New Class Idea - Summoner

I know there are probably threads for new class ideas here, but my idea is fairly detailed so I'm posting it as a new thread.

Summoner Class
The basic concept of this class is a caster that can summon minions to fight at her side. In addition to summoning spells, there would be buff spells for summoned minions and spells to counter enemy summoned minions.

Primary Attribute:
Arcane Willpower - with every point in this attribute the summoner's enchantments last longer. The basic idea is that you want to keep your summoned spirits around longer.
Elemental Summoning - spells to summon elemental spirits.
Infernal Summoning - spells to summon evil spirits.
Devine Summoning - spells to summon benign spirits.
Familiar Mastery - calling and keeping a familiar.

Equipment:
Arms and Armor would consist of "bound" spirits. The Summoner versions of rods, staves and foci would be "Bound Imp" or "Bottled Ifrit". And at higher levels, an armor option could be a spirit "bound" to a body part. This would change the look of the body part that a spirit was bound to. Imagine binding a flame elemental to your arm and the flesh becomes flame red with claws and fiery fur.

Familiars:
There's a lot of potential cool skills you can give to familiars...
Combat Skills: similar to the rangers pet buffing skills.
Energy Battery: lets the caster draw energy from her familiar.
Scouting: the caster takes control of the familiar and can scout ahead, possibly remaining unseen, or flying!
Transform: temporarily transform your familiar into something bigger and more fiersome.

Very nice and imaginative but just to point it out to your attention.

The ranger proffession is in some ways very similar to this proffession already in that it can summon spirits that remain in play and grant abilities while also has a pet that can attack and that comes in varied forms.

I think that Anet wants to eliminate all the varied sub-classes by making pure classes like those that you find with many related and varied skills.

but it *would* be cool that summoned spirits would attack for you int he manner of bone horrors.

Yes, I imagined the summoned spirits to be more active, I didn't even think of overlap with rangers and their spirits because I tend to automatically throw out the spirit label with the ranger skills because those "spirits" don't really do anything, they just cast a large enchantment that affects everyone in the radius.

I imagine the summoner spirits to be more active and more varied. Necro minions are just for combat. Summoner spirits would be more varied in use.

I really like the idea of summoned spirits/ghosts/demons - I think this class can really augment some of the existing professions.

I'd imagine the summoner spirits to be designed so as to have as little in common with the ranger spirits or necro minions as possible.

You and I are on the same page Xue Yi Liang. Necro minions can be done in large numbers, and really just attack. Ranger spirits just sit there and maintain some enchantment.

I really tried to think of a class that would have abilities that don't overlap too much with existing classes. One of the things I really like about this game is that it is very game like. Classes are not so much about building character concepts as they are about doing specific kinds of things in the game. Some people don't see this and suggest classes that are just different concepts of existing classes (Samurai, Scout etc.).

One of the big advantages I see this class having in play is that you can add some special use "characters" to your party anytime. Fighting Ettins? Summon some tank spirits and healing spirits. Fighting Summit Howlers and Sages? Summon some disruption spirits.

please... no... summoners

Elite: Flame djinn; summon a level 1-18 flame djinn, flame djinn dies after 90 seconds. recharge 60 secs, casting time 3 seconds. 25 energy.

Yes Yes I Love This Idea I Made Simlar Ones In The Past I Totally Agree I Would Pay 50 Bucks Just To Have This Class

Pretty please Areana Net pick up on this idea I beg u

dumb idea, defeats the purpose of necros, but if it was made i'd be n/s for sure

I'm not sure how this defeats the purpose of necros. Necros have can create potentially large numbers of attack mobs. I'm talking about summoning one or two powerful, mobs, that come in many flavors and uses.

If you think necros are only about minions, you need to revisit the class.

Possibly you need to revisit the class - or atleast the minion masters, the minion masters are mostly underestimated as it is, if you make a summoner profession just about no one will want minions.

There is no need to add a profession just for this either. Just add a little to death magic or wilderness survival. From the look of your attributes, it seems like you are going to create a skill called "summon ele henchie" or monk or whatever, these minions would seem like almost adding in support with henchies but instead they are spirits.

We have enough spell casters as it is, why don't we put in another physical damager, possibly melee. A rogue will help the game more, or something close to it. Maybe for quick combat. More spell casters will unbalance the game.

Ok, when you say summon things like ettins, all you do is wanna mix pvp with pve, and this will totally ruin the game. You wanna interrupt go get a mesmer, warrior, or a ranger. You wanna take, go get a warrior or a R/Me with spirits up. Heals should come from monks, not NPCs. Maybe you wanna help the nukers do more damage or help monks with healing, but that also can be done with BiP, dark fury, blood ritual, blood wells and probably a lot from mesmers too. I would be seriously pissed if a summoner came out. BTW minions do damage yes, but they also tank a little in pvp, and a lot for pve, it really helps the monks with their healing.

Oh and the amount of minions doesn't matter if you have someone doing AOE damage.

I agree that the game needs more fighter types more than it needs more casters.

GuildWars has a pretty tight game mechanics system and I'm sure the developers have thier hands full trying to come up with a second class that: a) doesn't overlap too much with other classes, and b)doesn't create some uber-combo with xyz skill combo with some other class that just needs to be nerfed later.

Thats a nice idea, although the energy must be very costly to summon monsters...

Dunno about a new summoning class. If ANET wanted, they can add new skills that makes rangers summon animals by shout. or even stronger minions for necros. or better yet, mesmers summoning illusions of monsters.

hey man great idea, i love the idea. bring something new to the table.

on a side note. i notice alot of negativity aimed at new ideas of all kinds. i guess its just the way things are, however for me i like change, it brings new challenges and forces players to adapt.

again awsome idea, i hope it gets some consideration