Building a Shadowcraft Mage/Seeker of the Misty Isle

[Janthkin]

My poor bard ate an inopportune lightning bolt, and died mid-campaign.  I'd like to insert a Cleric/Shadowcraft Mage into the party, but I'm working with a few restrictions:
1) He's got to be an elf, or maybe a half-elf/half-human elf (DM has waived the gnome requirement for ScM), as that's the only good option for plot-insertion at the moment.
2) 11th level.
3) I'll need the Shadow Domain to get in (no Heighten Spell tricks), and once I'm in, I'll definitely need the Illusion domain (or there's no value in ScM).
4) Nothing from Forgotten Realms, nothing from Unearthed Arcana, and nothing but the Shadow Domain from Eberron.

I was looking for a good thematic prestige class to bulk out the build (Shadowcrafter isn't an option), and Seeker of the Misty Isle caught my eye, as I was considering adding Zen Archery anyway.

Build probably goes:
Cleric 1: Illusion, Shadow (ACF: Spontaneous Domain (Illusion))
Cleric 2
Cleric 3
Cleric 4
Cleric 5
Seeker 1: Travel
Seeker 2
ScM 1
ScM 2
ScM 3
Contemplative 1: ??
ScM 4
ScM 5
Seeker +X

Current question: how do I get 8 ranks of Survival?  It's not a Cleric class skill, unless you have the Travel domain.  I could take Travel as a 1st level domain, but while Seeker grants the Travel domain, I'm not finding permission to take a different domain if you already have it (which would leave me without Shadow).

[Maat Mons]

You can get survival as a cleric class skill via the wanderer alternative class feature (Dragon 5353, p89).  That also gets you knowledge (geography), knowledge (local), and speak language as class skills plus endurance as a bonus feat.  You do have to give up your ability to turn or rebuke undead, but if you weren't planning to take any divine feats, that's fine. 

[Jackinthegreen]

Dragon 353, not 5353.

Shadow is the only thing Eberron allowed?  So you couldn't take the Weather domain (which is given by Fharlanghn and Obad-Hai in the core deities) I'm guessing?

There's the Apprentice feat in DMG2 and if you were an apprentice to a woodsman you'd get Survival as a class skill.

Have you looked at the Ruathar in Races of the Wild page 122?

[Maat Mons]

Dragon 353, not 5353.

Maybe, in the year 2425, Wizards will publish the 5353rd issue of Dragon magazine.  Maybe it will reprint the No Tuning article.  You can't know that I'm wrong.  We'll just have to wait and see. 

Thanks though.  I'll go and edit that. 

[Tonymitsu]

Dragon 353, not 5353.

Maybe, in the year 2425, Wizards will publish the 5353rd issue of Dragon magazine.  Maybe it will reprint the No Tuning article.  You can't know that I'm wrong.  We'll just have to wait and see. 

I'm fairly certain cars and grand pianos won't be involved...

a 1 level dip in the Contemplative PrC gets you another domain, doesn't it?

[Maat Mons]

So, I'm making one new mistake for every existing mistake I address.  At this rate, I'll have all my mistakes sorted out in… let me think…

[CJH]

Your best option is Ruathar from Races of the Wild if that is a allowed source

To enter Seeker of the Misty Isle at level 7 using the Ruathar you will either need to do one of the following:

A.) Level drain exchange at least 1 Cleric level at level 6 for a 2nd Ruathar level
B.) Gain cross-class ranks in Survival using your Cleric levels
C.) Start with 18 Intelligence

[Janthkin]

Sadly, this MUST be an elf (and a particular flavor of elf, which is not to my advantage in this particular problem, but is overall a good fit for the character concept).

[CJH]

Elves can become Ruathars if that is what your post was about

You just have to help elves that aren't from your homeland

[Janthkin]

Ah, there it is.  Sorry - got Ruathar confused with something else entirely.

Looks like minimum level for access is level 6 (via 3rd level spells), and then at least 2 levels (unless I go 18 Int).  I may just pay the Apprentice (Woodsman) tax instead, as otherwise I delay entry into Seeker until probably level 13 (as I can enter ScM at level 8).

[Debatra]

(no Heighten Spell tricks)

Is that just for early-entry, or also for your Shadow Illusions? Because Heighten and its reducers are the Shadowcraft Mage's best asset. Without it, the class becomes a lot less appealing. Still good overall, but far less powerful.

[Janthkin]

Just for early entry (mostly, anyway - I'm leaving Earth Spell on the table, so to speak).

I ended up saying "screw it, I'm not playing another cleric," and rolling with a Beguiler/SCM.  The other players in this particular group need to learn to cope with healing that isn't provided by me, and the Seeker concept is neat enough to merit its own PC at some point, rather than cramming it into the SCM build.