Adding tokens as a player

I want to play a summoner, but I can't drop tokens on the map, or set them up ahead of time.

How do I handle summoned creatures without putting a huge burden on the DM, or slowing down the game?

If your GM is a Mentor, they could install an API script to do it. Beyond that, your GM could try to be prepared with your summons ahead of time, but it still has to be him(/her) that places the token.

there is a way, we tested this a few sometimes. if your character bio picture is one of the summoned creatures you can drop him in then the gm just has to edit the size. we found this by accident the other day

I'm a GM, and we don't have a Summoner, but the Clerics commonly cast "Spiritual Hammer" which summons a floating hammer. In another game a PC has a War Dog with him most of the time.

In either case we have had the GM set up the Token once. The token is set up to allow the Player to control it when it is present on the map. Then the GM stashes the token on the side of the map when it's not in use. The GM moves the token into the playing area when it's needed.

If your GM can set up all the likely summon creatures once, and keep them on the side, then it wouldn't take too long or a big interruption for the GM to move that token into the area/room when you cast Summoning.

I understand there are reasons why this might not be feasible or ideal, for example if you have the ability to summon dozens or 100's of different creatures each time. (If that is the case you could always think of a work-around such as making a "Summoned Thing" token, and each time it's a different monster you'd just need to change the Nameplate or Status Icons, or just verbally describe "Hey the Summoned Thing is a Giant Snake this time".)

I think the simplest method here would be to use Rollable Tables and a Journal Entry. It's a bit complex, and kind of time-consuming, but it'd take care of a lot of the trouble you're likely having. And, unfortunately, it's something only the GM can do. UNLESS your GM allows the importation of characters, which is a Supporter-level feature (both you and the GM have to have at least Supporter-level membership in Roll20.)

Simply put, add a token for each possible summoned creature into a rollable table. Use that table to make a token on the map. Assign that token to a journal entry (do so "properly") Give the player full control of the new 'character'.

Now the GM can drag a copy of this token onto the map, and change the 'side' that is showing to match the type of creature summoned. The player can then go through and set up the proper stats (hit points, armor class, technological level, whatever) as needed.

Unfortunately, as you see, that's quite a bit of work for the GM. If they were willing to grant you GM privileges, perhaps on a temporary basis, you could do some of the work yourself (or do it in another 'game', with Vault access). However, only the GM (or assistant GMs) can drag tokens onto the map this way, and only they can change the side of a token.

And, really, now that I lay it out like that, I guess it's a lot easier on the GM to just find an appropriate token on the fly than to do all this; most wouldn't bother with all this fiddly setup.

On the other hand, there are those of us who will spend weeks making sure we have everything we need, resource-wise, in place before we run a game.

It's all a matter of style, and of course, what you consider fun.

-Phnord

If your GM is a Mentor you can do the following:
1) Have your GM create a second campaign, invite you to that campaign, and then promote you to GM.
2) Make rollable tables as Phnord suggested. I suggest setting the tables up by size (small, medium, large, etc), this will come into play in the next step.
3) Create tokens out of each Rollable table and size them appropriately (small, medium, large, etc.).
4) Remove the "Is Drawing" property from each token.
5) Create character entries for each token.
6) Link the tokens to the character entries (small token to small character)
7) Set each token as the default token for the appropriate character sheet (Small token to small character, etc).
8) Have your GM transmogrify the character sheets to the main campaign (rollable tables do not need to be transmogrified) and assign you control.

From now the GM only needs to drag the token to the table for you. :)

Elegant solutions, Phnord and Gauss, thanks, those gave me ideas for adapting this.