[3.5] Shadow Image spell

[Andion Isurand]

I found this spell in a 3rd party d20 book and decided to bring it forward, albeit with a couple minor changes. Assuming it could be applied to the Shadow Illusion class feature of a Shadowcraft Mage... one could use it in tandem with the Earth Spell feat to reap an additional +1 bonus to their caster level when casting it.

It is primarily of use to a non-gnome Shadowcraft Mage utilizing the adaptation section of the PrC to forgo the race requirement, given they can't reap the benefit of the gnome illusionist substitution levels.

(Adapted from Magic of Arcanis pg. 196)
__________________

Shadow Image
Illusion (Figment)
Level: Asn 1, Sor/Wiz 0
Components: S, F
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

This spell functions similar to silent image (PH 279) except that it may only produce or control shadows.
This spell creates the visual illusion of the shadow of an object or creature as visualized by you. It can create an independent shadow or manipulate an existing shadow cast by anyone or anything. The illusion is two-dimensional, and it is obviously a shadow. The illusion does not create sound, smell, texture, or temperature. You can move the image within the limits of the size of the effect, so long as the shadow remains along some kind of surface.
Focus: A bit of black fleece.

[JoshuaZ]

__________________

Shadow Image
Illusion (Figment)
Level: Asn 1, Sor/Wiz 0
Components: V, S, F

This spell functions similar to silent image (PH 279) except that it may only produce or control shadows.
This spell creates the visual illusion of the shadow of an object or creature as visualized by you. It can create an independent shadow or manipulate an existing shadow cast by anyone or anything. The illusion is two-dimensional, and it is obviously a shadow. The illusion does not create sound, smell, texture, or temperature. You can move the image within the limits of the size of the effect, so long as the shadow remains along some kind of surface.
Focus: A bit of black fleece.

It looks roughly balanced to me. But there's a small concern I have- cantrips very rarely have long range. Most cantrips with some range have either a fixed range or a close range with a few rare ones with medium range. Giving something long range may be too powerful for a cantrip, and in this context could be used for obvious "abuse" such as using it to communicate with an ally who is a decent distance away. This is an extremely minor issue, but I could see it as being reasonable to reduce the range to medium.

[Andion Isurand]

yeah, originally it did have a medium range, I will undo that change and take the verbal component back out