This sounds complicated, so let's go through it step by step.
Using Arcane Mark as the example, let's start adding metamagics one by one.
Arcane Mark - Level 0 spell. Doesn't do anything particularly impressive to the rock.
Umbral Arcane Mark - Level 2 spell. The rock radiates 10 feet of darkness, akin to the darkness spell. Permanently. Very interesting trick.
Eclipsed Umbral Arcane Mark - Level 3 spell. The rock radiates 10 feet of light, akin to the light spell. This is basically Continual Flame without the material component cost.
Finally, Shadow Grasp. Right off the bat we notice an issue: Shadow Grasp asks for a spell "with the darkness descriptor that affects an area". This causes issues because Arcane Mark doesn't affect an area, and Umbral Spell doesn't make it affect an area, either; the spell is just on that one rock.
Because Shadow Grasp asks for spells that affect an area, and Umbral Spell asks for spells that affect a creature or object, the two can't coexist. Unfortunately, your metamagic combination doesn't work quite how you might like it to.
|
Umbral Arcane Mark - Level 2 spell.
Eclipsed Umbral Arcane Mark - Level 3 spell.
Actually, these would both be 2nd level. Eclipsed Spell does not increase the level.
Because Shadow Grasp asks for spells that affect an area, and Umbral Spell asks for spells that affect a creature or object, the two can't coexist.
This seems reasonable, though it actually invalidates most spells with the [darkness] descriptor. For example, Darkness & Deeper Darkness are both similarly object targeted spells. The text about "within the darkened area" also seems to imply that it is the dark area which is effected.
That said, I'd question whether Eclipsed Spell shouldn't remove the 'Darkness' descriptor. No, this is not stated, but the spell clearly no longer has a darkness effect. I'd think it should swap [darkness] for [light] in this case.
Oops, missed that part of Eclipsed Spell. Good catch!
So it's Continual Flame at a lower spell level, in addition to no components. Though it's still the permanent darkness rocks that are more interesting.
Regarding the issue of Shadow Grasp being theoretically useless is simply a matter with its wording and how nebulous whether the darkened area counts as being effected by the spell, rather than simply a side-effect of the spell, I imagine this one would come down to GM rule.
I think you should probably find a case for spells having "side effects" instead of just "effects". As far as i can tell adding a radius effect to a spell makes it an area effect spell. I'll look through other metamagic effects real quick too.
Sounds like it works to me.
Either way, I'm not sure potentially unlimited tanglefoot bags can really break this game. Remember, there's a reflex save with your cantrip DC, so even if they weave in and out of the 10 ft. radius all combat long, it's such an easy save it won't likely matter at higher levels. Entangled is a much easier condition to deal with the higher levels get.
Now if you had 15 of these on arrows in your hand and cast telekinesis... you could do better with other things by that level.
Still, I like it.
yeah, i have a shadow patron witch i plan on using this combo with. the thing i have been reminded about (pretty loudly and often) is that your party members would also have to make saves against your 15-20 shadow grasp rocks/coins/arrows you have on your person way more often than any given group of bad guys will have to do it.
a follow up question, does darkness work the same way as light does in the sense that you can put an object with light on it into a bag and block the light?
AFAIK, yes.
The darkness and light spells mechanically work very similarly, and the "object touched" and "radiate" parts of darkness make me think this works.
a follow up question, does darkness work the same way as light does in the sense that you can put an object with light on it into a bag and block the light?
Yes.
If darkness is cast on a small object that is then placed inside or under a lightproof covering, the spell's effect is blocked until the covering is removed.
ah, i guess i should have looked at it more closely, thats still several levels away for the witch in question so i hadn't bothered yet
as a matter of fact my witch has a flying monkeybat familiar (out of Book of Beasts: Monsters of the Shadow Plane). i think i'll give him a collar with my mark on it