I've always been a fan of the summoner type classes : mages who call up powerful beasts. Mighty necromancers who summon hordes of the dead. And while I can see why the developers don't like to focus on summoning due to soloing potential, I do believe that the Elemental Summoner Prestige class, with some tweaks, could be a worthwile and fresh new addition to the server, which builds on existing conjuration feats.
The following is just my take on how it could work, working from the homebrew 3.5 edition prestige class [https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Elemental_Summoner_(3.5e_Prestige_Class)] that caught my attention. Feel free to add your own thoughts and adjustments!
Prestige Class : Elemental Summoner:
You are one with the elements.
Given the power to summon fearsome elementals, and eventually bond with them, the Elemental Summoner specializes in conjuration and elemental magic.
Your Red Wizards think themselves fierce, the Thaurmaturgists believe they know it all when it comes to summoning. But the Elemental Summoner reaches into the Elemental Planes and calls forth fearsome and terrifying elementals to fight alongside them. From the smallest water elemental to be a familiar up to the largest and most powerful of earth elementals to crush their enemies, the Elemental Summoner trades with them all.
Requirements:
Alignment: Any Neutral
Skills: Lore 10, Spellcraft 10
Feats: Spell Focus (Conjuration)
Spellcasting : 3rd level or higher
Class Features
Hit Die : D4
Base Attack Bonus: +1 / 2 Levels.
Primary Saving Throws: Will
Proficiencies: No additional ones
Skill points : 2 + Int modifier
Class Skills: Concentration, Lore, Spellcraft
Class Abilities
1: Enhanced Specialisation : Upon becoming an Elemental Summoner, the character increases their devotion to conjuration, choosing another school that they are prohibited from casting. If the character was a wizard before this, this stacks on top of the schools they are already prohibited from, but they may not choose the same school twice. They may cast spells they already know from this new prohibited school, but not learn any more. For Example, you know two Abjuration spells before becoming an Elemental Summoner and have chosen Abjuration as the new prohibition. You may still cast the spells you have learned knows, but never learn new ones of that school. In return for this devotion, you get an additional spell slot per spell level.
1 : Augment Summoning : The Elemental Summoner gets this feat for free.
2 : Specialist Defense (conjuration) : The Elemental Summoner gets the feat Arcane Defense (Conjuration) for free.
2 : Elemental Familiar : at the second level, the Elemental Summoner gains the ability to summon either an earth, fire, water or air elemental as a familiar. It's level is determined by the amount of Elemental Summoner class levels + 5. However…...Your link with said familiar is far more entwined than with a regular familiar : if it dies, you will take 5d6 magical damage of backlash.
4 : Advanced Summoning : When-ever the elemental summoner calls forth a summon, it is treated as being cast as one level higher.
5: Improved Familiar : Your elemental familiar becomes a huge elemental. Furthermore, it's level is now determined by the amount of Elemental Summoner class levels + 7. If it dies, you will take 10d6 magical damage of backlash.
6 : Augmented Familiar : Your familiar now gains the effects from the feats Augmented Summoning, Beckon the Frozen and (Greater) Augment Elemental.
7 : Extended Summonings : At 7th level, all Summon spells the Elemental Summoner casts have their durations doubled, as if by the Extend Spell feat. The level of the spell does not change however. This ability stacks with the Extend Spell feat.
9 : Ultimate Familiar : Your elemental familiar becomes an elder elemental. Furthermore, it's level is now determined by the amount of Elemental Summoner class levels + 10. If it dies, you will take 20d6 magical damage of backlash.
10 : Elemental Transcendence : The elemental summoner gets to pick between the feat 'Greater Augment Elemental' or 'Dread Attunement'
10A : Greater Augment Elemental : Each elemental the elemental summoner conjures with a summon spell gains a +4 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls, and temporary hit points equal to four times its Hit Dice. This replaces the effects of Augment Elemental.
10B : Dread Attunement : Whether through your close bond with the elemental forces or through brute force, the elemental summoner is able to make dread elementals listen to commands. When your summon spell calls up a Dread Elemental, it will act as a regular elemental.
Bonus Spells
Upon reaching level 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in his caster class and his caster level in that class increases accordingly.