First Stab at a Class: The Shade (PF, WIP)

[IZ42]

Hello Playground! I have a Class kicking around that I need your help on, as it is my first time making a homebrew class. Here is the class: The Shade (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-1Jhp0CQYvW_LizthmXk62vmSToIRAPF-Hvk3ZOWwrQ/edit). Anyone have suggestions, comments, criticisms? I'm all ears and will try to answer anything y'all have. Thanks!

[Gritmonger]

Eh, I'm wondering if you thought about any other variant abilities - like, say, much like a shadow, the Shade can 'cast' themselves on any surface (effectively spider-climb at will) when in low-light conditions (not in full daylight or full darkness?)

Are there other abilities you can thing about related to the behavior of a shadow (a real-world physical shadow for instance) that might be appropriate?

In low light, the shade can, at will, assume the appearance of a size category larger or smaller?
In low light, the shade can, at will, use a form of "mage hand" consisting of stretching their own shadowy form to reach further to manipulate objects?

Edited to add: I guess, since they represent boundaries, and potentially the blurring point of different domains, they might reflect that somehow in being pliant, hard to discern, capable of assuming fearsome shapes, refusing to be defined clearly?

[IZ42]

Interesting thoughts. I'll think about them. One of my current thoughts is a bonus to damage while in Dim Light or below, as well as some shadow blending (instead of 20% miss chance in Dim Light it's 50%, and in complete darkness and below, you roll twice and if either roll indicates a miss, you miss.
I think having some sort of servant at higher levels that did what you described (Mage Hand, etc. ) and some other stuff would be cool.

[IZ42]

Document has been updated. New features are added, including Shadow Tricks and Umbral Servant. Have not written the feature for Umbral Servant yet, so I'd like some input.

[Vhaidara]

Okay, working through it...
First, please remove the alignment restriction. I've always seen Alignment Restrictions as horrible game design. It's telling people how to play their characters, and leads to the bad roleplaying that gives classes like Paladin a bad name.

This class is all about Darkness, but can't see in Darkness until level 5? And can't see in their own darkness until 10? I would add an ability that allows them to see in their own darkness from the start.

Shadow Hop sounds fun, but needs an action type.

Remove the level requirement from Tainted By Shadows. It is nowhere near strong enough to require level 8.

You never get Hide in Plain Sight. I would make that a Shadow Trick, maybe requiring level 6.

You need something that allows you to capitalize on your stealth. This class currently has no damage source.

[IZ42]

Okay, working through it...
First, please remove the alignment restriction. I've always seen Alignment Restrictions as horrible game design. It's telling people how to play their characters, and leads to the bad roleplaying that gives classes like Paladin a bad name.

This class is all about Darkness, but can't see in Darkness until level 5? And can't see in their own darkness until 10? I would add an ability that allows them to see in their own darkness from the start.

Shadow Hop sounds fun, but needs an action type.

Remove the level requirement from Tainted By Shadows. It is nowhere near strong enough to require level 8.

You never get Hide in Plain Sight. I would make that a Shadow Trick, maybe requiring level 6.

You need something that allows you to capitalize on your stealth. This class currently has no damage source.

Hmmm... good points. Maybe gain low-light vision and darkvision 30' and have Darkvision improve to 60' at 5th Level? I'll definitely allow them to see in their own darkness.

I thought I wrote in Shadow Hop as a move action. Hmph. Gonna fix that.

I was hesitant about giving a low level person healing by both positive and negative energy, if only half, but I see your point.

I was planning to add a hide in plain sight trick, thanks.

I wasn't exactly sure how do this bonus damage besides giving them sneak attack, which is boring.

[Vhaidara]

How about Shadowstrike: whenever you are in an area of darkness, you deal an additional 1d6 damage. This advances every 3 levels (4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19)?

As far as the Positive/Negative energy thing, how often does that actually come up? When fighting evil clerics, they can't heal their minions without healing you for like 4 points? They can't nuke you with your allies? Considering the drawback of half healing from normal sources of healing, I'm not even sure if it would really be worth it.

[IZ42]

Makes sense I suppose. Do you have a suggestion on how to better write that shadow trick?