The Espers (Summoner)

The Espers

Summoner

Oh, how long have I waited for a worthy opponent to withstand my power without giving in to fear.
And so I share my power with you.
Shirk not from this strength, and it shall illuminate the truth...

A Summoner forms pacts with many Espers rather than a pact with a singular entity. Espers are ancient beings as old as the world itself. There are many stories relating the creation of the Espers. Some say they are the pure embodiment of the elemental forces, or that they were created by the gods and later attempted to rise up against them. Their true nature is likely beyond the understanding of mere mortals. They lend their power only to those who prove themselves worthy, usually by defeating them in combat.

Once you have formed a pact with an Esper, you may attempt to summon it. The summoned abilities of Espers are similar to the spells cast by mortals, but they are able to affect a much larger area. By concentrating and channeling more of your strength into your summoned Esper, you are able to increase its power.

This subclass is based on the Summoner from a popular RPG series and takes most of its inspiration from the Tactics game in the series.

This is a play test version.

Espers (Bonus Spells)

A Summoner does not gain an expanded spell list like a normal Warlock. He instead gains a number of Summoning spells which are added to his list of known spells, but do not count towards his number of spells known. However, these spells can only be cast using the Summoning ability.

By default, Summoning spells are learned when the Summoner gains the appropriate spell level. As an optional rule, the Summoner may be required to meet and form a pact with each Esper. This optional rule is recommended for Espers that require a Mystic Arcanum slot to summon, but for lower spell levels, it could cause the Summoner to take up a lot of table time.

For the most part, Summoning spells mimic the listed spells below. 

Summoning Spells (Spell slots)

Spell Level	Spells
1st	Moogle (healing word), Shiva (ice knife)
2nd	Ramuh (shatter), Sylph (silence)
3rd	Ifrit (fireball), Titan (erupting earth)
4th	Golem (stoneskin), Lich (blight)
5th	Carbuncle (circle of power), Faerie (mass cure wounds)

 

Summoning Spells (Mystic Arcanum slots)

SPELL LEVEL	SPELLS
6th	Alexander (sunbeam)
7th	Odin (divine word)
8th	Leviathan (tsunami)
9th	Bahamut (meteor swarm)

Summoning

At 1st level, a Summoner may cast their Summoning spells by using a spell slot or a Mystic Arcanum slot of the appropriate level. A Summoning spell always takes at least one Action to cast, regardless of the base spell’s normal casting time. Summoning requires the Summoner’s Concentration, even if they are only casting it as a single action, and they must make a Concentration check (Constitution Save DC = 10 + Spell Level). A Summoner is considered to be proficient in Constitution Saving throws when made for casting a Summoning spell. A Summoner may extend the casting time of the spell by continuing to concentrate on it and spend additional actions. These additional actions can be in the same turn if the Summoner gets multiple actions in a turn, or extend the casting time over multiple turns. The Constitution save increases by 1 each additional action spent concentrating on a Summoning spell and they must make a Concentration Check each round they spend casting the Summon. This Save only needs to be made once per round, no matter how many actions are used for the summoning. Other situations that cause a Constitution save (such as taking damage) will still require one as normal. The Summoner may only spend a number of additional Actions Concentrating on the Summoning spell equal to the spell's Level. E.g. you may spend up to 3 additional actions concentrating on a 3rd level Summoning spell.

Unless otherwise specified, Summoning gives the following benefits

• Each additional Action (beyond the first) spent concentrating on the Summoning spell increases its area of effect by 5 ft. This means spells that normally target only a single target affect an area within 5ft of the target. This also increases the range of the spell by 10 feet.
• Espers appear as a spectral being that appears in the air over the target or target area. This being is treated as the point of origin for the spell.
• When you cast a Summoning Spell, you may choose either a target or a target area. If a target is chosen, the Esper will move with the target. If a target area is chosen, the summoner may use a bonus action to move the Esper up to 10 feet as long as it is within the spells range.
• If at least 1 addition action (not bonus action) is spent concentrating on the Summoning spell, the Summoner may choose which targets within the spells area are affected by it.

If the Summoner fails a Concentration check or the Summon is not within range of the caster at the end of the Summoner's turn, the spell fails, but the spell slot is not used.

A summoner may not use Summoning to cast any of their other spells. It may only be used to cast Summoning spells.

Focused Summoning

Starting at 6th level, you learned how to better control the chaotic energies involved in Summoning Espers. When you fail a Concentration check while casting a Summoning spell, as long as you have succeeded on at least 1 previous Concentration check, you do not automatically fail at the summoning. You may instead choose to do one of the following:

1. You may let the spell go. The spell fails, but you do not use one of your spell slots.
2. You may immediately cast the spell at the location and power level of your last successful Concentration Check.
3. You may attempt to salvage the spell. If you do so, treat the spell as though you had concentrated on it for 1 fewer round (e.g. reduce the spell's area of effect by 5 feet), but this does not reduce any successive Concentration checks. This does not increase the number of actions you may spend concentrating on casting the spell. If this would reduce the spell's effects below its default values, it instead fails, but you do not use the spell slot. Any further failed checks have a 5% chance to cause a Wild Magic surge (role on the Wild Magic table from the Wild Magic Sorcerer) per level of the spell. Each additional failed Concentration check increases this chance by 10%. A Wild Magic surge DOES use the spell slot.

Master Summoner

Starting at 10th level, you gain Advantage on Constitution saves made to concentrate on casting Summoning Spells.

Additionally, when you cast a Summoning spell that uses a spell slot (this does NOT include Summoning Spells that require a Mystic Arcanum) you may spend a Bonus Action to Concentrate on the casting in addition to your action without requiring an additional Concentration Check, though it still increases the DC for successive checks. This does not increase the maximum number of Actions or Bonus Actions that may be used concentrating on the spell. You may only use a Bonus Action this way once per casting.

Quickened Summoning

Starting at 14th level, you have strengthened your connection with your contracted Espers such that you can summon them more rapidly. When you cast a Summoning spell, you may take an extra Action each round. This extra action can only be used to concentrate on casting the Summoning spell. You only need to make 1 Concentration check each round, but successive Concentration checks still increase for each Action or Bonus Action used to Concentrate on them. This does not increase the maximum number of Actions or Bonus Actions that may be used concentrating on the spell.

Once you successfully use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.