Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ChrisWaher 11-26-05, 08:01 PM	Hello everybody. My first post here, so mind me if I blow something up, but.. I have a question to all those experts here. Ive read bits from Magic in Faerun and Tome and Blood and such. Nothing special. Im a player in one of the online D&D games, and I need to know if it is possible to detect a user of shadow weave. Ive read from the books that shadow weave restricts in the way that you cannot cast a spell with light components. This is all good, I can ask the mage to cast a spell, like Light, and see if he or she can do it or not? But are there any restrictions to that? Ways around it to deceive the observing mage. In most cases, my own characters spellcraft is quite high for the other mage to penetrate that (if at all possible). I would just like to know of ways how can I detect a mage who casts from shadow weave. As I can understand, its not possible to just plug to The Weave and cast the Light spell, then back to Shadow Weave. From what I think, being a noob here, that would make Mystra and Shar both very angry. So please, I ask the help of those who are experienced here. Any kind of help. Thank you
Myssa Rei 11-26-05, 09:51 PM	First off, welcome to the boards. Second off, I don't think that there are any 'proper' ways of detecting Shadow Weave users, at least rules-wise, aside from the obvious inability to cast spells with the Light descriptor. Or use any Weave-powered item. :P Aside from a few hints in the novels -- which are just that, only hints -- in the end it's all up to your DM to decide how to adjucate them in a session. Now for Sharrans, well, that's an even harder proposition. Shar worshippers worship the Lady of Secrets, after all, and since their faith is banned in most good-aligned lands, it's not like they're going to wear their faith on their sleeves. The same could be said of all evil faiths, except in places where their clergy hold power over the country (like Banites in Zhentil Keep).
Ripe 11-27-05, 01:17 PM	In short - no there is no way anybody can differ Weave user from Shadow Weave user. And there is no way to detect if someone is a Shadow Weave user (other than his disability to cast spells with Light descriptor). As I can understand, its not possible to just plug to The Weave and cast the Light spell, then back to Shadow Weave. From what I think, being a noob here, that would make Mystra and Shar both very angry. You understand correctly, you can use either Weave or Shadow Weave (aldo WotC create one inconsitancy with Veraket's Shadow Crown spell that can allow bard to use both Weaves for two different effects). I would just like to know of ways how can I detect a mage who casts from shadow weave. Like I said before - there is no way anybody (Mystra and Shar included) can detect if someone cast spells using Shadow Weave. Mystra have slight advantage here because she CAN detect if someone use Weave. Or use any Weave-powered item. :P Few people on this boards claimed that this was unfair and not true, but that is the way I'd ruled in my campaign if I use Shadow Weave :D .
The Simbul 11-28-05, 09:44 PM	You take the Detect Shadow Weave User feat in Champions of Valor, and make sure to invest points and bonuses into Spellcraft. Alternatively, you could make a dead shadow weave magic zone with the Rend Shadow Weave from the same book, and then ask them to cast a spell there. Alternatively, you can easily research your own spell that either detects what weave the caster draws upon (easily a 2nd-4th level spell), or that is a greater version of the arcane sight or analyze dweomer chain and has the ability to discern where the magic is coming from in addition to the other information gathering powers of those aforementioned spells.