D&D Spell Focus: Conjure Animals

Today we are conjuring up a forest of fey beasts as we take a dive into the 2014 Druid’s favourite (and every DM’s least favourite) spell, Conjure Animals, and see if the MASSIVE changes in the 2024 rules have nerfed it, or just made the DM’s nightmare worse.

Straight off the bat, there is barely a flumph’s eyelash of similarity between the 2014 and 2024 versions of the entire family of ‘Conjure’ spells... and for good reason. Firstly, trying to differentiate them from the 'Summon' family of spells was nearly impossible, and secondly, they previously gave DM’s more headaches than a swarm of cranium rats. Not only did it mean needing to look up additional stat blocks and have more miniatures on hand, but the ability for a player to add eight creatures to a carefully crafted combat encounter could grind things to a halt… and that’s before upcasting when things got even more out of hand.

For the past 10 years you might as well called this the scratchy 'Wall of Fur' spell as the most common tactic I’ve seen in combat with it was to create a barrier of 8 CR1/4 bitey critters between the party and whatever poor creatures chopped down the wrong sapling and ticked off the tree hugger classes in the party. The beast-shaped fey spirits then tie up the foes while they get picked off with ranged weapons and spells by the party from afar. While it could be fun to conjure up 4 CR1/2 Apes to pound your enemies into bloody pulp or be menacingly flanked by two CR1 Dire wolves, the low-level option could easily create a 100HP of meat shield with 8 or even 16 multi-attack hits per round. Ouch.

Nothing unbalances, and bogs down, combat faster than an influx of unexpected guests and NO for the 10th time Pinko they can not attack on the turn you summon them, roll their damn initiative! <ahem>. Outside of combat, it got even worse as this HOUR-LONG spell could be used to break a lot of exploration challenges. Impassable terrain? Two Giant Eagles we can ride, please. Maze full of traps? Send in the sacrificial giant rats! While not quite game-breaking, it nonetheless was the most annoying Level 3 spell I can think of as a DM… until now!

"Man this sure beats fighting that entire army... where did the halflings go?"

You get one, yes only one, creature in the 2024 version of this spell. Now technically, it is a “pack” of spectral intangible spirits, but it occupies one large-sized map tile and can’t be split up. It also only lasts for 10 minutes and is now tied to your initiative. But before you start lighting the torches and grabbing the NERFED pitch forks… would you like to hear exactly what this indestructible swirling mass of ghost claws can do?!

You heard me… indestructible. It doesn’t have HP and it can’t be targeted by spells. Unless you punch the caster hard enough to break their Concentration, these ravenous spirits are here to stay for the duration. First up, they grant you Advantage on Strenth saving throws if you are near them, which is nice but not the main event here. You see your pack can move 30ft per turn, can’t be opportunity attacked, and OH YEAH DEALS 3d10 TO EVERY HOSTILE CREATURE IT COMES WITHIN 10 FEET OF that fails a Dex Save vs your Spell Save DC. That’s a Lot of damage. Then, it gets better, as every enemy that moves within 10ft, or ends its turn within 10ft of the pack, has to make the save again on its turn or get mauled again. That. Is. pure. devastation. AT LEVEL 3. The only reprieve, zero damage on a successful save.

Now, the big drawback for all this carnage in combat is the loss of the Exploration utility that the spell used to give. No more hour-long winged mounts or sacrificial rodents… but then there are other spells for that. All in all, as a DM, I’ll take my goblin swarms being slaughtered by the slathering ghost wolves over having to deal with 8 panthers bouncing around my encounter I didn’t bank on. As a Ranger or Druid player though, I think I’ll miss my cuddly forest buddies making my DM’s life hell. Nerf or Buff? You tell me in the comments.

Now as always if you are after some class based spell cards for Conjure Animals that come with a massive selection of paper minis for both the 2014 and 2024 spell for your gaming table, click here to visit the ZG Store where you'll find affordable print-your-own versions designed by me, for my table to help you, at yours.