Bjørn has mentioned to me that he was planning to revise the Summon Army spells, so I though we could get a bit of discussion going and give him some player input(s).
From the regent guide:
Summon Army I
Conjuration (Summoning) [see text]
Caster level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: 1 GB
Regency: 1 RP/unit
Casting Time: One free action (1 day)
Range: Medium
Effect: 1 hit/caster level
Duration: 1 turn (1 week/caster level)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Description: Flavor text
Description: This spell summons one or more units of outsiders (creatures from another plane) that joins your army. The number of creatures in each vary depending on the unit type. While a unit of small animals might have 500 or more, the unit of elder elementals would have no more than ten.
Spell Effect: Choose a 1st - caster level army unit from the summon monster table below. All units must be of the same type.
When you use a summoning spell to summon air, fire, water, earth, good, evil, chaotic, or lawful creature, it is a spell of that type. For example, summon army I is a lawful and evil spell when cast to summon units for dire rats. The summoner can give orders the summoned creatures, provided he can make himself understood. If not given orders, the summoned units will tend to act according to race and alignment for the duration of the spell.
Unless a special monster is summoned the units created can be assumed to have the below fighting characteristics. The example monsters are the most typical a wizard will know how to summon. Note that the animals are outsiders and are typical of either celestial or fiendish type.
Summon Army II
Caster level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: 2 GB
Regency: 1 RP/hit
Spell Effect: Choose a 2nd - caster level army unit from the summon monster table below. All units must be of the same type.
| Spell Level | Move | Morale | Cohesion | Defence | Melee | Charge | Missile | Special | Example |
| 1 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 2 | - | - | - | Animal, Small |
| 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 3 | - | - | - | Animal, Medium |
| 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 4 | - | - | - | Animal, Large; Elemental, Small |
| 4 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 16 | 5 | - | - | - | Animal, Huge |
| 5 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 18 | 6 | - | - | +2 Defense to non-magical attacks | Elemental, Medium |
| 6 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 20 | 7 | - | - | +4 Defense to non-magical attacks | Elemental, Large |
(and so on, let's just say the level 7+ summons are UGLY to face in battle).
So, on the obvious level we have a contradiction in the spell descriptions - one mentions that it costs 1 RP/unit, the other that it costs 1 RP/hit. With 1 hit / caster level it's not that expensive, but nobody will be summoning a lot of higher level units.
What Bjørn has mentioned to me: He is planning to revise it so that it summons a number of units equal to 1 + 1/x level (like 3 levels). I'm typing from memory here, so correct me if I'm wrong.
The duration of 1 turn means that it's not a spell for creating a standing army, that's what domination spells are for. It's an emergency or surprise spell, when you need an army right there right now.
The units produced by the spell are weird and I imagine they will wreak havoc with any battle simulator. The follow their own pattern, which is cool, but cumbersome. Lvl 1 summons are pushovers even for scouts, lvl 3 starts to get interesting with 6 in cohesion and around then they actually start doing damage. Then it just goes crazy with level 5 wiping the floor with pretty much any other unit and anything above that is just a nightmare. Level 7 means you die, each one is the equivalent of several knight units.
EffectSo... let's assume that the spell summons 1 unit + 1/3 levels above the requirement. A level 12 casting Summon I would get 1+3 units that are essentially no better than levies... not enough oomph. Casting Summon VI means 1 units that is fairly powerfull, but still not enough power for a lvl 6 spell. So let's set it to 1 unit + 1/3 levels.
So lvl 12 caster summons 5 creatures of whatever level he is casting, keeping the same regency and gold cost that means:
I: 5 units, 10 RP, 2 GB.
II: 5 units, 20 RP, 4 GB.
III: 5 units, 30 RP, 6 GB.
IV: 5 units, 40 RP, 8 GB.
V: 5 units, 50 RP, 10 GB.
VI: 5 units, 55 RP, 12 GB.
For the VI version, that is a lot of regency and gold... for 5 units that are somewhere around armsmen and lancer strength (fast, very very tough, don't break, not a lot of damage).
ComparisonsThe most similar spell we have available is Celestial Siege Train. Cast at the same level it summons up to 12 ballistae for an entire year... at the cost of 12 RP and 1 GB. That seems unbalanced.
Legion of the Dead summons 3 units of undead, costing 30 RP 6 GB. They are roughly the equivalent of lvl 3 summoned units. More cost for fewer units though.
Army of the Damned will summon 4 units of Wights. Costing 40 RP and 6 GB, they can potentially turn any battle completely around. Hit someone at nighttime with these monsters, even better hit their auxilliaries... then it is over. Your baggage train becomes a undead legion attacking your rear, any unit not as tough as armsmen a liability... Hell, just split them up and have them attack the countryside, sending the newly created undeads at the enemy. That would devestate pretty much any realm not capable of mustering 4 armies to pursue each unit of wights and their legions...
So, let's revise. I am thinking that Celestial Siege train is going to be revised as well. It seems insanely powerful, especially in the hands of a moderate to high-level caster. In my eyes the undead creating spells should have a little more raw power, as one needs to consider the social ramfications of creating undeads. Creating undeads should IMO be a temptation for any wizard powerful enough, but also a sure way to make everyone your enemy. Perhaps giving them a duration higher than one turn, giving us zombie apocalypses lasting more than 3 months.
If each of these spells should have a purpose, I suggest the following:
Summon Army I - IX: Creates a fairly powerful army right here, right now, but only for the duration of one turn.
Undead Legion: Creates an undead horde with roughly the same power as summon army, but for a longer duration. It gets the longer duration for free as it is eeeeeeevil.
Army of the Damned: Same as undead legion, but more powerful. Perhaps drop the create spawn ability, that can get crazy fast. Just make them tough, resistant to normal weapons and with huge advantages for fighting at nighttime. THat would be bad enough.
Celestial Siege Train: Create a moderate amount of siege engines, with a fairly long duration.
I am thinking that the way to go with this would be to change the units that are summoned by Summon Army. Keep the cost, duration and 1 unit + 1 / 3 levels. Make lvl 1 the rough equivalent of levies, lvl 2 the equivalent of regulars or archers, level 6 the equivalent of knights. Then tie them thematically and color-wise into the setting. Summon Army I would summon the Baying Hounds of Fire, the Rats of Ice or the Badgers of Doom. Summon Army III would give you the Miniature Mercenary Pikers of Frozen Stone and so on. Create 2-3 units types for each level that is the equivalent of something from the unit table... with crazy stuff like giants and dragons appearing at higher levels. It makes sense for the wizards and sorcerers (and priests) of Cerelia to have developed some good tribes or legions of elementals, infernals and celestials to summon units from. Perhaps even throw in some interesting special abilities - at the cost of raw power - at the different levels. Flaming Ravens anyone?
