Advice on a good summoner build

[AnUnculturedLittlePotato]

I've been trying to come up with a good summoner build but because I don't know the spell list I don't really know what classe/classes would make the best summoner. I was thinking an MT made of necro wiz and herald caller of asmodeus but I'm not sure where the "summons" are in wiz and if they get an animate dead spell anyway.
Can someone offer some advice on this? The only thing is that I don't need to be a religious class but if thats better I'm not budging on asmodeus

[[TGC] MadGod]

Inquisitor Monster Tactician hands down. A herald caller is only a shadow of a MT, but it is a full caster, so you can do much more than just toss summons at your enemies and both inquis and cleric are tougher and harder to hit than a wizard.

The teamwork feats of the Inquisitor alone make him superior to all other options to be honest. Put a long spear in the inquis' hands, hide behind your summons and stab the bejezus out of your enemies.

[Andante]

monster tactician is best summoner class since you share teamwork feats with summons like the OP outflank feat, spec spell focus conjuration to unlock the must have augment summoning feat.

Necromancers are more like fear/cc casters in this game and less about summoning, but you can get a sorc with an animal pet and pick the summon monster spells and spec into augment summoning feat above, the summon monster spell summons better and better monsters the higher rank it is.

[Shadenuat]

Since Conjurers abilities are eh, a Thassilonian Conjurer, really, would do. Yeah your summons won't be as buffed as other classes but you will get massive spell selection and Conjuration school has more than just summons. You can dabble into Necromancy or even Transmutation for Disintegrate spam to compensate lack of Evocation.

[J4n1]

Originally posted by Andante:

Necromancers are more like fear/cc casters in this game and less about summoning

My eternal gripe in games like these.
I can play a necromancer, but i don't get to build an endless horde of disposable skeletal minions.

Oh well, i guess i have to settle for not quite as disposable fleshy minions like Val and Amari and Harrim, go forth my meat shields, stand between me and inevitable doom.

[nitromikron]

Yeah, Monster Tactician is pretty great. The only sad thing is that the "channeling scourge" feat is not in the game. A single level dip into cleric would provide some nice way of keeping your summons alive with positive channeling.

On the other hand, the Monster Tactician can not use metamagic on his summons ability.

[Darkpaw]

Watch Kaen's video on soloing a Monster Tactician on Unfair for great hints: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2rpnb12v74 He did have to dial down to Hard in Act 3.

You need to make sure you pick the animal domain and pick the Leopard. Smildon has more dps but leopard has higher ac and trip. You won't get your pet till 4th lvl unlike the Sacred Huntsmaster but it is worth the wait since you get a pet and can summon. You can buff the snot out of that leopard and it tanks like a hero. Also make sure you pick the Boon Companion feat else your pet will not be worth it. And concentrate on summing feats. I wish I had remembered where in the video Kaen showed all the feats he selected but you will find it somewhere in that 12 hour video :)

There is some great equipment as you progress like a pair of rings that augment your summoned pets I don't want to spoil for you. You got so many tools between your spells, your tank leopard pet and the summoned pets. It is so much fun. I just started act 3 now and play on Hard(not solo though, with a full group).

[Shadenuat]

Leopard Trip should fail like 99% of the time on Unfair. Enemies have around 30 CMD. I tried.

[AnUnculturedLittlePotato]

Hmm...Would a mystic theurge work? I'd have enough hc levels to get augment summon iirc and could grab wizards summons.

[DragonHunter54]

Having looked at a few summon builds it seems monster tactician or Thassilonian Conjurer are probably the way to go. I tried the summoning cleric variant and druid but but both have the problem that while they can convert any spell into a summon they can only use that summon for summoning a single creature. With the cleric variant this seems particularly stupid as he gets the improved summoning feats for free but can only make good use of them by preparing his summons instead of using his spontaneous summons.

Another build I'm curious about is to go Sorcerer with Abyssal bloodline. It has an ability that is identical to the +1 to summons feat but with a different name. Am curious if this would stack with the feat.

[Darkpaw]

Originally posted by Shadenuat:

Leopard Trip should fail like 99% of the time on Unfair. Enemies have around 30 CMD. I tried.

Yea well Unfair isn't fun in any way :) Too much reloading and depending on RNG. But on Challenging where I started out Trip works very well.

[Shadenuat]

Originally posted by DragonHunter54:

I tried the summoning cleric variant and druid but but both have the problem that while they can convert any spell into a summon they can only use that summon for summoning a single creature

Nah there's nothing wrong with Druid summoner, especially DoTTW, who gains bonus to all summons against main enemy of the game. Just memorize 1-2 highest level summons and that is all you need + you gain super pet. You also get summons that noone else gets, like ability to summon Swarms, and packs of manticores/wyverns etc.

Wizard summons are also interesting though, Evils get Soul Eaters which is kinda hilarious critter.

[DragonHunter54]

Originally posted by Shadenuat:

Originally posted by DragonHunter54:

I tried the summoning cleric variant and druid but but both have the problem that while they can convert any spell into a summon they can only use that summon for summoning a single creature

Nah there's nothing wrong with Druid summoner, especially DoTTW, who gains bonus to all summons against main enemy of the game. Just memorize 1-2 highest level summons and that is all you need + you gain super pet. You also get summons that noone else gets, like ability to summon Swarms.

Oh I agree entirely. I've found druid and Herald Caller to both be really strong. It's just a pity you still have to memorize the summons when one of the class abilities is that you are meant to be able to spontaneously cast summons.

[SpiralRazor]

the wizard based conj spec allows you to get hordes of meat shields though....there pets arent the greatest but again, lots and lots of spell slots.

[climbingeastofwinter]

Also don't forget the Sorcerer celestial bloodline (not Empyreal) which grants damage reduction of DR (0.5 * BloodlineLevel) / Evil. The damage isn't over the top or anything, but summoning a horde of celestial dogs with DR 5 / Evil at level 10 is pretty hilarious. Not Cloudkill soloing the Crag Linorn hilarious, but hilarious nonetheless.