Lost a party member to a shadow recently ... the PC in question got dropped after 1 round of attacks by 2 shadows. No one in the party is high enough to have death ward yet, and lesser restoration takes 3 rounds to cast: the transformation into a shadow from strength drain can occur in 1 or 2 rounds (it's random).
How are PCs who can't cast death ward -- and who never can cast it -- supposed to deal with ability damage & drain, and repair it in combat?
Are PCs just supposed to flee every time one person in the party takes damage? That seems like the only solution to me, right now ...
Protection from evil is one of the best spells available at low levels, and this situation is a classic example of why.
My suggestion would be to apply some boot to some stone and run like heck.
if you have any inkling that you are about to run into shadows, cast mage armor on the group, it is a force effect that adds to ac vs incorporeal. Shadows have a +4 to hit, you've just hit 50% miss chance with one spell. Hope your touch ac holds up until you can deal the damage required to kill them.
Potions -- didn't know they were available in potion form. Excellent suggestion -- we will do that immediately. I almost feel like my character -- an oracle -- learning the spell is somewhat of a waste, as it takes so long to cast by the time I finish casting it I'll either be dead or the person who needs it will be ...
But running? That I can do: speed 50 here.
Heck, if you have an oracle, grab a wand too.
But won't the wand take 3 rounds to cast the spell, too?
Shadows are crazy foes for their CR. Ability Damage, Incorporeal, Fly and a speed faster than most PCs. A good low level encounter with Shadows will generally involve the DM including something the PCs can use in their environment to turn the fight around.
Shadows do
Use this rounds to kill the shadow with magic weapons, channel energie, cure or damage spells.
After the fight use lesser restauration to heal your ability damage.
If two or more shadows attack one (low level or unprepared) PC the GM risks a character death.
But won't the wand take 3 rounds to cast the spell, too?
You use the wand after combat. It's cheaper in the long run and can be used instead of the potions, which are fine during combat.
Level 5 PC not prepared for two Shadows?
Yeah, unless you got the drop on the Shadows and knew you were going to be fighting them and prepared for it, then you would have stood a chance. I'm surprised only one character died.
We got lucky with dealing damage via spells and channeling positive energy. A couple party members had magic weapons and managed to hit. It was pretty tough, but making all matters worse, not a single person had Lesser Restoration memorized -- though if it took 3 rounds to cast, it might not have mattered anyway.