Neutral conjies could call "greater" elementals which would subsequently protect the neutral conjurer with a shield of that element and perhaps cast invoker-ish spells of that element as well?

>Neutral conjies could call "greater" elementals which would
>subsequently protect the neutral conjurer with a shield of
>that element and perhaps cast invoker-ish spells of that
>element as well?

I believe the underlying problem you are trying to solve is a way to make neutral conjurers more viable, or have a niche for specialization. Not sure what I think of this particular idea, but I think I know where you're trying to take it.

Give conjurers an elemental path to follow. Add more familiars, more demons/angels, devils/archons such that they fit the theme of that path. In other words earth conjurers might call up a woodland creature while water conjurers get water or amphibious familiars.

Also, make familiars similar to shifter forms - i.e. you get a different one to call at certain level points until you have about 3-4 different familiars, each with potential pros and cons.

What I haven't figured out is to how to keep this balanced. It's nice to get a fairly powerful familiar early on to bridge those 5 levels until you can safely call elementals, and once you get up to calling demons/devils, conjurers don't really need any additional power, just some flair. The only idea around this I can think of is having the higher form familiars incompatible with something else, say elementals

You could make conjuration alignment specific with a new bonus for being neutral.

-Evil conjurers can only conjure devils/demons/elementals
-Good conjurers can only conjure archons/angels/elementals
-Neutral conjurers can only conjure weak archon/devils and a new 'greater' elemental

That way the evil/good conjurers stay the same, while neutral conjurers just get an upgraded elemental that replaces their ability to conjure demons/angels and stronger archons/devils.

Same as above, but instead of neutrals doing archons/devils, let them only do Angels/Demons. That way they have a heavy physical option, and a more utility based option (greater elemental).

There's even a roleplay basis for it, with the 'elemental prince' stuff that is in the Scion archives. You've also got Djinn/Efreet/Genie line that could be called upon. I don't know how popular this might be in your mind, but it's a nice idea to give neutrals some flare instead of making them some kind of 'jack of all trades' - which does not work out well at all when it comes to pleasing iffy servitors in conjuration :(

Yhorian

If neutrals could have their own unique things to conjure that were not dependent on alignment. The Djinn idea would be interesting to play out.

And nerf oposite alignment conjurations for the other two alignments.(Goodies could not conjure nightgaunts, demons, devils) Goodies would gain some new goodie only spell to compensate for losing nightguants. These changes would be almost akin to having three new classes. A bit of tweaking to other spells, and sculpting to the alignment of each group, and you could have three completely diferent conjuration classes.

What do you think Zhulg?

Efreet would pretty much be fire, Djinn maybe water, Sylph air. Earth is tricky, because mythology will pretty much give you a gnome in this aspect.

Although I think Maro might be sorta like a Green Man, and be all nature'ish.

Maybe we could come up with our OWN (GASP) mythology? Like Maran? Scarab? Etc?

I would like to see a greater elemental-type creature that somewhat blurs the lines between being divine and being magical. A half-way point between the outer and inner planes.


Ooooh this has me thinking...

I'd say the strength of a neutral conjurer is their versatility.

That being said, nearly all conjurer players of any alignment do terribly with the servitor versatility aspect of the class's strategy. Most conjurers decide early on that they're going to summon archons and fire elementals (or whatever) and that's what they always roll with.

I'm not really sure how we draw the line (in general, not specific to the conjurer class) between "we're not changing this, because it dumbs down the class and takes away a cool option for advanced players" and "well, most people who try this class don't enjoy this, so maybe we should change it."

The only thing I'm positive about is that in general I'm against homogenizing the classes. I'd rather CF have a couple character options each player loves to play and a bunch it hates, than a whole bunch that everyone feels lukewarm about.