Those of you who have filled out the surveys so far, thanks for the awesome feedback!
Eidolon Mechanics
We're going to go a little grittier than we usual do. Keep in mind this is our initial framework and may change substantially as we continue building/balancing. Let us know if you like the detailed analysis.
There were some truly amazing and unique ideas suggested for the eidolon. Based on your feedback, we've been reworking the math to see how we could deliver the experience many of you requested. Rather than providing 4 minor, 3 major, 2 epic, and 1 legendary trait, we're going to be using a points system allowing you to mix and match to get your ideal summon.
The total combination of traits needs to increase the CR (Challenge Rating) of your eidolon by 6 or less. There were many flavor/roleplay/utility traits requested as well. These won't directly have an effect on the CR, but could easily make your creature more deadly based on how you may end up playing them. Here's our current working model:
Minor traits will cost 1 point and provide 0 benefit to CR. Examples: ability to speak, size change, increased movement speed, etc.
Major traits will cost 2 points and provide 1/2 CR benefit. Examples: increased chance to hit, increased ac, flying speed, etc.
Epic traits will cost 4 points and provide 1 CR benefit. Examples: a bonus action tentacle attack, crowd control, etc.
Legendary traits will cost 8 points and provide 2 CR benefit. Examples: breath weapon, auras, combining with eidolon, etc.
The summoner will get 1 point per level to spend on traits, plus an additional 4 points when they hit level 3 and choose the Evolutionist subclass. This will provide them a total of 24 points by the time they hit level 20.
A player could pick up 24 minor traits for a truly unique and ability packed eidolon. This wouldn't technically increase the CR, though the power of this creature used in the right hands could be truly remarkable ignoring the incredible versatility.
A player could pick up 12 major traits for a total CR increase of 6.
A player could pick up 6 epic traits for a total CR increase of 6.
A player could pick up 3 legendary traits for a total CR increase of 6.
A player could mix and match choosing a variety of different traits to build their specific eidolon vision such as 4 major traits, 2 epic traits, and 1 legendary trait also increasing the CR by 6.
A few examples a player may pursue:
An eidolon built around stealth and single target elimination, pilfering pockets with their tentacles, and making a quick escape with their wings.
A tanky, crowd control specialist difficult to hit but hindering enemies' movement.
An extremely well rounded companion that helps entertain both the party and strangers with its extremely bright coloring, impressive mimicry skills, and can serve as a mount for up to 12 with its giant stature.
One of the tools we've used internally is available for use if you'd like to play around with it - 5E Monster Designer. Feel free to let us know if you'd like to see any changes/improvements.
Also, we unlocked the latest stretch goal! 3 More Augments on the way!
We Crossed the 1K Backer Threshold and Unlocked Another Stretch Goal
over 2 years ago
– Sat, May 07, 2022 at 08:04:56 AM
Surveys
We're going to keep the survey links at the top of our updates to ensure those of you just joining us get a chance to have your voices heard:
Those of you who have filled out the surveys so far, thanks for the awesome feedback! We have read through every answer and are using your feedback to help shape the content. We've reached out to several of you already with more on our to-do-list to get additional details about your suggestions. Here are the current results:
More Summoner Options is winning by a landslide in what you all want to see
The average backer wants a slightly heavier mechanics themed book, but still containing a fair amount of lore
The top two illustrations people want to see are "summoners chilling with their summons" and a "fight scene"
The most requested spell level is cantrip and the most requested school of magic is conjuration, both by a huge margin
The evolutionist is by far the most popular name for the eidolon based subclass, though whoever suggested Professor Oak cracked us up and we are reconsidering
New Stretch Goal Unlocked
Last night we unlocked the latest stretch goal, Tiefling Combat Formulas, adding three new cantrips to the summoner! Under the cover of darkness, an additional two stretch goals were added as well with Ancient Orcish Rituals and Dragonborn Power Runes jumping into the mix.
Many, many, many of you have requested additional artwork, even in-progress and sketches. We are frequently dropping new artwork on our instagram if you want to see some of the behind the scene stages!
Oh yeah, another Master Summoner joined the mix and is designing a new subclass for you all!
Currently cloaked in shadow, we'll give more details when it's ready! We worked last night with the backer on the initial concept and can't wait to bring this subclass to life.
Summoner Mechanics
over 2 years ago
– Wed, May 04, 2022 at 11:06:10 PM
Great feedback in the surveys!
Those of you who have filled out the surveys so far, thanks for the awesome feedback! We have read through every answer and are using your feedback to help shape the content. We've reached out to several of you already with more on our to-do-list to get additional details about your suggestions. If you haven't filled out the surveys yet and want your voice heard please do so!
By far the biggest request has been for additional summoner mechanics and explanations of the existing ones. We're going to cover a lot of ground here as succinctly as possible, so let us know where you want more details. FYI - If you participated in our alpha play-testing some of the names have changed based on your feedback and some abilities are tweaked/reworked.
Summoning Creatures
Summoners gain 1 summoner point per level, which refresh on a short rest. A summon costs twice as many points as its CR; creatures less than 1/2 CR still cost 1 summoner point. They can use these points as a bonus action to summon one or more creatures they have previously seen (there is also a table of creatures summoners can use in case they are missing a level they would like to summon). There are additional ways to gain access to summons, but during the playtesting the biggest time suck was players having too many options to choose from. Players and DMs also loved the story arc and side missions this opens up with summoners pursuing rare and elusive summons to add to their collection. We've gone back and forth on expanding this further, but until we roll into the additional testing are leaving it here.
Enhance Summon
There have been a couple of requests for summons that grow in power as you level. Besides having the option to summon higher level summons, we have an enhance feature built in already that you could use to increase the power of your lower level summon increasing it's AC, Attack/Damage Bonus, saving throw bonus, etc. with summoner points. Depending on the situation you might be better grabbing two dire wolves and enhancing them versus dropping the owlbear into the mix.
Combat Formulas
Combat formulas provide summoners a means to stay relevant before/after they've used their summons. These are cantrips, though built in a fashion that's unique to the summoner. An example would be Aegis, which provides a temporary hit point shield to an ally.
Force Augments
Force augments provide all summoners a level of customization for their character. Some require prerequisites such as a certain subclass, other's may require a certain level in the summoner class. There are options that provide additional flexibility/power for your summon such as:
Elemental Fury - As a bonus action, you can imbue your summons with elemental power. Choose an element from acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder. Your summons gain resistance to the element, and your summons' attacks damage type changes to the chosen element. This lasts until you dismiss it as a bonus action or you take a short or long rest.
Some options are geared towards character flavor and role play:
Constructive Criticism - When a player or NPC fails a skill check, you can tell them a better way to accomplish the task. They gain advantage on their next skill check, but may become hostile towards you at the DMs discretion.
Other options may change how you play or provide abilities for a specific build you have in mind:
Life Syphon - When you or a summon damages another creature, you can choose one ally you can see to be healed for an amount equal to your proficiency bonus. This heal cannot trigger more than once per turn.
Point of Convergence
Summoners have a way of gaining extra summer points at the cost of exhaustion. They also must roll on the point of convergence table. This table has additional effects that may be good, bad, or situational for both RP and combat. Here are a few examples:
Throw your nearest ally at the furthest enemy within 150 feet. The ally takes 1d4 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet traveled, and the enemy takes 1d10 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet traveled.
A mage hand pokes the two nearest enemies in the eye. They take 2 piercing damage.
A portal opens to a random location determined by the DM.
You believe your teeth are sentient and start talking to them for the next hour. You have disadvantage on all perception and charisma checks during this time.
Subclasses
Colossus - specializing in single creatures, the colossus area of study pursues increasing the strength of a single summon. Your summons gain increased critical damage, the ability to transform one summon into a different one, a way to share health with the summoner, and gain a damage/difficult terrain aura.
Convergent - pursuing additional power through the power of convergence, the convergent have access to stronger summons than all the other classes. They must roll on the point of convergence table however whenever they spend a summoner point as well as letting the dice determine what they summon. This power comes with a lack of choice. The convergent says how many points they want to spend, rolls a d4 and d6, and their summons are determined by a table. To date there are 500+ options we've built out for what they get to summon. Ironically this class has played the quickest so far in testing due to the removal of choice.
Hivemind - gaining power from having multiple summons in play, the hivemind use strength in numbers to shore up the weakness of a single creature. They gain a swarm feature that lets them grapple and restrain creatures, an ability to sacrifice one of their creatures to deflect a blow to themselves or another summon, increased chance to hit based on the number of summons they have on the field, and increased movement speed for the summoner and their summons.
Evolutionist (currently the winning name in the survey!) - driven to create their perfect summon, evolutionists use a series of traits (evolutions) to customize how their summon functions. These may be utility functions such as gaining a swim speed, combat focused like hardened hide, or perhaps fulfillment of multiple roles and theme such as growing a tentacle. The evolutionist uses their eidolon base form and adds these traits to flesh out their vision of the perfect summon.
Mystery - a master summoner is working directly with us to develop an additional subclass.
Let us know what you think in the comments!
Projects I'm Following
There are two projects that I wanted to share:
1UP-Dice II: The Revenge is an excellent combo of legacy video games and dice. Bring your summons forth in style.
Almost forgot, there are a few additional stretch goals added to the campaign page as well! 3 new augments and an expanded convergent table!
Eidolon is unlocked!
over 2 years ago
– Mon, May 02, 2022 at 03:30:46 PM
We’ve done it! We’ve unlocked the Eidolon.
For those of you not familiar with the concept, an eidolon worked as a blank slate summon in Pathfinder. You used the base summon and had a selection of increasingly more powerful traits you could add to your eidolon, customizing it to fit your play style.
We’ll build out this subclass together! The way we’ve laid the foundation is that the Eidolon subclass will get 4 tiers of abilities:
4 Minor traits - these should have minimal bearing on CR increases but could be RP, flavor, or have utility/combat benefits. A couple of examples would be gaining a swimming speed, gaining a grapple, etc.
3 Major Traits - these should provide a ½ CR worth of benefit. These could be things like increased AC, increased chance to hit, etc.
2 Epic Traits - these should provide 1 CR worth of benefit. These could be things like resistance to a damage type, truesight, etc.
1 legendary trait - this should provide 2 CR worth of benefit. This could be a breath weapon, immunity to a damage type, etc.
Feel free to provide any feedback you'd like to see in the survey, and we'll do our best to incorporate it into the 5E standards for the class!
Let us know what you'd like to see in the Eidolon Survey
It's a big one
over 2 years ago
– Thu, Apr 28, 2022 at 05:33:32 PM
We have a lot to share, but we'll try to keep it succinct. It's been an extremely busy few days reviewing all the kick-ass responses we received, evaluating what we can take on without endangering the schedule, and trying to keep up with you all. The feedback has been awesome, keep it coming!
95% of the Way to the New Subclass Stretch Goal
We are right on the cusp of unlocking a new subclass for you all! We'll be putting together a questionnaire for what you'd like to see. We have a foundation for the eidolon built out, but can't wait to hear what you all have in mind!
A Game Designer Joined Our Midst
A backer pledged the Game Designer tier and is going to be working directly with the Knight Vision Creative team to bring forth something new for all of you!
Illustrator is Starting on the First Stretch Goal
After compiling the awesome suggestions for the illustrations, we sent over the brief to the illustrator who has begun working on it. We'll run several sketches by you all for votes on which one to move forward with!
Breakdown of New Spells
Our spell survey revealed two trends:
1) There is an oversized interest in new cantrips.
2) The primary school of magic people wanted to see was Conjuration followed by Transmutation.
We'll be providing at least two spells in each school spread across all 10 levels, but they will be weighted by your votes in the previous survey!
Enhanced Upcast Spell Options
We had a lot of great suggestions come through for the targets of our enhanced upcast treatment (also if anyone has a better name for this let us know). We decided upon:
Darkness
Magic Missile
A strong argument, presented by several of you, is the built in limitations for Warlocks and their mandatory upcasting. We also just had a lot of you specifically call out magic missile.
Announcing New Stretch Goals
As we close in on our new subclass, we will be adding a series of new stretch goals to the campaign. By far, the majority of backers want MORE summoner options, so that's where we'll be focusing.
Tiefling Combat Formulas
The summoner uses their summoning points to conjure forth their summons, but if they are out of points, in a poor position to use their summons, or just bidding their time, summoners can use cantrips to continue to fight the good fight. The next stretch goal unlocks the creation of 3 additional cantrips for the summoner.
Synthesist
We've had several people ask about a synthesist option. This is essentially where you combine with your summon rather than creating a separate creature, augmenting your own physiology. We originally had this included in the summoner and decided to pull it out after play-testing. The bad news is that we completely removed it from the summoner. The good news is that people liked it so much we turned it into its own future class! If you ever wanted to build a character inspired by Venom, Dr. Strange's cloak, or just have an extremely customizable suit of armor you're in luck! We parked it on Kickstarter a few months ago to cement it into our timeline. Feel free to follow to get notified when the Augmentor launches.
Upcoming Add-Ons
There were some requests for content that is related but not a good fit for this book. We are exploring optional Add-Ons as a way to meet this desire without worrying about impacting our timeline or the focus of Creed's Codex. We'll send out an update once we've determined our strategy moving forward here.
Project I've Been Following
One thing I love about Kickstarter is the number of projects you find offering things you didn't know you wanted. I've never thought too much of VR: seems neat in theory, haven't enjoyed it in practice. One of the coolest aspects of the summoner for me is imagining conjuring this giant monstrosity onto the field of battle, or summoning forth your army of minions against the oncoming horde. I stumbled upon QuestHaven in the TTRPG space working on a VR tabletop platform, and I couldn't stop thinking about bringing forth summons with that sort of tech. Their video showcasing the tool is pretty slick if you want to check them out. Looks like a really well done VR implementation, and I want to bring this summon forth!
