Which summons from Shadows of Amn do you prefer

jthack · Post by **jthack** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 9:55 pm

Out of all the summons creatures and monsters that are available, which do people find to be the most effective for many different types of encounters.

Taking into consideration how early in the came you can cast them, I would have to put my money on the Clerics spell Animate Dead. Level three and calls forth a warrior after level fifteen which can hit things they shouldn't be able to... such as enemies with protection from +1 or higher even. A long life span can keep them aroung until after you have rested your 8 hours.

For abilities that they can provide the Moon Dog is like no other. Healing lick and the being able to dispell invisibilities are very helpful for the Ranger who happens to pick up that figurine, but the fact only Rangers can get the Moon Dog drops it from the top spot for me.

Total damage has to go to the Aerial Servent. Invisibile target as well as giving out mass amounts of damage at the same time able to take it too.

As long as you can stay away from errant fireball the Gate spell is quite effective for tough battles. A dispell magic can ruin your day however so only to be used with utmost caution.

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 11:25 pm

I'd have to vote for planetars even though you have to wait a long time to acquire the spell.

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 11:46 pm

Planetars do it for me too. used cheese tactic, summoned 5 for demogorgon, they held him and pets in place while I used spellstrike and breach, and they finished it and his pets off! they each carry silver swords, and vorpal weapons rock!

I used to use combination of skeletons and spider spells, next game I will not spiderspawn at all, since they are too fragile, and hasted skeletons are just as nasty ans better than spiders for rapid, quick high speed assault. Now I have heard that the best summon for mind flayers and umber hulks are inv stalkers, but I have not experimented too much with that. I do like them for innate spell resistance, since they cannot be targeted by spells, but you can do the same for skeletons too with mass inv.

Hakeshars are spell casters. this makes them versatile against non spell casting enemies. cast summon hakeshar against a group of umber hulks, at close range have it cast stinking cloud, then cast acid fog at hakeshar. it is dispelled, and while the hulks are stunned by the stinking cloud, the acid kill them, slowly.

The golem manual is kick ass, the juggernault golem is really nasty and effective. I like chan the elemental prince of air for globe of blades, however guess what spell all planetars can cast?

djinn and afreets are good as secondary spell casters, they have some wicked fire spells, but that is what fireball wands are for?

I've heard that the totem spirit animals are really good against creatures vulnerable to non magic weapons, with really killer resistances. but have yet to play that.

jthack · Post by **jthack** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 11:59 pm

I believe you may have missed the intention of the topic title. As I have not played Throne of Bhaal yet, which is where I assume Planetars come from, I know nothing about them. The intent was to ask what Summons you prefer just from the Shadows of Amn spells and abilities. What would you use before higher level capabilities are given to you.

Jammer · Post by **Jammer** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 1:02 am

"Morden. Sword" especially against "mindflayers"

leeho730 · Post by **leeho730** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 2:19 am

In SoA, I like to use mordenkainen's sword agains dragons (they last quite long) and Skeleton warriors against mind flayers. I used to have really hard time against mind flayers (I had to use lots of cheesy traps) before. Is lovely to watch Skeletone warriors smashing mindflayers away in the Underdark

IMHO looks and sprites(animations) for skeleton warriors are damn cool.

In ToB, Deva/planetar rocks (globe of blades and heal) but I really like greater elemental summoning. Much toughter than deva and can hit final boss. Personally energy blades and greater elemental summoning are only the reasons Jaheira exists (energy blade deals a good amount of damage to enemies, reminding me much of magic missile in old days

).

PDF · Post by **PDF** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 3:40 am

At "low" levels (8-12) in BG2, only standard elementals are somewhat good...
After that (levels 14-16), I like Skeleton Warriors (immuninities, Magic resistance, +1 weapon), Pit Fiends (Gate)and Mordenkeinen's Swords.
Never tried Nishruu/Hakeshaar (they are pathetic when fought against...), Monster /Animal summons are crap, "smaller" fiends (Nabassus...) are weak, Efreet/djinnis somewhat better.
In TOB, Planetars rock and Devas are somewhat good... My Jaheira is still not high level enough to be able to summon Princes (I left her then picked her again...) so I can't say...

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 3:44 am

Originally posted by Jammer:
<STRONG>"Morden. Sword" especially against "mindflayers"</STRONG>

Me too - favorite summoning.
2 of these can clear many enemies (as long as the don't use deathspells or MM

)

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 4:16 am

As for SoA, I have to say that Spider Spawn (after level 12), Summon Undead (after level 15) and Aerial Servant are my most used summoning spells. Swordies against mages are underrated, IMO.

Fezek · Post by **Fezek** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 4:26 am

I like Pit Fiends. Particularly when they rip through MindFlayers. Reading ;" Mind Flayer; Weapon ineffective against Pit Fiend" on screen is very satisfactory.

Johnny · Post by **Johnny** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 4:35 am

Planetars do it for me too. used cheese tactic, summoned 5 for demogorgon, they held him and pets in place while I used spellstrike and breach, and they finished it and his pets off! they each carry silver swords, and vorpal weapons rock!

What? I thought you could only summon one planetar at any one time.

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 5:35 am

Originally posted by Johnny:
<STRONG>What? I thought you could only summon one planetar at any one time.</STRONG>

He probably got around the limit with Project Image.

My favorite summons in SoA are Summon Undead, Aerial Servant, Call Woodland Being (they don't last long but can cast mage spells and Mass Cure), Fire Elemental, and Mordenkainen's Sword.

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 9:45 am

@Drako,

Yes, I started the planetar business as my reading comprehension skills are obviously lacking. Let's see in SoA, I guess hasted skeletons are a favorite, Mordenkainen's sword is a must, the staff of fire is a great item since so many opponents use fire based combat tactics, and finally, I love Ras - no idea why I just think it is a cool item. Anybody know of any summons that deal with lightning, I've never discovered a good means of using it on offensive or diverting it on defense save using tons of prot. from lightning scrolls.

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 11:11 am

Animate undead is Necromancy so bad luck,
Limited/wish prismatic ray are good hight lvl ones low Flame arrow, Ghost armour, preist spells summon insects, aerial servant, creeping doom,

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 11:20 am

Actually it depends on what you are fighting...a nice little Nishruu is really cool against some stupid mages, including Jon Irenicus...he is just so cute always healing the Nishruu with his spells, wasting them and losing even more when the Nishruu hits.....it is really a great summon.

Altogether I usually use mostly skeletons, or if I include a druid elementals of all kinds...

TheDude · Post by **TheDude** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 1:32 pm

Animate Death is the greatest Summon Spell in the game (SoA

)
the elementals, expacially the fire elementals, are second.

Quitch · Post by **Quitch** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 1:49 pm

Mordenkainen's Sword. It's immune to almost everything, but is a fairly good fighter. Great for a rear guard, or for taking on level drainers (or Mind Flayers).

Aerial Servant is a good early one though, a real bruiser.

Please keep the ToB talk out of the SoA forum

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 3:17 pm

Clones! All three of them!

Mislead, Project Image and Simulacrum. I could finish the game casting Mislead alone.

Or aren't those considered "summons"?

No Skeleton Warrior is bigger, badder or tougher than another me! OK, maybe a lot bigger...

jthack · Post by **jthack** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 5:16 pm

@Xyx,

I would certainly include those three spells among the Summons as they have, by reading your adventures in the Shadow Mages, been very affective for you. As I am not a Berserker/Mage I probably haven't used them to their greatest advantage. The extra spells must come in handy I do admit.

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Fri Aug 24, 2001 1:13 am

M swords have a big issue with me, as I keep seeing them confused or dominated or even charmes!! ONLy when I had plain vanilla soa installed with bladerdash patch full installed were swords invulnerable like they should be did I use them often.

Drako, a lot of people, soon me, like to play soa with tob installed for watchers keep and its incredible loot. Since I personally estimate the xp loot at that place to be around 2 million, this is a nietzxhian way of really making your party god like. Survive watchers keep, and your group can kick ass with anything.

I do like one thing with m swords. if I know I will face a monster, nasty type, incapable of casting enchantment spells, I will use hasted and invisible m swords. dragons, and semonic fell come to mind. I've also used them against liches, counting on haste and inv to get them into spell interrupt range. But skeletons hasted and inv are almost as good, and tactically better since you can spend the time to get them in the proper lauch position. for example, in the shade lord dungeon crawl, in the lava room, I once summoned about 20 skellies, using the project image cheese tactic, and cast haste and inv. sent in first 5 to soak up the chain cont. symbol death, then sent the rest in to kill everyone.

It still bothers me that m swords are vulnerable to charm and dominate, I mean these things are hunks of metal!

I do really like the idea.

Anybody read the michael moor**** books on the elric series?

I keep thinking of the final book
Stormbringer
when elric summons with storm bringer its brother swords and how a legion of black swords went after the chaos gods.

Hey, havve aerie sweetie cast project image and chaotic commands on a bunch of swords!!!!