Shadowdancer, Clockwerks Variant (3.5e Prestige Class)

Author: Clockwerks (talk) Date Created: 2011 Status: Complete Editing: No mechanical changes.

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Shadowdancer

For most, shadow is merely the absence of light. It may even be thought of as a synonym for evil. You know better. You can conceal yourself in shadow and dance where nobody sees unless you so desire it. Your knowledge of shadows enables you to perform any number of amazing feats, from summoning an invisible friend for your very own shadow to dancing from darkness to darkness, always too fast to be seen. You understand the significance of light and its necessity; for neither shadow nor light can exist without the other. Sometimes, when others cast you out for your knowledge you possess, you seem to be alone. But you know that wherever there is light, there is shadow... and thus you will never be truly alone.

Becoming a Shadowdancer

Shadowdancers are comprised of a wide array of practitioners, though rogues, monks, assassins and ninjas tend to gravitate to the class more than other classes do. The only common traits tend to be a fascination with the interaction of light and darkness, a lithe and nimble body that lets them dance from shadow to shadow, and a preference for being loners or entertainers.

Entry Requirements

Skills:	Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks, Perform (Dance) 5 ranks.
Feats:	Stealthy, Weapon Finesse

Table: The Shadowdancer

Hit Die: d6

Level	BAB	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+2	+2	+0	Eyes of Darkness, Shadow Slide, Shadow Weapons
2nd	+1	+3	+3	+0	Darkness, Hide in Plain Sight, Sneak Attack +1d6
3rd	+2	+3	+3	+1	Shadow Door, Shadow Walk
4th	+3	+4	+4	+1	Sneak Attack +2d6, Uncanny Dodge
5th	+3	+4	+4	+1	Shadow Pounce
6th	+4	+5	+5	+2	Sneak Attack +3d6
7th	+5	+5	+5	+2	Shadow Vanish
8th	+6	+6	+6	+2	Shadow Fiend, Sneak Attack +4d6
9th	+6	+6	+6	+3	--
10th	+7	+7	+7	+3	Shadow Image, Sneak Attack +5d6
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level) Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the shadowdancer.

Eyes of Darkness (Ex): You can see in darkness of every sort, including magical darkness, as if you were using normal vision. At 5th level you become immune to blindness effects due to bright light, such as that produced by your shadow blades or spells like daylight. At 10th level you become immune to blindness completely and gain the ability to see ethereal creatures as if they weren't.

Shadow Slide (Sp): You can use dimension slide at will as a standard action. This works exactly like the psionic power of the same name, except you must start and end your slide in either a shadow or darkness. You may use your own shadow to initiate the move. At 5th level this becomes a move-equivalent action, and at 10th-level you may use it as a swift action once per encounter.

Shadow Weapons (Su): You can channel shadow material from the Plane of Shadow into semi-real weapons by using a crystal or shard of glass as a medium. As a free action once per round, you can use such a crystal to create your choice of two light weapons, a one-handed weapon, or a double weapon in which you are proficient. These shadow weapons have the same statistics as their mundane equivalences except as noted below.

• At 1st-level, your shadow weapons gain an enhancement bonus of +1 and deal 1 point of Constitution damage with every successful attack. If the attack is confirmed as a critical strike, the Constitution damage is multiplied using the same critical multiplier as the base weapon. You also learn how to add the throwing and distance weapon properties to your weapons. With a successful Craft: Weaponsmithing (with a DC equal to 25 - your class level) check, your shadow weapons can gain the benefits of one type of special material of your choice.
• At 3rd-level, your shadow weapons gain an enhancement bonus of +2. You also learn how to add one of the special weapon features listed at the bottom of this document to your weapons.
• At 5th-level, your shadow weapons gain an enhancement bonus of +3, but only if you channel them through a least weapon augment crystal (see the Magical Item Compendium for details on augment crystals). Your weapons gain the properties of this crystal in addition to their normal abilities. You also learn a second special feature that you can add to your weapons from the list below.
• At 7th-level, your shadow weapons gain an enhancement bonus of +4 but now require a lesser augment crystal instead of a least. You also learn a third feature from the list below.
• At 9th-level, your shadow weapons gain an enhancement bonus of +5, but you must use at at least a greater augment crystal to do so. You also learn a fourth and final ability from the list below.

Shadow weapons are magical and can be dispelled or disjoined through targeted effects such as dispel magic. Since it only requires a free action to resummon them, however, this is usually not a serious concern. Your weapons are, however, resistant to the effects of an antimagic field and similar effects, but you must succeed at a Concentration (DC 10 + spell level of the effect) to conjure and maintain them each round you are in the effect. Your shadow weapons will also only function for you. If given to someone else, they revert to crystal or shard of glass from which they were conjured.

Darkness (Sp): You can use darkness as a spell-like ability at will. At 5th level, this upgrades to deeper darkness, and you may now use darkness as a swift action instead of a standard action.

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): You may use your Hide skill even while being observed, but only if you are within stepping distance of a shadow.

Sneak Attack: This ability is exactly like the Rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 every even level. If you have access to sneak attack damage from another source, the bonus damage stacks.

Shadow Door (Sp): You gain the ability to use dimension door as a spell-like ability at will. As with Shadow Slide, she must start and end in a shadow. This requires a standard action to use, and you may use your own shadow as the place of origin.

Shadow Walk (Sp): You gain the ability to step into the Plane of Shadow as if using the shadow walk at will. This requires a standard action to use, and you may use your own shadow as the place of origin.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): You gain the Uncanny Dodge class feature. If you already have Uncanny Dodge, you instead gain Improved Uncanny Dodge.

Shadow Pounce (Ex): You gain the ability to perform a full-attack action after using any of your shadow movement abilities as your standard action for the round.

Shadow Vanish (Sp): You can use greater teleport at will as a spell-like ability. You can only teleport yourself and up to 50 pounds of equipment, however. If you have a familiar, animal companion, or special mount gained as a class feature, you may bring them along with you. You must have access to a shadow to perform this ability, but your destination does not require one.

Shadow Fiend (Su): You can conjure forth a shadow fiend. This works like an unseen servant except that you can see and hear through your shadow fiend as if you were physically present. You may only have one such fiend conjured at any given time, but it's range is improved to long range instead of short.

Shadow Image (Sp): You may now use major image as a spell-like ability at will. The images are more substantial than traditional illusions, being composed almost completely of shadow material from the Plane of Shadow, and as such are not mind-affecting figments, nor are they foiled by effects such as true seeing. They can be dispelled or disjoined normally, however.

Special Weapon Features

At the designated class levels, you learn one of the following special weapon properties that you can add to your shadow weapons. Each time you conjure your weapons, you may apply any or all of the features you know to them unless otherwise stated.

• Blinding Light: As a move action, you can reflect ambient light in such a way that it creates a burst of blinding light. This effects everyone within line of sight out to 30' of you to make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ character level + your Dexterity modifier) or be blinded for 1d6 rounds. Creatures with light sensitivity take a -4 penalty on their saving throw and are permanently blinded if they fail their save. If they pass, they are instead dazzled for 1d6 rounds. This ability can only be used once per encounter even if applied to two weapons.

• Defending: Your weapons gain the defending weapon property. This ability is only available at 5th level or higher.

• Ghost Touch: Your weapons gain the ghost touch weapon property. This property can be activated or deactivated as a swift action without requiring you to dismiss your weapons first.

• Illusory Blades: Enemies count as flat-footed against any attacks you make with your shadow weapons. This ability is only available at 7th level or higher.

• Keen: Your weapon gains the keen weapon property. This ability is only available at 3rd level or higher.

• Reflection: As an immediate action, you can attempt to reflect any ray spell back at its originator. To do so, make a standard attack roll. If your attack roll is higher than the attack roll of the ray, it is reflected back at its caster at full strength.

• Returning: Your weapon gains the returning weapon property.

• Shadow Blade: Your weapons gain the equivalence of the brilliant energy weapon property, except that the weapon is instead made of pure shadow material and as such does not give off any light. This ability is only available at 9th level, and can be activated or deactivated as a swift action without requiring you to dismiss your weapons completely.

DMs may allow weapon properties from other sources on a case-by-case basis.

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