Ok so Summoning is very strong, Blackshade10, my suggestion would be run a Cha+Will Tradition, Summoning builds are about binding spirits, which is something you want to do once the game starts (It costs karma before the game begins, but not in game). Alchemy takes a little more planning, over the course of 5th Alchemy has gotten steadily better and more playable. If you have access to FA, something like Potion making might help you visualize how it works a little more clearly. So you create preparations, with assigned lynch pins which is just a way to trigger the spell), trigger were the crankiest problem when it first came out, but now things have eased up and there finally means to store alchemy for long term and methods to pass them around a group. So buff spells do very well with alchemy. So I would recommend focusing on your summoning and seeing how you can use that in conjunction with your spirits to make them even stronger, and those some ideas will work well with the party.
Be aware of spirit index, when you are dedicated summoner, you can get in trouble with Spirit index if you don't pay attention to it. Be decent to your spirit minions and generally all should be well. To me the coolest thing about spirits and deciding what they look and how they fit into your character's paradigm of magic.
My apologize if this comes across as lecturing, I'm simply not sure where your knowledge of this stuff is.
