Shadowdancer Shadow Companion Questions

[Cayzle]

I have a couple questions about the Shadowdancer's shadow companion ...

1) Feats/Ranks Tweaks? As shadows, following the general rules for undead, shadow companions start with two feats, per Core: Dodge and Skill Focus Perception. They start with 6 skill ranks, two per hit die (at default Int 6) for three hit dice. Looks to me like the default rank allocation is 1 rank in Perception, 3 in Stealth, and 2 in Fly.

Can the shadowdancer change these allocations for his or her shadow companion? Can you start your companion with different choices? Can you use the retraining rules in Ultimate Combat?

If you pick Weapon Focus, can you use it for a bonus to hit with Strength Drain Attacks? Can you use Improved Natural Attack to boost your Str drain from 1d6 to 1d8?

I think Flyby Attack becomes almost inevitable, because being able to fly out of an floor/wall/object, take a standard action, and then fly back into the floor is so powerful. Any objections or challenges with that?

Since the shadow has the shadowdancer's BAB, can the shadow use that high BAB to qualify for feats? With a +6 BAB, Vital Strike becomes mega sweet, since you can Flyby Attack / Vital Strike in the same round. For 2d6 Str Drain, right?

2) Strength Drain - what is it? If it is a natural attack, can a Magic Fang spell give it an enhancement bonus to attacks and damage? (50% fail rate to cast the spell, of course) Can the shadow make a full attack with a ghost touch weapon and with the Str drain at -5? If it is an "armed" unarmed attack, like an Improved Unarmed Attack, can the shadow take Two Weapon Fighting to attack twice in a round (at a -2 penalty)?

3) Weapons? When a shadow uses a ghost touch weapon, is the attack still incorporeal? Does it bypass armor as usual? What if it is a ghost touch reach weapon? What if it is a ghost touch thrown weapon? Can a conductive ghost touch melee weapon conduct the shadow's strength drain? If so, does a vital strike with a conductive weapon double the damage of both the weapon and the drain?

Maybe you want to equip your flyby attack / vital strike pal with a conductive ghost touch longspear so as to strike with reach and avoid those AoOs he provokes as he flies by?!

[Yuri Sarreth]

Only if you can talk your GM into it.. Nothing in the ability gives any way to advance or change anything about the shadow that isnt called out.. ie hit points, BAB, and saving throws..

all that said why would you give a shadow a weapon.. a melee touch attack for d6 str damage is hugely powerful.. My wife has this on a PFS char of her's and the shadow has saved the party atleast twice now.. Str dmg reduces to hit bonus and dmg and also makes the target dump gear or suffer encumbrance penalties..

A couple good hits by this and the target is all but useless.

[Cayzle]

If a conductive weapon can conduct the Str drain, you get both!