General concepts and ideas for creating the Shadow Mage character class for D&D 3.5
1. Mages can't cast spells with out light creating shadows.
(This may make things harder, but as the souls cannot cease to exist, neither do the shadows.)
2. During eclipses all magic ceases to exist? Is this a reasonable substitute for dead days?
(When the large moon is new magic suffers an extra concentration check. When the small moon is new magic suffers a percentage failure check regardless of level or skill. When they are both new then both things occur simultaneously. When there is an honest to Chal eclipse of the moon, then magic is truly non-existent. This should include all permanent forms of magic. Whether the magic returns after the eclipse of the small moon depends on what anchors it.)
3. A mage's shadow determines what can be affected. The shadow must be touching the shadow of the target for the mages to be able to direct magic at it.
4. Use the spellcraft skill for a mage to be able to find a particular shadow. The difficulty will depend of the strength of the light source, the number of other shadows present and size of the shadow.
5. The range of a spell is determined by the length of the target's shadow and the ability of the shadow mage to manipulate his or her own shadow. As a mage gains levels he or she will have more abilities to lengthen, divide and change his or her shadow.
A. Could this be taken care of by feats or should this be an inherent skill?
Two feet/level of caster?
6. Shadow mages can't create scrolls, their magic can't be written down and read.
7. Shadow mages will use material components for some of their spells. These will take the form of shadows taken from the specified material component. These material components can be stored in the mages shadow. Is there a maximum that can be held? How is this determined?
A. Shadows when removed from an object or being will kill the being. Spells at high levels. Once a shadow has been taken from an object that object ceases to exist in the physical sense and can't be resurrected or healed.
Shadow Mages may cradle 1 shadow/3 levels whithin their own in order to insert or use them for other reasons. If the shadow is of a sentient being, then 1 hd/2 levels should be the limit. And at no time may the total HD or levels of being held equal or exceed their own.
B. An object with a shadow can still be the target of spells and divine intervention.
C. Can part of the shadow be taken from an object?
No. All or nothing. But you can always break the object in half first. Likewise, you can get some essence of a person to work with if you remove a finger first and then get the shadow of that, no soul but some of the essence.
8. As Shadow Mages increase in power and skill they must go through a test or ordeal. If they survive they will gain new powers. Many will also suffer from side effects.
A. The first is that the eye whites of the mages become black over time. You can judge a mages power level through blackness of the eye whites.
B. The mages may also suffer from further side effects. These may range from lowered ability scores, changes in eye or hair colour, physical deformaties, black sploches on the skin. Some of the side effects will only have social ramifications, while others will have games related effects.
C. Testing occurs at specific levels or when specific skills are gained. Not sure.
I like the idea of this being attached to specific feats. There are old mages and there are bold mages ...
D. As a benefit mages lifespans are increased, up to 200 years.
provided they pass the test
9. Shadow mages are able to create magic items, by taking the material components and weaving their shadows into the desired item.
10. Spells will be selected from both the divine and arcane spell lists.
11. Shadow mages do not have to memorize their spells. Perhaps they need to prepare a number of spells ahead of time similar to Monte Cook's wizards in the Arcana Unearthed.
12. Limit the number of direct damage spells to one or two per spell levels.
13. Will multiple targets be reflected in the spells level or in a feat - may have been mentioned earlier.
Let's leave this as part of the spell description. This is usually tied to a spells level as well as the caster level
14. Shadow mages do not have familiars.
Only their own shadow. Be afraid, be very afraid.
15. Shadow mages are often accompanied by guards that are somehow bonded to them. Not sure if this is only one of training or if there if is a magical bonding between them.
That depends on the mage. Any bonding can be a means of attacking the mage through the servant.
16. A shadow mage must make a touch attack against the shadow of the target. All touch attacks even against non moving or unresisting objects (these are considered to be prone or helpless depending on the game master decision). These touch attacks are modified by intelligence and use the mages base attack bonus. The touch attack can subject to feats as are ray attacks.
The AC versus these attacks are without the benefit of any non-magical armour. The bonus is a reflex save.
17. Learning new spells: Mages will learn new spells in the same way wizards do. They begin with a repetoire of spells learned. They can gain spells each level through trial and error. They can also learn new spells if they are taught them by another shadow mage. These spells are never written down nor are they part of the library of knowledge (but are unable to be cast until the mage ??)