Summoning

[CJ]

OVERVIEW

Summoning is one of the trickier forms of higher magic, both because of sheer mental strain and difficulty in forming the spells, which have many variables. There are no general prerequisites for Summons, as each kind has it's own special needs.

The two primary variables in a Summon, which put it apart from every other kind of spell, are it's Duration and Nature. These traits are expressed by a set each of prefixes and suffixes, which come together to form a total of nine different types of Summon. These also express it's costs and abilities.

Duration of a summon tells how long it stays around, obviously.

Nature of a summon details what it is composed of, where it draws it's power from, and how it thinks, if at all.


Regardless of Duration or Nature, only one Summon per character can exist at any given time. The mental strain of having more than one, even for a moment, is just too much to bear.


PREFIXES, DURATION

Instant - A summon with this prefix will stay around only long enough to attack once. MP use is higher than a standard spell, but still lower than a Lingering spell, and is generally only incurred once.

Lingering - A summon with this prefix will stay around either until either it's summoning conditions end, or the summoner runs out of MP. MP is spent routinely to keep the summon around, making this the most generally expensive form of summon.

Familiar - A summon with this prefix will stay around forever once called, which generally doesn't even cost MP unless you have more than one. Unless the summoner has multiple Familiars and must spend MP to store or call them, the only cost incurred is if the familiar casts a spell itself.



SUFFIXES, NATURE

Shell - Summons with this suffix are formed from pure energy, generally provided by the 'caller'. Shell Summons are more created than called, and generally have no real will or substance of their own. Naturally, this form of summon is the most expensive, but also the most versatile, as the Summoner can form anything they want to do anything they want.

Contract - Summons with this suffix are already living beings, generally called from wherever they are by the summoner. Since they already exist, this nature is the least expensive for the summoner, but also the most limited. The summoned creature uses it's own power, which can only be channeled in ways it knows how. This also means that such spells can possibly become obsolete, as what's the point of summoning something weaker than yourself?
Contract Summons will follow the terms dictated by their contract, and other than that, are in no way beholden to their summoner. Creatures can be summoned without contracts, but this is dangerous... For reasons that should be obvious.

Golem - Summons with this suffix are created from whatever is around, powered either by a dead or borrowed spirit or by the 'summoner'. These are in the middle in terms of MP use, and their power depends mostly on the material they are made of. This form of Summon is highly variable, depending on the caster, the material, and what is powering it to determine what it can and can't do.
Golems are generally limited to physical attacks, though upgrading the spell that forms them or providing an outside animator will expand their horizons.


To review;
Lowest MP Cost - Contract, Familiar
Medium MP Cost - Instant, Golem
Highest MP Cost - Lingering, Shell


When MP Costs are Incurred for;
Instant - When called.
Lingering - When called.
Familiar - When it uses magic. When stored or taken out.

Shell - When formed.
Contract - When called.
Golem - When formed. When it uses magic.


Power and Versatility Dependent On;
Shell - Caster.
Contract - Creature contracted.
Golem - Materials about, magic power and skills known, if any, depends on animating force.

[CJ]

HOW TO TAKE A SUMMON SPELL

Summoning spells are carefully constructed from the ground up, and you have to make a lot of choices along the road. First, choose a Suffix (I know that sounds backwards, but do it anyway), and make the following choices depending on what you pick. Also make sure you have the prerequisites listed.
If a Contract or Familiar Summon is taken right at startup, the Prerequisites can be foregone, but the creature will be at level 1, meaning only three possible abilities and a Racial. Familiars will have only a Racial, even if they are Contract Summons.

Shell - Choose the form and element of the created being. The form doesn't matter so much, but the element does. Whether it's a dragon or a chicken, it will end up with the same general level of power.
Prerequisite; A focus item of the same element as the summoned creature. This item will function somewhat as a blueprint and contain a shadow of the form you craft. It will become too brittle for any other function, but the quality of the item will determine how many times you can upgrade the spell attached to it. On the plus side, these focuses don't use equipment slots and can't be stolen or broken permanently. Just having them is enough.

Contract - Choose a living creature. So nice and easy.
Prerequisite; A contract with a living creature. Verbal, on paper, a blood oath, or a pinkie swear, it doesn't really matter. If it agrees to come to you in the way you build it's spell, magic will keep it from welching. The difficulty in getting this contract is also highly variable...
NOTE: In -any- of the following cases, Contract Summons retain their Racial Ability and Passives, no matter what.

Golem - Choose a form and element, like with a Shell summon, only you also choose what the creation can possibly be made of. It can be as specific as you like, but the most general it can be is a type of material (Rock, Metal, Wood, Bone, Plant life would all work).
Optional; If you have a spare disembodied consciousness laying around, why that's just dandy. Plug 'er in there. This will require a sample of material compatible with what you intend to use in the final product.



Then add a Prefix, and make the following choices;

Instant - If you picked Shell before, create the attack it will preform. This is just like creating a spell, only the result will usually be more powerful.
If you picked Contract before, choose an attack that the contracted summon can use. It will preform this attack when summoned and then disappear. If the attack requires preparation, it's a good idea to notify the being BEFORE you call it. Yes, you can do that.
If you picked Golem before, you're done. Until upgraded, the thing will form, punch the enemy, and promptly fall apart.

Lingering - If you picked Shell before, create one attack it can preform. This is just like creating a spell, only the result will usually be more powerful. Prepare to spend a lot of MP though.
If you picked Contract before, choose one attack that the contracted summon can use. For as long as you keep it around, it can use this attack to it's hearts content, as well as take basic actions.
IF you picked Golem before, you're done. Until upgraded, the thing will form, follow basic commands, and fall apart when it's done.
Prerequisite; Maintain Summon Proficiency required for the Nature (suffix) you create.

Familiar - Distribute 350 stat points among it's stats. Don't get too excited there, Jethro, these points represent a percent of your own same stat. It will share MP and Act with you, and it's max HP will be 1/5 of yours. Even if the creature had it's own stats before, the ties that bind (whatever caused it to decide to start following your sorry ass around) and magic will tether it to your own power. It's done for now. It will follow you around forever and follow basic commands until upgraded. Boy, it's nice to hear that for something besides Golem, huh? One advantage of Familiars is the mental link, which allows you to act at the same time and without shouting your plans to everyone in hearing distance.
Contract Familiars still have to relearn all their moves, but will have access to them even if a player wouldn't normally. Familiars of the Contract variety are also the only kind that can use attacks they don't already know, if the Summoner spends a slot on them.
Shell and self-animated Golem familiars are invested with a small degree of will of their own. They won't be the life of the party, but they'll exibit common sense and some emotion.
EX: 100% Power stat, means that the familiar will be equally as strong as you.
50% SPwr stat, means that the familiar is half as mentally destructive as you.
150% Speed stat, means that the familiar is actually half again as fast as you.

Special Note; Shell Familiars - Shell Familiars work somewhat differently from the others. They lack stats, and can't really make any actions because they aren't solid. They only modify actions you take. All in all, they're glorified Passives. Very powerful Passives, but Passives. Very specific, but fun. Lingering Shell summons can also be made to do the same by giving up their ability to act, and these effects will b even more powerful.
This rule can be overcome, but it's pretty rough, and the created being will have no physical form, making it likely a fairy or something, still with limited powers.



Once you get this mess all figured out, throw it at my head and I'll combubulate it into simple terms. As simple as I can, at least.

[CJ]

SUMMON DESTRUCTION

So what if your Summon is beaten into submission? This is a threat that varies based on it's type. Instant summons don't have much to worry about, but Familiars are always a target. How they can be attacked generally depends on and what happens when they are attacked too much depends mostly on Nature, though Familiar (a Duration) has it's own rules.
Instant summons can only be attacked on a successful Interrupt attack on the creature itself.


Shell - Shell summons can't be attacked physically, but they can be attacked magically. In this case, it isn't a matter of damage. If the spell, or in extreme cases, magical weapon, strikes, a check is made of SPwr VS SPwr (If a magical weapon was used, this is treated as 0). The attacker adds their Spell Power or magic weapon damage to their SPwr, while the summoner adds their SPwr Bonus to it.
If this check is won, the summon is 'destroyed'. This doesn't mean much other than you'll have to make another one.

Contract - Contract summons can be harmed just as easily as if they were hanging around at home. Some summons can be very picky about being harmed, but unless they mention it in their contract, can't do much about it. If the summon isn't finished off before it can leave, it will heal itself as best it can until called again.
If the summon is killed in the line of duty, it instantly returns from where it was called and can't be called again until revived. They can generally be revived like any character, but you have to go to them first, unless someone just happens over their limp carcass. They might also be quite bitter.

Golem - Same as Shell, other than usually being susceptible to physical as well as magical damage. In fact they're generally -less- susceptible to magic, but that all depends on what they're made of. A Glass Golem would be that way, but a Water Golem would more likely to be harmed by magic and a sword would just whiff through harmlessly.
If a Golem is destroyed, it can be put back together easily enough, though you must use fresh materials. The old ones will be too beaten up.

FAMILIAR - Special in all this is the Familiar. No matter how they get hurt or when, it carries special consequences. You can't just make another, you have to heal the one you have. Furthermore, the damage overflow of a magic attack will go to you (after applying your Defense, but not armor). Whether it was felled by might or magic, half of this overflow is also done to your MP, as losing a Familiar is a massive shock. If you were particularly close, you may even take minor stat damage until your special friend is brought back. Likewise, if you yourself fall, the Familiar will fall despondent and refuse to do anything that won't directly result in reviving you, in addition to obviously being unable to use spells (as it won't have access to your MP). Even if it happens to have the means to bring you back, it will be unable to fight past it's grief to do so for at least one round.
To be honest, having one can be a damn liability sometimes.

[CJ]

UPGRADING SUMMONS

Summons can be upgraded in various ways depending on their Nature and Duration. Possible upgrades are as follows. Except for the ones that grant new moves, these cost a half slot like any upgrade. Contract Summons "learning" moves they already knew (really, you're "learning" to keep them there while they're used) takes half a slot as well.
These aren't necessarily all inclusive, but some upgrades may be forbidden.

Instant - Boost the action taken, extend range summon can be called at.
Lingering - Boost possible duration.
Familiar - Increase stat points, learn NEW moves.
Shell - Depends almost entirely on "Duration" upgrades.
Contract - Grant known moves during summoning period.
Golem - Expand on what the Golem can be made from, increase size or power possible. Learn NEW moves (Physical only unless a magical being is used as an animator). Increase possible complexity of triggers. Incorporate equipment or items into formation. Enable Store/Cast magic of the Summoner that is compatible with the material of the golem. Golems in particular rely on upgrades to be useful.