Re-Installing Shadow Weave Feat?

[Brodnur]

Just got to reading up on the Shadow Weave Metamagic feat, and I was wondering if there were any thoughts to reinstilling it in-game. I know there's an active player base that could benefit from it, though a small one, to be true. I'm not sure what spells would have to be put in place for this to be a viable addition, or if current spells could be used, with minor cosmetic modifications. Thoughts, anyone

[Bellayana]

I personally think the Shadow Weave is awesome and think it should be a factor in the game.

[Selveem]

There's very little benefit to having the Shadow Weave in FK, and quite a bit of drawback. Personally, I don't mind that it's gone, even if I had a caster in Shar's faith. Additionally, it is a LOT of code-work to make it work properly. I just don't see it worthwhile.

For those of you who don't care about the specifics of this feat, stop reading now.

For those of you who don't know what this feat is and want to know, here's the breakdown:
Prerequisite: 13 Wisdom or Patron Deity must be Shar

Benefits:

1. You no longer use the Weave (Mystra's magic, which even other Clerics use as a medium to invoke the spells granted by their Gods), and instead use the Shadow Weave (Shar's magic).
2. Your Enchantment, Illusion, Necromancy, and all spells with the darkness descriptor gain a +1 bonus to Effective Caster Level to overcome Spell Resistance.
3. Can cast normally in Dead Magic Zones and Wild Magic Zones (though antimagic field is still effective).
4. (I may be incorrect about this one that I remember as part of the benefits, but it's even mentioned in the "The Shadow Weave" entry of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting) +1 bonus to avoid being understood with spellcraft check; +1 vs counterspell vs normal Weave users; +1 vs Dispel by normal Weave users.

Penalties:

1. -2 Wisdom (if this drops your Wis below 13 you still retain the feat). Restoration spells do not fix this, but an Atonement spell from a Priest of Shar can. (Though, how the hells you're going to convince a Priest whose God revels in loss to GIVE you something and donate 500 of their own EXP.. good luck).
2. You can cast no spells with Light as a descriptor nor invoke items that produce light if they require a spell trigger or spell completion. Any item you create is a Shadow Magic item*.
3. Casting spells from Transmutation or Evocation spheres (except ones with darkness descriptor specifically) reduces your spell's Effective Class Level by 1. Additionally, this penalty reduces those spells' range, damage, duration, and any other level-dependent variables the spell has (including dispel checks vs you). Level 1 Shadow Weave users, thusly, cannot even cast these spells (save for ones with darkness descriptor as stated).

*Shadow Magic items: Spell-like effects from these have same benefits and drawbacks of that the spellcaster has. For instance, they cannot generate light. Activating a Shadow Weave item through the completion of a spell, or using a command word or spell trigger deals 1d4 temporary Wisdom damage unless the user has Shadow Weave Magic feat. Likewise, if the owner does not have Shadow Weave Magic feat and wears a use-activated items (the items you wear and just DO something), they receive 1 point of temporary Wisdom damage the first time used. If the item is constantly active (for instance, it grants +1 deflection bonus when worn), Wisdom damage occurs at dusk or whenever the user takes it off - whichever comes first.

[Brodnur]

I was afraid it'd be a ton of code work. I have to admit I'd love to see in back in the game, but it's prolly not worth the massive effort it'd take to get it in place. Would there be a way, tho, to make some cosmetic tweaks to make certain in game spells, when cast by someone who has taken the feat, appear as a Shadowy version of the spell. Not sure how to accomplish that, truth be told, or if it'd even be a viable option at all.

[Gwain]

Beyond theoretical, here's a post describing the reason it was removed along with some other associated feats in 2009

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=9975&p=72769&hilit= ... ave#p72769

My opinion is that this is something easily replicated by items or existing feat or stat bonuses without many of the weaknesses associated.

[Brodnur]

Ah ok. Yea, that explains a bit more about it. Thanks folks, for the input

[Vantaniael]

It might be useful to see it added into an area as a quest, gaining it as a qbit rather than a feat. I can think of Wizard's of several faiths where it would behoove them to use the Shadow Weave rather than Mystra's.

[Duranamir]

As far as other religeons getting this feat, Shadoweave is Shar's special gift to her own worshippers, if you do not worship Shar you can not get it. Even then you mostly dont get it !

In the end this feat would only be applicable to a tiny part of the playerbase and i personally would think that there are other nicer things that could be done with time to benefit a greater number of players.

If someone really wanted to RP this i would suggest an application and appropriate RP would be the order of the day.

Duranamir

[Vantaniael]

I do see your point, and to me applying for an RP to obtain it does seem more appealing, though less functional. What source are we citing though, the specs on the Shadow Weave feat in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3.0, p37 makes it seem optional. "Prerequisite: Wisdom 13+ or patron deity Shar."
You still earn the Feat from Shar, but you dont have to be devoted to Her, seeing as She could persuade (cough corrupt) a lot more people by letting it be earned.

[Selveem]

"Prerequisite: Wisdom 13+ or patron deity Shar."

Ack, you're right. I misread it; edited my post accordingly.

That said, if you read up on Shadow Magic it says even amongst Shar's faithful those that use it are very small in number. I don't think it's really useful enough for FK. There are very few Dead Magic Zones in FK, Counterspell is removed from the game, and referencing descriptors and schools for every cast seems like a pain in the ass to code (though Marty's pulled off quite a few impressive stunts in a shorter amount of time than I thought was reasonable - this month is proof of that).