Eidolon Base Form (Pathfinder Summoner)

[Wazirak1]

Hello! I was wondering if there is any reason one could not alter the base forms? I mean, What if I wanted an eidolon with no legs, supported by a multitude of tentacles, with one eye and a super soaker grafted to his head? I can't, because I have to -start- as one of the baseforms, which limits creativity, which is one of the things I want out of summoner.

So ,my question is in your honest opinion do you believe it would be balanced to pick a base form, and 'refund' the free evolutions, to be spent you choose?

[Deathkeeper]

You're allowed to not use the free evos, but I would not allow using them as buy-back. However, the APG does say that you can add aesthetic parts if you want a look immediately (ex. Having wings but not actually being able to fly without the 2 points).

[grarrrg]

So ,my question is in your honest opinion do you believe it would be balanced to pick a base form, and 'refund' the free evolutions, to be spent you choose?

On the one hand, being able to modify your Base form would allow/encourage players to min-max.
On the other hand, EVERYTHING ELSE about the Eidolon is prone to min-maxing.
3 answers:
Officially, no, you take what you are given.
Unofficially, ask your DM, he may allow it anyway.
Option 3, what he said:

However, the APG does say that you can add aesthetic parts if you want a look immediately (ex. Having wings but not actually being able to fly without the 2 points).

So for your legless tentacle monster, you'd probably want the Serpentine base form, and instead of being a "snake" it's more of a "centipede". As long as the Tentacle have no mechanical function you should be fine.

[Belril Duskwalk]

On the one hand, being able to modify your Base form would allow/encourage players to min-max.
On the other hand, EVERYTHING ELSE about the Eidolon is prone to min-maxing.
3 answers:
Officially, no, you take what you are given.
Unofficially, ask your DM, he may allow it anyway.
Option 3, what he said:


So for your legless tentacle monster, you'd probably want the Serpentine base form, and instead of being a "snake" it's more of a "centipede". As long as the Tentacle have no mechanical function you should be fine.

Alternatively, if you want the creature supported by tentacles you could take the quadruped base form and specify that while your creature HAS legs, they look more like tentacles than a normal leg with observable joints/bone structure.
As far as I know there is no reason at all you can't just say, 'yea, my eidolon has cyclops vision. Depth perception is for wimps.'

[The Redwolf]

Saying supported by tentacles with a single eye makes me think Shuma-Gorath...

[grarrrg]

...grafted to his head?...

Oh yeah.
Technically, Eidolon's do NOT come with a Head.
You have to buy that separately.

[Deathkeeper]

Oh yeah.
Technically, Eidolon's do NOT come with a Head.
You have to buy that separately.

Well, the Head evo isn't even in the book that introduced the summoner, and it says the evo gives an ADDITIONAL head, so I'm not sure if you could stretch that, unless you're a pure evil GM.