Weaker as in one or two levels lower at start.
Ooh, new idea. Be able to Shape creations with no skills at all, including the two automatic intelligence, during combat.
Make them weaker, but the same. They should definitely be able to be Shaped during combat. Someone might actually use them then. But they should still count as party members, and be controlled by you.
You have to kill the rogue one for Shaftoe if you help him. Nalyd recalls that melee works well. You should lead with Searer, though, since acid never hurts.
The "Charged" creations are too weak. Nalyd noticed only slight improvements from the ordinary creations, and their accelerated deaths came too soon to be worth it. Maybe change them so the degeneration happens slower, or so they only last one area.
Shatter. Subtracts the enemy's spell energy from yours. If you have enough, the enemy will be permanently Dazed, even if it takes damage. If you don't, your essence and spell energy will be drained to zero, and your health will be drained to 1.
Agreed. The drawbacks, of course, are the limited amount of spells, the limited number of creations, and the lack of a way to learn anything without canisters.