Summoner

Summoner
Weapons:	Spawners (4)
Weapons:	Spawners (4)
Attack Types:	Squares (28)
Attack Types:	Squares (28)
XP:	30,000
XP:	30,000
HP:	3,000
HP:	3,000

The Summoner is an AI-controlled Boss that behaves similarly to the Guardian and Fallen Overlord, but has a square body and summons weaker Necromancer Drones. Additionally, it has a similar color to the Arena Closers, as it’s color is yellow like the Arena Closers’. It was added on 19th August 2016. The Summoner has a chance to spawn 10-13 minutes after the start of a server, and 15-23 minutes after the previous Boss has been destroyed. The Summoner is the only square Boss that has ever been made in the game. It is similar to the Necromancer, only with its square shape, as it spawns Drones for itself like the Battleship. The Summoner doesn’t take a Square as one of its Drones if it bumps into it.

Design

It features a yellow Square-shaped body about the size of a Dominator and four equally-spaced Spawners which spawn weaker Necromancer Drones. The whole entity appears to resemble a cross between the Necromancer and Overlord classes, but much larger.

Technical

Drones

The Summoner’s Drone Speed is a bit higher than an average Necromancer’s. Just like the Necromancer, its drones are square-shaped instead of triangles. The Drones spawn at a rate of 500 per minute, which can easily overwhelm nearby players. Each drone has 100 HP, so the Summoner has very similar firepower to a Machine Gun with maxed Reload, Bullet Damage, and Bullet Penetration. The drones behave in a way similar to the drones of the Fallen Overlord.

Stats

It has a health pool of 3,000 HP, although it regenerates health very slowly. This tank has four Spawners. Also, it has a greater reload rate than a maxed Overlord. However, this boss has a very low Movement Speed. It will regenerate all of its health if unharmed for 30 seconds.

Miscellaneous

Upon destruction, it awards 30,000 EXP. This will automatically raise a player to Level 45 upon killing it — if they have not reached that level already. It is highly advised to reach level 45 and to become a bullet spammer before fighting this boss, otherwise, the player risks dying.

Just like the Guardian and other non-Fallen Bosses, it is not targeted by the Base Drones in a team Game Mode unless it provokes them, and the Base itself does not affect it.

When it spawns, a gray notification above the player’s screen will state: “The Summoner has spawned!”

Strategy

• Strong against: Tanks with low bullet damage or penetration, ramming tanks, focus fire DPS, the majority of tanks.
• Weak against: High DPS, the Destroyer (Hybrid, Annihilator), or Smasher branches (Landmine, Spike) Overseer classes, Penta Shots, Spread Shots, Factories, Triplets, and potentially Octo Tanks.

Against the Summoner

• The Drones will hunt down any tank until that tank gets killed or the tank has moved out of range. An effective strategy is to shoot at it while the Drones are distracted by another player, similar to how a Dominator can be won over by being focused on one while others shoot.
• In team modes, you can work together with others to kill this entity.
• Although most high DPS classes work on this tank, focused ones like the Streamliner, Twin, Machine Gun, etc., will not work because there are so many Drones that they tend to surround the tank rather than all come in one direction.
• Spread Shot is the most effective tank against the Boss. The smaller bullets take out most of the Drones while the larger one hits the boss. However, this can take some time and is not recommended in FFA as other tanks may attack the player while they fight the Boss. The Penta Shot works with this tactic too.
• A Landmine or Spike can kill it, but it will take time. The strategy is to lightly ram it and quickly move away, as the player will lose more health than it will. The player will regenerate health, which the Boss won’t be able to do nearly as quickly. Repeat the ramming process until it is dead. (This is not recommended as other tanks nearby can attack the player at low health, and if the player rams without quickly moving away, they could die). Additionally, it is worth noting that if it is targeting the player the Drones can keep pushing the player into the Boss, effectively condemning the player to death unless they have a teammate killing the Summoner’s Drones.
• Use Ranger or Predator to hit it without worrying about the squares. Sufficient distance between the Boss and the player is crucial.
• A Destroyer branch tank may be effective against the Summoner due to its high-damage bullets being capable of penetrating through the Boss' drones.
• Use Overlord & with build 0/0/0/7/7/7/5/7 to provoke the Summoner and to attack it, and when its Drones are coming for the player, they ought to run away as fast as possible.
• The Factory is effective against the Summoner if used properly and with enough skill. The player can easily use their Drones to overwhelm the Summoner’s, with a wide bullet wall.

Trivia

• It is the second AI-controlled Boss in the game.
• An hour after being added to the game, the developer created a thread for players to suggest the name of this new boss.
  • It was later named Summoner.
• As of the 22nd of August, a notification is displayed for all players when a boss spawns.
• When idle, this boss slowly circles the arena until it sees a player.
• The Summoner’s body color is the same as a regular Square’s.
• When the player gets close to the Summoner, the Summoner will slow down, as if it’s trying to dodge the player.
  • This behavior can be observed in Sandbox with god mode activated.
• The Summoner is likely based on the Necromancer, as it uses Necromancer drones (undead squares) and looks like a square with Spawners.

Gallery

Summoner chasing a Tri-Angle

Smasher slowly defeating a Summoner

Spawn notification

A team attacking the Summoner

A Summoner.

The drone “cloud” of a Summoner.

A Summoner in Sandbox.