PDA

View Full Version : Shadowcaster -> Shadow Adept?



Fax Celestis
2006-11-11, 03:05 PM
In other words, can the Shadowcaster qualify for the Shadow Adept class?

I would venture to say "Yes", but I'd like to see other people's opinion.

There are a few points of contention. The first is that the Shadow Adept requires "3rd level arcane or divine spellcasting", which, when mixed with the description of Shadowcasters and PrCs, shows that it does require a type of spellcasting (arcane or divine) and a Shadowcaster therefore cannot qualify. However, since the PGtF was released prior to ToM, it could simply have been oversight on the parts of the PGtF writers, who thought that "arcane and divine" covered all bases.

The second point is that the Shadow Adept receives three metamagic abilities that cannot be used with Mysteries without moderate alteration. See, the Shadowcaster's metashadow feats act the same way that the Sudden Metamagics do, requiring uses per day per feat, while the ones provided by the Shadow Adept class have spell level adjustments. How does one fix this?

The third and final: How does Shadow Weave Magic interact with Shadowcasters? I'm sure it's detailed somewhere, but I can't seem to find it.

Fax Celestis
2007-01-25, 11:41 AM
Never got answered. Still waiting. :D

Shhalahr Windrider
2007-01-25, 11:52 AM
I'm not familiar with the Shadow Adept prestige class, nor am I familiar with how the Shadow Weave is supposed to work as presented in official Forgotten Realms material. But didn't Tome of Magic suggest using shadow magic as the base model for power stemming from the Shadow Weave? With such a model it is no longer a question of how shadow magic interacts with the Shadow Weave, but of how arcane and divine magic interact with the Shadow Weave. It's just a matter of changing the default assumptions.

Fax Celestis
2007-01-25, 11:54 AM
Right. The other question I have: If a prestige class has "+1 level of existing arcane or divine spellcasting class", and a Shadowcaster qualifies for prestige classes that don't specify magic type, does a Shadowcaster qualify for the prestige class?

Piccamo
2007-01-25, 12:09 PM
If working under the assumption that the designers intended it to be used by any caster, then yes. Unfortunately, there is already the wording of "+1 level of existing class". This means that they may not have intended for it to work with new forms of magic at all...unless that wording came about after PGtF.

Fax Celestis
2007-01-25, 12:11 PM
If working under the assumption that the designers intended it to be used by any caster, then yes. Unfortunately, there is already the wording of "+1 level of existing class". This means that they may not have intended for it to work with new forms of magic at all...unless that wording came about after PGtF.

I'm not sure. When was PGtF released in comparison to CArc?

Piccamo
2007-01-25, 12:15 PM
PGtF - 2004
CArc - Nov 2004

No month listed on PGtF, though its safe to assume it was before Nov. I would say there is a strong case for Shadowcaster to qualify for Shadow Adept. By RAW, its not allowed, but as you said that is probably due to what was released when it came out.

Fax Celestis
2007-01-25, 12:23 PM
Right. The "+1 level of existing class" came out with the Warlock, in CArc. Thanks.

Besides, Shadowcasters should qualify for Shadow Adept simply by being a Shadowcaster.

Piccamo
2007-01-25, 01:10 PM
Actually on page #196 of the DMG there is the Thaumaturgist which offers "+1 level of existing class". The Warlock from CArc can use any increase to arcane caster level to progress his eldritch blast and invocations. The DMG came out in July 2003, meaning that while stupid, they may actually have intended to not increase caster level for variant magic systems.

Fax Celestis
2007-01-25, 01:44 PM
Arguable, since the books were written by different people. I think it should work; I'll just have to clear it with my DM.