Shadow Conjuration - How Open?

[Archade]

Hey all,

I've got a PC bard who's coming up on being able to take the spell Shadow Conjuration, and he's asked me a fairly good question -- with Shadow Conjuration, you can recreate Sor/Wiz conjuration spells -- can he use the spell to recreate conjurations from the PHB, or any spell resource?

I'm inclined to say yes to any resource, but doesn't that make Shadow Conjuration a little too powerful?

 

[Thanee]

Any resource.

It's more powerful, but then again, it's also more powerful to allow wizards to learn those spells in the first place.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Particle_Man]

Especially since cleric and druids get spells automatically added to their reperetoires as soon as the DM allows those other books.

 

[Archade]

Yes, but could I have some advice on whether I should allow it?

So, collective friends, if you were the DM, would you allow this bard PC to use Shadow Conjuration to replicate all sorts of random, obscure spells ... it *is* an illusion spell, so it should only be limited by the caster's imagination, but is it unbalanced to do so?

Thanks!

 

[Crothian]

I would, but I like my players to use non traditional spells from a variety of books.

 

[Blue Sky]

I would work it on a tier system. First, choose what sources for spells you will allow. For example, PHB, Magic of Faerun, and Champions of Ruin. Then, for each source, make a general assessment of how common those spells are. Continuing the example, PHB = every mage has heard of them, MoF = Divided into certain regions or groups (Halrua, Harpers), CoR = Only the bad guys know these spells. Then, you let the bard replicate spells that he has heard of, with maybe a bardic knowledge check of, say, 15+spell level for spells that are out of his area.

Failing that, kill him and take his stuff. Everyone knows anyone who plays a bard is a closet pansy, anyway.

 

[Corsair]

If you are already allowing spells from those books in your world anyways, then I don't see a problem with it. Honestly, unless he is playing a gnome shadowcrafter/shadowcraft mage and is planning on building his entire character around the spells, you have very little to worry about. One or two 20% real conjurations a day are no big deal.

 

[Thanee]

..., but is it unbalanced to do so?

No.

Bye
Thanee

 

[the Jester]

I would allow any spell that was from the "campaign standard" sources to fly. I'd also allow non-"campaign standard" source material that the pc had encountered, including having an enemy cast it on them.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Yes, but could I have some advice on whether I should allow it?

If you allow those sources for other players, you don't have a choice but to allow it. If others can use those sources it is unfair not to allow it. You can't say, "Oh, Joe, your character can't use the Complete Arcane, that's only allowed for the other players."