Topic: 0-level creatures and (summoning) spells

[Jengada]

I'm trying to remember whether RM2 has any guidance on how spells that affect a certain # of levels (like Summons I) work if the creatures affected are 0-level. I haven't found any. For summons, since it determines level-minutes, the choice of effective level will also affect duration.

[Peter R]

There aren't any rules for 0th level creatures. They would in theory produce an infinite duration. I have always treated them as 1/2 level when I have needed one 'on the fly' although you could use the rules in C&T to level up an instance of the 0th level creature to a 1st level creature and then use the spell as written.

[Jengada]

... you could use the rules in C&T to level up an instance of the 0th level creature to a 1st level creature and then use the spell as written.

That's actually what I'm considering for this case. The 1/2 thing is from Another System, if I recall, and that was one of  my alternatives. Another was to use something like a HP-equivalent, e.g., say a 1st level creature has about 50 HP, then the summons brings 50 HP-worth of the 0-level creature.

[Peter R]

I have a player that has a preference for summoning amphibious reptiles, hoping to get crocodiles, caiman, and alligators. As I know what he is likely to ask for I have created a small table of stats for all sorts of suitable creatures, just so he gets more variety and doesn't know what to expect.