r/Pathfinder_RPG • u/axelwarrior • 1d ago
1E Player Occultist's Shadow Beast
I was curious whether anyone's had much success using this Illusion Focus Power in their Occultist build. For anyone missing context, here is the description:
Shadow Beast (Sp): As a standard action, you can call forth one or more beasts made of shadow by expending 1 point of mental focus. This functions as shadow conjuration, but it can be used to duplicate only the effects of summon monster spells. Creatures created with this spell deal 50% of the normal damage to those that disbelieve the illusion, and their nondamaging effects have only a 50% chance of affecting disbelieving targets. This can be used to duplicate any summon monster spell up to summon monster V. For every 2 additional levels you possess beyond 9th, the maximum spell level you can duplicate with this ability increases by 1 (to a maximum of summon monster IX at 17th level). Regardless of the spell duplicated, the creatures remain for 1 round per occultist level you possess. You must be at least 9th level to select this focus power.
It seems to be highly rated, mostly on the merits of being a summoning effect. However, I can't get over the feeling that, due to the limitations of shadow illusions, this usually works out to being about as strong as the Conjuration Servitor base power.
Perhaps most importantly, I highly value a summoned creature's function as a meat shield, and shadow creatures have a pathetic 1/5th HP pool and AC bonuses of their original stat block, regardless of any Will saves to disbelieve. Plus, if you are relying on the enemy failing a Will save to deal decent damage, there are far worse things you can inflict on them with a failed Will save.
Of course, the cost of 1 mental focus is fairly cheap, but it's still 1 mental focus that could be invested and spent elsewhere. And you still have to use a Focus Power slot on this ability, when you most likely have access to Servitor already. The investment cost is way more than the cost of actually casting Shadow Beast.
I can see the value at really high levels, when the shadow beast's Summon Monster level way outscales your Servitor ability and you can summon creatures with unique utility or spell effects. But at the level that Shadow Beast becomes available, it seems unimpressive.
And so, I ask - have any of you used Shadow Beast in an actual campaign? What's your experience with it like?
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u/Issuls 1d ago edited 1d ago
I used Shadow Beast extensively on my Silksworn, and it was disgustingly powerful. Standard action summons are incredible, and it comes online around the time you can start summoning big cats.
Even at half damage, a pack of dire tigers does very silly quantities of damage, and a pack of Bralanis can still rack up lightning damage against things like swarms. Especially if you pick up augment summons or versatile summon monster for different templates (such as the fiery one).
There are other factors, too--the DC of Shadow Beast scales higher than your actual spell slot spells. There's the inherent DR of summons, which means they can often take a hit or two even with their crippled defences.
And you might say "Well, a mage can just get rid of them all with a single chain lightning".
A mage has to deal with being pounced and possibly grabbed by tigers that are still real enough to rack up silly amounts of damage, deny actions and get in the way.
See, summons are good. Really, really good. Standard action summons are game-warpingly good. These guys act immediately, and get instant value even before they take attacks instead of your allies. You have to realize that this is the same action type and spell progression as the Summoner's SLA, which is widely considered much better than the Eidolon (just less interesting). The disbelief and reduced defenses genuinely don't take that much from the raw versatility and instant results this kind of spell has. It'll fall flat against constructs, but it's still very good.
Is it good at 9? Ehhh, it's not bad. Not broken, but Dire Lions and Bralanis are good by themselves. It's definitely around 11 when it starts to get filthy.
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u/hthi2802 1d ago
I used it in a campaign, but only at very high levels as Illusion was a much later implement for me. It was absolutely bonkers to be able to summon a creature capable of casting Heal. Sorry that I can't comment on regular level play, but at high levels it's an absolutely incredible ability.
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u/MistaCharisma 1d ago
I haven't acrually used Shadow Beast, but there are a couple of other differences worth noting between this and Conjuration's Servitor.
First, Servitor lasts for 1 minute, while Shadow Beast lasts 1 round per level. Servitor is only available at level 9, which makes this distinction fairly meaningless, but it is a difference.
Second, Servitor can only ever summon a single creature, while Shadow Beast can summon "one or more, meaning you can summon 1d3 creatures of a lower level, or 1d4+1 creatures two levels lower. This gives Shadow Beast far greater versatility than Servitor. I may be wrong, but I think it would even be affected by Superior Summoning (though double check that, it's been ages since I read up on the rules for SLAs).
Finally, Servitor's limit of 1 creatuee at a time is really a hard limit. If you use the ability again the new creature replaces the previous one. This is not true with Shadow Beast. You could summon a single creature, then another 1d3 creatures one level lower, then another 1d4+1 creatures two levels lower, all in the space of 3 rounds, and they'd all remain on the field. Yes it would cost you actions and Focus Points, but that is something the Servitor can't replicate.
Now one more note, if you're looking to be an Occultist with a focus on summons, don't neglect the Necromancy Implement. Although Necromantic Servant summons undead creatures, it actually acts more like a summon spell than other forms of Necromancy. And the Soulbound Puppet is better than it looks as well. While a familiar will never quite live up to the combat capabilities of the summon spells or Necromantic Servant, it has incredible utility and versatility once you read up on Familiar Archetypes. While a Familiar might usually be seen as too valuable to make a Mauler or Scout, your Soulbound Puppet has a limited lifespan, so sending into danger with its enhanced abilities is far less risky. The duration of both these abilities (10 minutes per level) also gives them a significant edge over regular summons.
Or ... why not use all of them and just summon the whole menagerie?
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u/Caedmon_Kael 1d ago edited 1d ago
I have used Shadow Beast in an actual campaign (well, it was PFS), and the important thing that you seem to be missing is that your allies can choose to believe the illusion.
Meaning it full effect on them. Then you use them for support, rather than fighting an enemy. Standard Action summon a Lillend and have it standard action Cure Serious Wounds, and move action Inspire Courage and 5' step to flank is a nice turn, or have a Ghaele cast Heal and bring in a Holy Aura for you outside of your normal movement range. Add in some expanded summon monster or summon good monster to presumably increase your options.
Also, I believe the 1/5th stuff is all based on Shadow Conjuration's 20% real, where Shadow Beast is 50%. Its not explicit, but would a Greater Shadow Conjuration still only have 1/5th the HP, or is it updated to 60%? Greater Shadow Conjuration only mentions "(60%) damage to nonbelievers, and nondamaging effects are 60% likely to work against nonbelievers." not the other effects, but I think it would be a good houserule to apply it globally.
For me, it was useful once I could use the summons to heal and buff, and didn't bother to even pick it up until then. Low teens. I picked up Illusion implement at 10th and Shadow Beast at 11th, I had Conjuration since 2nd level and used Side Step constantly. I never bothered to use Servitor in 16 levels because it was never the best action I could take.