Umbral Spell Metamagic feat; what use? (3.5)

[Luckmann]

I'm going to play a shadow-based cleric/rogue type thing soon, a Demarch of Mask (as a spontaneous divine caster, which is probably not relevant), in a Forgotten Realms game, and I just happened across the Umbral Spell metamagic feat.

All it does is add the darkness descriptor to any spell, at a cost of +1 level.

It sounds really cool, fluff-wise, but I can't think of any way to use this effectively.

[Anthrowhale]

It could be used with Abyssal Specialist to make spells be in your specialty for the purpose of casting.

[Mr Adventurer]

Would it let any spell counter or dispel a [light] spell of equal or lower level, and/or suppress the same in its area of effect? E.g. a Black Tentacles that also turns off magical lights?

[Luckmann]

Would it let any spell counter or dispel a [light] spell of equal or lower level, and/or suppress the same in its area of effect? E.g. a Black Tentacles that also turns off magical lights?
Yup, it explicitly does that, but I can't consider that worth a feat and +1 spellvl, unless you have some trick up your sleeve.

[Telonius]

It could be useful to a Shadow Adept, since they get bonuses to caster level (and overcoming spell resistance) for spells with the [Darkness] descriptor.

[Mr Adventurer]

Yup, it explicitly does that, but I can't consider that worth a feat and +1 spellvl, unless you have some trick up your sleeve.

I think the trick is that you are a Drow with Darkvision and Darkness as an SLA...

[Luckmann]

It could be useful to a Shadow Adept, since they get bonuses to caster level (and overcoming spell resistance) for spells with the [Darkness] descriptor.I don't think that's actually true, having read through it earlier.

I did stumble across the Shadow Apostle from Dragon Magazine #322, which gets +1 DC for spells of the Shadow subschool or with the Darkness descriptor.

[Telonius]

I don't think that's actually true, having read through it earlier.

I did stumble across the Shadow Apostle from Dragon Magazine #322, which gets +1 DC for spells of the Shadow subschool or with the Darkness descriptor.

Ah, I was looking at the earlier version of it. The Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (2001) Shdaow Adept has Spell Power, the Players Guide to Faerun (2004) Shadow Adept doesn't.

[Thurbane]

Q: Umbral Spell Metamagic feat; what use? (3.5)

A:

Nightcloak PrC (CD web) +2 CL on spells with the darkness descriptor
Shadow Apostle PrC (Dr 322) +1 DC on spells with the darkness descriptor as mentioned above
Shadow Weave Magic feat (FRCS) +1 DC on spells with the darkness descriptor The feat was updated in PGtF and no longer works with darkness descriptor spells
Use with the Abyssal Specialist ACF (DotU) mentioned above
Entry into the Shadowcrafter PrC (Und)
Entry into the Child of Night PrC (ToM)
Counter or dispel a light spell as mentioned above
Helping someone else enter the Shadowsmith PrC (ToM)
Helping someone else enter the Shadowblade PrC (ToM)

[Luckmann]

Q: Umbral Spell Metamagic feat; what use? (3.5)

A:

Nightcloak PrC (CD web) +2 CL on spells with the shadow descriptor
Shadow Apostle PrC (Dr 322) +1 DC on spells with the shadow descriptor as mentioned above
Shadow Weave Magic feat (FRCS) +1 DC on spells with the shadow descriptor The feat was updated in PGtF and no longer works with shadow descriptor spells
Use with the Abyssal Specialist ACF (DotU) mentioned above
Entry into the Shadowcrafter PrC (Und)
Entry into the Child of Night PrC (ToM)
Counter or dispel a light spell as mentioned above
Helping someone else enter the Shadowsmith PrC (ToM)
Helping someone else enter the Shadowblade PrC (ToM)

Umbral Spell adds the Darkness descriptor, not Shadow.

[Mr Adventurer]

Yes, and shadow is a sub-school, not a descriptor.

Sadly that leaves out the Shadowcrafter, at least, too.

[Thurbane]

Yeah, I used the wrong word. Fixed. Other than that, points still stand.