Civilized folk have always feared the night, barring themselves behind doors or comforting themselves with bonfires when the shadows grow long, rightfully wary of the creatures that prowl the darkness. Yet long ago, some learned that the best way to conquer an enemy is to embrace it. These were the first shadowdancers.
Shadowdancers exist in the boundary between light and darkness, where they weave together the shadows to become half-seen artists of deception. Unbound by any specified morality or traditional code, shadowdancers encompass a wide variety of adventuring types who have seen the value of the dark. Spellcasters use their abilities to safely cast spells from hiding and then move quickly away, while classes devoted to hand-to-hand combat enjoy the ability to attack foes with the element of surprise. Some even take the name of their kind quite literally, becoming eerie and mysterious performers and dancers, though more often the temptation presented by their talents with deception and infiltration causes shadowdancers to turn to lives of thievery.
Role
Shadowdancers adventure for a wide variety of reasons. Many adventuring parties find shadowdancers valuable members of their teams due to their incredible stealth and ability to surprise enemies with lightning-quick attacks where they’re least expected. For this reason, their services are often sought out by those groups in need of scouts or spies.
Entry Requirements
Skills: Stealth 5 ranks, Hide 10 ranks, Perform (dance) 3 ranks.
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility.
| Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +1 | +0 | Hide in plain sight |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +1 | +0 | Evasion, darkvision, uncanny dodge |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +2 | +1 | Rogue talent, shadow magic (minor), summon shadow |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +2 | +1 | Shadow magic (moderate), shadow jump 40 ft. |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Evasive Roll, improved uncanny dodge |
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +3 | +2 | Rogue talent, shadow jump 80 ft. |
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +4 | +2 | Slippery mind |
| 8th | +6 | +2 | +4 | +2 | Shadow jump 160 ft., shadow magic (major) |
| 9th | +6 | +3 | +5 | +3 | Rogue talent |
| 10th | +7 | +3 | +5 | +3 | Improved evasion, shadow jump 320 ft., shadow master |
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level): Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Persuasion, Profession, Stealth, Streetwise, Perception, and Perform
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Shadowdancer Shadowdancers are proficient with the club, crossbow (hand, light, or heavy), dagger (any type), dart, mace, morningstar, quarterstaff, rapier, sap, shortbow (normal and composite), and short sword. They are proficient with light armor but not with shields.
Hide in Plain Sight
You can use the Stealth skill even while being observed. As long as you are within 10 feet of an area of dim light, you can hide yourself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. You cannot, however, hide in your own shadow.
Evasion
At 2nd level, you gain evasion. If exposed to any effect that normally allows you to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage, you take no damage with a successful saving throw. The evasion ability can only be used if you are wearing light armor or no armor.
Darkvision
At 2nd level, you gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, the range instead increases by 30 feet.
Uncanny Dodge
At 2nd level, you retain your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if you are caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, you still lose your Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized or helpless. If you already have uncanny dodge from a different class, you automatically gain improved uncanny dodge instead.
Rogue Talents
At 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter, you gain a special ability that allows you to confound your foes. This functions as the rogue talent class feature. You cannot select an individual talent more than once. Your effective rogue level for selecting rogue talents is equal to your shadowdancer level plus your rogue level.
Shadow Magic
When you reach 3rd level, you are able to use shadow to create spell-like abilities. You gain 1 shadow point per shadowdancer level which can be spent to cast the following spell-like abilities. All of these abilities use your shadowdancer level as the caster level. The save DC is Charisma-based.
At 3rd level, you can spend 1 shadow point to create visual illusions as minor image.
At 4th level, you can create creatures and effects out of raw shadow. This ability functions as shadow conjuration and costs 2 shadow points to cast. Upon reaching 10th level, this ability instead functions as greater shadow conjuration, but the cost is not increased.
At 8th level, you can use raw shadow to damage your foes, casting shadow evocation, at a cost of 4 shadow points.
Summon Shadow
At 3rd level, you can summon a shadow. Unlike a normal shadow, this shadow’s alignment matches your own alignment, and the creature cannot create spawn. The summoned shadow does not possess the undead subtype and cannot be turned or commanded. This shadow serves as your companion and can communicate intelligibly with you. This shadow has a number of hit points equal to half your total hit points. The shadow uses your base attack bonus and base save bonuses.
If a shadow companion is destroyed, or you choose to dismiss it, you must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude save. If the saving throw fails, you gain one permanent negative level. A successful saving throw avoids this negative level. A destroyed or dismissed shadow companion cannot be replaced for 30 days.
Shadow Jump
At 4th level, a shadowdancer gains the ability to travel between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell. The limitation is that the magical transport must begin and end in an area no brighter than dim light. A shadowdancer can jump up to a total of 40 feet each day in this way; this may be a single jump of 40 feet or four jumps of 10 feet each. This amount can be split among many jumps, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a 10-foot increment.
Every two levels higher than 4th, the distance a shadowdancer can jump each day doubles (80 feet at 6th, 160 feet at 8th, and 320 feet at 10th).
Evasive Roll
At 5th level, you gain Evasive Roll as a bonus feat, even if you don’t meet the prerequisites.
Improved Uncanny Dodge
At 5th level and higher, you can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack you by flanking you, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than you have barbarian levels.
If you already have uncanny dodge from a second class, you automatically gain improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum level a rogue must be to flank you.
Slippery Mind
At 7th level, you becomes resilient to enchantment spells. This functions as the Slippery Mind rogue talent.
Improved Evasion
This ability, gained at 10th level, works like evasion (see above), except you take no damage at all on successful saving throws against attacks that allow a Reflex saving throw for half damage. What’s more, you take only half damage even if you fail your saving throw.
Shadow Master
At 10th level, whenever you are in an area no brighter than dim light, you gain DR 10/— (a bonus from esoterica) and a +2 luck bonus on all saving throws. In addition, whenever you successfully score a critical hit against a foe who is in an area no brighter than dim light, that foe is blinded for 1d6 rounds.