Skydancer (3.5e Template)

Skydancer
Summary::Creatures blessed by spirits of the air, they are given great agility in the clouds above.

Skydancers are a blessed soul who through some manner have gained the favor of spirits of deities of the air. They usually appear thinner, lighter, and a ghostly wind constantly blows about their hair and clothing. They rarely stay still and prefer open spaces. Permitted to walk in the upper kingdoms of wind and cloud, they are light, calm, and capricious as the wind they walk.

Creating a Skydancer
Skydancer is an inherited or acquired template which can be applied to any creature without the Earth subtype.

Size and Type
The creature gains the Air subtype.

Speed
Blessed with the wind at their backs, skydancers gain a +10 bonus to their land speed. Consequently their fly speed is improved as well. They may never possess a burrow speed.

Armor Class
Always surrounded by a swirling miasma of wind, the skydancer gains a +1 deflection bonus to AC, plus an additional +1 every 4 HD (so at 20th level they possess a +6 deflection modifier).

Special Qualities
Air Mastery (Ex): Airborne creatures take a -1 penalty on attack and damage rolls against a skydancer.

Cloudwalking (Su): A skydancer can tread on clouds or fog as though on solid ground. The ability functions continuously but can be negated or resumed at will.

Slight Build (Ex): The physical stature of skydancers lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category smaller. Whenever a skydancer is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as Hide), the skydancer is treated as one size smaller if doing so is advantageous to the character. A skydancer is also considered to be one size smaller when "squeezing" through a restrictive space. A skydancer can use weapons designed for a creature one size smaller without penalty. However, the space and reach of a skydancer remain those of a creature of their actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.

Wind Shell (Su): The same magical wind which grants the skydancer a deflection bonus distorts the path of projectiles as well. The skydancer is under a constant entropic shield effect.

Wings (Ex): The skydancer gains a pair of wings which enables the skydancer to glide and eventually fly. They cannot fly at first, but are protected by falls as their wings snap open even if unconscious, reducing any fall damage to 1d6 maximum. A skydancer with flight can make a dive attack. A dive attack works like a charge, but the skydancer must move a minimum of 30 feet and descend at least 10 feet. A skydancer can make a dive attack only when wielding a piercing or slashing weapon; if the attack hits, it deals double damage. A skydancer with flight can use the run action while flying, provided he flies in a straight line.

At 3 HD the skydancer can glide up to 20 ft. for every 5 ft. dropped. In addition they may hover, with average maneuverability. As their wings improve with later levels, their maneuverability for hover improves as well.

At 6 HD the skydancer gains a fly speed of twice their base land speed with average maneuverability.

At 9 HD the skydancer their maneuverability rises to good.

At 12 HD the flight maneuverability rises to perfect.

Abilities
-2 Strength, +4 Dexterity

Skills
Skydancers gain a +10 bonus to jump checks due to their wings.

Environment
As base creature, and in the airs above.

Organization
As base creature.

Challenge Rating
+1.

Treasure
As base creature.

Alignment
As base creature.

Advancement
As base creature.

Level Adjustment
+Level Adjustment::1