Please help in making a Grim Hollow style transformation for Shade/Elemental Darkness

[Gr7mm Bobb]

Hello folks, it's been a minute since I've posted anything in the forums, so i feel a little awkward. I got a copy of the Grim Hollow and felt motivated by it overall. I really want to recreate the shade template, and maybe just make it something akin to "elemental darkness" to make it non-faerun friendly, and because I'd like to get away from the forgotten realms material anyway since i'm not the biggest fan. I have an idea of what I'd like the template to be capable of, but i do not know how to gage the power one each level of the transformation an how to ease the player into the flaws that come with the template. I don't need it as powerful as the lich, or as combat capable as the lycanthropic one is.

Each one has a prerequisite stat an roleplay element. And for more powerful ones, there are even mechanical prerequisites. Each level provides a handful of minor boons and a flaw, and then each stage after that provides a boon (or 2) and another flaw (or deepens the one already received). So i have a couple of ideas that are brainstormed and could really use some help building this thing.

Prerequisite stat: 13 Charisma

Base Changes:

Appearance changes (Can be suppressed like fiend and abberation)
Typing becomes elemental in addition to previous typing's. (Same wording as other typing changes, so CR ignore and such)



Brainstorms for Flaws:

Cannot recover hit points in direct sunlight, or in the presence of the Daylight spell.
Any hit points that would be recovered from outside sources become thp in sunlight.
Loses all resistance and immunity to radiant damage, cannot gain resistance to radiant damage
Sunlight sensitivity (as the drow racial trait)
Unsettling appearance (similar to the aberration, fiend, and lich transformations), last stage can cause fear (similar to the aberrations true form making creatures hostile)
None of the spellcasting granted by the template works in direct sunlight, Maybe later transformations prevent all spellcasting without shadows present.
Must make concentration saves every time it ends its turn in bright light, or lose concentration.
Spells can never generate more than dim light.


Brainstorm for Boons:

Bonus to Saves and AC when not in sunlight
Bonus to all movement speed when not in sunlight
Intensify shadows, able to bring down light levels within a (50 + 50/transformation level) foot radius. 1 lighting level per transformation level.
Healing: heal 1 hp/ transformation level when not in bright light.
See normally in all types of darkness.
At will cast invisibility without V, S, or M components.
Assorted illusion spells to cast 1/rest each. More spells unlocked with further transformation. (Blur, Mirror Image, Hallucinatory Terrain, etc) that are made of physical shadows (idk, dark edgy fluffy description k?)
120 ft shadow step (like the monk feature)
1/long rest either teleport without error to reach a shadowy locale on the same world as the shade or plane shift (if used to access the Plane of Shadow, the destination can be selected). The shade must be in shadows to use this ability.
Bonuses to Stealth
Enhancements to Illusion, necromancy, or conjuration magic.


Hopefully this gets a few hits by people familiar with the referenced material. And for those that aren't, please take a look at the Grim Hollow Campaign setting, it's a gem, especially for those who are fans of dark and gritty; or even those that enjoyed MTG's plane of Innastrad.

[Prince Vine]

Long breakdown ahead

Prerequisites
Ability Scores: Charisma 13
Roleplay: You must have made a been killed by a shadow, survived an extended time in the Shadowfell, or have some other plausible reason to have become a Shadow. Discuss with your DM how you can achieve this in-game.

Some of your abilities require your target to make a saving throw to resist their effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Transformation Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Transformation Level 1
Transformation Boon:
Shadow Sight
You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet.

Transformation Boon:
Shadow Form
Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Charisma score increases by 1. An ability score cannot be increased beyond 16 this way. You become an Elemental in addition to any other creature types you are. Spells and abilities that affect Elementals of a specific CR have no effect on you.

Transformation Flaw:
Planar Binding
Your body and soul are bound to the Shadowfell. You have disadvantage on death saving throws as the plane attempts to pull you back to it. If you would be killed, your soul has been taken back to the Shadowfell. The Shadowfell is your new home, and you become an NPC under the DM’s control. If you are in the Shadowfell, this flaw has no effect.

Transformation Level 2
Starting at 2nd level, you can pick one of the following Transformation Boons. You also gain this level’s Transformation Flaw.

Transformation Boon:
Shadow Step
While in dim light or darkness you can use a bonus action to teleport to a space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness within 120 feet. You can this a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all uses of this feature when you finish a long rest.

Transformation Boon:
Blurred Edges
As a bonus action you can cause all attacks against you to be made with disadvantage until the end of your next turn. You can this a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all uses of this feature when you finish a long rest.

Transformation Flaw:
Hideous Appearance
Your appearance has grotesquely transformed. You become unnaturally pale, gaunt and translucent and radiate an aura of despair. Regardless of your true form, you’re horrific to behold. You can suspend this form and manifest the appearance of the humanoid you once were, but this is taxing and requires concentration. This form is not permanent, and moments of stress are likely to reveal your true nature. Your true form is revealed in the following situations:
• Concentrating on a spell.
• Gaining the unconscious condition.
• Entering hallowed ground.
• Choosing to reveal yourself.
In events of extreme emotional or physical stress, a GM may call for a Constitution saving throw with a DC of their choosing to see if you maintain your humanoid form. Non-evil creatures that witness your true form become instantly hostile to you, unless the DM decides otherwise.

Transformation Level 3
Starting at 3rd level, you can pick one of the following Transformation Boons. You also gain this level’s Transformation Flaw.

Transformation Boon:
Draw Darkness
When you start your turn in dim light or darkness, you regain 5 hit points.

Transformation Boon:
Meld With Shadows
You gain mastery of of the art of remaining unseen. You gain proficiency in Stealth. If you are already proficient in Stealth, then your proficiency bonus is doubled for ability checks using Stealth. If you have or ever gain double proficiency in Stealth you gain +2 to Stealth instead. Additionally, while in darkness you are invisible.

Transformation Flaw:
Light Sensitivity
You are vulnerable to radiant damage. If you start your turn in bright light you take 1d6 damage. While you are in bright light you have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

Transformation Level 4
Starting at 4th level, you can pick one of the following Transformation Boons. You also gain this level’s Transformation Flaw.

Transformation Boon:
Shadow Self
You become immune to poison and necrotic damage and resistant to cold damage as well as bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from non-magical weapons. In addition you cannot be charmed, frightened, paralyzed, or poisoned.

Transformation Boon:
Wield the Darkness
When you deal necrotic damage to a creature it takes an additional 2d6 necrotic damage. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with necrotic damage a shadow is created under your control. You can control a number of shadows equal to your Charisma modifier.

Transformation Flaw:
Glare of the Sun
While you are in bright you cannot take reactions or bonus actions, can only make one attack when you take the Attack action, and you have disadvantage on saving throws. All creatures in bright light have advantage against spells you cast.