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Subject: Shadow Conjuration & Material Components. Help. :)

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vesivus
Sergeant

487 Posts

Edmonton, AB, Canada

04/24/2006 10:44 PM
Hello. One of my players is an Illusionist and is developing a fondness for Shadow spells. He asked a good question recently: Material Components -- how to handle them? The Shadow spells don't specify (we assumed there were no material components with this). So -- he pointed out how a 9th level spell called Shades in the PHB can mimic an 8th level spell called Trap the Soul. Trap the Soul has a VERY EXPENSIVE set of material components (probably offsetting its very powerful abilities)... but the 9th level Shades spell can just bypass it if the person saves the spell. So -- even if the creature fails to save, they are affected 80% by this spell. He is planning on taking the Shadowcraft Mage prestige class, which adds another 20%, effectively making this spell 100% effect whether the creature saves, or not. Eek. Does anybody know any official rules on any of this, especially the 100% effectiveness with or without save, as well as how to handle material components for these shadow magics. Help? Anybody? [:)] John

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zenthrus
Warlord
Warlord

5100 Posts

SLC, UT

04/24/2006 11:15 PM
Shadow spells are inherintly weaker than their normal counterparts. The Shadow spells allow specialist casters to pull in prohibited spells at the cost of lower effect and/or an additional saving throw. From Shadow Conjuration: regardless of the save to disbelieve, an affected creature is also allowed any save that the spell being simulated allows...in addition, any effect created...allows spell resistance, even if the spell it is simulating does not. Spell Completion method: allows spell resistance and a Will save to avoid the effect. Trigger Object: no save but still requires a gem of at least 1000gp per Hit Dice possesed by the creature to be trapped (even shadow spells require material triggers in a case like this). So...your player is basically using a 9th-level spell slot to cast an eighth-level spell. Normally this would allow two saves (80% chance for a Will save to disbelieve the illusion AND Will save to negate the trap assuming Spell Completion method). In your player's case it allows 1 save (Will save to negate the trap assuming Spell Completion method) which is identical to any other caster casting the same spell as an 8th-level spell. The Trigger Object requires its trigger object to be effective regardless whether the spell is standard or Shades-produced. In sum...basically you have nothing more to worry about from this situation than you would have from any caster toting 9th-level spells [:D]

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