I play a Gnome Alchemist with the Preservationist archetype. In my formulae I have Summon nature's allies (I, II, IV and so on...), which allows me to summon creatures to help me do things (fight, and other things). Usually I summon (fire) elementals.
What are the limitations of the interactions between them and me / them and the group ?
Can I give them simple orders such as "attack this thing"? At what cost?
Can I give them complex orders such as "Go look over that wall and then come back to tell me what you saw"?
Would either of those require a roll for Handle Animal?
Would either of those require communicating with the summoned creature in a non-innate way (for example learning Ignate language)?
For example when I summon a fire elemental to "burn that house" what actions are required from me after the actual summon?
- Speak "Burn the house" in common to the Elemental?
- Speak "Burn the house" in ignate, the fire elemental's language?
- Gesture towards the house?
- Concentrate and wish it really hard until it works?
I feel I have a huge need to learn Ignate eventually but I'd like to know how far can I go without it.