Summons

[Soothsayer]

Spell related !!SPOILERS!!
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There are plenty of creature summoning spells in the game, but I know very little about them. Does anyone have any real stats for things like elementals, or shadows etc. And all the different levels of monster summoning spells... does the last one really warrant being a level 9 spell?

Also, are there any differences between the three types of elementals, other than their natural magical advantage over the opposing plains? (ie, if you're fighting icy creatures, then summon fire elementals etc..)

Thanks again


EDIT: Spelling

[ 10-16-2005, 05:41 AM: Message edited by: Soothsayer ]

[Aerich]

This link has a fair bit of information about the various creatures.

You can get some pretty decent creatures with the final monster summoning spell - things like salamanders. I'd say the summoning spells are worth it. However, it depends what you want them for; I tend to view all summons, with the exception of the druid's shamblers, as mobile and expendable meat shields/distractors. They're great for taking the attention of archers and spellcasters, but don't expect them to kill a whole lot.

I'm not fond of all the illusionist school monster summoning spells, as they have less than the full allotment of HP (but do full damage). It makes them less effective for what I want my summons to do.

[Soothsayer]

Thanks Aerich....that link was really useful, but at the risk of sounding stupid, do the different specialist schools effect what creatures you summon and/or their statistics?

This isnt something Ive ever heard of, I use a Necromancer, what effect will this have, if any, on my summons? (Im assuming it makes a difference to shadow and undead summons?)

Thanks again

[Aerich]

Unfortunately, as far as I know, specialist wizards, including necromancers and conjurors, have no beneficial effect on summoning spells. As long as you can cast from the conjuration/summoning school, that's all that matters.

[NobleNick]

Originally posted by Aerich: ...I tend to view all summons, with the exception of the druid's shamblers, as mobile and expendable meat shields/distractors. They're great for taking the attention of archers and spellcasters, but don't expect them to kill a whole lot. I'm not fond of all the illusionist school monster summoning spells, as they have less than the full allotment of HP (but do full damage). It makes them less effective for what I want my summons to do.

Agreed with Aerich: The Monster Summon is mostly a defensive tool; but an excellent one. Although each of these cute little guys has a life span of about 1 **hit** (for Monster Summoning I), as a group they can delay melee contact for about 2 rounds, which can make all the difference. These meat shields can also be used as part of an offensive plot: to bunch up foes in a spell (e.g. Fireball or Skull Trap) killing zone.

One shining example of offensively packed summons is the Bard's Berserkers: Anything that doe not require enchanted weapons to hit is toast. And if a monster does take enchanted weapons to hit? The Berserkers still make excellent meat shields.

@Aerich: With the very effective Berserkers on call, I have not paid attention to the Druid's summons. Now that I have heard that the Berserker's kills do not give the party XP, I think I'll pay more atention to what the Druid has to offer.

--------------------
What's a party,
without a song?
Bards ROCK!
Party On!!

[Azred]

I always like to layer area-effect spells with Animate Dead, especially since undead are immune to both Stinking Cloud, Cloudkill, Ice Storm, and Cone of Cold.

Druids really get the best summons, of course. A couple of Shambling Mounds, backed up by the War Chant of Sith, can really do some damage. [img]graemlins/petard.gif[/img]

[Black Swan Gauntlet]

Hmmm...I prefer the Illusion school to the Necromancy school when it comes to summoning. Summoning Shadow monsters is a lot more powerful than equivalent summoning spells. At least, it is when you get to Shades.

[Kyrvias]

Coupled with War Chant of the Sith, any summoned monster, even goblins, can survive a little while, giving yo uthe time to employ some strategies.

[Magness]

Originally posted by Azred: I always like to layer area-effect spells with Animate Dead, especially since undead are immune to both Stinking Cloud, Cloudkill, Ice Storm, and Cone of Cold.

This is an important tactic, both in IWD1 and IWD2. Properly combining the right types of summons with area-effect damage spells, both the instantaneous damage spells and the multi-round fog-like spells.

Animate Dead is great for this. But also, fire elementals are immune to fire damage.

It also helps to consider the type of enemies that you're fighting when you do this as well.

[Raffin]

Summons of all sort do give the party XP. The only time you kill a monster and it doesn't give you xp is either:

1. monsters that you or the side summoned
or
2. scripted in the game for certain monsters

So you get XP for what your summons kill-just not for killing yours or their summons.

-Raffin