Summoner Prestige Class

An summoner is allied to forces of other planes, one whose fascination with outsiders has made him their ally and confidant. Certain summoners summon natural creatures rather than outsiders.

Any class can qualify as a summoner, all it takes is dedication, study and will. Barbarians, monks, fighters, rogues and sorcerers will find the requirements onerous, while bards qualify easily, but once the qualifications are met, all can use the summoner's abilities equally. Humans take quite well to the demands of the supernatural creatures a summoner must handle, always ready to make a deal as they are. Half-orks also do well, and no race has any real trouble with this prestige class.

Summoners are seen as strange and powerful, marked by the powers they deal with. Few people willingly associate with them. A summoner could even become the target of a witch-hunt.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements

To qualify as an summoner, the character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Speak Language: at least three of Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Draconic, Druidic, Ignan, Infernal, Sylvan, Terran
Knowledge (nature, religion, or the planes): 8 ranks

Class Skills

Alchemy (Int), Animal Empathy (Cha, restricted skill), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int, restricted skill), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha, restricted skill), Use Rope (Dex).

Skill points at each level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the summoner prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The summoner is proficient with shields, light and medium armor and all simple weapons and martial melee weapons.

Summon: The summoner makes pacts with animals or outsiders that allows him to summon and command them. A summoner can use either summon monster or summon nature's ally as a spell-like ability. Each level, he learns to summon a new level of creature. Each level of creature can be summoned forth but once per week. The creatures stay for 10 minutes/level, or until willed away by the summoner.

Unless the summoner is utterly dedicated to whatever cause the summoned creature espouses, he must make a pact with each creature the first time he summons it. The price can be a sacrifice of money (10 gp per level of the summon power), a victim or some of the summoner's blood (1 HP per level of the summon power). It can also be a service, or the creature may demand to do only the tasks it likes to do, limiting the summoners control. In urgent situations, the summoner had better make this deal quickly. Each time that particular creature is summoned, it will demand the same price all over again. The DM is advised to make these demands reasonable and fun; no demand should go against the creature's alignment or the spirit of the game.

Gate: Once per week, the summoner can open a gate as a spell-like ability.

Level    Base Attack Bonus Fortitude Save Reflex Save Will Save Special Ability 1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Summon I 2 +1 +0 +0 +3 Summon II 3 +2 +1 +1 +3 Summon III 4 +3 +1 +1 +4 Summon IV 5 +3 +1 +1 +4 Summon V 6 +4 +2 +2 +5 Summon IV 7 +5 +2 +2 +5 Summon VII 8 +6/+1 +2 +2 +6 Summon VIII 9 +6/+1 +3 +3 +6 Summon IX 10 +7/+2 +3 +3 +7 Gate