3.5 shadow double spell optimizable?

[Nightraiderx]

So there is a 2nd level illusion spell (1st for assassins)
Spell that I love the flavor of but the uses for it seem limited. The spell is from Drow of the underdark and the spell has some unique features.

1. Although it creates another creature, it isn't a summon spell.

2. Unlike usual spells, the creatures AC and attack bonuses are affected by modifiers to your DC

3. Uses your BAB and has 1/5th of your hit points
Will save disbelief is only when it deals damage

4. Standard action to have it move 30ft

5. Only deals 1str damage, casting another ends the spell

So the question is how can the spell be utilized?

Q1: can the illusionary copy of your gain sneak attack dice if it was flanking you and has an attack roll?

Q2: what metamagic can be utilized to make this really potent for utility?

Q3: What classes would best utilize this spell? I've been wanting to use shadow trickster for a while and this spell
Might be able to utilize it maybe?

[TheCount]

Source?

I imagine twin would do it as well as your usual illusion enchancers.

[Trandir]

Source?

I imagine twin would do it as well as your usual illusion enchancers.

Drow of the underdark.


And this spell seems to sinergize with nothing, and is also pretty bad

[ZamielVanWeber]

With no ability to full and a best case scenario of being useless every other turn I am not sure how to make this thing work. They really worked hard to not let it do anything.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Make yourself invisible (or hide), then use Invisible Spell so nobody knows what's attacking them? Then use your move actions to move past while your targets are distracted. That's the only way I can see to make this useful.

[DrMotives]

Well, it can attack every turn, not every other. While the caster spends a standard action to move it, the shadow double itself seems like it can be moved by the caster & still attack in the same round. But otherwise, it feels pretty low-power. It can help with flanking, and do 1 str damage per turn. That's about it.

Also, the line where it can attack incorporeal creatures but not ethereal one is weird. Almost everything incorporeal is because of the ethereal, I think that means the spell was written by someone who doesn't know how that bit works.

[Ramza00]

Hammerspheres are better (MIC) a spectral weapon similar thing but in a magic item instead of a spell for 1,500 gp. 1 str damage that they have to make a will save against is simultaneously not enough effect and also to easy to save against. At least Hammersphere does 3d6 damage per attack and you can get multiple attacks based around your BAB if it full attacks, but if its moves it only gets 1 attack that round.

And Hammerspheres are not obvious that it is worth the action economy, the advantage is that it is cheap to have 1 even if its unlikely to be beneficial.

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(That said Hammerspheres are wonderful for mounts if your mount has intelligence and can activate a magic item via having hands / claws / etc. Things like you have a dragon mount and so on.)