Abusing Shadow Magic in 3.5

[User3]

Back in 3.0, I read how Frank stated you could royally abuse Shadow Magic (especially Shadow Conjuration and Shades). Once 3.5 came out, that got the heave-ho because Shadow Magic could not simulate Conjuration: Calling spells. Although it looks like you can still simulate Conj: Creation spells.

What I am curious about, is what kind of shenanigans can you pull off with the lower level Shadow: Conjuration spell (4th level) ... as well as new abuse with the 7th level version and the 9th level Shades. My 6th level Wizard will soon be levelling-up, and I have my eyes set on the 4th level spell.

I figure with all the amazing new books out lately (complete arcane, frostburn, etc.), there should be a whole new slew of fancy tricks for it.

* * * *

Yeah, I got the Spell Focus: Illusion feat. I do miss the Spell Focus feats in 3.0. They would really make the dual-save nature of these spells work much better.

[Username17]

Important spells that you can still duplicate:

Major Creation. It can create Alchemist's Fire. Or Lava. It allows no save, and requires no to-hit roll. It is not prohibited from creating things onto creatures. The restriction is only on volume - which in turn is a restriction that is laughable even on most industrial scales.

It's not normally a problem as far as offensive spells go (although it's pretty hillarious that even Minor Creation can make Healing Salve by the hundred thousand lot), because it has a casting time of ten minutes. Hilarious, of course, because when you shadow-cast it, of course - it goes off instantaneously and does perhaps dozens of dice of damage per round.

Good times. But while this has been set annoyingly out of your reach by the redistricting, Gnomes can take the Shadow-whatsit out of Races of Short that lets them Heighten Silent Image and use it as any level of Shadow Magic - and therefore allowing you to get Major Creation with a 6th level slot all over again. It also allows you to get Minor Creation with a 5th level slot - and that can be Acid - which really does plenty of damage for most purposes.

But the most impressive use of Shadow Casting that 3.5 opened up is Trap the Soul. It is the only PHB 8th level spell that Shades can duplicate, so I can only assume that you are supposed to copy it with Shades. And since it doesn't require you to start with a gem, and the gem could have started in the enemy pocket - you basically get to Pokemon them with a failed Will Save, and even a successful Will Save gives you a percentage chance of Pokemoning them.

Those are the big tricks. But I also like duplicating the summonings. Remember that you can duplicate the Ice Summonings from Frostburn, and even duplicate the enhanced Ice Summonings that are only available with a feat - since those are still technically on the Wizard list. Good times.

-Username17

[Wrenfield]

That's the beauty of Shadow Conjuration spells. Every new spell published by WotC (or D20 published, for you brave folks) just adds to the versatility of Shadow Magic. A Gnome with Greater Spell Focus: Illusion is still a good direction to go. There are even a few other esoteric feats in some of the FRCS books that give you a boost to Illusion DC's.

I'll look around later at the newer Conjuration spells of late and see what looks tasty. It's smart to have a list of 30 or so good/versatile Conjuration spells on an index card for when you cast these bad boys.

[Alansmithee]

Best thing I could think of with Shades is the Draconic binding out of Draconomicon, which unless they errata'd it online, is still Conj (Creation). IIRC, Shades duration is the same as the original spell, and the original lasts as long as the dragon is doing your task. Normally, a dragon can just fly away when the spell is over, but since these are dragons you create, I think continued exsistance could be a good bargaining chip. Cast repeatedly and voila, army of 18HD dragons at your disposal.

[Wrenfield]

1105410373[/unixtime]]Best thing I could think of with Shades is the Draconic binding out of Draconomicon, which unless they errata'd it online, is still Conj (Creation). IIRC, Shades duration is the same as the original spell, and the original lasts as long as the dragon is doing your task. Normally, a dragon can just fly away when the spell is over, but since these are dragons you create, I think continued exsistance could be a good bargaining chip. Cast repeatedly and voila, army of 18HD dragons at your disposal.

Yeah. Snow Savant over on the WotC board created that little combo. You should be able to do a search on it. Something about "blackmailing the shadow dragon" or something like that. She covered all the bases on how you do it, since it involves some esoterics regarding the so-called creation of a shadow creature.

from what i recall, the Dragon Ally spells are Conjuration/Summoning.

[Username17]

The spell is called "Dragon Ally", and comes in Lesser and Greater forms. It's a spell that is written... extremely poorly. It talks about the creature taking its payment back to its home - but it's a summoning spell that has a duration of instantaneous.

Which means, of course, that it is already a brand new creature that owes its very existence to the caster. It's a summoning, which means that it is a copy of the original creature, but since it's an instantaneous effect it never ever ends.

So the spell is non-sensical garbage. You can bypass the XP requirement when you shadow-duplicate it, but what exactly is supposed to happen when it is cast is pretty much up for debate. The interactivity between an instantaneous duration and a summoning sub-school is pretty much up for debate - it's not supposed to even be possible. Something in there is a typo.

-Username17

[Wrenfield]

But interestingly, through the Shadow Conjuration spell mechanics, you are "dealing" with a living shadow creature. I guess that is where the blackmailing comes in. You can dismiss the spell/creature yourself - but in doing so, the shadow creature will cease to exist. Meaning, you offer this living creature a chance to live out its life while being treated somewhat fairly and with dignity - and doing things it normally would do (if the shadow dragon was a 'good one' === and it will choose to LIVE. Even if you offer no cash in return.

yea, that's messed up. but definitely feasible in one interpretation.

[Username17]

The thing is - that's the way the spell normally works. It's actually an open-ended spell. It doesn't have a thing in it that ends the bargain. It's written as if it were a calling spell, but the fact that it's a summoning spell means that a new dragon is created and vanishes when the spell dictates is end.

Here's the actual wording:

This spell summons a dragon. You may ask the dragon to perform one task in exchange for a payment from you.

You don't have to do anything. If you just cast the 9th level version cold, you put 500 XP on the table and get a completely real copy of a 27 Hit Die Gold Dragon into existence.

At the end of its task, or when the duration bargained for elapses, the creature returns to the place it was summoned from (after reporting back to you if appropriate and possible).

Note: it doesn't "vanish". It simply goes back to where it was summoned from. Which according to the way summoning works - means it flies to a place where there is another version of itself. The only difference between the new Dragon and the other dragon is that one will vanish if it dies - and the other leaves a corpse.

The neat-o thing about the shadow duplicate, is that the place it was summoned from is in fact just the wizard's presence. So you cast the spell, decline to pay it for any services, and then there's a good dragon that thinks of you as its father.

-Username17

[MrWaeseL]

If you duplicate Major Creation to make alchemist's fire and throw it into an AMF, will it disappear?

[Username17]

Yes. Major Creation is a duration-based active spell effect.

As to the next question: Does your Shadow Summoned Dragon vanish in an AMF? - I don't know. I don't have an answer for that.

The rules for summoned creatures in an AMF are clear. The rules for instantaneous spell effects in an AMF are equally clear. They are not the same.

-Username17