Master of Shrouds is early entry that easy?

[Particle_Man]

I feel like I am missing something. It seems like I could go cleric 2/swordsage 1/master of shrouds. I mean yes it costs me caster levels (one to get in and one once I am in) but on the other hand I can add a shadow to combats pretty early.

Does the augment summoning feat that is a prerequisite apply to the undead this character can summon?

I also note that the flavour text says they are evil while the prerequisites only says nongood. I assume the flavour text is incorrect?

Did Libris Mortis get errata later on?

[Silvercrys]

The default cosmology assumes that creating and summoning undead is an inherently evil act (the Summon Undead line has the [Evil] descriptor). You may not need to be evil to enter the class, but actually using your class features probably constitutes an alignment change at some point.

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As far as entry requirements, the Libris Mortis errata altered the sample Master of Shrouds but not the entry requirements, so as long as you meet the skill point, feat alignment, and Base Will Save prereqs you should be good to go. Cleric 2/Any class with +2 Will Save 1/Master of Shrouds 10 should be fine.

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I don't believe that Augment Summoning applies to the Summon Undead class feature because (Sp) abilities are not the same thing as spells and Augment Summoning says "Each creature you conjure with any summon spell..."

There is, however, precedent for allowing feats that affect spells to also affect (Sp) abilities in Complete Arcane, because Warlocks are apparently supposed to be able to benefit from Sudden Metamagic feats like Sudden Enlarge (even though I don't believe they do by RAW).

I'd probably allow it because I tend to allow a lot of things that I think make sense but that I don't think are RAW. Your mileage may vary.

Edit: you might also claim a special exemption because your (Sp) ability replicates a specific effect similar to a spell, in the same way a Warlock who can use Darkness as an (Sp) ability can enter a prestige class that requires the ability to cast the Darkness spell.

[Zaq]

Regarding Augment Summoning, doesn’t the master of shrouds mostly summon incorporeal undead anyway? Since Augment Summoning gives a bonus to STR and CON, whether or not it applies is somewhat moot when the things you summon have neither STR nor CON.

(I forget if the class feature lets you summon anything that has either STR or CON...)

[Particle_Man]

If I dipped into Malconvoker would that mean the summon undead ability, which is like summon monster (a conjugation spell) would no longer make me more evil?

[Silvercrys]

I think the answer is technically no, because the (Sp) ability Summon Undead isn't a spell of the conjuration school, unless you can claim that the "(Sp) abilities that mimic specific effects allow you to enter a prestige class" exception also allows you to apply the Malconvoker's class features to (Sp) abilities that summon creatures. I'd probably let it work on those grounds, personally, but that's going to vary from DM to DM.

That's a good catch on the Summon Undead ability only summoning incorporeal undead so Augment Summoning doesn't really matter much, though.

[Ramza00]

Take Wizard 1 and get Abrupt Jaunt (instead of familiar) and Augment Summoning (instead of scribe scroll.) Or instead of Abrupt Jaunt get the familiar that gives a bonus to initiative.

[Falontani]

Lesser drow cleric 2/drow paragon 1/master of Shrouds

[Silva Stormrage]

Lesser drow cleric 2/drow paragon 1/master of Shrouds

While that doesn't lose a spell level Drow Paragon doesn't grant +2 will saves at 1st level. It's only good saving throw is reflex. Unless there is some rule I am missing that isn't a legal entry to Master of Shrouds due to lacking the +5 base will save.

[OGDojo]

A spell like ability functions like the spell except it doesnt have somatic components or verbal components.
so i would say yes that augment summoning would work on your spell like ability as long as it states "As the Spell Summon Undead" because you are in fact summoning a creature and you are in fact casting something that acts and behaves like a spell in every aspect EXCEPT the mentioned above.

here is a small quote from Wizards about spell like abilities (hand written of course)

A spell-like ability has no verbal, somatic, material, focus, or XP components. Using a spell-like ability is a purely mental action, albeit one that requires enough concentration to provoke attacks of opportunity. It is quite possible, however, that a creature using a spell-like ability might add some gesture, word, or flourish just for dramatic effect.

A spell-like ability cannot be used as a counterspell, and it is not subject to counterspells. A counterspell involves recognizing a spell as it is being cast, then quickly altering that same spell so as to create an opposite effect that cancels out the original spell. A spell-like ability is essentially hardwired into its user's psyche, and its power is released mentally. The process is sufficiently different from spellcasting so it that doesn't allow a foe to identify the spell-like ability, and a counterspell cannot interfere with the spell-like ability's magical energy as it can with a spell. As noted earlier, a spell-like ability is subject to dispelling (provided the spell it duplicates is subject to dispelling). When a spell-like ability can be dispelled (as most of them are) one can effectively counter them with a dispel magic spell. While spell-like abilities are not normally subject to counterspells, dispel magic is not really a counterspell. When you use dispel magic as a counterspell, what you're really doing is casting a quick, targeted dispel effect at the correct moment to negate the enemy spell and not creating an opposite magical effect that cancels your enemy's spell.

A spell-like ability is not subject to spell failure. A creature using a spell-like ability that duplicates an arcane spell doesn't have to worry about arcane spell failure from armor it wears (assuming it's wearing armor) or about spell failure from any other source or condition (such as deafness).

A spell-like ability need not be prepared in advance. As noted earlier, a spell-like ability is hard-wired into the user. A creature with a spell-like ability doesn't have to do anything to get its daily allotment of spell-like abilities. It does not need to study, pray, meditate, or even rest.

A spell-like ability is not subject to metamagic. For many of the same reasons a spell-like ability cannot be countered, it also cannot be modified through metamagic in any way. Some creatures have special feats that allow them to duplicate the effects of metamagic on their spell-like abilities (such as the Quicken Spell-Like Ability feat). It's also possible for a creature to have a spell-like ability that duplicates spells already altered by metamagic. For example, the archmage prestige class allows a character to make a spell modified by metamagic into a spell-like ability.

so i can assume that as long as the feat CAN be applied then i CAN be used on the spell

[animewatcha]

interesting question. By that Wizards ruling, a person who is paralyzed ( can still take mental actions ) can still do spell-like abilities? Like a master of shrouds getting to 'Summon Undead' spell-like ability.

[Crake]

The summon undead ability literally says it is "otherwise identical to the summon monster spells", meaning it counts as a conjuration (summoning) effect. Anything that would affect a summon monster spell would affect the summon undead ability, but as someone already mentioned, augment summoning gives a monster +str/con, and since the ability entirely (not mostly) summons incorporeal (no strength) undead (no con) creatures, augment summoning is actually entirely useless in that regard.

[OGDojo]

interesting question. By that Wizards ruling, a person who is paralyzed ( can still take mental actions ) can still do spell-like abilities? Like a master of shrouds getting to 'Summon Undead' spell-like ability.

Actually yeah, if you have spell like abilities but are paralyzed you can definately use them because its at a thought not any other motion.

[OGDojo]

The summon undead ability literally says it is "otherwise identical to the summon monster spells", meaning it counts as a conjuration (summoning) effect. Anything that would affect a summon monster spell would affect the summon undead ability, but as someone already mentioned, augment summoning gives a monster +str/con, and since the ability entirely (not mostly) summons incorporeal (no strength) undead (no con) creatures, augment summoning is actually entirely useless in that regard.

To be fair... augment summoning would still APPLY to the creature... but would do nothing lol

[DrMotives]

A very reasonable house ruling would be that Master of Shroud summons have +2 to hp/hd, +2 fort, and a +2 attack. That's still a weaker effect than augment summoning on a typical summoned monster.

Edit: And on rereading the class, they get half of what augment summoning would give a normal summoner, as a 5th level class feature. No hp or fort boost though.