Shadowcraft Mage from a Paladin base!?!?

[Rebel7284]

You have mastered light, my friend, but light creates shadows. You must master those as well to bring justice to the wicked.

LG Forest Gnome with Shadow-walker template (LA +1 bought off)
Patron Deity Wee Jas (although selecting the Suel Pantheon may work too)


AbilitiesLvl 1Level up
STR1010
DEX1010
CON1414
INT1010
WIS1620
CHA1616




Level
Class
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Skills
Feats
Class Features
Maneuvers Known
Readied
Spells 1
2
3
4


1st
Crusader
+1
+2
+0
+0

Bluff: 2
Hide: 2
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 4
Heighten Spell
Flaw: Earth Sense
Flaw: Earth Spell
Furious counterstrike,
steely resolve 5

Crusader’s Strike
Leading the Charge
Vanguard Strike
Stone Bones
Leading the Attack
Iron Guard's Glare(s)
5(2)






2nd
Paladin
+2
+4
+0
+0
Bluff: 2
Hide: 2.5
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 5

Aura of good,
detect evil,
smite evil 1/day

5(2)






3rd
Paladin
+3
+5
+0
+0
Bluff: 2
Hide: 3
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 6
Spell Focus(Illusion)
Divine grace,
lay on hands

5(2)






4th
Paladin (Solstice Knight)
+4
+5
+1
+1
Bluff: 2
Hide: 3.5
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 7

Aura of courage,
blessed radiance

5(2)






5th
Paladin
+5
+6
+1
+1
Bluff: 2
Hide: 4
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 8

Turn Undead

5(2)
0





6th
Ruby Knight Vindicator
+6
+6
+1
+3
Bluff: 3.5
Hide: 4
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 9
Battle Blessing

Martial Spirit(s)
5(2)
0





7th
Ruby Knight Vindicator
+7
+6
+1
+4
Bluff: 4
Concentration: 2
Hide: 4
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 10

Divine recovery
White Raven Tactics
5(2)
0





8th
Ruby Knight Vindicator
+8
+7
+2
+4
Bluff: 4
Concentration: 5
Hide: 4
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 11



5(2)
1





9th
Ruby Knight Vindicator
+9
+7
+2
+5
Bluff: 4
Concentration: 8
Hide: 4
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 12
Divine Metamagic(Heighten)

Entangling Blade
5(2)
1





10th
Ruby Knight Vindicator
+10
+7
+2
+5
Bluff: 4
Concentration: 8
Hide: 6
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 13
Tumble: 1

Armored stealth

6(2)
1
0




11th
Contemplative
+10
+7
+2
+7
Bluff: 4
Concentration: 8
Heal: 2
Hide: 6
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 13
Tumble: 1

Bonus domain(Magic),
divine health

6(2)
1
0




12th
Shadowcraft Mage
+10
+7
+2
+9
Bluff: 4
Concentration: 9
Heal: 2
Hide: 6
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 13
Move Silently: 2
Spellcraft: 1
Tumble: 1
Domain Spontaneity(Magic)
Cloak of shadow

6(2)
1
1




13th
Shadowcraft Mage
+11
+7
+2
+10
Bluff: 4
Concentration: 10
Heal: 2
Hide: 6
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 13
Know(Arc): 2
Move Silently: 3
Spellcraft: 1
Tumble: 1

Silent illusion

6(2)
1
1
0



14th
Shadowcraft Mage
+11
+8
+3
+10
Bluff: 4
Concentration: 10
Heal: 2
Hide: 6
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 13
Know(Arc): 2
Move Silently: 4
Spellcraft: 4
Tumble: 1

Shadow illusion

6(2)
1
1
1



15th
Ruby Knight Vindicator
+12
+9
+4
+11
Bluff: 4
Concentration: 11
Heal: 2
Hide: 9
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 13
Know(Arc): 2
Move Silently: 4
Spellcraft: 4
Tumble: 1
Customize Domain(Magic)

Shadow Stride
Aura of Perfect Order(s)

6(2)
1
1
1



16th
Ruby Knight Vindicator
+13
+9
+4
+11
Bluff: 4
Concentration: 12
Heal: 2
Hide: 10
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 13
Know(Arc): 2
Move Silently: 4
Spellcraft: 6
Tumble: 1

Divine impetus

6(2)
1
1
1



17th
Death Delver
+13
+11
+4
+13
Bluff: 4
Concentration: 13
Heal: 2
Hide: 10
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 13
Know(Arc): 3
Move Silently: 4
Spellcraft: 6
Tumble: 1

Deathsense,
rebuke undead

6(2)
1
0 DD
1
1



18th
Shadowcraft Mage
+14
+11
+4
+14
Bluff: 4
Concentration: 15
Heal: 2
Hide: 10
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 13
Know(Arc): 5
Move Silently: 4
Spellcraft: 6
Tumble: 1
Residual Magic
Extended illusion

6(2)
2
0 DD
1
1
0


19th
Shadowcraft Mage
+14
+11
+4
+14
Bluff: 4
Concentration: 17
Heal: 2
Hide: 12
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 13
Know(Arc): 5
Move Silently: 4
Spellcraft: 6
Tumble: 1

Powerful shadow magic

6(2)
2
0 DD
1
1
1


20th
Ruby Knight Vindicator
+15
+11
+4
+15
Bluff: 4
Concentration: 19
Heal: 2
Hide: 14
Intimidate: 4
Know(Rel): 13
Know(Arc): 5
Move Silently: 4
Spellcraft: 6
Tumble: 1


Shadow Blink
6(2)
2
0 DD
2
1
1



FAQ:
Q: Why?
A: Paladins have one of the most broken abilities for casters, Battle Blessing. Normally it's balanced out by the fact that Paladins have somewhere between mediocre to terrible spells and spell progression, however, Shadowcraft Mage can turn even a lowly Silent Image into a Summon Elemental Monolith with only a mild application of Heighten Spell! Ruby Knight Vindicator fits right into this plan, doubling the power of Battle Blessing. Maneuver progression is also helpful for keeping the character relevant until it can actually get SCM going.

Q: How are you qualifying for SCM?
A: Complete Arcane p. 72 under SPECIFIC SPELL REQUIREMENTS talks about how it's possible to qualify for some prestige classes by emulating a specific spell with a SLA. Admittedly, this is slightly in the grey area as SCM, while being very specific about many aspects of the required spell, does not ultimately use a single specific spell. If Shadow Walk from a template does not count at your table, you can also delay SCM by one level, and use DMM heighten on a shadow spell that you add via Customize Domain(Magic)

Q: What spells are currently being added via Customize Domain?
A: Silent Image is key to Shadowcraft Mage. For the other slots, I recommend digging into the Trapsmith spell list.

Q: Can't you just do Prestige Paladin?
A: Questionable rules-wise and also well known. This does it without an alternate rules system. (well technically LA buyoff and flaws are used, but both are absolutely optional!!)

Q: Why not take Crusader at 5th so that you can pick up 2nd level maneuvers?
A: I don't have enough skill points to enter RKV if I do that. Definitely possible if you want to shuffle stats around to get more INT.

Q: Any other way to get Silent Image onto the Paladin list?
A: A few.
- Fiend Blooded if you can use a non-good paladin may work.
- UMD + Substitute Domain allows you to get something like the Gnome or Illusion domain quite early
- If Sword of the Arcane Order makes Paladin count as an arcane caster at your table, your options greatly expand

Q: Why is THIS built not using Sword of the Arcane Order?
A: Requires a different god. Also, not really necessary once the whole Shadowcraft Mage thing gets going.

Q: Are you open to feedback?
A: Constructive critisism is always appreciated!

Special thanks to the 3.5 D&D server for letting me bounce ideas off of them!

[Anthrowhale]

Your caster level is still a rather low, right? That's a bit problematic for abusing SCM, since all your spells are SR:Yes.

[Rebel7284]

Your caster level is still a rather low, right? That's a bit problematic for abusing SCM, since all your spells are SR:Yes.

Earth Spell boosts caster level up a bunch, so CL near 20 is possible with a few items. But good point, it's not the best.

[Paragon]

DMM can't increase a spell level past your maximum spell slot level (which is 4th for pally)

[Rebel7284]

DMM can't increase a spell level past your maximum spell slot level (which is 4th for pally)

Why not? Considering how common DMM Persist is, I am unclear about where this is coming from.

[Chronos]

That's a quite reasonable houserule, but it isn't in the books.

How many Turn Undead uses do you have? It doesn't seem like you'd be able to use high-power spells more than a couple of times per day.

[Darg]

That's a quite reasonable houserule, but it isn't in the books.

It's not a houserule if the rules don't actually specify one way or the other. The general rule is that metamagic increases the spell level of the spell for purposes of preparation and casting. The only trait DMM mentions removing is the spell slot increase. So it stands to reasonable interpretation that the spell level increase and minimum caster level increase are still qualities of the spell. WotC knows how to remove the increased spell level, see sudden metamagics.

[Paragon]

It's not a houserule if the rules don't actually specify one way or the other. The general rule is that metamagic increases the spell level of the spell for purposes of preparation and casting. The only trait DMM mentions removing is the spell slot increase. So it stands to reasonable interpretation that the spell level increase and minimum caster level increase are still qualities of the spell. WotC knows how to remove the increased spell level, see sudden metamagics.

<In all ways, a metamagic spell (except for one prepared with Heighten Spell) operates at its original spell level, even though it’s prepared and cast as a higher-level spell> RC

It's not definitive but it does say it's cast as a higher level spell. Since DMM doesn't mention otherwise, then Darg's right, it's the default rule that applies

[Darg]

it's the default rule that applies

That depends. Rods don't specify that wizards can bypass the spell prep phase of using a metamagic feat, but that's how it's been ruled since the beginning even though it gives them an unfair advantage compared to their spontaneous counterparts. Common convention can win out over RAW quite easily as the default. So the default being something that doesn't require cross referencing different sources of rules is the most common ruling.

[Chronos]

Metamagic spells behave as their original level in every way except the spell slot increase. DMM removes the spell slot increase. So they now behave as their original level in every way.

Some methods for reducing or replacing the cost of metamagic do have a clause that you're still limited by what slot levels you have. That's a good rule, and would be a good rule for all of the metamagic cost-replacers. But for most of them (and specifically, for DMM), it's still a houserule.

[Darg]

Metamagic spells behave as their original level in every way except the spell slot increase. DMM removes the spell slot increase. So they now behave as their original level in every way.

Other than being determinant of your ability to cast a spell of a particular level, spell level also determines the DC of concentration for casting the spell. For example, you have 14 intelligence but you are an 11th level wizard. You have 5th and 6th level slots to cast your lower level spells with. However, you wouldn't be able to cast or prepare an empowered fireball because it would need to be prepared and/or cast as a 5th level spell.

By extremely strict interpretation, DMM doesn't remove the level adjustment applied by using a metamagic feat, only the slot cost. When only applying the effect of a feat rather than the feat itself as a spell is being cast, it goes hand in hand that you aren't going to have to modify the already invested slot of a spell. This is exampled by every other source of applying the effect of a metamagic feat only mentions not increasing the level of the spell. Sources that allow you to use the feats (rods) or reduce the cost of a feat specifically only mention reducing or removing the slot cost. This is because it modifies the feat directly instead of the spell.

[Paragon]

Metamagic spells behave as their original level in every way except the spell slot increase. DMM removes the spell slot increase. So they now behave as their original level in every way.

Some methods for reducing or replacing the cost of metamagic do have a clause that you're still limited by what slot levels you have. That's a good rule, and would be a good rule for all of the metamagic cost-replacers. But for most of them (and specifically, for DMM), it's still a houserule.

As I quoted just above, metamagic feats have spells behave as their original levels except for Heighten Spell.

The last message I'll make about this since that's not really what the OP is aiming for.

By RAW, DMM (Heighten Spell) does nothing since DMM has a specific clause : "Because you're using positive or negative energy to augment your spells, the spell slot for the spell doesn't change."
This plus the above quote make this whole thing unfunctional.

[Chronos]

Ah, true, I missed that. And Heighten Spell also has a weird (and itself dysfunctional) wording, where it doesn't actually increase the slot needed, but rather, whatever slot you use, it makes the spell function as that level (this also means, for instance, that if you're applying any other metamagic anyway, you can Heighten the spell that much for free). So under that interpretation, you're right that this trick might not work at all.

[Rebel7284]

As I quoted just above, metamagic feats have spells behave as their original levels except for Heighten Spell.

The last message I'll make about this since that's not really what the OP is aiming for.

By RAW, DMM (Heighten Spell) does nothing since DMM has a specific clause : "Because you're using positive or negative energy to augment your spells, the spell slot for the spell doesn't change."
This plus the above quote make this whole thing unfunctional.

I was confused for a bit, but I think I get what you are saying.

So basically most metamagic feats add a cost in slot increase and based on that you (usually) determine what slot to use to prepare/cast the spell.
Heighten spell, on the other hand, works in reverse in that you use a slot and heighten spell retroactively adds benefits based on the level of the slot actually used.

Therefore Heighten Spell doesn't really have a cost to reduce.

As pointed out above, this (admittedly raw) interpretation has issues with heighten spell automatically making other metamagic better by boosting their spell level. Indeed, it could make the typical SCM a TON better by applying heighten for free when you prepare a Persistent+Extended Silent Image for example!

Treating Heighten Spell as a cost seems much more in-line with RAI and common table conventions, but knowing that RAW is weird here is important! Hurray for knowledge!



How many Turn Undead uses do you have? It doesn't seem like you'd be able to use high-power spells more than a couple of times per day.

I don't have the exact number of Turn Attempts listed since it can be fairly item dependent. If Nightsticks can stack, for example, you have essentially as many as you want. If they are not available at all, and buying +Cha items is hard in your campaign, you might have less.

Aside: I even considered taking Rebuke Dragons instead of Turn Undead for Paladin to boost turning pool, however, while Rebuke Dragons counts as Turn Undead for Divine Feats, it RAW does not count as Turn Undead for entering prestige classes.

With that said, even if you only have enough attempts to heighten a single Silent Image, the second turning pool in addition to Residual Magic eventually lets you do it at least 4 times.

[Darg]

I was confused for a bit, but I think I get what you are saying.

So basically most metamagic feats add a cost in slot increase and based on that you (usually) determine what slot to use to prepare/cast the spell.
Heighten spell, on the other hand, works in reverse in that you use a slot and heighten spell retroactively adds benefits based on the level of the slot actually used.

Therefore Heighten Spell doesn't really have a cost to reduce.

As pointed out above, this (admittedly raw) interpretation has issues with heighten spell automatically making other metamagic better by boosting their spell level. Indeed, it could make the typical SCM a TON better by applying heighten for free when you prepare a Persistent+Extended Silent Image for example!

Treating Heighten Spell as a cost seems much more in-line with RAI and common table conventions, but knowing that RAW is weird here is important! Hurray for knowledge!

The problem with that understanding of DMM+heighten is that it ignores the fact that all metamagic spells are treated as spells of the adjusted level for the purposes of preparation and casting. All metamagic increase the level of the spell for, again, preparation and casting as even referenced directly in the DMM feat: "You must spend one turn or rebuke attempt, plus an additional attempt for each level increase in the metamagic feat you're using." It doesn't matter that the increase in required slot is gone, a heightened 1st to 9th has 8 level increases and thus still costs 1+8 attempts. A heightened to 7th empowered 1st level spell still has 8 level increases (+2 empower, +6 heighten) for a cost of 1+8 attempts.

As for the argument that heighten can be used to "shadow" other metamagics, the rules specifically state that changes to a spell's level are cumulative. Thus you can't have a heightened empowered spell at only +2 slots while also increasing the effective level by +2. Changes to level are cumulative and thus it would instead be +4.

[GeoffWatson]

Battle Blessing only works on Paladin spells, not all spells.

[Rebel7284]

Battle Blessing only works on Paladin spells, not all spells.

True, however, when adding spells to a Paladin spell list, they are then treated like Paladin spells for the specific character.
So something like Sword of the Arcane Order does not work since the prepared spells still count as Wizard spells, however for abilities that expand a spell list, it should work.