Shadowcrafter Mage

[LadyLexi]

So I just read through the Shadowcrafter Mage Handbook and looked at a few more threads about it and I just don't get how it works.

Wizard 5/ Shadowcrafter 2/ Shadowcraft mage 5/shadowcrafter 8
is this basically the build?

How well does it hold up when starting at level 1? Are those earlier levels difficult?

[eggs]

It's a Gnome Wizard, possibly of the Whisper variety and probably with a focused specialization in illusion: it dominates the low levels.

(At ECL 1-5, Color Spray, Invisibility and Silent/Minor Image are about the most powerful and versatile abilities around.)

[LadyLexi]

I guess I don't understand how to use illusions then, Minor image seems like a small parlor trick.

[VGLordR2]

It's all about creativity. Need concealment? Silent Image. Need a distraction? Silent Image. Need to start D&D's first silent movie theater? Silent Image.

It's very convenient.

[LadyLexi]

Okay, so it is for parlor tricks and general stage magician foolery. I was hearing something about being able to damage with it from someone but I think that's only at higher levels.

[Malachei]

Using your favorite search engine for "killer gnome" will deliver what I think you are looking for.

[LadyLexi]

Using your favorite search engine for "killer gnome" will deliver what I think you are looking for.
That is part of the handbook I was reading though, but it left a lot of questions and it didn't explain parts of it that I was confused on. Thank you though.

I guess I might dip a level of shadow weave adept, it seems helpful I just don't know where to dip it. I want five levels of wizard for spontaneous divination.

[Oscredwin]

Use the general illusion spells to hide pits, create fake pits, fakeout summon things, etc. Color spray is a SoL to things close to you, there are lots of good spells there.

[eggs]

When the party bursts into a room, add another character (a monster or or whatever) to draw fire or obscure vision. Or to create a screen for a ambush. Or use X Image+False Theurgy to ape summon spells or battlefield alteration spells - unless the DM is openly metagaming the NPCs to screw players over, those should be expected to screw with their tactics.

If by parlor trick, you mean that it doesn't have an explicit DC or damage dice, you're right. But these are also much lower-leveled spell slots than the Shadow Spells. They're still crazy useful effects.

[Craft (Cheese)]

Shadow Illusion class feature + Heighten Spell means you can use figment spells to use any conjuration (summoning/creation) or Evocation you want, spontaneously, at 90% (even higher with some optimization tricks). That's how you damage with it. Not at level 1 though.

[Madcrafter]

Silent image alone is a pretty ridiculous spell with a little imagination. Unless your DM says illusions don't work like that (which they do), you can fool pretty much everyone at low levels, or just colour spray them if they get uppity. At higher levels when things start getting true seeing, your illusions can be more real than reality, and it doesn't matter. Plus, even if your illusion spells are completely useless (likely a rarity), you are still a normal wizard, and all that that entails.

[LadyLexi]

I suppose I don't know any good tricks, I've only seen one player play an illusion oriented character, a beguiler, and he was fantastically useless.

Any good tricks to pull if we are used to being the ones walking into a trap not the other way around?

[Waker]

You could create a duplicate party to walk ahead and spring ambushes.

[Madara]

Take the Gnome illusionist substitution level that nets you silent image as a 0 level spell :smallamused:

But yeah, it gets the power from using the Shadow Spells to mimic anything conjuration or evocation.

[Craft (Cheese)]

I suppose I don't know any good tricks, I've only seen one player play an illusion oriented character, a beguiler, and he was fantastically useless.

That may be because of your DM, if this is the same one as from your other thread: The thing about illusions is, like divinations, they do whatever the DM says they do. So if you make an illusory second party to walk ahead to spring ambushes, your DM can be a jerk and have the ambushes ignore them.

[Madara]

Pick tricks that are consistent. Like walls and other obstacles to block line of sight. I enjoy hiding inside an illusion, or putting an illusionary wall(Not the spell, just a Silent Image one) next to a real one, and hiding in it. Or if you extend your Illusions, make your tent be inside a giant illusionary boulder. :smallsmile:

[LadyLexi]

Yeah, my other wizard kinda exploded. So I figured I could give this a shot, maybe.

[Wavelab]

Illusions can be incredibly powerful if used correctly. If you saw a person in a robe walk up and conjure a wall of soaring flames would you touch it? That's battlefield control. The nice thing about illusions are that you can trick anybody into things.

[LadyLexi]

Yeah, except I'm the type that when I'm playing a martial character I run through the flames anyway, expecting that downing the thing making the fire is going to hurt less in the long run. I'll have to look for ways to use it and hope that the DM doesn't ignore it.

[Fouredged Sword]

The killer gnome build is focused on the class feature that changes any figment spell into a version of shadow evocation/conjuration and increases the reality(through class features) to such an extent that passing their will save increases the effect of the spell, all while using enough metamagic reducers to cast a 9th level spell effect out of a 6 or 7th level spell slot:smalleek:.

It spontaneously casts the entirety of the evocation and conjuration spell list for wiz/sorcerer using lower level spell slots than a normal wizard with no drawback.

It gets silly.

[VGLordR2]

Not only that, but you can also get a hold of Miracle and use it to replicate all Cleric eighth level spells and every single other spell of seventh or lower. That's potent stuff.

And it's all with Silent Image, a Gnome's Cantrip.

[LadyLexi]

I'm not trying to get 9th level spells with a 6th level slot (maybe I should), but I am trying to be able to cast Evocation, Conjuration and Divination spontaneously. Reducing my versatility just to restore it again.

Shar would be proud, also who I'm worshiping.

[Fouredged Sword]

Just look up and follow the "killer gnome" build. Trade conjuration and evocation as your forbidden schools and take enough metamagic reducers to get a even level with the spell reproduced. (earth spell should do you, heighten and metamagic reducers optional.)

[Aegis013]

Just look up and follow the "killer gnome" build. Trade conjuration and evocation as your forbidden schools and take enough metamagic reducers to get a even level with the spell reproduced. (earth spell should do you, heighten and metamagic reducers optional.)

Barring yourself conjuration, while it may seem like a reasonable thing to do at first glance, is not your best option in my opinion. Your modified Illusion(figment), which are now Illusion(shadow) spells can only reproduce Conjuration(creation or summoning) spells. You actually lose access to some excellent conjuration spells, such as any of the conjuration spells with the (teleport) descriptor.

[kharmakazy]

One of my favorite low level silent illusion uses: Create a fake wall 5 feet from the real wall that looks like the wall, but with arrow slits. Have the party shoot arrows through the holes. Win.

[Toliudar]

If you can't come up with anything else useful to do with illusions in combat, try "summoning" a horde of menacing ghosts up out of the ground using silent image. They're ghosts, so if they don't make noise and the enemies' weapons pass through them, that's what's expected to happen anyway.

[Andion Isurand]

You could also try using the arcane gnome from Dragon 291, which is like a standard gnome, except:

gets +2 Int and -2 Wis in addition to +2 Con and -2 Str
gets UMD as a perma class skill in place of speak with animals
has a favored class of Wizard.
No bonus to illusion spell DCs, but the added Intelligence is better anyway.

----------------------------------

Then Arctic (Dragon 306) and Dragonborn (RotD) can be added to have the following ability modifiers:
-2 Str, -2 Dex, +6 Con, +2 Int, -2 Wis, -2 Cha

[Fighter1000]

I have never rly used illusion much. The only spells i like from that school are invisibility, greater invisibility, phantasmal killer, and weird. I appreciate this advice on how to use those image spells. This changes things.

[MesiDoomstalker]

As others have said, if your DM says "No your clever illusion doesn't work" Killer Gnome (or any frequent Illusion user) will not work. Period. Because your DM will refuse to let his/her masterfully crafted campaign and encounters be ruined by things that aren't even real.

My advice for you and any other potential Killer Gnomes: Talk to your DM first and see what how s/he runs illusions. What are the limitations? Provide some examples and see how the DM would handle them. If the answer to the first is "many" or to the second "it fails", then Killer Gnome will never, EVER, work with that DM. Sad fact, yes. But thems the breaks.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Use the Gnome Wizard 1 racial substitution level to get Silent Image as a 0-level spell. Use the UA Illusionist ACFs (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/specialistWizardVariants.htm#illusionistVariants), and preferably also Focused Specialist (CM). Take Heighten Spell with Earth Sense and Earth Spell (RoS). You'll need Spell Focus: Illusion by 3rd level.

Go Wizard 3/ Master Specialist 4/ Shadowcraft Mage 5/ Shadowcrafter 8. You'll also want Residual Magic (CM), Enhanced Shadow Reality (Dragon magazine 325), and Signature Spell: Silent Image. You'll probably need two flaws (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterFlaws.htm), and Spellgifted (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterTraits.htm#spellgifted) wouldn't be a bad idea.

Shadowcraft Mage 4 allows you to use several illusion spells, namely Silent Image, to mimic Evocation and Conjuration (Creation/Summoning) spells, similar to Shadow Evocation/Conjuration. A Heightened Silent Image is now a Shadow Evocation/Conjuration at exactly the spell level you want it to be. They benefit from any of your class features that makes your illusions better, such as Greater Spell Focus: Illusion, Chains of Disbelief, and Minor School Esoterica.

With Signature Spell: Silent Image, you can now spontaneously convert prepared spells into a Heightened Silent Image to Shadow Evocation/Conjuration. Your Illusion Mastery ACF should be a suitable substitute for Spell Mastery to qualify for Signature Spell. Enhanced Shadow Reality makes your shadow illusions all 20% more powerful.

With Earth Spell, you can mimic a spell of the same level as the spell slot you used, and you get a significantly better caster level. With Residual Magic, every other Heightened Silent Image is cast from a 0-level spell slot. At the higher levels with Quicken Spell, you can cast a Heightened Silent Image, and on the next round a Quickened Silent Image which gets Heightened via Residual Magic, and then another Heightened Silent Image that same round, and repeat that second round to cast two potent shadow illusions every round.

[VGLordR2]

You can't use the racial substitution levels in conjunction with the alternate class features. The alternate class features require you to trade away abilities that you no longer have if you take the racial substitution levels.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

You can't use the racial substitution levels in conjunction with the alternate class features. The alternate class features require you to trade away abilities that you no longer have if you take the racial substitution levels.

I only said to use the Gnome Wizard 1 substitution level. That decreases your caster level for one of three schools by 1 permanently, it does not trade out any class features. The build I recommended doesn't even take enough Wizard levels to use either of the other two sub levels anyway. It works just fine.

[VGLordR2]

I only said to use the Gnome Wizard 1 substitution level. That decreases your caster level for one of three schools by 1 permanently, it does not trade out any class features. The build I recommended doesn't even take enough Wizard levels to use either of the other two sub levels anyway. It works just fine.

Sadly, you are wrong. I wish you were right, but you are not. A racial substitution level is something that you can take instead of the normal level of the class. The Gnome Illusionist RSL does not give you a familiar or a bonus feat. Therefore, you can not trade them away for the various ACF's.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Sadly, you are wrong. I wish you were right, but you are not. A racial substitution level is something that you can take instead of the normal level of the class. The Gnome Illusionist RSL does not give you a familiar or a bonus feat. Therefore, you can not trade them away for the various ACF's.

It also looks like Gnome Illusionist 1 doesn't even get the option to specialize in a school of magic either, per the table entry. The table is clearly in error. The text makes it very clear what the differences are between Gnome Illusionist 1 and Wizard 1, and the loss of specialization, the loss of a familiar, and the loss of scribe scroll are not mentioned at all. Therefore, it must be concluded that the Gnome Illusionist 1 substitution level retains all three.

[VGLordR2]

It also looks like Gnome Illusionist 1 doesn't even get the option to specialize in a school of magic either, per the table entry. The table is clearly in error. The text makes it very clear what the differences are between Gnome Illusionist 1 and Wizard 1, and the loss of specialization, the loss of a familiar, and the loss of scribe scroll are not mentioned at all. Therefore, it must be concluded that the Gnome Illusionist 1 substitution level retains all three.

Read the part on racial substitution levels in Races of Stone, pages 145-146. It clearly states that the substitution levels completely replace the normal class features with one exception: spellcasting.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Read the part on racial substitution levels in Races of Stone, pages 145-146. It clearly states that the substitution levels completely replace the normal class features with one exception: spellcasting.

I have read it, so even if you do lose everything a standard Wizard 1 would get (including specialization, which makes the Illusionist substitution level exclude itself), let's see how that affects the UA ACFs:

Chains of Disbelief: You give up the ability to obtain a familiar. Assuming you wouldn't have gained a familiar at Gnome Illusionist 1, you can't get this one. No biggie, you lose a little bit of strength in using illusions to trick multiple opponents, but it had no effect on your instantaneous spells which most of your shadow illusions will be.

Shadow Shaper: You still would gain bonus feats for advancing as a Wizard at the 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th levels, even if you wouldn't get Scribe Scroll at Gnome Illusionist 1. You can still give up future bonus feats for current class features, look no further than a 1-level dip in Wild Shape Ranger for Fast Movement.

Illusion Mastery: Assuming you do still get to specialize in Illusion at Gnome Illusionist 1, you still gain all the benefits of specialization "Spells per Day: Same as illusionist" and thus can give up your bonus spells for specializing to gain this.

So assuming you're right about the difference of class features, you're still able to gain all but the least significant Illusionist ACF from UA. The build is only slightly weaker when using illusions to fool groups of opponents who can communicate the presence of an illusion to each other, and you can still spend a feat on Obtain Familiar to then trade it for that ability anyway. Everything still works just fine.

[strider24seven]

This advice is slightly erroneous... the basis of the Killer Gnome's -true- power is not in the use of "illusory" illusions, but of "real" illusions.

The entire reason the SCM is so freaking good is the ability to pseudo-spontaneously (or even fully spontaneously if you use Sig Spell as described above) from two schools, one of which is usually banned anways. They start off being only partially real, but using Heightens and Earth Spell fix that in a hurry. My advice is to carefully read all of your class abilities to see how they function.

My advice for early game is to either play an Illusionist (focused if possible) and stick to spells that aren't entirely up to the DM to adjudicate. Ban Evocation and either Enchantment or Necromancy. Focus on Conjuration and Transmutation early game and only really get into "Illusory" illusions like Silent Image if your DM's not an ass.

If your DM is an ass, my first suggestion is don't play with him. If that fails, only start using Silent Image, etc once you get the Shadow Illusion Class feature so that your illusions produce quasi-real, non-negatable (as much as it can be anyway).

If your enemies start showing up with True Seeing, start planting an Obscuring Mist enhanced with Invisible Spell from Cityscape.

I've played SCM's with a variety of DM's... all with pretty good success rates. The DM's that were good at improvising and adapting to player activity (read: Illusion as solutions) would let me use spells like Silent Image to great effect. The ones that were less so would rule that "interacting" with an illusion is as simple as viewing it. At which point I just ran around shiving people with my Invisible Shadow Thunderlance while Draconic Polymorphed into a War Troll, occasionally dropping Invisible Shadow Solid Fogs, Invisible Summon Monster I-IX, etc.

Pseudo-edit:
This comp won't let me edit posts, so I had to delete and repost.
Edited for language.

[LadyLexi]

Right, so all arguments aside here is my build:

Gnome follower of shar
Wizard 5/shadowcrafter 2/shadowmage 5/shadow weave adept 1/shadowcrafter 6/Wizard 1(?)

Feats:
Flaw: spell casting protege
Flaw: shadow weave magic
1: spell focus(illusion)
3: greater spell focus (illusion) (+4 DC at this point)
5: bonus feat swapped for spontaneous divination
6: heightened spell
9: Earth sense
12: Earth spell
15: Arcane Thesis (silent image)
18: (I would take signature spell but it requires spell mastery)

What should be changed around here, should I drop spell casting protege?

skill requirements:
4 bluff
4 hide
4 disguise

[ahenobarbi]

At what levels will you play? If you are starting at level 1 you might want access to earth spell earlier. And you can grab Sanctum Spell, put an oak in your sanctum and use Acorn of Far Travel to get another spell level.

[LadyLexi]

We are starting at lv 1, and I don't think I will have a sanctum. The DM hinted at low treasure access.

[ahenobarbi]

Low-treasure ain't no problem


Your sanctum is an area you have previously designated within a 10-foot/level radius from the center. This area can be a particular site, building, or structure. A sanctum can be designated within a larger structure, but its special advantages cut off beyond the maximum area. The designated area must be a site where you have spent a cumulative period of at least three months. Once designated, it takes seven days for the site to become a sanctum.

Get it in your backstory (even @level 1 maybe) :smallcool:

[LadyLexi]

I have a bit of the story ahead of time, and I've got a strong feeling that sanctum spell is the wrong one for this.

Should I keep Arcane Thesis or should I do Spell Mastery and signature spell?

[ahenobarbi]

I have a bit of the story ahead of time, and I've got a strong feeling that sanctum spell is the wrong one for this.

Well... if you say so I'm not going to argue over that.



Should I keep Arcane Thesis or should I do Spell Mastery and signature spell?

Arcane Cheesis will give you more power, Spell Mastery + Signature Spell will give you more versatility (you'd get to cast 2 and a half schools spontaneously).

[VGLordR2]

Cut for length.

Oh yeah, you're right. It was late last night; I guess I misread the text. That's actually really awesome; I've just started playing an Illusionist, and my DM might let me add in those ACF's. Thank you for pointing that out to me.

[Andion Isurand]

Spell Mastery + Signature Spell will give you more versatility.

If only one could get their DM to sign off on pathfinder's Preferred Spell (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/preferred-spell) feat.

[LadyLexi]

So, Arcane Thesis specifies not applying to Heightened spell and Earth Spell isn't actually a metamagic. So I don't think this actually works.

Spell Master and Signature Spell seem like the way to go unless someone else has a better recommendation.

[Madara]

So, Arcane Thesis specifies not applying to Heightened spell and Earth Spell isn't actually a metamagic. So I don't think this actually works.

Spell Master and Signature Spell seem like the way to go unless someone else has a better recommendation.

Earth spell is a meta magic reducer specificity for Heighten.

[LadyLexi]

What would Arcane Thesis apply to though? Earth Spell might reduce Heightened Spell but Arcane Thesis does nothing to either of them.

[Andion Isurand]

Earth Spell simply improves the benefit gained from casting a heightened spell when standing on the ground, unless that spell has the air, fire or water descriptor. Earth spell isn't a metamagic feat in and of itself, and it doesn't reduce the spell slot adjustment being used for heighten.

[Fouredged Sword]

Converting a figment to a shadow spell creates an effect of spell level -1, so a 4th level spell could cast fireball. Now this takes a 4th level spell slot normally.

Now lets look at out options. As a gnome illusionist silent image is a 0th level figment. Heighten it 4 times and you have can cast fireball. This spell takes a 4th level slot to cast a 3rd level spell, but with the save DC of a 4th level spell. Net -1

Now apply earth spell. Now it takes 3 applications of heighten metamagic to make a 4th level spell because the first application increases the spell by 2 levels. Now you are getting a 3rd level effect out of a 3rd level slot with the saves of a 4th level spell. Net 0

Now Arcane Thesis. Now you reduce the cost of the metamagic by 1 level. Making 3 applications of heighten cost 2 extra spell levels and raising the spell level by 4. Now you are creating a 3rd level spell effect from a 2nd level spell slot with 4th level save DCs. Net +1

Now pick up spontaneous divination and practical metamagic. Now you reduce the total metamagic cost down one more. Now you have 3rd level spells from a 1st level slot and 4th level save DCs. Net +2

Now all your conjuration and evocation spells are actually illusion so get spell focus illusion to raise all your DC's as much as possible.

[Andion Isurand]

Arcane Thesis specifically excludes the Heighten Spell feat from those feats that it benefits.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Arcane Thesis increases your caster level for the chosen spell by +2, but it does not provide any additional benefit when you're using Heighten Spell.

Whenever you use Heighten Spell with Earth Spell, you gain a caster level bonus equal to the amount you Heightened it by, and its effective spell level is one higher as though it were Heightened by one additional level. You can wear sandals made from stone slabs to always be able to benefit from Earth Spell. It is absolutely worth spending two feats to get.

[ahenobarbi]

Arcane Thesis increases your caster level for the chosen spell by +2, but it does not provide any additional benefit when you're using Heighten Spell.

Whenever you use Heighten Spell with Earth Spell, you gain a caster level bonus equal to the amount you Heightened it by, and its effective spell level is one higher as though it were Heightened by one additional level. You can wear sandals made from stone slabs to always be able to benefit from Earth Spell. It is absolutely worth spending two feats to get.

Basically this. Arcane thesis + earth spell will give you extremely high CL.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I'd actually skip Arcane Thesis unless you somehow have tons of extra feats. Let's take a look at feats that are more or less absolutely required for the build to play well:

Heighten Spell
Earth Sense
Earth Spell
Spell Focus: Illusion
Signature Spell: Silent Image
Residual Magic

From there, you have a second set of feats that are good to have, but not absolutely necessary:

Enhanced Shadow Reality
Ability Focus: Silent Image
Quicken Spell
Rapid Metamagic
Easy Metamagic: Heighten
Easy Metamagic: Quicken
Arcane Thesis: Silent Image

I'd put Arcane Thesis at the absolute bottom of the list on useful feats. +2 caster level is good, but not when your caster level is already ~50% higher for every spell you cast offensively and/or every spell you cast is already scaled to its maximum level-dependent effect. It does make Quicken cheaper, nearly free with Easy Metamagic (since that too is a metamagic feat), but otherwise you're probably not going to have such a high volume of feats that you can squeeze it in.

[LadyLexi]

I haven't seen residual magic before as far as I can recall and Enhanced Shadow Reality is Dragon Mag which is disallowed.

Where do these come from?
Rapid Metamagic
Easy Metamagic: Heighten
Easy Metamagic: Quicken

Also Greater Spell Focus is literally required as a PrC req.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I haven't seen residual magic before as far as I can recall and Enhanced Shadow Reality is Dragon Mag which is disallowed.

Where do these come from?
Rapid Metamagic
Easy Metamagic: Heighten
Easy Metamagic: Quicken

Also Greater Spell Focus is literally required as a PrC req.

Rapid Metamagic is in Complete Mage, it's only useful for its interaction with Signature Spell.

Easy Metamagic is also from Dragon magazine, so it's not going to be available I guess.

You can get Greater Spell Focus for free from Master Specialist. You do want to take Master Specialist 4 because not only do you get Greater Spell Focus for free from it, but it also adds +2 DC to every shadow illusion you cast, both to the will save to disbelieve and the save versus the effect of whatever spell it's emulating.

[Mordy]

It seems to me that the Shadow Illusion ability from Shadowcraft Mage 3 is the primary feature of this build... consequently, if playing from level 1, I'd want to pick it up as soon as possible.

Wizard 5 / Shadowcraft Mage 3

Feats
1 Spell Focus (Illusion)
3 Earth Sense
5 Heighten
6 Earth Spell

At this point (character level 8), the 0th level silent image (from Gnome Illusionist racial substitution level) heightened to spell level 4 can now mimic any conjuration (summoning), conjuration (creation), or evocation spell of 4th level and below, at effective caster level 11 (100% real on failed saves, 40% real on successful saves).

Continuing on to finish out Shadowcraft Mage (now character level 10), we're looking at 5th level spells at effective caster level 14 (and 70% real on successful saves). As a point of reference: a successful save against the SCM's shadow illusion cone of cold now does the same damage as a standard Wizard 10's cone of cold. A failed save does +40% more damage than a standard Wizard 10.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

It seems to me that the Shadow Illusion ability from Shadowcraft Mage 3 is the primary feature of this build... consequently, if playing from level 1, I'd want to pick it up as soon as possible.

Wizard 5 / Shadowcraft Mage 3

Feats
1 Spell Focus (Illusion)
3 Earth Sense
5 Heighten
6 Earth Spell


Shadowcraft Mage requires that you be able to cast a 4th level Illusion (Shadow) spell. Earth Spell can accomplish this from a 3rd level spell slot, but per leveling up in the PHB you don't get your 6th level feat until after you've picked your 6th level class, so your build doesn't work. You'll need to include at least one flaw in order to meet the prerequisites on time.

Most groups don't think very highly of early qualification shenanigans, so it's probably best to wait until after you've got 4th level spell slots to take Shadowcraft Mage. In that case, Wizard 3/ Master Specialist 4/ Shadowcraft Mage is hands-down your best choice because you get Greater Spell Focus for free and it adds an extra +2 DC to all of your Shadow Illusions.

[Keld Denar]

One caveat on the signature spiel trick...casting a signature spell is considered spontaneous casting. Applying Heighten Spell is thus applying metamagic to a spontaneous spell. That does cost you a full round action. Its not a huge issue, but you should still prepare a few heightened Silent Image spells in normal slots. It can also cause interference with Quicken Spell. If you are a focused specialist, you should have absolutely no problem putting 2 to 3 slots per level devoted to heightened Silent Image.