[RPG] How does shadow magic work when its reality exceeds 100%

dnd-3.5espells

Dungeons & Dragons is about fantasy. Things that happen in the game aren't real, we only pretend that they are. For example, shadow conjurations "are actually one-fifth (20%) as strong as the real things". However, there are ways of "enrealening" them, such as the Enhanced Shadow Reality feat (Dragon Magazine #325), the Shadowcrafter prestige class (Underdark, p.43), and turning to the dark side.

Next thing you know, the shadow magic is over 100%! Things just got real… too real. How do they work then?

Best Answer

There is something philosophical, no doubt, in the fact that this hinges on your definition of "reality."

There is no rule that limits this percentage to unity (100%), and all of the mathematical operations in which it is used work fine with percentages above it. So from that end, realer than real could be a thing.

The question, then, is whether "reality" is a game-term, defined exclusively by the rules of the (Shadow) spells, or not and defined as in real life. If the former, then realer-than-real spells are possible, and succeeding on a saving throw causes you to be more affected than failing. If the latter, it's a matter of what you think reality is; whether or not it has some essentially fake quality that something can be more real than it.

Strict RAW, it seems to be a game term, so your damaging spells deal more damage. Your non-damaging spells always work.

And it doesn't matter because every DM should ban reality-improving effects, particularly the shadowcraft mage, on sight. (Why? Because the spells are too versatile like that. It's basically spontaneously casting the entire Sor/Wiz list. Plus a shadowcraft mage can be optimized to cast any spell, from a cantrip (silent image used as shadow evocation for miracle).)