Fighting Shadows

[Story]

Do you have any tips for fighting shadows? They seem pretty scary to me.

In our last session, our level 6 party (Cleric, Rogue (8str), Anima Mage (me, 6str)) got attacked by a Greater Shadow. The Rogue and I ran while the Cleric tried to turn it and nearly died before managing to turn it.

As a Wizard, it seems like there should be something I can do about shadows, but so far, the best I've been able to come up with is to get a Talisman of Undying Fortitude and that's out of my price range at the moment. At level 8 I'll be able to bind Tenebrous, but this seems like a subpar option since even a full cleric was barely able to turn the Greater Shadow and I have more important things to do with my vestige anyway.

It's also kind of boring to just watch while the cleric tries to turn everything whenever we end up in an undead encounter. The rogue is planning to take something that we'll let him sneak attack undead, but that probably won't help so much against an enemy that can potentially kill the party in one hit.

[herrhauptmann]

Chill Touch forces a will save or be panicked for a few rounds.
Protection from Evil?
Hide from Undead? Cleric spell, but you could possible research it as a wizard one.
Halt Undead.
Command Undead.
Detect Undead to avoid encounters.

[Story]

What is Protection from Evil supposed to do? I don't think the shadow was summoned.

Command Undead looks like a possibility though I'll still have to be prepared to run if it makes the save. 6 int means that they're considered intelligent undead, right?

[Piggy Knowles]

Yes, shadows are intelligent. Anything with an Int score at all is considered intelligent; Command Undead just includes that language to differentiate between thinking undead and mindless undead like zombies.

In addition to anti-undead effects, force effects are also your friend, as they will have no problem hitting incorporeal creatures like shadows. Keep in mind that shadows are notoriously under-CRed, and that a greater shadow is meant to be a very difficult encounter for a 6th-level party. That said, with a little preparation, ensuring that your allies all have magical weapons that can strike the thing and that everyone's buffed with things that boost touch AC or prevent against incorporeal touch attacks (like Shield), they can be dealt with fairly handily. Spring Attack + incorporeal is rough if your DM is playing it smart and springing back and forth from solid objects, but you can do things like ready a Forcewave when it approaches to push it back.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Mage Armor and Shield are useful against incorporeal touch attacks.

Your Cleric can get an Ephod of Authority and Talisman of Undead Mastery (both MIC) for a cheap improvement to Turning Undead. Higher quality items would include a Rod of Defiance (MIC) first, then Phylactery of Undead Turning (DMG) and Scepter of the Netherworld (MIC).

Although if the Cleric already died in that encounter and he's making a new character, he could bring in a Cleric of Pelor with the Healing and Sun domains, using spontaneous domain casting in PH2 for Healing, and go Cleric 5/ Morninglord 1/ Radiant Servant 5/ Morninglord 9, picking up the Glory domain from Radiant Servant. With just a few of the above items and his Greater Turning ability, you should never worry about undead again. Use Illumian (RoD) with Hoonvaul, and get the feat Bright Sigil with the Swift Concentration skill trick (CS), assuming the Daylight effect will be increased by your two prestige classes.

[lsfreak]

Keep in mind that shadows are notoriously under-CRed, and that a greater shadow is meant to be a very difficult encounter for an 8th-level party.

I was going to mention this too. You have an ECL5 party going up against an under-CRed "CR8" encounter, and on top of that, you all are especially vulnerable due to your Str scores. That's unlikely to go well no matter how well you plan things.

[Darrin]

Get some Ghostwall Shellac (150 GP, Dungeonscape). Takes an hour to dry, but you can coat everybody's armor and weapons with the stuff. Turns everything into the equivalent of ghost armor/ghost weapons for 4d6 hours.

[herrhauptmann]

What is Protection from Evil supposed to do? I don't think the shadow was summoned.

I dunno, does a deflection bonus to (touch) AC that stacks with mage armor and shield sound that useless?
I can't remember if there's a save for the shadow's attacks, but if there is, it also provides a boost to your saves.