Conjuration • Natural Allies • Creature Summoning

Summon Nature’s Ally IV

Forest creatures gather in the greenwood. The original illustration is preserved; select it to enlarge.

Summon Nature’s Ally IV calls powerful creatures from the wild to fight beside their summoner. Pathfinder 1e and D&D 3.5e use different published creature lists. For 2024 and 2014, the tabs explain the separate Conjure Animals spell cast using a fourth-level slot.

Summon Nature’s Ally IV at a Glance

5.5e / 2024	Conjure Animals (4th-level slot): one spectral pack, 4d10 Slashing, up to 10 minutes.
5e / 2014	Conjure Animals (4th-level slot): 1–8 Fey spirits in beast form, up to 1 hour.
Pathfinder 1e	Druid 4 / Ranger 4: one strong ally or several weaker creatures.
D&D 3.5e	Animal domain 4 / Druid 4 / Ranger 4: its own creature list; legacy Witch 4 is third-party.

Choose your edition below. The fourth-level summoning lists and the 2024/2014 spell mechanics are not interchangeable.

Spell Rules by Edition

Select your edition to see its casting rules, summoned creatures, duration and counterplay.

5.5e / 20245e / 2014Pathfinder 1eD&D 3.5e

5.5e / 2024 — Conjure Animals at Fourth Level

Official equivalent, not a renamed official spell. The 2024 rules contain Conjure Animals as a 3rd-level Druid and Ranger spell. Casting it with a 4th-level spell slot increases its damage. It summons a Large pack of intangible nature spirits rather than independent beasts. 2024 rules reference.

Rules status	Official 2024 Conjure Animals, cast using a 4th-level slot; not a published spell titled Summon Nature’s Ally IV
School and level	Level 3 Conjuration (Druid, Ranger); use a 4th-level slot
Casting Time	Action
Range	60 feet
Components	V, S
Duration	Concentration, up to 10 minutes
Effect	One Large pack of spectral, intangible nature spirits
Damage at a 4th-level slot	4d10 Slashing on failed Dexterity save
Movement	Move the pack up to 30 feet when you move on your turn
Saving Throw	Dexterity; once per turn per creature
Witch access	Only if an approved 2024 Witch spell list includes this spell

Manifestation. Summon one Large pack of spectral animals—wolves, boars, birds or other natural forms—in an unoccupied space within 60 feet. Its appearance is cosmetic and does not give it creature attacks, a creature stat block, Hit Points, or separate Initiative. The pack is intangible and lasts while you Concentrate, up to 10 minutes.

Movement and protection. You have Advantage on Strength saving throws while within 5 feet of the pack. When you move on your turn, you can move the pack up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you see. This does not require a Bonus Action.

Hazard and damage. Whenever the pack moves within 10 feet of a creature you can see, or a creature you can see enters or ends its turn within 10 feet of the pack, you may require a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure it takes 4d10 Slashing damage because a fourth-level spell slot adds 1d10 to the normal 3d10. On success it takes no damage. A creature makes this save only once per turn, regardless of the number of qualifying triggers.

Counterplay. Interrupt the caster’s Concentration, move beyond the spirits’ reach, break line of sight, use adequate protection against Slashing damage, or dispel the ongoing spell where permitted. These spectral animals cannot carry supplies, scout independently or flank an enemy as separate creatures.

5e / 2014 — Conjure Animals at Fourth Level

Official equivalent, not a renamed official spell. The 2014 Conjure Animals is 3rd-level Conjuration. A fourth-level slot is a legal casting but grants no extra creatures; the spell’s creature-number increases begin at a fifth-level slot. 2014 rules reference.

Rules status	Official 2014 Conjure Animals, cast using a 4th-level slot; not a published spell titled Summon Nature’s Ally IV
School and level	3rd-level conjuration (Druid, Ranger); use a 4th-level slot
Casting Time	1 action
Range	60 feet
Components	V, S
Duration	Concentration, up to 1 hour
Effect	One CR 2 or lower beast; two CR 1 or lower; four CR 1/2 or lower; or eight CR 1/4 or lower
Type	Summoned fey spirits in beast form; also count as Fey
Initiative	Summoned creatures roll initiative as a group
Commands	Obey verbal instructions without an action
Scaling	No additional creatures from a 4th-level slot; doubles at 5th
Witch access	Only by campaign Witch list or GM approval

Choose a group. Select one of the four Challenge Rating and number options from the table. The Games Master determines exactly which eligible beasts appear; this is the published design intent explained in the Sage Advice Compendium. Do not treat the Pathfinder 1e or 3.5e monster lists as alternatives for this spell.

Appearing and acting. Fey spirits assume the forms of beasts in unoccupied spaces you can see. The summoned creatures are friendly to you and your companions, are also Fey, roll Initiative as a group, and obey verbal instructions without requiring the caster’s Action. If you do not direct them, they defend themselves but otherwise take no actions. They vanish when reduced to zero Hit Points or when the spell ends.

Counterplay. Concentration can be broken, individual creatures can be defeated, and a dispelling effect can end the ongoing spell. Use the exact 2014 beast stat blocks chosen by the GM, and respect the creature’s movement types and environment.

Pathfinder 1e — Summon Nature’s Ally IV

Official Pathfinder Core Rulebook spell. Druid 4 and Ranger 4 are the published class levels. Witch 4 is not a default Pathfinder spell-list entry; the site’s Witch 4 record belongs to its older d20 archive. Pathfinder Core Rulebook.

School	Conjuration (Summoning) [see text]
Official Levels	Druid 4, Ranger 4
Legacy Witch listing	Witch 4 appears only in the site’s older d20 Witch archive; not default Pathfinder class access
Casting Time	1 round
Range	Close, 25 feet + 5 feet per 2 caster levels
Components	V, S, DF
Effect	One or more creatures, appearing no farther than 30 feet apart
Duration	1 round per caster level (dismissible)
Saving Throw	None
Spell Resistance	No
Creature allocation	One from level 4; 1d3 of one kind from level 3; or 1d4+1 of one kind from level 2 or lower

Choose the strength of the summoning. Call one creature from the Pathfinder 4th-level list; 1d3 creatures of the same kind from the Pathfinder 3rd-level list; or 1d4+1 creatures of the same kind from the Pathfinder 2nd-level list or lower. All appear within the spell’s permitted range, and the summoned creatures must begin no more than 30 feet apart.

Summoned actions. A creature appears and acts immediately on the caster’s turn, attacking opponents to the best of its ability. If it can understand the caster’s instructions, it may be commanded to guard, pursue or perform another suitable act. A summoning cannot itself summon additional creatures or use teleportation/planar travel; do not call creatures into a habitat that cannot sustain them.

Alignment and subtypes. Elemental or alignment subtypes can add corresponding descriptors to the summoning. Follow Pathfinder’s treatment of a summoned creature’s alignment, and the creature’s Pathfinder stat block. This is distinct from 3.5e descriptor and class-list handling.

D&D 3.5e — Summon Nature’s Ally IV

Official D&D 3.5e SRD spell. Published on the Animal domain 4, Druid 4 and Ranger 4 lists. The Witch 4 archive listing is a third-party class adaptation, not an official 3.5e Witch class level. D&D 3.5e SRD entry.

School	Conjuration (Summoning) [see text]
Official Levels	Animal domain 4, Druid 4, Ranger 4
Legacy Witch listing	Witch 4 is a separate third-party Witch archive addition, not official 3.5e SRD access
Casting Time	1 round
Range	Close, 25 feet + 5 feet per 2 caster levels
Components	V, S, DF
Effect	One or more creatures, no two more than 30 feet apart
Duration	1 round per caster level (dismissible)
Saving Throw	None
Spell Resistance	No
Creature allocation	One from level 4; 1d3 of one kind from level 3; or 1d4+1 of one kind from level 2 or lower

Choose the level and number. Call one creature from the D&D 3.5e 4th-level list, 1d3 identical creatures from the 3rd-level list, or 1d4+1 identical creatures from a lower-level list. Multiple summoned creatures must start no farther than 30 feet from one another.

Actions and limits. They appear where you designate, immediately act on your turn, and ordinarily attack enemies. You can direct a creature that can understand you. The creatures cannot summon more monsters or use teleportation or planar travel. A shark or other water-dependent creature requires a suitable environment. Where summoning involves an alignment or elemental descriptor, the spell gains the relevant descriptor.

Do not substitute Pathfinder monsters. A 3.5e unicorn is on this level-4 list, but the Pathfinder list at level 4 instead includes an owlbear and griffon; the numerical spell level does not make the two tables interchangeable.

Fourth-Level Summoning Lists by Edition

Choose the matching edition, then open its creature list. The linked bestiary pages provide encounter context; use that edition’s stat blocks for play.

Pathfinder 1e — Show 19 level-4 creature choices

Giant ant (drone)
Bison
Deinonychus
Dire ape
Dire boar
Dire wolf
Medium elemental (any)
Giant scorpion
Giant stag beetle
Giant wasp
Griffon
Grizzly bear
Lion
Mephit (any)
Owlbear
Pteranodon
Rhinoceros
Satyr
Tiger

Source: Pathfinder Core Rulebook, Table 10–2. Level-3 alternatives include ape, boar, crocodile, constrictor snake, cheetah and wolverine; the lower-level choices are found in the same table.

D&D 3.5e — Show 16 level-4 creature choices

Juvenile arrowhawk
Brown bear
Giant crocodile
Deinonychus
Dire ape
Dire boar
Dire wolverine
Medium elemental (any)
Flamebrother salamander (NE)
Sea cat (aquatic only)
Huge shark (aquatic only)
Huge viper
Tiger
Juvenile tojanida (aquatic only)
Unicorn (CG)
Minor xorn

Source: D&D 3.5e SRD spell list. Sea cat, Huge shark and juvenile tojanida require an aquatic or watery environment; summons with specified alignments may affect the spell descriptor.

What Changed Between Editions?

2024: Conjure Animals summons one intangible spectral pack. It is a 3rd-level spell; a 4th-level slot increases its Dexterity-save Slashing damage to 4d10, without independent creature turns.
2014: Conjure Animals brings actual beast-shaped Fey summons in one of four group sizes. A 4th-level slot does not increase the number; the first multiplier appears at 5th level.
Pathfinder 1e: Uses its own 4th-, 3rd- and lower-level creature lists, one-round casting, Druid/Ranger 4 access, immediate actions and one-round-per-level duration.
3.5e: Also uses one-round casting and 1 round/level but its 4th-level roster is different and Animal domain 4 access appears alongside Druid/Ranger 4.
Legacy Witch 4: The site’s historical Witch archive gives it at fourth level. That entry cannot grant the spell to a modern Witch automatically.

Worked Examples — The Forest Gate

An overgrown stone gateway is defended by raiders. A spellcaster must decide whether to hold the path, create a distraction or overwhelm a stronger opponent. The right spell effect depends on the campaign’s actual rules edition.

5.5e / 2024 — Spectral Wolves

A seventh-level Druid has a spell save DC of 15 and casts Conjure Animals using a 4th-level slot. The spirits form a Large pack of translucent wolves within 60 feet. When the Druid moves, the pack shifts up to 30 feet into sight of the raiders. An enemy within the pack’s 10-foot reach fails its Dexterity save and takes 4d10 Slashing damage. Even if two triggering movements occur on the same turn, that creature saves only once in that turn.

5e / 2014 — Two Guardians

A seventh-level Druid casts the official 2014 Conjure Animals with a fourth-level slot and chooses the option for two beasts of CR 1 or lower. The Games Master selects eligible creatures. The pair shares a group initiative and attacks when commanded; the Druid Concentrates for up to one hour. The fourth-level slot does not produce extra creatures. The spell remains distinct from 2024’s intangible pack.

Pathfinder 1e — A Dire Wolf at the Gate

An eighth-level Druid can summon a dire wolf from the Pathfinder 4th-level table, 1d3 of the same third-level species, or 1d4+1 of the same second-level or lower species. Close range is 45 feet (25 + 5 for every two of eight caster levels), and the summon lasts up to eight rounds. The creature acts immediately using its Pathfinder stat block.

D&D 3.5e — The Brown Bear

An eighth-level Druid calls one brown bear from the D&D 3.5e level-4 list. The range is 45 feet, the animal appears and acts on the caster’s turn, and the duration is eight rounds. The caster could instead summon multiple identical lower-tier allies after rolling 1d3 or 1d4+1. An aquatic summon is not available on this dry road.

Games Master’s Rulings and Counterplay

Visible clue. Roots, leaves or rain may swirl as an ally materialises in the older summoning systems. The 2024 pack has a visible spectral animal form but is intangible and has no separate creature statistics.

Casting interruption. In Pathfinder 1e and D&D 3.5e the spell takes a full round to finish; an enemy who disrupts that casting can prevent a creature appearing. Both modern Conjure Animals spells instead use an Action but require Concentration afterward.

Placement and habitat. Pathfinder and 3.5e summoners choose valid arrival points and keep multiple summoned creatures within 30 feet of each other on arrival. Creatures must be supportable by their surroundings: do not place a great shark onto dry cobblestones as a working combat summon.

Commands and consent. Older creatures act immediately and follow directions they can understand. 2014 summoned animals obey the verbal commands specified in their spell. The 2024 pack is controlled as part of the spell’s movement rule, not by giving individual wolves orders.

Dispelling. Dispel Magic may end the magical effect under the chosen edition. Damage or breaking Concentration affects the 2014/2024 versions according to their Concentration rules; killing a 2014 summoned creature removes that creature, not automatically all others.

Creature identity. Only the edition’s listed summons are eligible. Use the appropriate on-site bestiary entry and its correct stat panel; a modern monster with the same name need not have a compatible Pathfinder or 3.5e stat block.

Environment and movement. Flyers may scout where the game’s chosen spell and creature behaviour allow, but swimming creatures do not gain flight, and the 2024 spectral pack is never a scouting animal with independent senses.

Mythical Context

In Greek tradition, Artemis was the mistress and guardian of wild creatures. Archaic art shows the goddess holding deer, lions or birds as an image of mastery over untamed life. Such scenes offer a mythic model for a druid whose allies answer from forest and mountain, but they are not descriptions of a tabletop summoning spell.

Metropolitan Museum of Art — Artemis as mistress of animals · Metropolitan Museum of Art — Artemis and the wild fawn

Historical Context

Human commanders have long relied on trained creatures as more than pack animals. In ancient warfare, horses provided mobility and war elephants could disrupt close formations. Carthaginian armies used elephants in their campaigns against Rome, including the crossing of the Alps in 218 BCE. Unlike a summoned elemental or bear, these living animals had to be fed, transported, cared for and controlled, often with uncertain results.

History — Carthage and war elephants in ancient battles

Related Magic and Creatures

Summon Nature’s Ally I · Summon Nature’s Ally III · Summon Nature’s Ally V · Owlbear · Griffon · Witch Spell Lists

Rules Sources and Licensing

2024: D&D Basic Rules 2024, Conjure Animals; the 3rd-level spell has been explicitly evaluated at a 4th-level slot. It is not officially titled Summon Nature’s Ally IV. The corresponding SRD 5.2.1 content is available under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.

2014: 2014 Conjure Animals and the Sage Advice Compendium for creature selection. The 2014 SRD 5.1 is available under CC BY 4.0.

Pathfinder 1e: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, Summon Nature’s Ally I–IX and Table 10–2.

D&D 3.5e: System Reference Document, Summon Nature’s Ally IV and Summon Nature’s Ally I.

Witch legacy context: The Witch 4 level on the site derives from its Liber Mysterium-era Witch archive and does not change the official class access of the other editions. The corresponding Pathfinder and 3.5e rules are Open Game Content under OGL 1.0a; the article’s original hero, commentary and original play examples are not automatically designated as copied third-party OGC.

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