Shadowdancer

Base Classes | Prestige Classes

For most people, there are places and times that might bring a small shudder, the quickened beating of the heart, and a slow, crawling tingle of fear up the spine. Places where the dark prevails, the light doesn't shine, and imagination lends terrible horror to every light-cast shadow that plays across the walls and streets. If only they knew how justified their mortal terror really was. Thriving in the border between light and darkness, Shadowdancers are individuals who have embraced the shadows and darkness, overcoming the primal fear of everything unseen in the shadows, to become what moves, lurks, and shifts, in the shadows.

Becoming a Shadowdancer was once a pursuit capable only through horrific, illegal experimentation that left more deformed and maimed than capable of anything akin to their namesake. The broadening of arcane studies, free from the restrictions of the House of Concordant Cycles' oppressive hold has lead to innovations and understandings that have allowed those who seek to dance in darkness to glean sufficient expertise to make such a reality. Where once, rogue mages would perform ghastly experiments directly upon the eager subject, now much of the same result can be achieved through the implanting of an enchanted medium into the body in key locations that permit the subject to enact such techniques of illusion and shadow.

That is not to say that such is easy - the surgeries required are still painful, and the kind of mediums that can hold such power are few. Only certain crystals are known at the moment, and they are not so easily acquired, making it difficult for any but the wealthiest, most determined, or gifted to gain enough of them for the procedure without going into debt, obligation of a favor, or servitude.

But then, for some, the shadows' calls are worth the pain and risks.

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Requirements:

Skills: Acrobatics 8 ranks, Perform 5 ranks, Knowledge: Arcana 4 ranks, Stealth 8 ranks.
Feats: Lightning Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility.
Special: DM Approval.

Class Features:

Hit Die: d6
Base Attack Bonus: Medium.
High Saves: Reflex.
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple weapons, rogue weapons.
Armor Proficiencies: Light armor.
Skill Points: 6 + Int modifier.
Class Skills: Balance (DEX), Bluff (CHA), Diplomacy (CHA), Disguise (CHA), Escape Artist (DEX), Hide (DEX), Jump (STR), Knowledge [arcana] (INT), Listen (WIS), Move Silently (DEX), Perform (CHA), Search (INT), Sleight of Hand (DEX), Spot (WIS), Tumble (DEX), Use Magic Device (CHA), Use Rope (DEX).

Invisibility (Sp): At will, a shadowdancer can render herself invisible, subject to the same limitations and effects as the spell of the same name. When dispelled, or the shadowdancer performs an action that dismisses the invisibility, the shadowdancer cannot use this ability again for ten rounds. At every even-numbered level, the cooldown time is reduced by one round, ending in a cooldown of five rounds at 10th level.

Darkvision (Su): At 2nd level, the shadowdancer gains darkvision, as the dwarf racial ability.

Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level, whenever a shadowdancer succeeds on a Reflex save against any effect which allows a save for half damage (such as a fireball spell), the shadowdancer takes no damage.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 2nd level, the shadowdancer always retains his Dexterity bonus to AC, even if caught flat-footed.

Shadow Daze (Sp): At 3rd level, a shadowdancer may inflict her nearby enemies with an illusory daze. This ability is considered a mind-affecting effect, and has a Reflex saving throw equal to 10 + 1/2 the shadowdancer's Hit Dice + her CHA modifier. This ability affects all enemies within ten feet of the shadowdancer; a successful saving throw negates the effect, and a failure dazes those affected for one round per Shadowdancer level. This ability is usable once per day.

Shadow Jump (Su): At 4th level, a shadowdancer gains the ability to travel between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell once per day. Every two levels higher than 4th, the shadowdancer gains one additional daily use of the shadow jump.

Shadow Evade (Sp): Three times per day, a 4th-level shadowdancer may conceal themselves in shadow. For one round per shadowdancer level, the shadowdancer has a 5% concealment bonus, 5/magic damage reduction, and +1 dodge bonus to AC. At 6th level, the bonus becomes 10% concealment, 5/alchemical silver damage reduction, and +2 dodge bonus. At 8th level it becomes 15% concealment, 10/alchemical silver damage reduction, and +3 dodge bonus. At 10th level, Shadow Evade grants 20% concealment, 10/adamantine damage reduction and +4 dodge bonus.

Defensive Roll (Ex): At 5th level, when a shadowdancer suffers damage from an attack that would put her below 1 hit point, she may make a Reflex save to suffer only half damage. This ability is used automatically, but only works once per day.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A 5th-level shadowdancer cannot be sneak attacked except by a character with four more total levels in classes that grant sneak attack than her character level.

Animate Shadow (Su): At 6th level, a shadowdancer can animate her own shadow. This shadow is of the incorporeal type (not undead), and can engage in combat. Outside of this, the shadow can receive basic mental instructions from the shadowdancer, but cannot verbally communicate with others. It also cannot interact with objects.

Slippery Mind (Ex): At 7th-level, the shadowdancer becomes so cunning and elusive that even her mind is hard to pin down. Whenever the shadowdancer fails a saving throw against an enchantment spell or effect, she may immediately reroll the saving throw once, keeping the better of the two results.

Animate Other Shadow (Sp): At 9th level, once per day, a shadowdancer can animate another creature's shadow, with an effect (and limitations) similar to that of the Shadow Simulacrum spell.

Improved Evasion (Ex): At 10th level, the shadowdancer's evasion ability improves. Now, she takes only half damage even on failed Reflex saves.