Shadowcaster

The Shadowcaster is a variant form of Magic-user from the Tome of Magic sourcebook for 3.5 Edition D&D.

Superficially, it "looks" pretty complicated since it uses an entirely different system of spellcasting very different from the spell-slots per day model that traditional Wizards/Sorcerers/Clerics use.

But basically its relatively simple and the system prevents you from overloading yourself with too much information too quickly.

• Your character learns one "mystery" per level, so in effect at level 1 they only know a single level-one-equivalent spell (plus some the 0-level equivalents), and they may cast this mystery once per day. Meaning you are vastly inferior to an equivalent caster at level 1, sorry but true.
• Each mystery comes from a three-level "Apprentice" path, so the only way to learn the higher level mysteries is to learn the previous mysteries, thus for example: a level 3 character can know a Lv1/Lv2/Lv3 mystery each, or he may know three Lv1 mysteries, each of which may be cast once per day.
• Once he achieves certain milestones with caster level (7th) new "Initiate" paths become open to him, which not only provide higher level mysteries to learn from equivalent to 4th-6th level, but also enhance the mysteries known from previous paths. With all of the "Apprentice" mysteries now becoming Spell-Like Abilities and being able to be used twice per day rather than just once.
• Once he reaches 13th caster level, a final "Master" path becomes available for him, granting access to Level 7-9 spell equivalents. But the Initiate mysteries become Spell-Like just like the Apprentice were, and the Apprentice spells then become Supernatural abilities and can be cast three times per day.

So by the end of the career-path its a bit of a clusterfuck of rules. However, because of the way the class progresses, you can only know 20 separate mysteries in total in any number of possible combinations. So you could, if so inclined, learn 20 of the 21 Apprentice Mysteries available and have no Initate or Master level powers, though this would probably be a self-nerf, though you would be able to cast 60 times per day... it goes on.

The advantages this has over a traditional caster is that the lower level abilities can still find function much later on, rather than just achieving a +1 caster level modifier (which often gets capped anyway). Particularly when your Supernatural abilities cannot be Resisted, Dispelled or Countered.

Most of the mysteries are presented "as per spell..." each with minor thematic enhancements meaning that your mysteries are mostly better than the traditional equivalents too.

There are other minor class features as you level up, such as gaining the ability to require less sleep or food to survive, Darkvision as well as accumulating more 0-level "fundamental" spells which don't scale up as you increase in level though.

You also earn bonus feats equal to half the number of paths you know mysteries from, therefore can turn up at any time. Though you have to have at least one by level 4 since paths only come in threes. One caveat to this is that you only keep learning these feats if you stay in the class so if you prestige class, then you stop gaining these feats even if you increase your mystery level elsewhere.

• That said, there is nothing stopping you returning to the Shadowcaster class if you manage to complete a Prestige class, and collect all your bonus feats in one go.

However the downside is obvious: you only know 20 mysteries: MAX. therefore you have lost your versatility over a Wizard/Cleric and know even fewer spells than more restricted classes like Sorcerers or Warmages.

Making Shadowcasters work

Because the class is self-contained within a single sourcebook, nearly all the options available to you are present IN that book, so there are very few combinations of multi-class options that work especially well outside of that.

That said, the help text says that Shadowcasters can qualify for prestige classes that only have a "Caster Level" requirement and do not specify Arcane/Divine, or require specific knowledge of a specific spell; nor do they actually benefit where class advancement specifies increasing Arcane/Divine spellcaster levels. The ONE exception given is that they can qualify as part of either casting requirement of Mystic Theurges.

Therefore outside of the Tome of Magic Sourcebook prestige classes that fit with Shadowcaster are extremely hard to find, there are only a handful of working options:

• (note that virtually none of Complete Arcane/Mage prestige classes either qualify or actually increase shadowcasting level, Shadowcasters DO NOT increase in caster level the same way that Warlocks do)

Ruathar from Races of the Wild only requires knowing spells of a certain level and increases spellcasting from any class. It's only a 3 level progression and gives you something at each level.

Scar Enforcer in Races of Destiny also provides simple entry requirements and generic caster advancements, though it drops your Shadowcaster level by half.

Leveling up from 18 to 19

Shadow casters have the dubious honor having probably the least rewarding level improvement at a given point in the classes progression (well a class that is intended for players anyways). The change from 18th level 19th level grants no:

• class features
• improvements in base attack bonus
• improvements in saving throws
• spells mysteries known
• spells mysteries per day

Things a shadow caster has to look forward to by leveling up from 18 to 19:

• more skill points, the regular kind, that every class gets every level, not some class feature where you get extra for that level. Also they have the lowest skill point progression (2 plus int modifier)
• You "might" get a bonus feat, since one of the early class features is that you earn a number of bonus feats equal to half the number of paths you know Mysteries from. Since their selection is entirely up to the player this can happen at pretty much any level.