advice on playing a shadow?

[helix_hex]

currently about the play monsterous game in which we are allowed to play monster classes. i am going to with a shadow, greater cause my dm has allowed me to cut the lv adustment by half.

figured i would go mystic theuge for necro'ing but thats as far as i got. help?

[Windstorm]

you have one of the deadliest no-save touch attacks in the game. build for that.

[Doc_Maynot]

SRD Shadow (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/shadow.htm)? If so, they have no LA.
If you have the urge to theurge, then I recommend Dread Necromancer (Free healing for you an all your little racial spawns), and if it's an evil game I recommend going full Ur-Priest on this bitch. Become the Emperor of Shadows.
For added entertainment, take Undead leadership to get some non incorporeal undead under your boot, since you can just make infinite shadows from the get go.

You should end up with Shadow RHD 3/ Dread Necromancer 6/Ur-Priest 2/Mystic Theurge 8/ Dread Necromancer +1

Or if you feel like being a Non-Evil, Non-Chaotic Shadow, You could go Shadow RHD 3/Dread Necromancer 6/ Rainbow Servant 10/ Dread Necromancer+1
This will let you use your slots to spontaneously cast any cleric spell, and give you 9ths on DN, however the alignment requirements would hurt.

[Inevitability]

Are you referring to the savage species progression?

And I sadly can't give you any advise. I tried to get Shadows past my DM once. He stopped me. :smallfrown:

[helix_hex]

Are you referring to the savage species progression?

And I sadly can't give you any advise. I tried to get Shadows past my DM once. He stopped me. :smallfrown:

no, not using the racial class: he is letting me become one but instead of the +7 lv adjustment he is allowing to deduct 24,000 gp from my starting gold to drop the lv adjustment to +3.

also, i going to add some more details that i just got: war is starting against human civilizations being started by dwarves AND elves. most of us are evil.

starting gold is:450,000 starting lv is 15(all lv has to be deducted. so therefore, i got 12 lvs to do whatever with.)

goal in game: be.the.final.boss...for the npcs

[helix_hex]

shadows deal strength damage by touching a person....does this actiavte from ranged touch attacks such as certain spells?

[Inevitability]

No. You have touch attacks (where you touch someone) and touch attacks (where you attack against their touch AC).

[Baroknik]

Can you point me to where you are getting the LA for a shadow? The closest I can figure is a RHD of 3 + 3 levels of emancipated spawn...

[Gildedragon]

swordsage

shadowcraft urpriest

Monk would actually be not half bad; str daining flurry of blows against a low AC, faster movement, higher AC...


Re: LA of +7
The racial class has 11 levels, but offers only 3HD. as such the rest is the lowering of the LA

[ericgrau]

Spring attack from walls is the obvious pre-canned approach. Any time foes don't have anything that works well against this you'll want to go ahead of the party and have the party wait until foes start readying actions to hit you (assuming they even have a magical attack). Then your party joins in. A method of communication would be helpful, or retreat into the walls and tell your party in person, then return to the foes.

Ways to get extra attacks for more strength damage would be nice. Like boots of speed for haste. Assuming your DM lets you wear them or allows some kind of ghost-touch like effect. Also look into TWF and flurry of blows. There's not much point to more than 1 monk level though, except maybe if you find some variant. You can't spring attack like this, but it works nicer in combination with a party either instead of spring attacking or after the party joins in later. And even standing still magical attacks are only half effective against you.

You also make a good scout since you don't make any noise. Besides your decent hide modifier, a source of invisibility such as class levels or a wand can make you pretty much undetectable. Even the usual DCs for detecting invisible creatures don't apply to you because they rely on the subtle effects your movement has on the environment. Incorporeal creatures have no such effects. At worst you could at least argue for a higher DC than the already high +20.

[helix_hex]

Can you point me to where you are getting the LA for a shadow? The closest I can figure is a RHD of 3 + 3 levels of emancipated spawn...

savage species page number 210.

but i am starting to get a little sinister in this built. i had an fallen monk built the approved before: he allowed to stack the movement bonus of the monk and the unarmed swordsage unarmed strike to stack for determining my total. so i would have a movement of a 15th lv monk and unarmed strike of 15th

should...should i make the fallen monk a shadow? i already had shadow blade added.....oh dear god...i think i am building something ungodly broken.

[Gildedragon]

Lion Totem Barbarian 1, Monk 2 (Soulwarp Strike OR Martial Monk & Invisible Fist), other stuff
Edit:
A better lay out:
Monk 2 (Martial Monk for a neat feat, Invisible Fist for round long invisi) go chaotic, retain monk abilities, go Lion Totem Barbarian (with ferocity, cause you got no Con), advance in a full BAB class. Get all possible extra attacks, cleave too if you can.

[helix_hex]

Lion Totem Barbarian 1, Monk 2 (Soulwarp Strike OR Martial Monk & Invisible Fist), other stuff
Edit:
A better lay out:
Monk 2 (Martial Monk for a neat feat, Invisible Fist for round long invisi) go chaotic, retain monk abilities, go Lion Totem Barbarian (with ferocity, cause you got no Con), advance in a full BAB class. Get all possible extra attacks, cleave too if you can.

what about using an magic item that has divine power(going with the feat that allows me to use and equip corporal items). divine power allows me to have a base attack bonus equal to my HD.

[Gildedragon]

problem with corporeal items: the getaway
You can't as easily sneak past/through things if poltergeisting a magic brick. if the item is made of serrenwood or riverine you can grab it regardless
or if it was planeshifted into the ethereal...

[helix_hex]

problem with corporeal items: the getaway
You can't as easily sneak past/through things if poltergeisting a magic brick. if the item is made of serrenwood or riverine you can grab it regardless
or if it was planeshifted into the ethereal...

how much would serrenwood or riverine affect the cost of magic items? also what about magic tattoos? this is actually my first incorporeal character.

[Gildedragon]

serrenwood is 4000gp for a weapon or 50 ammo
riverine is 2000gp per pound

serrenwood is probably better as it is actually the ghost-touch property and
ghost touch... counts as corporeal or incorporeal at any given time, whichever is more beneficial to the wielder
which means you can still move around while wearing weapons of serrenwood

[helix_hex]

going with that then. though another question that i cannot find an answer to: does anyoen kill killed due to str dropping 0 get base stats as a shadow or will they have their class features?

[Windstorm]

going with that then. though another question that i cannot find an answer to: does anyoen kill killed due to str dropping 0 get base stats as a shadow or will they have their class features?

they become exactly whats in the book, with no memory of former life.

[helix_hex]

they become exactly whats in the book, with no memory of former life.

well, at least i dont have worry about them again. also, army of darkness!

[The Grue]

No. You have touch attacks (where you touch someone) and touch attacks (where you attack against their touch AC).

:smallconfused: Not entirely sure what you're trying to say here.

[Gildedragon]

that Ranged Touch Attacks are not the same thing as the "incorporeal touch" touch attack of the shadow

[Gildedragon]

Couple of feats that might be worth it:

Necromantic Presence: Provided you are in control of yourself it is a great feat to have as it has the benefit of Turn Resistance and gives it to your minions as well

Necromantic Might: needs the aforementioned, and boosts attack and damage rolls of you and your minions

Empowered Ability Damage: drain your enemies faster!
(Libris Mortis)

[helix_hex]

Couple of feats that might be worth it:

Necromantic Presence: Provided you are in control of yourself it is a great feat to have as it has the benefit of Turn Resistance and gives it to your minions as well

Necromantic Might: needs the aforementioned, and boosts attack and damage rolls of you and your minions

Empowered Ability Damage: drain your enemies faster!
(Libris Mortis)

anything else that can drain strength quicker?

[Baroknik]

savage species page number 210.

but i am starting to get a little sinister in this built. i had an fallen monk built the approved before: he allowed to stack the movement bonus of the monk and the unarmed swordsage unarmed strike to stack for determining my total. so i would have a movement of a 15th lv monk and unarmed strike of 15th

should...should i make the fallen monk a shadow? i already had shadow blade added.....oh dear god...i think i am building something ungodly broken.

If you are considering this I would say either don't use the Savahe Progression trade but take the RHD and emancipated spawn as it seems that is faster (6 ECL change).
OR
Instead of a shadow do a rebuild of a fallen Shadow Sun Ninja -- always thought they would make epic villains!