Shadow Illusion -- some questions about conjuration (summoning) spells

[Jay R]

A Shadowcraft Mage can mimic a Conjuration (Summoning) spell with Shadow Illusion.

1. How does this affect a spell that has an xp cost?

For instance, my wizard casts a 6th level spell to mimic Lesser Dragon Ally. He gets an illusion of a dragon made with shadow strength, that's only 50% real. But it's an illusion; he's not csting Lesser Dragon Ally; he's mimicking it. Does this cost XP?

2. Suppose I use it to mimic Steal Summoning, and I succeed. Do I have control of a real creature, or a shadow version of one?

Yes, I know it's a judgment call by my DM. I prefer to do some research before asking these questions.

[ManicOppressive]

1. Definitely doesn't require the XP cost. Spells that replicate the effects of other spells and DO require XP costs (such as Wish) explicitly say that they do, and this one doesn't. Its components are listed as Verbal and Somatic, nothing else, so there should never be an XP cost associated with Shadow Conjuration.

2. The conjuration has already been summoned, it isn't a shadow conjuration because Shadow Conjuration didn't conjure it. The summoned creature is fully real. The reason for the chaos here is that Steal Summoning should not have been a Conjuration (Summoning) spell as it does not, itself, have anything to do with the summoning; it really should've been printed as a Transmutation or Abjuration spell. Ce la vie.

[Particle_Man]

For steal summoning I would say the original summoner gets a will save vs the illusion and if they make it there is still only a 50% chance of the summoned thing being stolen.

[Darg]

For steal summoning I would say the original summoner gets a will save vs the illusion and if they make it there is still only a 50% chance of the summoned thing being stolen.

It works just like shadow Conjuration except that the % is 10% per level of the spell used. I would say the summoner gets a will save, roll d%, and then you make the caster level check. There is also another negative: it functions identically to shadow conjuration so it has a standard action cast time instead of the immediate action steal summoning normally has. But hey, at least the warlock has a buddy in this one thing.

[Bullet06320]

Lesser Dragon Ally is a calling spell, not a summoning or creation spell, so not viable for shadow conjuration

[Jay R]

Lesser Dragon Ally is a calling spell, not a summoning or creation spell, so not viable for shadow conjuration

Ah -- thank you. Since it's listed as a summoning spell in the 2003 Draconomicon, I didn't notice that it was was changed to a calling spell in the 2005 Spell Compendium.

And as ManicOppressive pointed out, Steal Summoning doesn't really act like a summoning spell either (although it is).

I will get used to using it for other summoning spells before I ask my DM about that one.

Thanks for all the help, everybody.

[ShurikVch]

Lesser Dragon Ally is a calling spell, not a summoning or creation spell, so not viable for shadow conjuration
OK, they changed it in the Spell Compendium
But how about the Doom of the Seas (Stormwrack)?
It's still Conjuration (Summoning), and still costs 500 XP...

[Bullet06320]

I missed they changed it, the spell compendium happen to be closer when I looked it up, lol

[Darg]

OK, they changed it in the Spell Compendium
But how about the Doom of the Seas (Stormwrack)?
It's still Conjuration (Summoning), and still costs 500 XP...

Doom of the Seas is actually a summoning spell. Calling spells generally require an exchange for services. All you do is summon a kraken to act as any other summon. The shadow version obviously has no XP cost.