[New Spell] Shadow Servant

[Pbartender]

This is a rough draft of a new spell I'm working on. It essentially a souped-up, illusion-version of Unseen Servant, and was inspired by the "Fantastic Machine" spells in the FRCS.

I welcome your suggestions.

Shadow Servant

Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Medium (100ft. + 10ft./level)
Effect: One shadowy, quasi-real, humanoid servant
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with)
Spell Resistance: No

The shadow servant is a shadowy, quasi-real, humanoid henchman that performs tasks at the character's command. The illusion takes on the appearance of any average, medium-sized humanoid. For those who recognize it for what it is, the shadow servant takes on a dim, semi-transparent appearance.

The shadow servant is an Expert with 1/4th the levels of the caster, rounded down. The shadow servant's ability scores are all 10, has average hit points, and gains no racial benefits or penalties. It carries no equipment other than leather armor, a heavy mace, a light crossbow with 10 bolts, and anything else the DM approves of (a shadowy set of thieves' tools if the shadow servant has the Open Lock skill, or healer's kit if it has the Heal skill, for example).

At the caster's command, the shadow servant will perform any task within its abilities, but will not take orders from anyone other than the caster. The shadow servant can understand any language the caster can speak, but cannot speak. It can, however, make simple responses to the caster telepathically. The shadow servant cannot move beyond the spell's range (as measured from the character's current position), or it ceases to exist.

Any creature that intereacts with the shadow servant may make a Will save to recognize it as a quasi-real illusion. Success causes the shadow servant to deal minimum damage with its attacks, and inficts a -4 circumstance penalty to all opposed skill and ability checks the servant makes against the disbeliever.

 

[trentonjoe]

I like this alot but who decides what the shadows skill points are? Are they the same as the masters? Can they be changed?

 

[Pbartender]

I like this alot but who decides what the shadows skill points are? Are they the same as the masters? Can they be changed?

That's one point I'm still working out, not only for skills, but for feats too.

One way to do it (even though this really isn't a summoning spell) is to use the "Summon Individual Monsters" alternate rules from the DMG. That way, your Shadow Servant always has the same skill points and feats.

But the whole reason I picked the Expert class, is because 1. They get to pick any 10 class skills, 2. They have no "special" abilities", 3. They are useful enough in combat without being overpowering... It's the perfect henchman class.

So, it also would not be difficult to simply pick the feats and 6 skills to "max out" every time you cast the spell. I specify that it has no racial bonuses, and all its ability scores are 10, so there are no penalties or bonuses to worry about, all the numbers come straight from the class.

"I cast Shadow Henchman... Since I'm 12th level, he's 3rd level, and will have Alertness, Skill Focus (Listen) and Skill Focus (Spot). He'll have Search, Spot, Listen, Hide, Move Silently and Tumble skills. I'll give him orders to stand watch over the camp, and to wake the party should anything unusual or unfriendly appear."

 

[skymage]

i've got a lot to say about this spell and i'll try and make it as short as possible

first of all i like it alot.
i've always been a big fan of summon type spells. i've always wanted a summon meant for skills over combat and this looks like a good balenced spell. i think this is the first shadow spell i'd ever use. i have a few questions on how you envision this spell.

where does it's intelligence come form? is it a dead spirit an elemental or is it just because this is what the spell does

if it is a spirit is there a chance it will disobey you?

can it use exclusive skill like use magic device?

how does he interact with nonliving objects? can he fetch a book for a wizard

being of the stuffs illusions are made of can it fly? or is it like a humanoid in all respects until it's disbelieved

what if i wanted it to be an interprater with the speak language and diplomacy skills?

if appropriate can it have other equipment like a flute if it has perform?

and i don't like the idea of making it one type of expert per spell ,but that's because i prefer scorcerers. although i might be inclined to say that the type has to be determined at the time of preperation, and maybe that it might have to be prepared meaning that the sorcerer would have to have the prepare spell feat or not be able to cast it at all in a campagn without that feat.

personally i'd allow sorcerers and bards to use it without preparation. i can picture a bard summoning a dancer to dance to her music or maybe a whole band to acompany her using mulitple casting of the spell, or a sorcerer using it as a butler type (i see sorcerers as frivolous users of magic cause of the number of spells per day) and the feats would have to have something to do with the skills like if you wanted archery feats then you would have to have knowledge archery and you can always take skill focus.

well that's all i have to say about that hope it's understandable enough to get the points across and i apologze for spelling it's late here

 

[Pbartender]

i've got a lot to say about this spell and i'll try and make it as short as possible

first of all i like it alot.
i've always been a big fan of summon type spells.

I'm glad you like it.

where does it's intelligence come form? is it a dead spirit an elemental or is it just because this is what the spell does

No, nopt a spirit or an elemental, but a "creature created from material from the plane of shadow", much like any other Shadow-type spell. So, in essence, its very similar to a Summoning spell, but the creature is half-shadow half-illusion.

If you want, think of it this way... It's a partially real illusion that acts as is it was a humanoid with an intelligence score of 10.

It doesn't really make a difference, the ability scores are there simply to make the precedent that the shadow gains no innate bonuses or penalties from ability scores or race.

if it is a spirit is there a chance it will disobey you?

Nope. It's a partially real illusion that obeys the caster without question.

can it use exclusive skill like use magic device?

According to the Expert NPC class abilities, the shadow illusion can have any 10 class skills, one or two which can be exclusive to some other class.

how does he interact with nonliving objects? can he fetch a book for a wizard

Absolutely. Futhermore, it'd be able to pick locks, disable traps, stand watch, cook dinner, groom the horses, forage for food, clean the house, fix a wagon wheel, or any number of tasks, assuming it has the proper skills.

The SRD says about Shadow Illusions, "A shadow spell creates something that is partially real (quasi-real). The caster weaves it from extradimensional energies. Such illusions can have real effects. If a creature takes damage from a shadow illusion, that damage is real."

being of the stuffs illusions are made of can it fly? or is it like a humanoid in all respects until it's disbelieved

No, it acts like a normal humanoid henchman, even when disbelieved. Once disbelieved, it simply has less of an effect on the disbelieving creature, due to the Shadow Servant's shadowy nature.

what if i wanted it to be an interprater with the speak language and diplomacy skills?

I don't see why you could not invest skill points in additional languages. However, the Shadow Servant cannot speak, and can only send simple telepathic messages to its master.

Besides, Comprehend Languages is a 1st level spell, and Tongues is a 3rd level spell. There's hardly any need to a Shadow Servant in such a fashion.

if appropriate can it have other equipment like a flute if it has perform?

That's up to your friendly neighborhood DM.

and i don't like the idea of making it one type of expert per spell ,but that's because i prefer scorcerers. although i might be inclined to say that the type has to be determined at the time of preperation, and maybe that it might have to be prepared meaning that the sorcerer would have to have the prepare spell feat or not be able to cast it at all in a campagn without that feat.

Again, that'd be up to you and your DM.

well that's all i have to say about that hope it's understandable enough to get the points across and i apologze for spelling it's late here

I understand completely. I work a rotating shift... It's the owl shift this week. Up all night, sleep through the day. Feh.

 

[Derulbaskul]

I like your spell and have been thinking about something similar for a while, but more along the lines of the nine Astral Construct powers from the Psionics Handbook. Have you thought about a Shadow Beast spell for each spell level 1st through 9th modelled off the Astral Construct psionic powers?

Cheers
NPP