Summoning Changes

Summoning has been completely overhauled in Arelith. Every form of summoning, from base classes such as the wizard and the cleric, to blackguard and the shadowdancer were completely changed to follow different progressions, tiers of power and functions.

For specific summons stats and details, check the summons article.

Summoning Streams

"Stream" books may be found randomly as loot. These books may either be used once per day to summon a relatively weak creature, or a character may use and consume them to permanently learn the respective stream. Once a stream has been learnt, the character may use the -stream command to select a predetermined creature out of a summoning spell.

For example, a wizard with a "Water" stream casting Summon Creature VIII would always conjure a water elemental, instead of randomly getting one between water, fire, earth or air.

Streams affect all summoning spells casted by the character, including those from non-casting classes using items and scrolls.

Alignment divergence

Some summoning spells are random and may result in a variety of creatures. Others will have a specific result based on the alignment of the caster. However, a character that uses a -stream may force creatures from other alignments to come, though that incurs a failure chance in which the creature may turn hostile immediately upong summoning.

The chance is increased by 10% for each horizontal step beyond the first, and 10% for each vertical step away from the caster at a maximum of 30%.

That means that:

• A LE character (bottom-left corner) would have 0% chance of failure at LE, but 10% at CE, 20% at CN, and 30% at CG.
• A LG character would have 0% at LG and NG, but 10% at LN, CG and TN, 20% at LE, NE and CG, 30% at CE.

The three "protection from alignment" spells reduce this chance accordingly, 10% for the first, 20% for the second, and completely negating it with 30% at the third, provided you are warding against the alignment of the creature you intend to summon.

Foci and Epic Levels

Spell foci feats will provide a stat bonus to every summon that corresponds to the magic school. Conjuration affects Summon Creature, Necromancy affects Create Undead, Transmutation affects Mordenkainen's Sword, and so on.

Each level of focus provides:

• +1 to all skills the summon has ranks in
• +1 hit dice worth of hit points (meaning, as if the creature was 1 level above in terms of HP, both adding base class HP and CON modifier).
• +1 AB
• +1 Damage
• +1 AC
• +1 Universal Saves

Additionally, Epic levels in the summoning class will also increase the power of the summons.

• +1 AB per odd epic caster level
• +1 prime attribute per odd epic caster level (i.e. strength or dexterity)
• +1 univeral saving throws per even epic caster level
• +1 AC per even epic caster level
• +1 skills per epic caster level
• +1 hit dice worth of hit points per epic caster level
• +1 caster level per epic caster level

Remember that Epic levels start at level 21 for base classes, and 11 for prestige classes, that can be acquired once the character reaches level 20. Only the highest epic caster level is used for this. When the class level is not used, the caster level is used - classes that increase the general caster level, like the pale master and the Harper scout count and the added caster level is used for the bonus.

The bonus apply if they are from the class casting the spell. A cleric 10/blackguard 20 won't get the level bonus from the cleric's spellbook, but he would from his blackguard abilities. Shadowdancers do not apply for any of these bonuses.

The spells and abilities that are affected by spell foci are as follows:

Conjuration

• Black Blade of Disaster
• Dragon Knight (Non-dracolich)
• Greater Planar Binding
• Lesser Planar Binding
• Planar Ally
• Planar Binding
• Summon Creature

  Greater Conjuration Focus raises the summon tier by 1. Warlocks do not get that bonus, but the one shown above. Casters with the Animal domain and Greater Conjuration Focus will receive both the increased tier and the summoning bonus.

• Elemental Swarm

  Acts like Summon Creature.

• Gate
• Summon Fiend (Blackguard)

Evocation

• Shelgarn's Persistent Blade

Illusion

• Greater Shadow Conjuration
• Shades
• Shadow Conjuration

Necromancy

• Animate Dead
• Create Undead
• Create Greater Undead
• Mummy Dust
• Dragon Knight (Dracolich)

Transmutation

• Mordenkainen's Sword

Animal Companion

See Ranger/Druid.

Summoning in the Underdark

The Summon Creature I to VI spells will summon different creatures according to whether the character is in an Underdark-tagged area or in the surface. The summons are basically the same, albeit thematically dark.

Experience Calculations

• Summons count as only half a party member when calculating experience, but only if this would cause the summoner to lose experience.
• Summons no longer impact the party's overall level for experience calculations unless they are of a higher challenge rating than the summoner level (in which case the summon's challenge rating will be used instead of the summoner's level).
• Creatures will now grant experience to the killer and all party members nearby the killer, even without line of sight.