(Pathfinder) Is the shadow/shadow lord template worth it?

[NecroDancer]

I'm a gravewalker witch with the stats 10, 16, 16, 18, 10, 10. The DM is allowing templates to be obtained quite easily and the shadow lord template looks really good but I need to get the shadow template as well. Overall that is +3 CR and I have no idea is buy off is allowed in pathfinder. I was wondering if it was worth it to raise my CR that high (I'd be getting these templates at level 10).

Thank you for the advice.

[AtlasSniperman]

I was actually looking into Shadowlord recently for a villain I'm making.
If you're going for a stealth character, it's a great template and it comes with a free 1/day get-out-of-jail-free-card in the ability Planar Thinning

The spell-like abilities are nothing to sneeze at, and the ability bonuses are good for if you're playing a Dex or Cha based class(sorcerer really benefits as Dex adds to AC and ranged touch attacks). I don't know anything about the witch, so that's up to you to decide. But overall I think it's a pretty good template that if you can get, you should enjoy.

[EldritchWeaver]

Pathfinder does allow buy-off:


Note that in a mixed group, the value of racial Hit Dice and abilities diminish as a character gains levels. It is recommended that for every 3 levels gained by the group, the monster character should gain an extra level, received halfway between the 2nd and 3rd levels. Repeat this process a number of times equal to half the monster's CR, rounded down.

[meschlum]

There's a thread on templates (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?352704-Templates-and-you) that hasn't been updated in a while, but it does have comments about this.

Recap: unless you really want the combat mobility features (and even then), try the Nightmare (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/nightmare-creature-cr-1/) template instead. It's +1 CR, gives you better attribute modifiers, regeneration, better DR, flight, better spell-likes, and extra bonuses. And leaves you with another 2 CR you could apply to boost your melee potential if you feel like it.

At level 10, you're looking at 10 more levels ahead, so large amounts of CR may not be recommended.

- 1 CR of templates: no buyoff occurs, you're always a level behind.
- 2 CR of templates: you can buy off one CR, leaving you a level behind the party at almost all levels - you're a 12th level character to start with, and gain a bonus level when your party reaches 15th level, leaving you a 14 levels in class and 1 level in CR.
- 3 CR of templates: you can buy off one CR and start as a 13th level character, so buyoff triggers at party level 16, leaving you 3 levels behind until party level 15 included (when you'd be level 12) and then 2 levels behind (starting level 14 at party level 16 and ending level 18 at party level 20).
- 4 CR of templates: you can buy off two CR an start as a 14th level character, so buyoff triggers at party levels 17 and 20, leaving you 4 levels behind until party level 16 (you'd be level 12), then three behind until level 19 (you'd be level 16), and 2 behind at party level 20 (you'd be level 18).
- 5-7 CR of templates: you could buy off 2 or more CR, but don't have enough levels to do so. You start as a level 15-17 character, and remain 5-7 levels behind until party level 18-20, when you're 'only' 4-6 levels behind (level 14-12 at party level 18, to level 16-14 at party level 20).
- 8+ CR of templates: you don't have enough time to buy anything off. You're 8-10 levels behind the party, and not gaining levels for quite some time.