What's the point?

[Paxmilitaris]

What's the point of a lvl 14-20 ranger being able to summon a challenge rating 4 ally?
The Ranger summon spells are totally useless.

[Satyriasys]

For roleplayers I think.

[Qhualor]

There is no point. Most ranger spells are so useless I have 3 or 4 I don't even memorize or waste hot bar space.

[moo_cow]

What's the point of a lvl 14-20 ranger being able to summon a challenge rating 4 ally?
The Ranger summon spells are totally useless.

Every classes summon spells are totally useless.

[Enoach]

While summons are not helpful at the higher difficulties, summons can be used as a temporary distraction at lower levels and even on normal/hard setting in Heroic content.

While summons by themselves are generally seen as weak, they can be buffed to last a bit longer. But one thing that would make summons better would be to use an NPC bar much like pet/hireling allowing players to more control over Offensive/Defensive as well as being able to have summons that are capable of doing actions like open doors or pull levers. The lack of this control puts the AI at the same level as the AI of the other NPCs which many times does not work for the player such as getting Agro when it shouldn't or going after the wrong thing to fight.

[Paxmilitaris]

Every classes summon spells are totally useless.

No, they can be a distraction at least.
A CR16 at level 18 is much more useful then a CR4

[Paxmilitaris]

While summons are not helpful at the higher difficulties, summons can be used as a temporary distraction at lower levels and even on normal/hard setting in Heroic content.

While summons by themselves are generally seen as weak, they can be buffed to last a bit longer. But one thing that would make summons better would be to use an NPC bar much like pet/hireling allowing players to more control over Offensive/Defensive as well as being able to have summons that are capable of doing actions like open doors or pull levers. The lack of this control puts the AI at the same level as the AI of the other NPCs which many times does not work for the player such as getting Agro when it shouldn't or going after the wrong thing to fight.

YES!!!
That would make summons more useful, but the CR4 a ranger gets would still be useless.

[richieelias27]

YES!!!
That would make summons more useful, but the CR4 a ranger gets would still be useless.

It would be able to pull switches at least...

[Badmash]

No, they can be a distraction at least.
A CR16 at level 18 is much more useful then a CR4

Precisely: my main is a bardcher (currently working on third ranger life) and I liberally use summons not so much as a meatshield, and certainly not to do damage, but as something for the monsters to chew on other than me. Even if it dies fast, so long as it doesn't die instantly, it keeps some heat off me which may be all I need to bring down the real threat or, if things go pear-shaped, bravely execute a fighting withdrawal (or run off scraming like a startled schoolgirl, circumstances depending).

That said, once my UMD is high enough I'm generally using Summon IX. If I were stuck with nothing better than razor cat this just wouldn't work.

[Eth]

No point. There are only two useful summons really.
#1 Thrashak Hound from Epic Wolf Whistle
Over 10k HP and more healing amp than most players have, cast a blur on him and you have a nice tanky companion. Instakills stuff sometimes with PK (even in EE).

#2 Gargoyle from Magister 'Call kindred Being'
Not as tanky as the hound, but absolutely ridiculous heal amp (over 1k from heal scrolls IIRC).
Requires one feat. in transmutation focus though, so pretty much never seen.

[Dexraven]

What's the point of a lvl 14-20 ranger being able to summon a challenge rating 4 ally?
The Ranger summon spells are totally useless.

When the game was born that was the only option for a companion as the coding for companions did not exist until artificers.
To sort of balance not having a real companion rangers got both the ranged feats and 2wf feats without having to specialise in one or the other like in PnP.

Now that the tech exists there's no real reason not to give them a Cat skinned version of the druid wolf as a lever puller, then all the Drow rangers called xxxDrizzzzztttxxx can call it Guenhwyvar.

[TrinityTurtle]

It would be able to pull switches at least...

no, the spell summoned critters can't be 'directed' like a hireling can, so they won't pull switches sadly.

[autochthon]

no, the spell summoned critters can't be 'directed' like a hireling can, so they won't pull switches sadly.

He was replying to a suggestion to give summoned monsters a control bar.