tremorsense!  How do they know where they're goin' when they earth glide?)[/spoiler]

Sample Build
[spoiler]Dragonborn Fire Strongheart Halfling Conjurer5/Malconvoker5/Incantatrix4/Paragnostic Apostle1/Master Conjurer1/Archmage3/X1

You NEED at least 3 feats @1 for this build to work.  More feats are better, of course.

Decide whether you want Abrupt Jaunt (Player's Handbook II 70) or Rapid Summoning.

Dragonborn and Fire are optional, though recommended.  Skip Dragonborn @1 if you're Fire and plan to have your fire elementals carry you.

1: {Aggressive}, {Murky-Eyed}, {Noncombatant}
1: [Abrupt Jaunt (Player's Handbook II 70) OR Rapid Summoning], [Augment Summoning - Lose Scribe Scroll]
1: Augment Elemental OR Improved Elemental Summoning (Homebrew), Heighten Spell, Metamagic School Focus: Conjuration, Summon Elemental
3: [Iron Will from O Hole], Spell Focus: Conjuration
5: [Granted Domain Power: Travel]
6: [Deceptive Summons: Summonlings get free Extend Spell], Rashemi Elemental Summoning
7: [Learn planar binding series]
8: [Skill Focus: Bluff]
9: [Deceptive Summons: Summonlings get +2 HP/HD, +2 Damage], -=FEAT=-
10: [Fiendish Legion: +1 Evil Summonling Summoned]
11: [@METAMAGIC FEAT@]
12: [Cooperative Metamagic], -=FEAT=-
13: [Metamagic Effect]
14: [@METAMAGIC FEAT@]
15: [Skill Focus: Spellcraft], -=FEAT=-
16: [Call of Worlds: Summonlings have Fast Healing 5]
17: [Spell-like Ability: TIME STOP]
18: [Spell Power OR Mastery of Shaping]
19: [Spell Power OR Mastery of Shaping]
20: [Whatever]

-=FEAT POOL=-
-Improved Elemental Summoning: Homebrew, but meant for dedicated Elemental summoners.  If allowed, take this instead of Augment Elemental.
-Improved Initiative.  Yum.
-Martial Stance
-Martial Study
-Practiced Spellcaster
-Spell Focus
-Sudden Empower
-Sudden Maximize

@METAMAGIC FEAT POOL@
-Easy Metamagic
-Extend Spell
-Fell Drain.  On summonlings.  Yeah.
-Persistent Spell
-Quicken Spell[/spoiler]

Spiffy Tricks
[spoiler]Buff your summons!  Your Elementals may only be around for a few rounds, but it may be viable to buff them.  For example, summon something on round 1 and haste your army and your party on round 2.  Perhaps a Cleric will buff your summonlings, too!

Cone of Cold Spam: Take Rashemi Elemental Summoning.  Summon an Elemental with the [Air] subtype.  Have it use cone of cold.  Summon another when done.

Fell Drain Antics
Get Fell Drain to +0 or +1 slot levels and summon something with a buncha attacks.  Each time the target is damaged, it takes a negative level!

Invisible Spell Antics
This feat is +0 slot levels!  Most creatures can only sense your summonlings through true seeing, blindsense, or blindsight!  Whee!

Persistent Pet Elemental
Use Persistent Spell with Metamagic Effect to make your Summon Elemental pet last all day!  (The pet has a 30' leash.)

Buffing your elemental becomes more appealing when you know it'll be around!

The Living Holocaust @1
Fiend Folio 117 has this CR13 Small Air Elemental.  You can summon a Small Air Elemental with Summon Elemental.  I advise ONLY using this to utterly surprise your opposition.[/spoiler]

Controversies
[spoiler]
What is an "Elemental?"
The term "Elemental" could refer to either creatures listed under "Elemental," or any creature of the Elemental type.  I interpret "Elemental" to mean "Any creature with the Elemental type."

Summon monster seems to support my definition of "Elemental," since summon monster III says "Elemental, Small (any)," and there are no other summonable creatures of the Elemental type.

When can I summon a Storm Elemental (Monster Manual III 48)?
They're Elementals with the [Air] descriptor, which may make them Air Elementals for purposes of Summon Elemental.  Also, the summon spells say Small Elemental (any), but Storm Elementals can be summoned 1 spell level later.  Ask your DM at which levels you can summon Storms.

Divine Metamagic (Heighten Spell) - What's it do?
Seemingly, I can use this to meet spellcasting requirements early.  If so, hello reserve feats! [/spoiler]
« Last Edit: August 18, 2016, 05:31:18 AM by Endarire »
Hood - My first answer to all your build questions; past, present, and future.

Speaking of which:
Don't even need TO for this.  Any decent Hood build, especially one with Celerity, one-rounds [Azathoth, the most powerful greater deity from d20 Cthulu].
Does it bug anyone else that we've reached the point where characters who can obliterate a greater deity in one round are considered "decent?"

Endarire

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2011, 07:41:14 AM »
Reserved!
Hood - My first answer to all your build questions; past, present, and future.

Speaking of which:
Don't even need TO for this.  Any decent Hood build, especially one with Celerity, one-rounds [Azathoth, the most powerful greater deity from d20 Cthulu].
Does it bug anyone else that we've reached the point where characters who can obliterate a greater deity in one round are considered "decent?"

Endarire

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #3 on: January 04, 2011, 07:41:30 AM »
Reserved 2: The placeholder sequel!
Hood - My first answer to all your build questions; past, present, and future.

Speaking of which:
Don't even need TO for this.  Any decent Hood build, especially one with Celerity, one-rounds [Azathoth, the most powerful greater deity from d20 Cthulu].
Does it bug anyone else that we've reached the point where characters who can obliterate a greater deity in one round are considered "decent?"

Endarire

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2011, 07:41:43 AM »
Reserved 3: Revenge of the served!
Hood - My first answer to all your build questions; past, present, and future.

Speaking of which:
Don't even need TO for this.  Any decent Hood build, especially one with Celerity, one-rounds [Azathoth, the most powerful greater deity from d20 Cthulu].
Does it bug anyone else that we've reached the point where characters who can obliterate a greater deity in one round are considered "decent?"

cru

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2011, 10:57:30 AM »
SNA spells can summon elementals one level earlier than SM spells.
Ring of the Beast (Complete Champion, 8k): Whenever you cast a SNA spell, you can treat it as one level higher. You cannot use for SNA of higher level that you can normally cast.
You can now summon small elementals from a lvl one slot. Also, you can summon huge elementals from a lvl 5 slot and greater elementals from a lvl 6 slot, i.e. two spell levels earlier than other classes with SM spells.
This makes druids (and other SNA casters) quite capable elemental summoners.

Also, you mentioned that small elementals are no good from a third level slot. Which is correct. From a first level slot (and usually a spontaneous casting), there are certainly uses. Earth elementals are great trap activators and dungeon scouts (glide). Just make sure to speak Terran.

Additional ways to summon faster:
    * Chronocharm of the Uncaring Archmage (item from MIC)
    * Rapid Spell (+1 metamagic feat from CDiv) => standard action
    * Quicken Spell (+4 metamagic feat from PHB) => swift action
    * Shifter druid (ECL 12, Races of Eberron)
« Last Edit: January 04, 2011, 12:38:40 PM by cru »

Benly

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2011, 11:56:34 AM »
Summon monster seems to support my definition of "Elemental," since summon monster III says "Elemental, Small (any)," and there are no other summonable creatures of the Elemental type.[/spoiler]

This is not true. Planar Handbook offers the option of trading out Large Elemental for Elementite Swarm. Also, Complete Arcane specifies that Elemental Grues are summoned with SMIV, which is counter to the idea that "Elemental, Medium (Any)" means "any elemental-type creature of Medium size" - if that were the case, grues would be summoned with SMV.

cru

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2011, 12:35:43 PM »
stuff
agreed; mention of greater and elder elementals also supports this

Stormcrow

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #8 on: January 04, 2011, 02:30:10 PM »
interesting read so far
« Last Edit: January 04, 2011, 05:01:37 PM by Stormcrow »

rasmuswagner

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #9 on: January 04, 2011, 05:24:41 PM »
Elemental (any) refers to the monsters called elementals - the (any) means (any element).

Also, the interpretation of Fell Drain and Invisible Spell is controversial.

awaken DM golem

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2011, 08:24:53 PM »
Psi has little to offer, but (!!) ...

Wilder with recharge can spam the Elemental Envoy thingy power
but that's waste of time.

Discipline Erudite with recharge is another story.
Pick Metacreativity as the discipline, linking it to Summoning.
It takes a CL generating feat or race,
a spell focus on summoning, and
the Chameleon Crafting feat from Dragon #349.
Bingo, you can make powerstones of summoning spells.
Then you "learn" them into your Repertoire.
Powerpoint Wizard summoning, and recharge for the win.

Akalsaris

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #11 on: January 04, 2011, 08:32:05 PM »
Very well-organized guide - I appreciate the many links.  I don't agree with many of the assumptions (Planar Wizard makes the spell evil-subtyped, but not the creature, for example - you couldn't summon an evil lantern archon), but it's still a good resource.  

One of my Master of Shrouds builds that uses elementals frequently:

Human Cloistered Cleric 2/Conjurer 1/Master of Shrouds 10

ACFs: Cloistered Cleric, trade wiz feat for augment summoning, trade familiar for abrupt jaunt (or trade for standard action SM if allowed for cleric casting), focused specialist if you want
Domains: Charm, Water [Devotion], Knowledge [Devotion]

Feats:
1: SF: Conj
1B: Augment Elemental [Hmn]
1B: Knowledge Devotion
1B: Water Devotion
2B: Augment Summoning
3: Beckon the Frozen
4B: Extra turning
6: Corpse Crafter/Practiced Spellcaster
9: Rashemi Elemental Summoning
12: Summon Elemental feat

What it does: Levels 1-4 it summons water elementals, thereafter it summons water elementals or incorporeal undead.  With augment elemental, augment summoning, and beckon the frozen, the elementals should remain competitive as long as you have some mnion/ally ready to dump a bucket or cast a create water cantrip.  But they make up for the times when incorporeal undead summons would be worthless (daylight for some, fighting undead/constructs).

Ed-Zero

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #12 on: January 05, 2011, 04:52:24 AM »
Quote from: Endarire
Divine Metamagic (Heighten Spell) - What's it do?
Seemingly, I can use this to meet spellcasting requirements early.  If so, hello reserve feats!
If this is what you're using in order to qualify for the reserve feat elementals at level one then I would like to request that it be moved or copied into the "How This Works" section for general helpfulness. Otherwise, good guide!

dna1

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #13 on: January 05, 2011, 01:42:00 PM »
great start.

idk if any sane dm would allow a 1st level SM to summon the cr13 small elemental you have listed there. if my dm allowed it, he would 1 shot my character the next encounter im pretty sure  :D
Slappin ho's like E-Honda

Endarire

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #14 on: January 06, 2011, 04:19:20 AM »
There was controversy over whether Divine Metamagic (Heighten) could fuel reserve feats.  If it can, you can use it to spam Large elementals at level 1, though you need 8 turning attempts.

Yeah.
« Last Edit: January 06, 2011, 04:38:25 AM by Endarire »
Hood - My first answer to all your build questions; past, present, and future.

Speaking of which:
Don't even need TO for this.  Any decent Hood build, especially one with Celerity, one-rounds [Azathoth, the most powerful greater deity from d20 Cthulu].
Does it bug anyone else that we've reached the point where characters who can obliterate a greater deity in one round are considered "decent?"

Empirate

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #15 on: January 06, 2011, 07:27:33 PM »
You're using Persistent Spell with the Summon Elemental feat? But reserve feats are supernatural abilities, they're not affected by metamagic feats! Also, not so sure on your usage of DMM, and especially not on your interpretation of the "elemental (any)" thing. Some of your tricks seem way beyond RAW, or beyond any-sane-DM-would-allow interpretation of RAW at least. As you seem to have had trouble getting Abrupt Jaunt by your DM, much of your guide might be considered purely theoretical.

Apart from that, nice work collating all this. Formatting must have been a bitch for the great links alone!

Echoes

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #16 on: January 06, 2011, 08:29:16 PM »
One item you missed is the Robe of Mysterious Conjuration from the MIC, which allows you to expend a spell slot to cast an appropriate summon monster spell (i.e you spend a 3rd-level slot, you cast summon monster III). It functions 3/day, and is great for adding a little extra versatility in any build that can fit it. Also, it explicitly takes a standard action, so you can get some standard-action summoning even if you can't take Rapid Summoning.

Also, Rashemi Elemental Summoning only applies when you cast a spell to summon an elemental. Sadly, the Summon Elemental reserve feat doesn't qualify for it.
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Quotes I Found Entertaining:

Huge amounts of people are fuckwits. That doesn't mean that fuckwit is a valid lifestyle.

As a general rule, murdering people and taking their stuff is pretty much superior to breaking their stuff, murdering them, then not having any stuff to take.

Out of Context Theater
[spoiler]
Oh I'll make a party. I'll make a party so hard... I'll make a party that makes you feel so awkward downstairs.

You'll see the party and only be able to respond, "Oh yeah baby."
[/spoiler]

The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #17 on: January 06, 2011, 08:47:44 PM »
If you want to get the reserve feats online from first level, DMM heighten can be replaced by eldritch corruption (+2 spell levels), heighten, versatile spellcaster and domain spontaneity for the summoner domain.

Keeps you from using two of your first level slots, but whaddayougonna do about it?


Fell drain doesn't work, since people aren't being damaged by your spell itself.  Same reason why you can't use fell drain fabricates to make level draining swords.
« Last Edit: January 06, 2011, 09:00:36 PM by The_Mad_Linguist »
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Endarire

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #18 on: January 06, 2011, 08:51:46 PM »
An Incantatrix3 can Persist that reserve feat Elemental.

Summon Elemental (Complete Mage 47) states, "The elemental acts as if summoned by a summon
monster spell."
Hood - My first answer to all your build questions; past, present, and future.

Speaking of which:
Don't even need TO for this.  Any decent Hood build, especially one with Celerity, one-rounds [Azathoth, the most powerful greater deity from d20 Cthulu].
Does it bug anyone else that we've reached the point where characters who can obliterate a greater deity in one round are considered "decent?"

Echoes

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Re: LOES: Spamming and Summoning Elementals From Level 1
« Reply #19 on: January 06, 2011, 09:33:56 PM »
An Incantatrix3 can Persist that reserve feat Elemental.

Summon Elemental (Complete Mage 47) states, "The elemental acts as if summoned by a summon
monster spell."

Quote from: Rashemi Elemental Summoning
When casting a spell that summons air or earth elementals, you may choose to summon an orglash or thomil instead.

You aren't casting a spell when you use the feat, meaning you never get a chance to apply Rashemi Elemental Summoning in the first place.

All that line really affects is how the summoned elemental interacts with antimagic fields, and the fact that it is completely loyal to you and will undertake any task, even suicidal ones.
BrokeAndDrive speaks the Truth (linked for great justice and signature limits)

Quotes I Found Entertaining:

Huge amounts of people are fuckwits. That doesn't mean that fuckwit is a valid lifestyle.

As a general rule, murdering people and taking their stuff is pretty much superior to breaking their stuff, murdering them, then not having any stuff to take.

Out of Context Theater
[spoiler]
Oh I'll make a party. I'll make a party so hard... I'll make a party that makes you feel so awkward downstairs.

You'll see the party and only be able to respond, "Oh yeah baby."
[/spoiler]