augment summoning feat question

[AMERON]

Augment Summoning
Benefit: Your summoned creatures, charmed minions, and hirelings have +4 to all ability scores, increased health, and increased fortification.
Special: Wizards may select this feat when they receive bonus feats.



has anyone tried this yet to see if it makes a difference?

[AyumiAmakusa]

It's useless. The benefits are minimal and are NOT worth wasting a feat over.

[Enoach]

LoL Feats been available on Live for less then 24 hours and people already "Know" how useful it is...

Currently I'm experimenting using my lvl 20 Wizard (Pale Master) and have only spent about 90 minutes testing Summons with this enhancement

I spent time in Wraith form and Invisible to prevent agro on me. did not buff or use Aura for healing

the Frostmarrow Knight and Frostmarrow Mage did some serious dmg on there own out at the Valcano in Reavers Refuge as long as the fight was no more then 2 to 1 against trash. Before mod these guys would be taken out in a 2 (baddies) to 1 (summon) fight.

Once buffed and using Aura the knight was able to take 2 trogs and 1 bat on and walk away

Once I added the lvl IX summon to the mix I was able to lead them around and just watch trash die, while keeping them Hasted/Raged/Displaced/Elemental Protected (ok I admit I gave them the Axer Package)


No they dont replace other party members - I can see them as great assets to my playstyle.


Have not tested Create Undead as of yet. Curious if the Mummy will now break sooner

[AyumiAmakusa]

No they dont replace other party members - I can see them as great assets to my playstyle.

I'm sorry, but I was speaking in the view of a cleric and not a wizard so forgive me if I don't have enough feats to throw around on pets.

I probably should have asked the OP what situation he was in to want Augment Summoning because I still see it as 'Situationally Useful' to 'Completely Useless'.

[sirdanile]

A wizard is probably the only character that can take this and not be ridiculed for it, but a wizard can also run around with 3 different pets out and a buffed hireling... they're a walking army!

Also the +4 to stats and bonus to hp and fortification is AWESOME for summons as shown by lammania tests, don't forget the buff applies to charmed monsters and hirelings as well.

[RioRussell]

Sounds like at a minimum it is useful for the puppies in the hound.

[Baranor]

I'm sorry, but I was speaking in the view of a cleric and not a wizard so forgive me if I don't have enough feats to throw around on pets.

I probably should have asked the OP what situation he was in to want Augment Summoning because I still see it as 'Situationally Useful' to 'Completely Useless'.

a simple "oh I didnt notice this was in the WIZARD forums" would have sufficed the OP prob doesnt care what you would take on ur cleric

[AyumiAmakusa]

a simple "oh I didnt notice this was in the WIZARD forums" would have sufficed the OP prob doesnt care what you would take on ur cleric

I do apologise. I tend to look at posts from the 'New Posts' section and not in any specific forum so I must have missed the small 'Wizard' bit at the top. Please feel free to ignore my posts.

EDIT: I re-read my posts and I really AM sorry if they appeared to sound sarcastic to you but I can assure you they're in no way sarcastic. Please read my signature. I really can't understand sarcasm. I just can't.

[Admiral_Otto]

Does Augment apply to Create Undead or summons made via clickies (Hellhound, scorpion, Dense Earth Elemental...)?

Having it apply to created undead is a cursed blessing...your minions would be more likely to make their saving throw and turn hostile against you.

[samthedagger]

Summons have their place in the game. It's not on solo epic runs (or any epic run for that matter), but for lesser things, it's fine. Having Augment Summoning means your summons, charmed minions, and hirelings are a greater asset to you if you are the type who likes to solo up to hard, then group up for elites. Letting the summons grab aggro while you dish out death by magic is a good way to help you avoid damage, as long as you don't mind having to summon them again from time to time. My biggest complaint with summons is that they are very difficult to control. Sometimes I want to move more slowly but the pet will move into the room and aggro more than I care to take on. Hirelings at least have a Passive/Defensive/Aggressive button. If they were to introduce this for summons, they would become a lot more useful IMHO.

At least wizards have a few more feats to spare so picking this up isn't a horrible idea, but I'm still fairly certain it won't be in any of the optimal builds.

[LunaCee]

Oh it will probably show up in Enchantment focused builds somewhat... If you were smart you were using Suggestion/Mass Suggestion already anyways because they couldn't break out from it early on their own. And I imagine it will probably be a pretty popular wizard feat for levels 1-10 as something you swap out later at the very least.

The nutty thing is I'm thinking of taking it on my light pick kensei fighter with a rogue splash for UMD. Would give me better cleric hireling and if I pop out a scrolled summon or dense earth ele for a decoy its more effective. Fighter certainly has enough feats to spare one for it.

[sirdanile]

Does Augment apply to Create Undead or summons made via clickies (Hellhound, scorpion, Dense Earth Elemental...)?

Having it apply to created undead is a cursed blessing...your minions would be more likely to make their saving throw and turn hostile against you.

Yes!

[Bemidji]

Could this be useful to a Mechanic Rogue? Summon a metallic puppy that is a bit stronger than usual?

[samthedagger]

I have tried the metallic puppies and I have to be honest with you here.

They suck.

Maybe someone else out there has a different opinion, but as soon as I saw how worthless these things are, especially considering the AP investment necessary to get them, I dropped them like warforged holding a baby rust monster.

[Rheebus]

I dropped them like warforged holding a baby rust monster.

OMG...so friggin funny! The visual is priceless, like this rep.

[Bemidji]

I wasn't sure if augmenting would make spending the advancement points worth it.

I had the mental image of a gnome (if ever added) with a crossbow and constructs and it made me smile. Not useful here, but reminds me of PnP days.

[Sven_Hoek]

I have tried the metallic puppies and I have to be honest with you here.

They suck.

Maybe someone else out there has a different opinion, but as soon as I saw how worthless these things are, especially considering the AP investment necessary to get them, I dropped them like warforged holding a baby rust monster.

I agree Rheebus, that is the quote of the day!

Thanks Sam the Dagger!

[Trillea]

Quote of the day - from 8 months ago?

Talk about a thread necro..

[cecmk5]

I have this on my bard. I find it very helpful when soloing. I like when my pet lasts through anything the enemy can dish out and then having all my charmed little friend beat the hell out of there old friends.

[Montrose]

Quote of the day - from 8 months ago?

Talk about a thread necro..

Not only that, but said necromancer has exactly 1 post ever on the forums.