Not Used: Spawn Challenge Ratings

With the new information for me that summons, etc will increase encounter challenge ratings...

I would like to suggest that this be changed.

What is the point of having or using abilities that are supposed to give you "help" if the
encounters automatically scale up and get harder in response?

Im not a fan of encounter scaling in general, except in specific circumstances... but
at least if scaling is going to be happening, I don't think it should take into
account things of a temporary nature like summoned creatures, familliar and
animal companions (or the gift of andra).

Otherwise, much like was pointed out by Msterswrdsmn, these abilities are
more likely to get you killed than not, and as such, would be a detriment
rather than an advantage.

(thankfully the gift of Andra has been changed very recently No more bear getting peopled 'eated' as Alex would say).

Indeed. That damn bear was the death of me quite a few times. "Crap! Damn bear appeared. Oh well, I'll just wait here for it to go away so that I don't spawn a horde of baddies just so the friggin thing can dissapear right when the fight starts!"

Hmm....personally, I think some level of scaling is good. Some summons can do their jobs just as well as a PC thats a few levels under you. Hound Archerons, BBoD, and even Saalads (DR and regen) stick out. Quililns Archers looks like i'd be an awesome distraction as well, maybe even good in a fight with a few mass buffs.

Maybe toning down the scaling in terms of summons, but not removing it altogether? Right now, it really is a deathwish, especially if your using some of the more...dead weight summons (summoned shadow from shadow conjuration/shades, succubi, vrocks, etc). At level 10-11, Sei would spawn bandit leaders, which had the potential to skewer me in one round if i didn't have a confusion/hold/domination spell handy, or the summon decided to ignore it.

4, 5 levels later, i'm still not seeing bandit leaders spawn, so i'm guessing the buffed summon made a 5 to 6 level jump in terms of CR, if not more. Thats a pretty harsh jump.