Summoning

AngryGhost · Post by **AngryGhost** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 7:09 pm

A few questions on this too...

Does summoning give you control of the summoned entities?

If so why?

As it is not maintained or sustained can we presume that upon unconsciousness or death the entities remain.

However, if in this state you obviously can't contol them - so what happens?

Can you banish them at will, if not how can you or others banish them ( remembering that they are not part of a maintained or sustained power but are seemingly permanent)

MrJupiter · Post by **MrJupiter** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 10:25 pm

Good questions. Summoning doesn't specifically state that you have control of these creatures but since it "enables the user to call living things into being" I'd say that control is somewhat implied. Your hero made them so it makes sense that they would follow your instructions - at least until they've been in the world long enough to realize that following the whims and commands of the creator needn't be the end all and be all of their existance. That, however, could take a very long time (most children take years to figure this out - most of them by their teens at least).

As for whether or not they'd remain after death or unconsciousness, I'd say that that is unlikely and offer this quote from the CREATION cosmic power:

Level 5 (the lowest level of Creation): "Anything you create using Conjuring instead becomes a permanent creation of yours."

MrJupiter · Post by **MrJupiter** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 10:29 pm

Oh yes, and I would assume that, since you had the power to create them, you could uncreate them as well when ever you desired.

It would be interesting to have limitations on your Conjuring power that did not allow you to control or dismiss your creations. They would still cease to exist after the scene is over but their creator would have to use their natural abilities of influence to attain their cooperation.

AngryGhost · Post by **AngryGhost** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 8:22 am

Thanks for that

Post by **BASHMAN** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 3:28 pm

I think Mr. Jupiter's answer is pretty well in line with what I'd say here.

Deecely · Post by **Deecely** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 3:40 pm

Back this this oldie, now with a new question!

When the rules state "A character with this power can use it to summon only 1 type of creature." In this meant in broad terms such as "animal" or "demon" or "henchmen", etc., or is it more specific to "dogs", "cats", "bruisers", etc?

Thanks!

Post by **BASHMAN** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 4:03 pm

It means "create 1 statblock of creature that you can summon".

So for instance working on the Force Suite, I was writing this up as an example summon:

FORCE LION
Brawn 3 Agility 3 Mind 1
Powers:
Claws: Special Attack 1 (+1DM)
Clinging
Paired Weapons (Two attacks at -1 Dice Pen. To Hit)
Size 1 (+5 Result Bonus to Damage & Soak, -1 Dice Pen. Defense)
60 Hits

A person who doesn't take the enhancement and chooses to build this "Force Lion" can only ever summon this particular creature. It is always the same one, and looks exactly the same.

By taking the 1pt enhancement, he could choose to summon more 2 other things; so the player could make 2 additional statblocks to summon.

With the 2pt enhancement, you can summon whatever you want. It would be a good idea to prep 4 or so statblocks of "favorites" however to smooth game play along.

Deecely · Post by **Deecely** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 4:15 pm

Got it. So my intention to have a 20-point character with Animal Mastery 1 (enhancement: broad focus) - 2pts and "Animal" Summoning 1 wouldn't really allow her to summon as many animals as she could affect with her Mastery, could it?

She'd have a mastery over all animals, but could only specifically summon one particular (feeble, feeble) beast. How would this summoned beast combine or compare with the animals called to battle via Animal Mastery?

Profetadelpesar · Post by **Profetadelpesar** » Fri Mar 07, 2014 10:42 am

Using Summoning he will create one to six animals (always the same animal if at one power level). This animals may be more or less powerful than natural ones since their stat and power pools depends on how many points are invested in Summoning an their Hits on how many of them are created at one time. Also, they will appear instantly.

Animal Mastery will be able to call as much animals as there are 'nearby' (depends on power level). A lot of rats, cat and dogs in the city; mice, owls and bats at country; etc. These animals may not come inmediatly (at least not all of them) and will not fight to death.

A bird summoned at one point of Summoning and a bird called by mastery may be very similar. In the case of an elephant the one summoned may be weaker because its three stats will be at one, and the power pool of one will probably be used on size, and may be it is not going to be a very big paquiderm.

The hero you describe can summon in one moment six of the same creature, all six with ten Hits. These don't need to be mastered, they obey him to death.

He can also summon and control all the animals whithin one mile. Some may respond slowly, some other may come immediatly (like birds). These animals will flee and stop following the comands of the hero if badly injured or if half of them are defeated. In some cases some of them may be more powerful than a one level Summon creature (a bear has six points of stats, an elephant sevenâ€¦).

Post by **BASHMAN** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 10:42 am

Instead of "Summon 1" for your "instant animal", why not take the Sidekick/Pet Advantage, specifically a Pet? Then you can make a "Wonder Dog" or some other animal sidekick that is quite competent, always with you (when you want him to be), and also save that precious 1 pt for something else, like making Animal Mastery even better?

If the Narrator wants a 20 pt game, maybe instant animal summoning isn't in the cards. But having a trusty pet wolf and the ability to command other animals may be *.

Supertodd · Post by **Supertodd** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 9:28 pm

Speaking of Summoning, I have a character that has three demons (of three different sizes, small to big) following him around that usually help him out of a jam (but not always). Only he can see them (but not always). They're here to make his life annoying and full of trouble, but not to kill him. When they help him out, it's usually from out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Would this be bought as Summoning three times (once per demon, since they are of different types/stats/powers) with some sort of Limitation(s) since he doesn't control them, or are they just a Plot Device?

MrJupiter · Post by **MrJupiter** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 2:50 pm

Maybe you could try having your three demons being a Sidekick with the Duplication 2 power (limited with Always On) and maybe with Shape-Shifting as a way of uniquely tailoring each one. You could re-spawn any demon you 'lose' (twice total) with the 5 duplicates allowed.

Who knows, BASHMAN will probably have a suitable rule handle on this by the time AWESOME POWERS gets to this power suite.

Post by **BASHMAN** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 12:33 pm

I'd say for now they function as both a custom Disadvantage and an Advantage. The way I'd do this is the Hero can spend a Hero Point or take a Setback to make them do something useful. The Narrator can award a Hero Point or take away a Setback to make them do something bad. Most of the time, though, they are just there in the background being obnoxious.

Deecely · Post by **Deecely** » Fri Mar 21, 2014 10:21 am

Hey. Thanks for the advice above. For some reason my email alerts weren't on for this thread, so I'm just seeing your suggestions now.

It's funny you mention Pet, since I had intended this street-urchiny character to have a gnarly pet wolf-hound in addition to her animal mastery and summoning. Based on what you said, though, maybe the summoning is a bit too diluting and/or ambitious for a 20-point character game.

Based on the description of the "animal" mastery aspect of this power, where it may take some time for creatures to gather around, does this basically mean that the power has the "gradual" limitation built in?

Post by **BASHMAN** » Fri Mar 21, 2014 11:30 am

In essence, yes; but it will work just fine on any animals that are already in the area. Guard dogs, birds in the trees, cats, etc.

I'd suggest as an additional power 1pt Sense X (Animals) so you always know where there are animals around, what type, how far away they are, etc.