The Spell Shadow Meld

[darthauthor]

The spell Shadow Meld in the book Rifts Ultimate Edition.

When using this spell, is the caster able to see others who are hiding in shadows?

I feel inclined to believe if two different spell casters, unaware of each other, used this spell to hide in the same shadow they would see each other.

However, that is a very speciallized case. The real question is can some cast the Shadow Meld spell to see everyone hinding in any shadow in all the shadows they can see?

In particular, can a spell caster cast this spell and see shadow beasts hiding in shadows?

[ShadowLogan]

Technically Shadow Meld subjects would only be visible in the IR spectrum (so if you can see IR or thermal). That to me suggests they would be "invisible" to even others in the shadow. Nothing indicates there is a limit in terms of shadow size vs subject size (you could hide a 50+ foot Triax Devestator Robot in a 5ft shadow with a TW modification) or subject number (could you hide a platoon of soldiers enchanted with Shadow Meld in a single 5ft Shadow) either.

So, it really is up to the GM on how they want to have it function. Does everyone under Shadow Meld pop into their one quasi-Time Hole like place when in shadows or is it a single plane. Do you even pop into a plane? Is it really just some type of Chameleon like ability that triggers when in shadow? Or some type of powerful mental manipulation (unlikely since no saving throw, or is it just that powerful?).

[kjd22c]

So, it really is up to the GM on how they want to have it function. Does everyone under Shadow Meld pop into their one quasi-Time Hole like place when in shadows or is it a single plane. Do you even pop into a plane? Is it really just some type of Chameleon like ability that triggers when in shadow? Or some type of powerful mental manipulation (unlikely since no saving throw, or is it just that powerful?).

The spell description says, "a superior means of hiding or moving unseen." It does not, to me, indicate that this removes the spellcaster from the physical plane, so to speak. The caster is still there, just effectively invisible, because they're still susceptible to physical attacks at a -5 to strike. Ergo, a platoon of spellcasters with Shadow Meld active could not hide in the same 5' shadow. Even if they couldn't "see" each other, their bodies would still physically interact.