Stranger in the Night (3.5e Prestige Class)

Stranger in the Night
Some of the first dark stories told of the shadows were those of strangers in the night - charming, dark individuals, who prowl the night in search of forbidden joys and gullible individuals to lead astray. Some of these stories ended well for those led away, but others had dark endings to warn away those who strayed too far from social norms (or society itself), or just those who wandered the night excessively. Almost all cultures of humanoids who feared the night had stories of such individuals, and all the stories talked of their sudden appearance, their beguiling charm - and the dangerous consequences of going along with them.

When these stories began to be collected in a bid to understand them and harness their power, a few individuals sought to emulate these strangers in the night that many of these stories talked about. Wandering the nights, they soon began to find that their own capabilities grew to match those of the legends, and thus, are believed to be the first individuals that learned to use the power of the shadows in a consistent and reliable fashion. While their numbers are relatively few, some strangers in the night still see this approach as the best and simplest way to understand and gain power over the shadows. Their numbers include more than a few shadow magisters.

Becoming a Stranger in the Night
Any class can become a stranger in the night, but it is mostly favoured by those who want subterfuge and mental control to be part of their act. And cool shadow-related stuff. Because everyone loves that.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the stranger in the night.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Strangers in the night gain no new proficiencies with weapons or armour.

When you gain your first level of stranger in the night, choose one of your base classes. This class gains its base attack bonus progression, save progressions, hit die, skill points per level and class skills. Essentially, treat this class as a continuation of whatever progression the chosen base class would have given you.

Additionally, choose one of the following options:

This must be the same class that you chose for the earlier benefits of this class feature. At each level of stranger in the night, you gain new spells known and new spells per day as if you had gained a level in that class. You can only learn spells from this list.

Additionally, any DCs for the spells you cast are set to 10 + 1/2 of your character level + your Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma modifier (choose one when you first get this). Your caster level for the chosen class is always equal to your character level.

Lastly, if you choose this option, you do not gain the class features marked on the table with a star (*). Them's the breaks - you're a spellcaster, you'll live.

Your stranger in the night class levels count as levels in whatever class you chose for the purpose of taking feats. You must meet any of the prerequisites for the feats you select as these bonus feats, but you can ignore prerequisites based on ability scores.

You can only learn maneuvers from the Shadow Hand discipline, but can ignore any requirements based on needing to know a certain number of Shadow Hand maneuvers to learn a maneuver.

If you chose a non-initiator class for the earlier benefits of this class feature, at each level of stranger in the night, you can either learn a Shadow Hand stance, or gain a Shadow Hand maneuver as a maneuver-like ability. You must meet all prerequisites to gain them this way as if you were choosing them for an initiator class, but you can ignore requirements based on needing to know a certain number of Shadow Hand maneuvers. Each of the maneuvers learned as a maneuver-like ability can be used once, but you can spend 10 minutes concentrating to restore all your maneuver-like abilities to usability.

Additionally, any DCs for the maneuvers you use are set to 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Strength, Dexterity or Constitution modifier (choose one when you first get this). Your initiator level for the chosen class is always equal to your character level. This applies regardless of the class you chose for the earlier benefits of this class feature.

 : The stranger in the night is everyone you've ever met - and no-one you've ever met. Those that meet them have trouble remembering anything distinctive about them, and even the powers of divination rarely, if ever, work on them correctly.

This has several effects. Firstly, after a stranger in the night meets someone, talks to them or even is caught a glimpse of by someone, that someone must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the stranger's in the night character level + the stranger's in the night Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma modifier, whichever would give the better result). This will save must be made 15 minutes after they can no longer perceive the stranger in the night using their normal (not magically-enhanced or spell-granted) senses. If they fail, they forget all specific details of the stranger's in the night appearance, voice, clothing, etc. They can still identify the gender of the stranger, as well as any species-based visual traits, but won't be able to describe or remember anything further than that. The stranger in the night can exempt someone from this using a free action, provided that they are aware that this would affect someone.

Example: Larran, a male elven stranger in the night, meets Eliza for a midnight 'interview'. 15 minutes after he leaves her presence, Eliza has to make a save or forget his specifics. If she fails, she'll remember that she spent time with a male elf, but nothing about him beyond that, such as what he wore, what his name was, what colour his hair was, etc.

Example 2: That same night, Larran meets his associate, Tam. Tam would be subject to the same memory loss, but Larran trusts him enough to exempt him from it for this meeting.

Example 3: However, while they were having this meeting, a local tavern wench spots them talking, and decides to listen in. She has to make a Will save to not forget, and since Larran did not detect her, he cannot exempt her from this - even if he wanted to.

Secondly, the stranger's in the night alignment always counts as neutral, regardless of what it actually is. This does not violate codes of alignment or conduct, but in all other respects, the stranger in the night registers as neutral. This means that detect evil would not register on him, an unholy blight would only deal half damage (reducible to a quarter if they save), and so forth.

Lastly, the stranger in the night is subject to a constant nondetection effect, with a caster level equal to their character level.

 : A 2nd level, non-caster stranger in the night can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, including magical darkness. They also gain low-light vision, but at quadruple, rather than double, strength (meaning that they can see four times as far as normal in conditions of poor light).

The exact effect of this class feature depends on whether the stranger in the night is a spellcaster or not.

If the stranger in the night is a spellcaster, they add the suggestion spell to their spells known, as a 3rd level spell. If they already knew suggestion, but at a higher level, its level changes to 3rd instead. If they already knew it as a 3rd level spell, nothing happens.

If the stranger in the night is not a spellcaster, they can use suggestion as a spell-like ability. After they use it three times, it becomes unavailable until next sunset. The caster level for this is equal to the stranger's in the night character level, and the DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 the stranger's in the night character level + the stranger's in the night Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma modifier, whichever gives the best result.

 : A non-caster 4th level stranger in the night can use the powers of darkness, shadow and night to confuse others and get them to chase, well, shadows. They can use mislead as a spell-like ability. After they use it, it becomes unavailable until next sunset. The caster level for this is equal to the stranger's in the night character level.

 : From 5th level, a stranger in the night can make themselves light enough to walk on the air itself. They are subject to a constant air walk effect.

 : A 6th level or higher non-caster stranger in the night can use the shadows themselves as their weapons and armour. By spending a swift action, they can form any size-appropriate weapon, armour or shield they are proficient with out of the shadows surrounding them. These are always jet-black and shadowy in appearance, are of masterwork quality, and have a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls (if a weapon), or to the armour or shield bonus to AC that they provide (if an armour or shield). If the stranger in the night has a character level of at least 7, this is a +2 enhancement bonus instead. For every 4 character levels above 7th, increase this bonus by another +1 (+3 at 11th, +4 at 16th, etc).

These armaments last indefinitely, but if they are are taken from, dropped or removed from the stranger in the night, these armaments vanish back into the shadows and have to be reformed. This also occurs if the stranger in the night is exposed to full daylight (or something equivalent to it). This is a darkness ability that simulates a spell with a level equal to one-half of the stranger's in the night, and can be suppressed in the same way.

 : A non-caster 7th level stranger in the night can draw immense power from the night to give them strength in battle. As long as they are not exposed to direct sunlight (or anything that simulates direct sunlight), they receive a +2 enhancement bonus to their Strength, Dexterity and Constitution scores. If their character level is at least 12th, this becomes a +4 enhancement bonus instead, and if their character level is at least 18th, this becomes a +6 enhancement bonus instead.

 : A non-caster stranger in the night of 8th level or higher can slip between the shadows which link other worlds, allowing them to move to other realities with ease. Those that wander with them can also follow along - and many stories abound of strangers in the night leading the gullible away to other worlds, only to leave them there to fend for themselves. This is identical to a plane shift spell, except that it can only be used on willing targets, must include the stranger in the night, and cannot be used when exposed to full daylight (or its equivalent). Once this ability has been used three times, it becomes unavailable until next sunset. Its caster level is equal to the stranger's in the night character level.

 : Strangers in the night wander some truly strange places, and when they reach 9th level, their experiences coalesce into a settlement on the Plane of Shadow (or a similar plane if your cosmology is different). The settlement has a population of 666 unseen servants (like the ones from the spell), who resemble the most notable people the stranger in the night has met on their wanderings. The settlement is complete with buildings, an economy, and pretty much everything else you'd expect a settlement of that size to have. The unseen servants do not have the usual distance limitation, but instead cannot leave the settlement (and won't, most probably). The unseen servants see the stranger in the night as their leader, and will do what he says, if it's within their abilities to do so. Things can be bought and sold in the settlement as normally could be expected of a place of that size.

The stranger in the night can also spend a standard action to tear open a portal to their settlement. This will always take them to the council hall, where there will be an unseen servant, ready for orders. Others can step through the portal, but only if the stranger in the night verbally invites them. This is a supernatural ability, and the portal stays open only 1 round.

While inside their settlement, the shadow magister can attempt to tear open a portal to their home plane (or, if their home plane is the same one as the settlement is on, a different plane, chosen when the city is formed) as a standard action. This is much less accurate, though - it suffers from the same inaccuracies that the plane shift spell does. Otherwise, it's the same as the portal that takes the stranger in the night and his friends to the settlement.

At each class level after 9th, the settlement's population increases by 666, with corresponding increases in size and what you can buy there.

 : When not exposed to full daylight, a non-caster stranger in the night of at least 10th level becomes a ferocious fighter, able to deal with many enemies extremely quickly. Their attacks re-roll any damage die result of 1 (regardless of how many times it comes up), and are immune to mind-affecting abilities. Their weapons also gain the wounding property as long as they wield them.

The exact effect of this class feature depends on whether the stranger in the night is a spellcaster or not. In either case, the effect on the target ends if they are continuously exposed to full daylight (or its equivalent) for at least a full minute.

If the stranger in the night is a spellcaster, they add the dominate monster spell to their spells known, as an 8th level spell. If they already knew dominate monster, but at a higher level, its level changes to 8th instead. If they already knew it as a 8th level spell, nothing happens.

If the stranger in the night is not a spellcaster, they can use dominate monster as a spell-like ability. After they use it twice, it becomes unavailable until next sunset. The caster level for this is equal to the stranger's in the night character level, and the DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 the stranger's in the night character level + the stranger's in the night Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma modifier, whichever gives the best result.

 : A 12th or higher level, non-caster stranger in the night can transform themselves into a shadow-like form. This requires a swift action, and makes them incorporeal. Another swift action switches them back to corporeal form. While incorporeal, a stranger in the night has no Strength score, but all their attacks are performed as touch attacks. Additionally, they receive a deflection bonus to AC equal to their Charisma modifier (minimum +2), and gain a fly speed equal to twice their land speed (with perfect maneuverability).

Additionally, a stranger in the night with this ability (whether it is active or not) has all their attacks count as having the ghost touch property.

 : A stranger's in the night most terrifying power is the simple ending of all light around them, allowing them their deadly powers even in broad daylight. This ability, available to non-caster strangers in the night at 13th level, is identical to an eclipse spell, with a caster level equal to the stranger's in the night character level. Any DCs for this ability are set to 10 + 1/2 the stranger's in the night character level + the stranger's in the night Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma modifier, whichever would yield the better result.

Once this ability has been used, it becomes unavailable until one full night has passed.

 : A 14th level non-caster stranger in the night can tear open the veil separating the Plane of Shadow (or an equivalent plane in your cosmology) and the material world, unleashing it upon the world. This works identically to a gate spell, with a caster level equal to the stranger's in the night character level, except that it can only be opened to the Plane of Shadow (or an equivalent plane in your cosmology). This ability cannot be used under full daylight (or its equivalent), and if it is exposed to such, it will immediately close (though any creatures that went through it will stay there).

Once this ability has been used, it becomes unavailable until one full night has passed.

 : At 15th level, a stranger in the night is so attuned to the places they have wandered, and the night around them, that it tells them everything they need to know. They passively receive all the information listed below, out to a radius of 50 miles:


 * All living creatures that sleep in the area. Their exact position is not known, but an exact number and a general direction to any particular one can be gained. This doesn't give any information about each creature in question - just that they exist 'over there' and how many are in the area.
 * All creatures of shadow, or connected to shadow (in the same way as above) in the area.
 * Any population gatherings of at least 100 individuals settled permanently in the area. This gives an exact location, good enough to teleport to, for example.
 * Any other strangers in the night in the area. This gives a direction and a number, but not an exact location. It also yields their name (or their title, if this is more commonly-known).
 * The terrain in the area (if there is more than one, all are known, as well as their extent within the area). This will give an exact description, as well as any effect it would have on travellers.

This is considered a 9th level divination ability for all purposes.

Playing a Stranger in the Night
Combat: Strangers in the night fulfil whatever role they did from their original class, with some additional options provided by this class itself. Mostly, the abilities granted by this class are either necessities (which are things you'd want anyway) or story options (which are designed to interact with the setting as a whole).

Advancement: The stranger in the night has exactly enough levels to carry you pre-epic, and usually, there's no reason not to.

Resources: Strangers in the night are individuals first and foremost, but they do show deference and respect to those who have mastered the shadows to a greater extent. While a stranger in the night is under no obligation to do so, many will help others of their kind, if only in a minimal fashion, if they are in very severe need. However, most of the time, strangers in the night have only themselves to rely on.

Strangers in the Night in the World
Strangers in the night are the subject of stories, with both happy and distinctly unhappy endings. With the modern nights, these stories are told again, in greater numbers than before, and the strangers in the night dispute none of them. After all, how can one be mysterious if one separates the truth from speculation?

NPC Reactions: Most NPCs will only encounter a stranger in the night in their typical domain - night-time. Most of them treat them with fear (or at best, cautious respect), but more than a few are willing to fall for their tricks and promises. Generally, though, don't expect a good reception.