Lessor Used Classes Summons

[whangdoodle]

This post has been a long time coming but I am just lazy so I've not actually brought it up.

Shadow Dancer and to a lessor extent Blackguard.

These two classes still use the base summons for neverwinter nights when using their summon spells making those abilities utterly worthless. Could we get an update on the summons, especially seeing how shadow dancer is starting to get more people willing to go more then just the bare minimum for HIPS now?

As for BG, most of the summons are great with the exception of the epic summon, which is the base NWN Vrock which can be soloed by a mage with a sword without spells. I know this will require a -lot- of attention. (Seeing as I believe at base, the summon changes every level the BG has past 10) but it was sort of a downgrade going from the kick-ass succubus mage to... useless Vrock.

Also, out of curiousity (despite requiring hak update) how hard would it be to add a feat to the BG class at level 5 which allows players to decide what sort of summon they want (Say Demon, Undead, or Devil). Seems kinda silly that someone is restricted to demons when they might end up being a servant to a devil.

[Vincent07]

Class specific summons have been on my 'needs a re-balance' list for some time.  

I altered the base Blackguard undead summon some time ago as a test, but never really did any of the others.  Actually, I may have also altered the succubus.  I forget.

As to differentiating between demon/devil, that's most easily done with an alignment check within the summon code, similar to how we handle the planar binding and gate spells.

I'll get to summons, but I've a few other things higher up on my list of projects at the moment.

[Yaldabaoth]

I can tell you from experience that the current Blackguard summon is completely amazing.

[tarriel]

For Blackguards, I know the Succubus isnt the vanilla one, there's a couple little differences and it seems to hit like a truck for what it is. The Vrock is... mmh, it's functional as a distraction in a fight, but doesn't have the bitchslap factor of the previous summon. 

Ranger and Druid companions are a bit on the meh side, but then again they're just an animal so I doubt making them overly powerful is a good way to go. 

The Paladin horse is an oddly useful summon at low level, I have patented the "Horse Wall" maneuver. 

[goodapollo]

Well they get the benefit of this here monstrosity (Although some cooler summons visually, or some boosts to non-bear creatures might be nice way down the line).

Although with awaken druids are going to get way more mileage out of companions.

[Vincent07]

I'll be blunt.

Ranger/Druid companions, and for that matter Wiz/Sorc familiars are not getting touched.

Why?  Because that involves altering a creature template for -every- level of said class.  

That's a possible 30 creature templates per companion/familiar type.

Nope.

[Edge]

Yeah I started on that project years ago and never even finished the spiders, much less started on anything else.

[goodapollo]

Yeah no that's impossible. I wouldn't suggest that, honestly. (I think druids in particular are fine since you can double comps with summons). Didn't know the succubus was changed, though, that's awesome.

[whangdoodle]

Succubus is a bamf... however the VERY second you hit level ten. BOOM- epic Vrock which is base NWN vrock. I honestly would request a relevel of my last level if I wasn't just lazy.

[Vincent07]

Yeah, no one had more than like ... 3-4 BG levels when I did that revision, so I ignored it.

[Garage Trashcan]

3 levels is all you need, mang >.> That ghoul is my buddy.