Summon Nature's Ally

[Kilnedric]

Make this a more interesting choice for rangers by doubling the level of the spell that the ranger gets.

Ranger 1 (L 4): Summon Nature's Ally II
Ranger 2 (L 8): Summon Nature's Ally IV
Ranger 3 (L11): Summon Nature's Ally VI
Ranger 4 (L14): Summon Nature's Ally VIII

And revamp with 3 choices per level like summon monster. I believe at high level, elementals are allowed.

This is all work that will need to be for druids anyway. Just roll it out earlier.

[Talias006]

Make this a more interesting choice for rangers by doubling the level of the spell that the ranger gets.

Ranger 1 (L 4): Summon Nature's Ally II
Ranger 2 (L 8): Summon Nature's Ally IV
Ranger 3 (L11): Summon Nature's Ally VI
Ranger 4 (L14): Summon Nature's Ally VIII

And revamp with 3 choices per level like summon monster. I believe at high level, elementals are allowed.

This is all work that will need to be for druids anyway. Just roll it out earlier.

How about keeping the Nature's Ally levels the same, but increasing the HD of the summons by 2 if cast by a Ranger.
Alternatively, just get the Augment Summons Feat to make your NA's more powerful if you really feel that you need to cast this all the time on a Ranger.

This would allow for Druid Nature's Ally summons to still be more powerful when they're implemented, as they would have access to the summons earlier.
And they would have access to Nature's Ally higher than IV, so increased HD doesn't matter.

[Alrik_Fassbauer]

I'd be glad if they would at least increase the health of the Nature's Ally.

[voxson5]

Or scale the summon to the level of the ranger

[Alrik_Fassbauer]

Yes. Would be good as well.

[Silverwren]

I agree. The summons should be better than what is available now. I hardly ever use mine, mostly because it almost always gets beaten to a bloody pulp two minutes after I summon it.

[azrael4h]

I agree. The summons should be better than what is available now. I hardly ever use mine, mostly because it almost always gets beaten to a bloody pulp two minutes after I summon it.

It takes that long?

[Iwinbyrollup]

It takes that long?

My guess is it doesn't do enough damage to get aggro so the mobs ignore it. It only dies when hit by a glancing blow, cleave-type attack, or spell.

[Firewall]

Maybe they should remove the spell altogether and give the ranger a real pet like the artificers have.

[azrael4h]

My guess is it doesn't do enough damage to get aggro so the mobs ignore it. It only dies when hit by a glancing blow, cleave-type attack, or spell.

In my experience, summons are like hirelings and arty dogs; they run ahead at the first hint of something that can kill them. At least the summons don't ignore orders since they can't have any; I can have my dog on passive and he'll rush ahead and aggro half the map.

All that said, since Druids have been announced as not coming soon, maybe they'll at least be given multiple options like the Summon Monster line was.

[Silverwren]

Maybe they should remove the spell altogether and give the ranger a real pet like the artificers have.

Hey now! There's an idea, especially since rangers hang out in the woods a lot (allegedly).

All that said, since Druids have been announced as not coming soon, maybe they'll at least be given multiple options like the Summon Monster line was.

D'OH! Spoken too soon. Druids ARE coming soon (allegedly).

[azrael4h]

D'OH! Spoken too soon. Druids ARE coming soon (allegedly).

I know. That's also been announced before, a few times since I've been here, but also since 2006. That's why I said "not". Though I really wish they'd prove me wrong, Druid has always been my favorite class. They'll get at least one Tr heart out of me if they do.

[Culver.Civello]

Yupp, If I use my summon, I just use it as a distraction. It'll die a moment later, but it gives me plenty of time to vanish. :P

Then from no where... PEW PEW PEW! You dead. Muhahaha!

[Zachski]

I know. That's also been announced before, a few times since I've been here, but also since 2006. That's why I said "not". Though I really wish they'd prove me wrong, Druid has always been my favorite class. They'll get at least one Tr heart out of me if they do.

Druid has been announced specifically for Update 13. Instead of "Soon"

[ferrite]

Well according to the rules rangers are only supposed to get up to IV in this line of spells.

But that's not to say something should not be done.

The problem I think is not with the low summon level itself, but the entire Summon line of spells and how its been implmented in DDO, for all classes. Again according to the rules you should be able to summon "one 4th-level creature, 1d3 3rd-level creatures of the same kind, or 1d4+1 lower-level creatures of the same kind" for this level. But in DDO, they changed it to just summon one specific creature.. you get no choice as to what to summon, or if you'll summon multiples at a lower level to serve as disposable meatshields.. which after all is the point of choosing weaker multiples. 'Razor Cat' isn't even on the list of valid creatures allowed (but likely uses similar stats as the Tiger, so probably ok here, but still.. it should be Tiger)

So that's it, they took creative license to alter the intent of the summon line, so this is what you're basically left with; weak summons that can't hit hard enough, and can't be used as meatshields due to the artificial imposed limit of 1 at a time. Now say for example the summon line was finally restored to how its supposed to be, in that you were able to summon 5 lowly CR1 wolves into service during a battle, that definitely changes everything, as the mob would be distracted by your mini-mob long enough for you to make short work of them. Which again is the point of multiples, and I think the intent behind the original design from PnP.

[Ausdoerrt]

Alternatively, just get the Augment Summons Feat to make your NA's more powerful if you really feel that you need to cast this all the time on a Ranger.

Took it, just to see if it'd help. Still f*cking useless and die in 3 hits.

Well according to the rules rangers are only supposed to get up to IV in this line of spells.

Well, a lot of things in DDO aren't the same as the rules. PnP bosses don't have 100000 HP etc. HP and power of enemies (and players) at high level scales completely differently in DDO, and so should the summons. Seeing more options would be nice as well.

[Jaid314]

Druid has been announced specifically for Update 13. Instead of "Soon"

you sure? i'm almost certain druids are coming out same time as the new expansion.

[licho]

In my perfect ddo: Rangers get true animal companion, which levels with them in similar way as arti dogs. They also can pick the form for companion (wolfy, cat, bear, ellie) and learn it a tricks like sunder, or trip.

In not so perfect ddo, but also ok: Animal Companion is up to level so nature ally IV has CR of 16 which comes with hitpoints, and at least some reasonable trip dc for razor cat.

In nowadays DDO: NAture Ally is one of many aspect of rangers which maybe sound cool (You get a pet, isnt that great?!) on webpage, but in game its broken, and personally i use natural ally like never. At low levels i pick something else into slots, and at higher the ally dies to fast to care.

So big yes for buffing nature ally, even if it will be short term solucion, until problem will be seriously solved (as natural companion).

[lugoman]

Two words: Pet Monkey

[Silverwren]

Two words: Pet Monkey

Make mine an orangutan I can name Clyde and you have a deal.

Right turn Clyde! *WHAP*