How does the Shadow Meld spell work?

[RogueSensei]

I'm curious as to how the Shadow Meld spell actually works. Does the character become 2D to meld with the shadow? Can you Shadow Meld and slide under a door? Can somebody grapple with a shadow melded character?

The scenario that sparked this question is that the mage got caught in a net (a physical net, not Magic Net). If the mage shadow melds, does the net go with him? Can he shadow meld to escape the net?

I'm interested to see how others would treat this scenario. I'd greatly appreciate any opinions or insight.

Thanks!

[Nekira Sudacne]

I'm curious as to how the Shadow Meld spell actually works. Does the character become 2D to meld with the shadow? Can you Shadow Meld and slide under a door? Can somebody grapple with a shadow melded character?

The scenario that sparked this question is that the mage got caught in a net (a physical net, not Magic Net). If the mage shadow melds, does the net go with him? Can he shadow meld to escape the net?

I'm interested to see how others would treat this scenario. I'd greatly appreciate any opinions or insight.

Thanks!

That's very easy to answer: you do not actually become one with the shadow in any way. you are still a fully seperate, independant, three dimensional being. it in no way can be used to do any of that. You do not ACTUALLY become one with the shadow. it's a fancy name but not what it does.

All it does, is let you have 100% perfect camoflauge within shadow. Nothing but heat and similar sensors can detect you.

The important point is, it bypasses the weakness of invisibility to See the Invisible. Even if someone has See the Invisible, they cannot see someone shadow melded. that is the primary point.

All the other effects you name, mind, ARE possible, but they do not come from this spell. There is a Temporal spell that lets you become 2 dimensional (and thus slip through stuff), and there are expanded "become one with shadow" spells in Library of bethrald. Actually, it has an entire school of magic dedicated to just that purpose.

Something to catch yourself with, in palladium, is flashy-misleading titles. The game is rife with instantances of giving things fancy names but the actual effect is not as amazing as indicated. that said, the setting has a LOT of support material, and it likely has something for what you want to do (see the above shadow school spells), just not in the place you'd think to look.

[RogueSensei]

Thanks for the clarification. That's the consensus we came to in our game, but wanted to post to see how others interpret the spell.

Thanks again!