RPGs Where You Play as a Necromancer/Summoner/etc.?

[Mickeymac92]

To put it simply, I want to play a non-strategy RPG where I can summon minions to do my bidding. Only game I remember being able to do that was in Neverwinter Nights. I didn't have the patience for it back then, not sure if I'd have the patience for it now, so I'd like some other options if possible. I'd prefer a turn-based RPG, but action or mixed is fine. Also, Western or Japanese are fine, too, so long as the "Summoner" summons something that fights alongside or for you.

Oh, and while I'm mostly looking for singleplayer games, MMOs work, too.

[Lard]

It's been a while since I've played it but what about....Summoner?

[Raziel]

Many Megami Tensei games fall under this umbrella, especially Devil Summoner games (the last two on PS2 have been localized, another remake coming soon for 3DS in English). For the last two games, summoning and making good use of the summoned allies both inside and outside the battle form an important part of the game.

[Parn]

Torchlight.  Play an alchemist.  There is a skill tree that caters to summoning minions.

[Mickeymac92]

Torchlight.  Play an alchemist.  There is a skill tree that caters to summoning minions.

That might just be the perfect thing for me right now, actually. Didn't know you could summon minions, though I know you have a wolf companion.

[Bytor]

Enchanted Arms allows you to use different golems who each have different strengths/weaknesses/attributes and it is turn based but the battles are somewhat strategic.

[MeshGearFox]

1. The SMT games are based entirely around this.

2. The Geneforge games are based entirely around this. http://www.gog.com/gamecard/geneforge_15 It's also on sale for ridiculously cheap right now.

3. Summoner 2 is a great game but you don't actually do much summoning in it IIRC. Most of the summons actually transform your character.

4. Vantage Master Online might work and I remember it being pretty fun though I DON'T believe the story text was ever translated. It is freeware though.

5. Lost Kingdoms 1 and 2 for the GameCube are apparently hybrids of this and a collectible card game.

6. More of a stretch but Guardian's Crusader had the whole Living Toys thing.

[Aeolus]

And pretty much every game ever to feature monster teammates. FFXIII-2, DQV, any random SMT game, any random Pokemon game (though debatable since your entire party is catch-able monsters while your trainer only shows up to fling their balls at everything that looks at them funny), any card game video game (i.e. Magic the Gathering and pretty much everything coming from Japan these days), ect...

[cj_iwakura]

SMT Imagine and the Raidou DevSum games are the best actiony examples.

[Cyril]

Morrowind has a brilliant mod that lets you be a true Necromancer, in a sense that you need to prepare dead bodies, by forcing their decay by leaving them out in the wilderness, carrying them over your shoulder if they're still formed, and using special salts to keep them as fresh as you need.  It also adds Back Soul Gems.

I'd highly recommend it.

[Der Jermeister]

Diablo II, with the expansion, lets you play as a Necromancer which can summon undead creatures or a Druid where you summon animals and an animate vine to do your bidding.

[Alisha]

FFXI has summoner dragoon beast master and puppet master. engineer in mass effect 2-3.

[Cyril]

The Dungeon Siege game for PSP has a Necromancer/summoner type class as well.

[Aeolus]

Additionally most Metroidvania Castlevanias have at least some kind of familiar or similar summon function and some of them even let you play as Son of/Dracula.

[Wild Armor]

I'll just throw this out there, but would Spectrobes: Origins fall along those lines? You do have a monster accompany you all the time...