Summoner 0.2

Hey Folks-

Recently I put a poll, and you folks voted that the thing you were keenest to see an update on was Summoner. So here we are with a shiny new Summoner update, Summoner 0.2.

This is still a pretty early alpha, but with quite a lot of updates from Summoner 0.1

Summoner 0.2 - GMBinder Link

The PDF is attached to the button of the post.

What's New?

Quite a lot, but let me run you through some of the bigger features.

• New feature: Inventory. Summoners can summon forth entities, but now they can call store and call forth objects in their vary own demiplane/subspace, starting at level 2. This isn't quite a Bag of Holding, starting much more limited, and scaling up to being able to store much larger items... but always in a relatively limited number of items, so don't go hoarding too crazy just yet.

• Unshackled Invokers. The people have spoken, and the people really wanted to explode angels, beasts, and fey all those other things. So... we reached a bit of a compromise, mostly be reworking and reflavoring Invoker substantially so its let themed around explosions and bombs and more just unstable power that bursts outwards when the summon returns to its plane. But with that I've gone ahead and added all of the Planes of Study into the subclass, so I reckon most will find the trade off worth it.

• Three new Planes of Study: Undeath, Nature, Bestial (Undead, Plants, Beasts).

• New Level 3 Features. Each subclass as gotten a new level three subclass feature that allows them to integrate the spell slots into the features earlier.

All of that is just scratching the surface. For the complete changelog, read on!

Changelog v0.2

• Art assets loosely added (don't worry about scale and placement issues). To access v0.1 click here

Core Class

• Summons and ability checks. Summoned Entities have been clarified in how their skills work, with only their physical attributes now being replaced by your spell casting attribute for ability checks. This isn't really intended to be a nerf, but a clarification for people that run skills in more flexible ways (summons cannot really do most skill checks; skill checks are things a DM asks for when it makes sense, not something you just always can do, but many people don't play that way, so were thinking that a summon could pick locks or make history checks for them, or other things that wouldn't make a lot of sense for them to do). You can still do that if that's how you play, but they'll be a lot worse at many checks.

• Summon Duration. Summons now last for 1 minute per Summoner level, rather than 1 minute. This rarely matters in combat, but makes them more useful for out of combat tasks.

• Summon Utility. Summons now have the default functionality of a familiar (as per find familiar) and a servant (as per unseen servant); this gives them a pretty broad range of basic capabilities (able to complete simple tasks, channel your spells through them, etc). In most cases, this doesn't matter, just gives them a detailed rules framework for more explicitly what they can and probably cannot do.

• Esoteric Secrets. Added an additional Esoteric Secret known, as well as new Esoteric Secret options.

• Spells Known. Added one additional spells known.

• Inventory. Added a feature that gives you access to a personal demiplane/subspace to store a limited number of items. It starts very limited, but scales up to substantial storage.

• Revamped Conjure Cataclysm. It should probably go without saying that summoning the tarrasque was always a placeholder that was more silly than a serious attempt at making a feature. The newer version takes some steps toward turning it into a real feature, though is probably requires some refinement.

Planes of Study

• Undeath, Bestial, and Nature added as new options for those that want to summon shades, beasts, and plants.

• You can now select another language if you already know the language granted by your Plane of Study.

Spells

• Added some non-conjuration spells that felt like they would fit with the general theme of conjuration, mostly being utility based spells (Mirror Image, Phantom Steed, Fabricate, Creation)

Binder

• Flying Flying has been converted into a Summon Customization called Winged, though it only grants full flying while the creature is Small.

• This means that Small creatures no longer get flying for free, but Binders get one Summon Customization for free now, meaning that you can select this option to get the old functionality.

• Summon Customizations. You now get 1 summon customization for free, and another one at 5th, 7th, 13th, and 17th level. You can no longer spend Esoteric Secrets to gain more of them.

• Unleashed Assault. Lunge and Cleave have been moved into a new feature called Unleashed Assault. They have similar but slightly buffed functionality. They can now be used by spending a spell slot, scaling with the level of spell slot, or used for free once per short rest (treating it as if using a 1st level spell slot).

• Planar Influence. Added new options for new Planes of Study.

Controller

• Zone Reinforcement (the 14th level ability), has been moved down to become a new 3rd level ability (this isn't as crazy as it sounds, as you don't have high level spell slots at 3rd level, making it a scaling feature rather than one that appears at full power mostly.

• Pile On. Nerfed and clarified. Now requires a certain number of summoned entities to initiate based on the size of the target, and no longer grants as extensive a bonus to the roll (only giving advantage).

• Swarm Frenzy added as the new 14th level ability.

Converger

• Planar Burst added at 3rd level, giving them a better way to use their Plane of Study spells.

• Removed Empowered Mantle as that was an old feature. The bits and pieces of it have been added back as Esoteric Secrets.

Invoker

Mostly removed the living bomb/explosion narrative from them, to make them a more general subclass less tied to specific planes of study. Now their summons merely leave behind a burst of power when they depart, as opposed to exploding.

• Involuntary Detonations. You can now attempt to suppress the explosion if the summon detonates by being reduced to 0 hit points.

• Planes of Study. The Invoker no longer restricts Planes of Study, but now has a more complicated mapping between effects and planes, and has been largely reworded to remove explosion/detonation/etc from the verbiage.

• Unstable Summons. Extensively revamped Living Bombs so that each plane has a special kind of overload to better fit the looser narrative of the subclass with the expanded options.

• Parting Gifts. Added a new 3rd level feature that allows the enhancement of the planar burst left behind by the summoned entities departure.

• Planar Remnants. Updated to include all the new options from the Planes of Study.