Staff of Shadow evocation greater question

[wujenta]

Hi , We are going to play a stand alone adventure with evil characters (15th lvl) and I will play the evil and machiavelic wizard... She will be a Illusionist 5 / Master Specialist 10 from Kara-Tur with a Ninja 7 / Swordsage 6 as a cohort. She will have Evocation and necromancy as forbidden schools, so she will rely on illusion, conjuration and enchantment to control the battlefield and help his minions (her cohort and the other players) to do the dirty work.

I was planning to have a staff of shadow evocation, greater for casting all the damaging spells that I cant cast and was wondering... if I use the staff to mimic a Delayed Blast fireball (or any other evocation spell) could the enemies know that the staff is casting shadow evocation or the spell that its being copied? Can a spellcraft check identify the spell ? If they try to counterspell the delayed blast fireball with another one, it will fail because its really not that spell right ? i know that after one failed counterspell they will know that its shadow evocation (if they make a spellcraft check) but they wasting one round to figure out will be good.

Thanks for all

 

[wujenta]

No insights form anyone?

lots of people saw the post but no one said anything...

please, tell me your thoughs, dont care if its backed by the rules or not, because I looked a lot in PHB, Complete mage and complete arcane and cant find a definitive answer... only missing the rules compendium as i dont have it, perhaps there will be an answer?

bye

 

[Kat']

Hi there!

I was planning to have a staff of shadow evocation, greater for casting all the damaging spells that I cant cast

What, Conjuration or Transmutation isn't damage-dealing enough for you? Orbs, Unicorn Arrow, Arc of Lightning, Disintegrate, Lightning Leap, Transmute Rock to Lava...

if I use the staff to mimic a Delayed Blast fireball (or any other evocation spell) could the enemies know that the staff is casting shadow evocation or the spell that its being copied? Can a spellcraft check identify the spell ?

To identify a spell upon casting using Spellcraft, you must be able to see its verbal or somatic components, which doesn't apply to staves. You can also try and identify the spell by seeing its effects. In which case, i'd say you identify the spell as being Greater Shadow Evocation if you make the Disbelieve save, and Delayed Blast Fireball if you miss.

If they try to counterspell the delayed blast fireball with another one, it will fail because its really not that spell right ?

Yup.

i know that after one failed counterspell they will know that its shadow evocation

Not necessarily. Let the GM secretly roll the Spellcraft check so they don't know if they really succeeded or not.

Cheers,
Kat'

 

[moritheil]

I was planning to have a staff of shadow evocation, greater for casting all the damaging spells that I cant cast and was wondering... if I use the staff to mimic a Delayed Blast fireball (or any other evocation spell) could the enemies know that the staff is casting shadow evocation or the spell that its being copied? Can a spellcraft check identify the spell ?

Yes.

If they try to counterspell the delayed blast fireball with another one, it will fail because its really not that spell right ? i know that after one failed counterspell they will know that its shadow evocation (if they make a spellcraft check) but they wasting one round to figure out will be good.

Yes. This is why many people prefer to just use (greater) dispel magic when counterspelling.

Not necessarily. Let the GM secretly roll the Spellcraft check so they don't know if they really succeeded or not.

Unlike Bluff, I've never heard Spellcraft played where you don't know if you succeeded. You should know that you don't succeed in identifying the spell - but it involves a glowing bead, and a large ball of fire . . .