Work in progress*

Introduction

This is a collection of items I've found in Baldur's Gate 3 that either allow you to summon creatues or improve the performance of creatures you summon. I wanted to put all of these items in one place for my own benefit, but also for the benefit of anyone else trying to create a "Summoner" character.

You do not need all of these items or spells to be an effective summoner, nor are all of these items or spells necessarily good on a summoner character, but each of the items and spells listed in this guide will allow you to summon and enhance creatures. In a full party, you may be able to use most of this equipment spread across four characters, but in a solo playthrough a combination of items listed in this guide combined with other equipment will most likely be optimal.

I will eventually have the entries sorted in terms of availability. Visit the page for each of these entries for more information.

Equipment

General Party Utility

Phalar Aluve can debuff nearby enemies with a Bane-like effect and an extra 1d4 Thunder on hit or, alternatively, buff nearby allies with a Bless-like effect. On current patch, the Sing or Shriek effects persist even when Phalar Aluve is un-equipped.

Hellrider's Pride provides Blade Ward when healing a character or creature. Will not effect undead summons.

Duke Ravengard's Longsword grants nearby allies temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier when you land a killing blow.

Devotee's Mace provides turn-based healing in an AoE around the wielder. Will not effect undead summons.

Equipment that Enhance Summoned Creatures

Circle of Bones provides permanent physical resistance to all nearby allied undead as long as the circlet is equipped.

Abyss Beckoners provides resistance to *all* damage types to *all* summoned creatures while the effect is active, but will cause the creatures to go mad if they fail a Wisdom Saving Throw. I would recommend that you start using this probably after you enter Act 3, once you have enough summoned creatures that the madness debuff isn't super debilitating, and possibly only if your summoned creatures really need the durability boost. You can turn the passive effect on and off without consuming an action, so use the Abyss Beckoners to prevent big AoE damage, and then turn the effect off once enemies have exhausted their spell slots.

Equipment that Summon Creatures

Infernal Rapier is obtained through Wyll's questline, towards the very end of Act 2. Allows you to cast Planar Ally: Cambion once per Long Rest.

Shadow Lantern can only be obtained by interacting with the broken Moonlantern located in Balthazar's study in Moonrise Towers while Gale is in your party. Allows you to cast Conjure Shadow Lantern Wraith. The wraith only persists while the lantern is equipped, unfortunately.

Second Marriage can be obtained if you choose to keep the Bitter Divorce wand at the culmination of the Save Mayrina questline, and allows you to summon Connor Vinderblad as a zombie. Mayrina must surive the fight with the Hag.

Sethan allows you to summon a Spiritual Weapon.

Conditional

Staff of Cherished Necromancy (Only works with Necromancy spells, but allows you to potentially cast Raise Dead without consuming a spell slot)

Flesh (Only works in the Gauntlet of Shar)

Scroll of Summon Quasit or Find Familiar: Cheeky Quasit summons a unique NPC, Shovel. Spellcasters can gain access to this spell permanently once per Short Rest by choosing the right dialogue options.

Find Familiar:Scratch if you have Scratch in your camp. I think you may need to speak with him using Speak With Animals at least once.

Find Familiar: Boo can be used by Minsc only.

Danse Macabre can be learned in Act 3 only if you followed the Necromancy of Thay questline starting in Act 1. This spell requires a minimum of a level 5 spell slot.

Summoning Spells or Cantrips (including comparable scrolls)

Class Level 1

Mage Hand is a Cantrip that can be learned natively by every spellcaster save for Clerics.

Find Familiar is a Ritual spell.

Class Level 2

Flaming Sphere can be learned by a Druid, Wizard, or Light Domain Cleric at class level 3, and can by learned by an Arcane Trickster Rogue or Eldritch Knight Fighter at class level 8. Requires Concentration and a minimum of a level 2 spell slot.

Class Level 5

Animate Dead can be learned by a Wizard, Cleric, Circle of the Spores Druid, and Pact of the Tome Warlock at class level 5 or higher, and requires at minimum a level 3 spell slot to cast. Note: A Necromancy School Wizard will automatically gain Animate Dead at class level 6, even if they learned it previously at class level 5.

Class Level 6

Fungal Investation is learned automatically by Circle of Spores Druids at class level 6, and can be used as a reaction up to four times per Long Rest. Does not require or consume spell slots.

Class Level 7

Conjure Minor Elemental requires a level 4 spell slot and can be learned by Wizards and Druids starting at class level 7.

Class Level 9

Conjure Elemental requires a level 5 spell slot and can be learned by Wizards and Druids starting at class level 9, as well as by some Bards and Warlocks through Magical Secrets and Minions of Chaos respectively.