Level 7
Dragon Ally (SpC): (Summoning):
Being able to make fake (and free) dragon allies is, IMO, enough to justify bumping shades up a level. Either you can offer the shadow-created dragons their lives in exchange for service to you, or just give them cash and pick it back up when they disappear. Either way, an army of dragons who literally owe their lives to you is too good to pass up.
In the original guide back in those old boards, one of the first replies I had to the Illusion guide was that I ranked Shades to low (I gave it a Thumbs up) because it could mimic any Conjuration spell unlike the other Shadow Conjuration spells. I never replied my immediate reaction - which was
WHAT!?! Frankly - I didn't want the inevitible argument at the time. I am thinking that this is a common belief of the way the spell works?
I almost hate to say this (because - as per usual - I will contravine common belief, and fully expect a backlash), but rumors that Shades works for Calling spells are incorrect. (Did I say Dragon Ally spells were summoning? Ooops - they are calling spells - this may also be where the confusion lie - if so, my bad.). I am quite certain of this. There is a habit amongst CO to interpret rules in the most liberal way possible - but the wording is too clear in Shades to back up the belief that it mimics any Conjuration spell of 8th level or lower.
Shades Spell Description - word for word: This spell functions like shadow conjuration, except that it mimics sorcerer and wizard conjuration spells of 8th level or lower. The illusionary conjurations created deal four-fifths (80%) damage to nobelievers, and nondamaging effects are 80% likely to work against nonbelievers.
In order for the restrictions of Summoning/Creation that exist with Shadow Conjuration not to apply - It would need to state it did not apply (with such wording as "except that it mimics any Conjuration spell of 8th level or lower", or "it mimics conjuration spells other than summoning/creation").
So this is where the common belief that Shades mimics "any" Conjuration spell of 8th level or lower came from. Simply, the spell Shades (after saying it functions as Shadow Conjuration with the listed exceptions), does not
restate that it only mimics Creation/Summoning conjuration spells. However, a restate is not necessary - soon as they say it functions as Shadow Conjuration - the restriction is there. Unless something they say in the exceptions specifically removes that restriction - saying again that it is there is simply redundancy.
The list of exceptions is quite clear:
- The Conjuration spell may be up to 8th level
- The illusionary Conjuration does 80% damage to nonbelievers
- Non-damaging conjurations are 80% likely to work against nonbelievers
Other than those exceptions - it functions like Shadow Conjuration - which only mimics Conjuration (Summoning) and Conjuration (Creation)
Sorry guys.
(And - even if it did mimic Calling spells - they don't work the way you describe. If Shadow Magic were to somehow apply to Calling or Teleportation spells - they would operate in the same way. The creature is not a spell effect - only what brought it to you is a spell effect. That is the difference between Calling and Summoning.)