Wizard with a theme

[Pax]

Thanks for all the input so far!
I finally got a chance to peruse the Underdark book, but found the Shadowcrafter therein to be rather... lackluster.

So I have (almost) decided to go the Summoner route.
Probably with the Alienist PrC once I get to that point.

OH.

In THAT case ... consider the UA Variant Conjuror rules.

Trade in having a Familiar, in return for being able to cast summon monster as a Standard Action, instead of 1 round - meaning you can quicken the spell!!

Trade in the bonus feats for

• Augment Summoning as a bonus feat at 1st level
• +2 to the DC to dispel any ofyour summoned monsters
• all your summoned creatures gain an extra +2 to strength and constitution (cumulative) at 10th level (+4 each total, with Aug.Sum.)
• +4 (total) to the DC to dispel any of your summoned monsters
• all your summoned creatures gain an extra +2 to strength and constitution (cumulative) at 20th level (+6 each total, with Aug.Sum.)

Trade in your extra Conjuration spell-per-level-per-day to be able to spontaneously convert any spell to Summon Monster, like a cleric with Cure spells.

Of those, the first two are IMO superior. Imagine a Quickened Summon Monster III, and the critter(s) get +6 to strength and constitution, plus being +4 harder to simply dispel ... a straight Conjuror canbe darned good, in and of itself, with those two.

Or ... just take the first one, and go with Alienist ... and Spell Thematics ("the Elder Sign, Tentacles, and other Cthulhoid imagery"). That'd be a Wizard version of Odd Peet, an arena favorite of mine from way back. ^_^ Picture, if you will ... at around 25th level:

Pit Fiend: aha! you will be my my next meal, and your soul shall delight me with it's tormented screams for all eternity! You should never have come here alone, pitiful human weakling!
Epic Conjuror-Alienist: Alone? Me, alone ...? *minute pause, then shakes head slowl* No ... *finger wiggle - quickened Summon Monster IX* *pop, pop, pop* ... I'm NEVER alone ... *finger wiggle - quickened Summon Monster IX* *pop, pop, pop* ... I have too many friends to ever be ALONE ... *finger wiggle and brief chant in an unnatural tongue - Summon Monster IX* *pop, pop, pop* ...!
All nine pseudonatural bebiliths: mMmMmMm ... DiNnEr Is SeRvEd! YuMmY!
Pit Fiend: oh, &$^@ ...

 

[GentleGiant]

<snip a lot of cool suggestions>

Okay, when you put it THAT way, then it looks a lot more promising
The Shadowcrafter as is + an "ordinary" Illusionist isn't really all that interesting. There's only, what, 5 or 6 Illusion (Shadow) spells in the PHB and if I wanted to throw around Evocation spells, why not just do the real thing?
But if ALL your illusion spells are considered Illusion (Shadow), then it's another matter entirely.
I'll take a look at Unearthed Arcana again