[3.5e Mod]Fixing the Shadowsmith's Shadowcasting

[Pyromancer999]

Background
So, people may or may not remember the Shadowsmith, a prestige class from Tome of Magic that can create things out of pure shadow. It gets a Full BAB progression, a d8 hit die, 6 + Int skill points per level from a nice spell list, lovely abilities pertaining to Shadowcrafting, as its ability to craft items on the spot out of pure shadow is called, and even can pick up a few mysteries.

Sounds pretty sweet, right? Everyone's taking this class as soon as they can, right?

As you may or may not have guessed, the answer to the second question is a no.

Why? Because the primary classes that go well with it would be the Shadowcaster, the base class that handles mysteries, and this class just doesn't advance its shadowcasting capabilities. By the end of the class's progression, it only has three of the lowest level mysteries available, and can only cast them once per day. Not worth it. Even for non-spellcasters, it's not that much to work with, especially with Shadowcrafting only having a limited number of uses per day.

Hence, I've proposed the changes below to the Mysteries Known class feature of the Shadowsmith in order to make it more worth taking.

The following changes and additions to the Shadowsmith Prestige Class in Tome of Magic are to be done:

Mysteries Known: Due to their connection to the Plane of Shadow, Shadowsmiths have the ability to cast a few mysteries. This either grants them the ability to gain access to mysteries, or enhances their existing shadowcasting abilities.

No Levels in a Shadowcasting Class: At 1st level and every level after, the Shadowsmith may select a mystery from a level he has access to, detailed on the table below. The DC for any mystery is equal to 10 + mystery level + your Int modifier. The Shadowsmith initially only has access to Apprentice(1st-3rd) level mysteries, and may cast them each once per day.

At 6th level, you may cast Initiate(4th-6th) level mysteries each once per day, and Apprentice level mysteries each twice per day. At 10th level, you gain access to Master level mysteries and may cast them each once per day, Initiate level mysteries each twice per day, and Apprentice level mysteries each three times per day.

Note: A semi-official update to the Shadowcaster lists that Shadowcasters get bonus mysteries based on their Charisma score. If your DM would allow this for the Shadowcaster, it is recommended that the same is done for the Shadowsmith. If so, the Shadowsmith gains bonus mysteries per day as you would bonus spells per day, based on the Shadowsmith's Intelligence modifier.

Mysteries Per Day
{table=head]Level|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|1|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th|1|1|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|1|1|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|2|2|2|1|-|-|-|-|-

7th|2|2|2|1|1|-|---|-|-

8th|2|2|2|1|1|-|-|-|-

9th|2|2|2|1|1|1|-|-|-

10th|3|3|3|2|2|2|1|-|-|-
[/table]

Levels in a Shadowcasting class:Select one class the Shadowsmith has levels in that grants access to Shadowcasting. The Shadowsmith's shadowcasting and mysteries known advance as though the Shadowsmith had gained one level in that class when determining number of mysteries known, access to mysteries, and number of times per day each mystery can be cast, at every odd level taken in this class, as well as at 2nd and 6th level.

So, yeah, that's it for now, but I might add more stuff in the future. But for now, please PEACH and comment, as that would be much appreciated.

[Xuldarinar]

While I'm not certain if this truly balances the class, it is certainly a massive improvement.

While it's a nit-pick, your table's label is misleading. The text of the class is accurate on the matter, but.. your table should be labeled as; uses per mystery per day.

I don't see why though, permit bonus mysteries based on intelligence. Assuming you always select the highest level mystery available to you at any given level, at 10th level you have:

{table=head] 1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th
6|3|6|2|4|2|1 [/table]

Oh, but if you include bonus mystery uses based on intellect (minimum 17)
{table=head] 1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th
8|4|8|2|4|2|1 [/table]

This is because bonus uses would be added to each individual mystery of the appropriate level. Perhaps one should follow the example of the paladin and similar classes, the highest mystery access being 4th.


My approach would have been...

Uses per Mystery per Day
{table=head] Level|1st|2nd|3rd|4th
1st|-|-|-|-
2nd|-|-|-|-
3rd|1|-|-|-
4th|1|-|-|-
5th|1|1|-|-
6th|1|1|-|-
7th|1|1|1|-
8th|1|1|1|-
9th|2|2|2|1
10th|2|2|2|1 [/table]

Mysteries being learned at a rate of 1 per level starting at 3rd level. In total, assuming one gains the highest level mystery available at each level:

Total Mystery Uses per Day
{table=head]1st|2nd|3rd|4th
4|4|4|2 [/table]

If you toss in intellect modifier [assuming minimum for all levels, 14]:

Total Mystery Uses per Day (with int 14 bonus spells)
{table=head]1st|2nd|3rd|4th
6|6|4|2 [/table]

[Fizban]

It's a melee class with spellcasting in the book where spellcasting was being nerfed, so it's about as terrible as you can get while still gaining spells. Heck, it's even worse than that one that gives you the draconic template or whatever. The class abilities are all nifty and useable, but you don't get anything that matters until after 5th and I'd be more worried about that myself. Fixing the mysteries is easy enough, just give them one per level like everyone else and a max level of 4th like you'd expect for a full BAB prestige class, but there is absolutely no reason for them to be getting bonus mysteries when bonus mysteries don't even exist. Just. . . why? Why would a combat smithing class ignore one of the biggest changes in the shadowcasting system?

[Pyromancer999]

While I'm not certain if this truly balances the class, it is certainly a massive improvement.

While it's a nit-pick, your table's label is misleading. The text of the class is accurate on the matter, but.. your table should be labeled as; uses per mystery per day.

This is true. Changed.


I don't see why though, permit bonus mysteries based on intelligence.

It's basically just an extension of changes that the original author proposed for the shadowcaster, which is bonus mysteries based on the casting modifier.



My approach would have been...

Uses per Mystery per Day
{table=head] Level|1st|2nd|3rd|4th
1st|-|-|-|-
2nd|-|-|-|-
3rd|1|-|-|-
4th|1|-|-|-
5th|1|1|-|-
6th|1|1|-|-
7th|1|1|1|-
8th|1|1|1|-
9th|2|2|2|1
10th|2|2|2|1 [/table]

That's good, but I like to think they'd get at least 5th level Shadowcasting, if not 6th if only so they could complete a path, and your progression as it is makes the first couple levels nerfed as opposed to the original, where it gets its first mystery at 1st level.

Still, looking back on it, yeah, the shadowcasting should probably not be at 7th level upon consideration.


there is absolutely no reason for them to be getting bonus mysteries when bonus mysteries don't even exist.

The bonus mysteries thing is part of changes suggested by the original author of the class for people who wanted to play Shadowcasters, as seen here (http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?184955-Shadowcaster-fixes-by-Mouseferatu). I simply extended it to the Shadowsmith.Think of it as errata.



Just. . . why? Why would a combat smithing class ignore one of the biggest changes in the shadowcasting system?

Not entirely sure what you're talking about here. Could you please clarify?

[Xuldarinar]

I see your points Though, for the purpose of path completion, why extend it to initiate path mysteries in the first place? Why not, still grant the advancement to 2/day each, but never acquire initiate. It would then remain a little more true to the shadowsmith.

I disagree with bonus mysteries, though it can be an improvement upon the base class and is something by the creator of the class. It's inclusion here, If you feel its needed then by all means, though i'd personally then simply state if the shadowcaster benefits in a campaign then this class would as well, which I believe would by RAW (or at least RAI) since the change would be to all mystery users.

I believe fizban is referring to bonus mysteries, the change in that mysteries (unlike spells) do not acquire additional uses from statistics.

[Pyromancer999]

I see your points Though, for the purpose of path completion, why extend it to initiate path mysteries in the first place? Why not, still grant the advancement to 2/day each, but never acquire initiate. It would then remain a little more true to the shadowsmith.

True, although it feels like it might need the power boost of Initiate mysteries. Although if I were to keep it at Apprentice path mysteries, I could add on one or two things to make the mysteries more useful and relevant, and/or perhaps grant the ability to use them 3/day at 10th.


I disagree with bonus mysteries, though it can be an improvement upon the base class and is something by the creator of the class. It's inclusion here, If you feel its needed then by all means, though i'd personally then simply state if the shadowcaster benefits in a campaign then this class would as well, which I believe would by RAW (or at least RAI) since the change would be to all mystery users.

I'll just change it to note that if the DM would allow such a thing for the Shadowcaster, they should do likewise for the Shadowsmith.



I believe fizban is referring to bonus mysteries, the change in that mysteries (unlike spells) do not acquire additional uses from statistics.

That's what I thought initially too, but Fizban said I was ignoring one of the biggest changes in the Shadowcasting system, in addition to saying that bonus mysteries didn't exist, which in an official capacity is true, but still.

[Fizban]

That's what I meant, yeah. Losing bonus spells is one of the big reasons shadowcasters don't have squat for power, since every other caster can basically add "+1" to their highest level from bonus spells, so I called it a big change. I've never heard of this fix you're referring to, so I was a bit exasperated at what looked like a ridiculous favoritism towards a minor PrC that's not meant to have a ton of casting.

Hmm, on second thought that fix may be familiar. But still, I just think it's funny how it goes and undoes most of the restrictions that make shadowcasting shadowcasting instead of a wizard with a shorter list. You can solve both problems of versatility and power to burn just by giving them more mysteries-no other full spellcaster has ever been stuck with one spell per level, and 1.5 per level is enough to make a big difference. And how are these "bonus mysteries" supposed to work anyway? You don't prepare, you don't cast spontaneously, your uses are tied to the mystery itself, why mix up the rules? Bah.