Shadowcasters and crafting

[Dhavaer]

Can Shadowcasters (Tome of Magic) craft magic items? I'm asking because I"m creating a campaign world with no casters except Shadowcasters, Adepts, Rangers and Paladins, and I was thinking of greatly lowering the cost of crafting to make up for the lack of healing spells and buffs.

[Khantalas]

Yes, they can. See shadow magic items for details.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Indeed they can. It's right there in the Magic Items section of the Shadow Magic chapter in Tome of Magic.

The tricky part is setting save DCs, though. Save DCs are set by Charisma, but Intelligence rules access to one's highest level mysteries. As such, there is no minimum Charisma required for a mystery.

Simply assuming a Charisma of 10 (or worse—1) is unfair to Shadowcasters. A wizard's 9th-level spell scroll gets a free +4 bonus on the DC compared to a 9th-level mystery scroll.

At the same time, basing magic item DC on the minimum Intelligence proves somewhat odd. Say a particular Shadowcaster does have a Charisma of 10. He has no incentive to use his actual mysteries as long as he has a scroll or wand, as they have better save DCs than the ones he cast himself. That's exactly the opposite of what wizards, sorcerers, and clerics face.

I actually wrote Customer Support and Sage Advice about this. Customer Support said it's up to the DM to create a house rule (though they suggested going with the DC based on Intelligence). Sage Advice hasn't answered.

Note that this problem also exists for Favored Souls, Spirit Shamans, and other MAD spellcasters.

[Dhavaer]

That is a problem. Perhaps it would be easier on both counts just to houserule that they can't?

[PinkysBrain]

Shadowcasters are very short on slots and flexibility ... scrolls and wands help a little.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Yeah. Disallowing item creation on account of difficulty with DCs is a regular baby with the bathwater scenario.

[Dhavaer]

Hmm.
Perhaps Shadowcasters should use the staff rules for scrolls and wands as well? And maybe I could lower the level of healing spells instead of messing with the crafting rules.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

I think that would be sensible on both counts.