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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Shadowdancer, a New Roguish Archetype



Trivik
2015-10-16, 07:21 PM
This is my first time homebrewing anything. When I looked up old classes that were lost I came across one that caught my eye, the shadowdancer. Please give me any criticisms you deem necessary.

Shadow Illusion
Illusion Cantrip
Range:30 feet
Components: S
Duration: 1 minute
The caster creates a visual illusion from a nearby source of dim light or darkness which can be used as a distraction during battle. When it is used in this way, the targeted creature must make an INT (Investigation) check with a DC of 8+Prof.+INT, on a successful save nothing happens, upon a failed save they have disadvantage on their next attack roll. Regardless of their success or failure they can no longer be distracted by this spell.

Shadowdancer
Operating in the border between light and darkness, shadowdancers are nimble artists of deception. They are mysterious and unknown, never completely trusted but always inducing wonder when met.

Dancing out of Sight
Starting at 3rd level, you can make the hide action, with advantage, while you are within 10ft of dim light or darkness, even while being observed, once this ability is used you must finish a long rest before using this again. You also gain in proficiency in the performance skill, if you didn't already.

Shadow Control
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the ability to extinguish any light source within 20ft of you, and are able to cast the Shadow Illusions cantrip. You also gain darkvision up to 30ft.

Shadow Jump
At 9th level you gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness.

Shadow Companion
At 13th level your shadowdancer is able to call on their own shadow for aid with an 30 min ritual. This shadow acts as an unseen servant, but can fit through 1 inch crevices, and you can use your action to have it make one attack dealing the damage of a weapon you are wielding and have proficiency with.

Shadow Infusion
At 17th level you have mastered the shadows to such a degree that you may now make small objects out of shadow, such as a lockpick or a dagger. You no longer need a set of thieves' tools to add your proficiency modifier to disarm traps or pick locks, and you may also make a shadow dagger that you are proficient with that deals 1d8 damage and can be used with a bonus action, and you are now able to cast Shadow Illusion as a bonus action. You can now see and hear everything that your shadow companion can, you are blind and deaf while doing so.

EDIT: I added the shadow illusion as a cantrip, and made Dancing out of Sight a once per long rest ability.

JNAProductions
2015-10-16, 07:26 PM
This is my first time homebrewing anything. When I looked up old classes that were lost I came across one that caught my eye, the shadowdancer. Please give me any criticisms you deem necessary.

Shadowdancer
Operating in the border between light and darkness, shadowdancers are nimble artists of deception. They are mysterious and unknown, never completely trusted but always inducing wonder when met.

Dancing out of sight
Starting at 3rd level, you can make the hide action, with advantage, while you are within 10ft of dim light or darkness, even while being observed. You also gain proficiency in the performance skill, if you didn't have it already.

Vastly overpowered.

Shadow Control
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the ability to extinguish any light source within 20ft of you, and are able to make simple visual illusions out of shadows. You also gain darkvision up to 30ft.

Combined with that first ability? Overpowered. I'd say remove the first ability and just leave this.

Shadow Jump
At 9th level you gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end o f the turn.

This is probably also too much. Rogues only get one attack, so permenant advantage is much bigger deal than a shadow monk.

Shadow Companion
At 13th level your shadowdancer is able to call on their own shadow for aid with an hour long ritual. This shadow is your own alignment, and has all your stats, aside from health which is your own halved. This shadow can do everything you can, but has disadvantage on all rolls made in direct light. If your shadow is slain you must wait 3 days before you resummon it.

Overpowered. This is a free simulacrum, and there's a reason simulacrum is often banned.

Shadow Infusion
At 17th level you have mastered the shadows to such a degree that you may now make small objects out of shadow, such as a lockpick or a dagger. You no longer need a set of thieves' tools to add your proficiency modifier to disarm traps or pick locks, and you may also make a shadow dagger that you are proficient with that deals 1d8 damage and can be used with a bonus action. You can now see and hear everything that your shadow companion can, you are blind and deaf while doing so.

For level 17? This is pretty okay. It's a nice damage boost, but nothing crazy.

You're a player, aren't you? Not a DM?

DracoKnight
2015-10-16, 07:28 PM
This is my first time homebrewing anything. When I looked up old classes that were lost I came across one that caught my eye, the shadowdancer. Please give me any criticisms you deem necessary.

Shadowdancer
Operating in the border between light and darkness, shadowdancers are nimble artists of deception. They are mysterious and unknown, never completely trusted but always inducing wonder when met.

Dancing out of sight
Starting at 3rd level, you can make the hide action, with advantage, while you are within 10ft of dim light or darkness, even while being observed. You also gain proficiency in the performance skill, if you didn't have it already.

Shadow Control
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the ability to extinguish any light source within 20ft of you, and are able to make simple visual illusions out of shadows. You also gain darkvision up to 30ft. Specify what kind of action this is. I would recommend as a bonus action, or even a full action, later upgraded to a bonus action ~ DracoKnight

Shadow Jump
At 9th level you gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end o f the turn.

Shadow Companion
At 13th level your shadowdancer is able to call on their own shadow for aid with an hour long ritual. This shadow is your own alignment, and has all your stats, aside from health which is your own halved. This shadow can do everything you can, but has disadvantage on all rolls made in direct light. If your shadow is slain you must wait 3 days before you resummon it.

Shadow Infusion
At 17th level you have mastered the shadows to such a degree that you may now make small objects out of shadow, such as a lockpick or a dagger. You no longer need a set of thieves' tools to add your proficiency modifier to disarm traps or pick locks, and you may also make a shadow dagger that you are proficient with that deals 1d8 damage and can be used with a bonus action. You can now see and hear everything that your shadow companion can, you are blind and deaf while doing so.

This is amazing, and it fills something I felt was missing from the PHB Rogue. Kudos to you. I'll run the numbers later, but I'm pretty sure that this is balanced.

EDIT: some of the stuff could be broken.

I would make the first ability DEX mod per long rest. Leave the 9th level ability, and then maybe the thirteenth level ability could be remaster into something else. I personally have no problems with the Simalcrum spell, and I feel that if you're playing with spells, they should all be allowed, but I can understand why some wouldn't like having a permanent Simalcrum.

Trivik
2015-10-16, 07:36 PM
You're a player, aren't you? Not a DM?

I am both, but it depends on the day of the week what part of the brain is functioning. I just threw this together today, I knew that a lot of changes would be needed. Thanks for the feedback

Trivik
2015-10-16, 07:51 PM
This is amazing, and it fills something I felt was missing from the PHB Rogue. Kudos to you. I'll run the numbers later, but I'm pretty sure that this is balanced.

EDIT: some of the stuff could be broken.

I would make the first ability DEX mod per long rest. Leave the 9th level ability, and then maybe the thirteenth level ability could be remaster into something else. I personally have no problems with the Simalcrum spell, and I feel that if you're playing with spells, they should all be allowed, but I can understand why some wouldn't like having a permanent Simalcrum.

That could be the edit to Dancing out of Sight that I am looking for, thank you.