GitP PrC Contest XXX: Into the Light

[Owrtho]

Light of Lurking Shadows



The brighter the light, the darker the shadows it casts.
- a light of lurking shadows

Sometimes ozodrin seek to embrace their nature, other times they try to find another path. A light of lurking shadows is one who attempted to become a wisp, yet found their true nature corrupted by the plane of shadows, twisting it into something new.

Becoming a Light of Lurking Shadows

A light of lurking shadows is one who has progressed as both an ozodrin (or akodrin), and wisp fire guide, and spent time on the Plane of Shadows.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Skills: 8 ranks in Knowledge (the planes)
Abilities: Wispfire 1d3*
Features: Tentacle†
Mysteries: Must know at least one mystery
Special: Must have spent 72 consecutive hours on the Plane of Shadows.

* Class feature from the wisp fire guide
† Class feature from the ozodrin

Class Skills

The light of lurking shadows' class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex)

Skills Points at Each Level: 6 + int

Hit Dice: d8

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Mysteries

1st|

+0

|

+0

|

+2

|

+2

|Cloaked in shadow, Shadow form points, Feature of shadow, wisp form|1

2nd|

+1

|

+0

|

+3

|

+3

|Form points, Cast Shadows (bright, shadowy illumination)|2

3rd|

+2

|

+1

|

+3

|

+3

|Mysterious Shadows, Wispfire +1d3|3

4th|

+3

|

+1

|

+4

|

+4

|Enhance Shadows, Cast Shadows (painfully bright, lurking darkness)|4

5th|

+3

|

+1

|

+4

|

+4

|Feature of light|5

6th|

+4

|

+2

|

+5

|

+5

|Cast Shadows (dazzling light, darkness), Wispfire +2d3|6

7th|

+5

|

+2

|

+5

|

+5

|Force Shadow|7

8th|

+6/+1

|

+2

|

+6

|

+6

|Cast Shadows (partially blinding light, shadowed darkness)|8

9th|

+6/+1

|

+3

|

+6

|

+6

|Wispfire +3d3|9

10th|

+7/+2

|

+3

|

+7

|

+7

|Consuming Darkness, Cast Shadows (blinding light, darklight)|10[/table]

Weapon Proficiencies: A light of lurking shadows gains no new weapon or armour proficiencies.

Spellcasting: The light of lurking shadows partially progresses in its ability to cast spells from the wisp fire guide spell list. Light of lurking shadows levels stack with wisp fire guide levels for determining spells per day, number of gems that can be on the cloak, and what spells with the light descriptor, darkness descriptor, or Illusion (shadow) subschool it knows. It does not learn spells from its spell list that don't fit into the aforementioned groups.

Mysteries: Light of lurking shadows progress in the ability to use mysteries. At every level a light of lurking shadows may learn a new mystery as if it were a shadowcaster. Light of lurking shadows levels stack with whatever class granted the mystery used to qualify for determining if it has access to apprentice, initiate, or master mysteries. Like a shadowcaster, it must advance mysteries in paths, and when not learning the first mystery in a path, must know at least two mysteries one level lower. If the light of lurking shadows has the Shadowed Horror feat, it may gain additional uses of mysteries granted by this class as if they were from the feat (though if shadow form points are used they cost double). Mysteries are not limited to paths selected if that feat was used to qualify, though they mysteries from either source may be used it qualify for mysteries from the other.

Mysteries may be used in wisp form. However, doing so requires a cost of one shadow form point for apprentice mysteries, 2 shadow form points for initiate mysteries, and 3 shadow form points for master mysteries.

Cloaked in shadow (Su): A light of lurking shadows is able to attune to its wisp light cloak in a ritual requiring an hour and requiring a DC 22 craft (weaving) check. If failed the ritual may be repeated. If ever the light of lurking shadows wishes to attune to a new cloak, it must repeat the ritual with both the old cloak and the new one and takes a -5 penalty to the craft weaving check.
If successful, the light of lurking shadows finds the cloak to be a part of itself. If ever the cloak is lost or destroyed, it may always be retrieved undamaged any 5' by 5' area of shadowy illumination or darker as a move action.
As long as the light of lurking shadows is attuned to a cloak, it does not cast a shadow of its own (requires a DC 10 spot check to notice), rather the cloak as it reaches the ground seems to merge into a shadow for it. If removed, no shadow is cast, and when the cloak is tossed on the ground (which can be done as a swift action), it becomes a shadow on the ground where it lands, ignoring any light sources in the area. Treat as a 5' by 5' area of shadowy illumination or a degree darker if it already at least that dark (see degrees of darkness and light table below). At levels 3, 6, and 9 the degree of darkness the cloak produces or adjusts the area by is increased by 1. At levels 4, 7, and 10 the area is may occupy is increased by a 5' by 5' area. If in such a form it may only be retrieved by the light of lurking shadows. An attuned cloak may still have new gems added.

Shadow form points (Ex): Unlike a normal ozodrin, a light of lurking shadows has come to manipulate shadows more readily than itself. It gains a number of shadow form points equal to Intelligence modifier + Charisma modifier + (6 * class level). Normal form points may be used as shadow form points, though the reverse may not be done. Shadow form points may only be spent on features of shadow (see below) and mysteries (see mystery description for details).

Features of shadow (Ex): A light of lurking shadows advances features as an ozodrin. Count levels in it as ozodrin levels for determining which features and augments are available, as well as number of feature granted attacks per round it can make. Unlike normal for feature advancing PRCs, it does not advance primary stomach. It also gains the ability to form features of shadow. These are mostly like normal features, but have some differences.

Spoiler

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• Features of shadow may be made using shadow form points.
• Features of shadow may be formed when in wisp form as well as when manifesting ones true nature.
• Features of shadow are not formed on the light of lurking shadows, but rather in nearby shadows (an area with shadowy illumination or darker). A shadow must be within 5 feet per class level if manifesting its true nature, or within the radius of the wisps light + 5 feet per class level. A shadow made from a light of lurking shadows' attuned cloak always counts as being in range.
• Features of shadow are made of shadow, and thus not wholly there. At first level, there is a 25% chance each time one attempts to interact with something it will be treated as not real and have no effect (individual attacks performed in the same round count as separate interactions). This chance decreases by 5% every odd level starting at level 3.
• Features of shadow are easier to manipulate, and as such may make an attack as a swift action or move action.
• Features of shadow do not need to have a location chosen when form points are used to make them. Instead, you decide groups of them which you may choose to place them automatically as an appropriate shadow comes in range, and may move them as a swift action. If the shadow leaves range, the features are automatically removed from it. If the shadow would move, the features move along with it.
• Features of shadow may not swallow whole creatures.
• Features of shadow are not a part of you, and thus may be destroyed separately (treat a group as the size category of the largest feature, otherwise using your ability scores outside of wisp form and natural armor, features such as flesh and eyes only affect the group they are in). However, they also are made of shadow and thus are harder to injure than other things. A feature of shadow group is treated as having a number of durability points equal to its form points. Any time damage would be dealt to it, it loses one durability point. When reduced to 0 durability points, a feature of shadow is destroyed, and the light of lurking shadows loses half the form points it cost hp (rounded up). Due to its nature as a shadow, physical and magical forms of damage have a difficulty harming it, and suffer a 25% miss chance. However, it is particularly susceptible to light. While occupying a shadow, that shadow is not illuminated by light as normal. Instead, if the square would be illuminated by bright light or brighter, the feature loses 1 point of durability per degree of brightness (see degrees of darkness and light table below) each round until it is destroyed or the light source removed. If targeted by a spell with the light descriptor, make an opposed caster level check with caster. Treat your caster level as your caster level of mysteries + the number of durability points the feature of shadow group has remaining + 1 per degree of darkness the shadows it is in is, while the caster of the light spell gains a bonus equal to the spell level. If you win the save, the feature loses a number of durability points equal to the spell level. If they win it is automatically reduced to 0 durability.
• Features of shadow are limited in total number of form points by the size and darkness of the shadow. Every 5' by 5' square the shadow occupies increases the total cost of features of shadow that may be in it by 3 form points per degree of darkness of the square (see degrees of darkness and light table below).

{table=head]{colsp=3}Degrees of Darkness and Light
Degree|Darkness|Light
1st|Shadowy illumination|Bright
2nd|Lurking darkness|Painfully bright
3rd|Darkness|Dazzling light
4th|Shadowed darkness|Partially blinding light
5th|Darklight|Blinding light[/table]

Descriptions

Spoiler

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Shadowy illumination: This is as the normal form of illumination described in the SRD.

Lurking darkness: This degree of darkness is rarely found outside the plane of shadows. It occurs when the darkness takes on almost a form of its own able to suppress the light. In most ways it is like shadowy illumination. However, if any line of effect or sight would pass through an area of lurking darkness, treat the location and target on the opposite side as if it were in shadowy illumination.

Darkness: This is as the normal form of illumination described in the SRD.

Shadowed Darkness: Like lurking darkness, shadowed darkness is rarely found outside the plane of shadows. It has an almost physical pressure to it, that suppresses light that might seek to illuminate its depths. Any form of illumination that would enter shadowed darkness is reduced by three degrees (if this would reduce it below bright, it begins increasing degrees of darkness). Further, like lurking darkness, if one looks through it the other side is treated as if in darkness. The area inside of shadowed darkness is treated as normal darkness otherwise.

Darklight: Darklight is absolute darkness. No light, normal, natural or otherwise, may exist within an area of darklight. Nothing is capable of seeing through darklight. Any form of magical light or natural light that tries to enter is automatically either destroyed or dispelled.

Bright: This is as the normal form of illumination described in the SRD.

Painfully Bright: If a line of sight or line of effect toward a creature would pass within be within 45 degrees of a line of effect to a source of painfully bright illumination, then the light it bright enough to make it hard to see granting creatures within it concealment and the ability to hide.

Dazzling Light: All creatures within the area of illumination have concealment, and are able to hide due to the light being so bright it is hard to see.

Partially Blinding Light: Treat the area as dazzling light, but also if a line of sight or line of effect toward a creature would pass within be within 45 degrees of a line of effect to a source of partially blinding light illumination, then treat the one making that line of effect as blind for determining its results.

Blinding Light: Treat all creatures in the area as blind due to the brightness of the light not allowing one to see.

Wisp Form (Su): Levels in light of lurking shadows stack with wisp fire guide levels for determining one's wisp form. A light of lurking shadows may not manifest its true nature while in its wisp form.

Form Points (Ex): Lights in lurking darkness gain a number of form points equal to half their class level (rounded down).

Cast Shadow (Ex): Starting at second level, the light of a light of lurking shadows' wisp form seems to dwarf other sources of light around it, allowing it to cause shadows to form even when it seems they shouldn't. When in wisp form without its light doused and without using focused light, a light of lurking shadows may cast shadows with its light in the following circumstances.
If a line of effect may be drawn to an object large enough to block the light (do not count creatures), squares on the opposite side of the object are rendered in shadows. Note that the light must manage to extend past the object to the sides, and if it only does so on one side only squares within 5 feet of where it extends past it qualify. The shadow extends 5 feet per two class levels, and has a degree of darkness equal to the highest degree of illumination that would be in the square of the blocking object.
Further, at 4th level, a light of lurking shadows may produce painfully bright illumination within 5' of itself, while further illumination is only bright. At 6th level, the it may produce dazzling light within 5' of itself, and painfully bright illumination within 10' of itself. At 8th this increases to partially blinding light within 5', dazzling light within 10', and painfully bright illumination within 15' of itself. At level 10 this culminates at blinding light within 5', partially blinding light within 10', dazzling light within 15', and painfully bright illumination within 20' of itself.
Regardless of the degree of illumination produced, the light of lurking shadows always treats its own light as merely bright light.

Wispfire (Su): A light of lurking shadow advances the wispfire ability of a wisp fire guide, though at a slower pace. However, it also has another use for it. When it uses its wispfire ability, an area around where it is targeted within 5' per die of damage (d6s count double) is treated as being one degree of illumination higher until the start of the light of lurking shadows next turn for the purposes of the cast shadow ability. At level 9 this increases to 2 degrees of illumination higher.

Mysterious Shadows (Su): Starting at 3rd level, a light of lurking shadows' mysteries are more powerful when used in the dark. If the target or area of effect of a mystery would be in an area of darkness, the mystery counts as 1 caster level higher per degree of darkness of that area.

Enhance Shadows (Su): Starting at 4th level, a light of lurking shadows may forgo the use of a mystery to increase the darkness of a shadow. As a standard action the light of lurking shadows may use up a daily use of a mystery to increase the degree of darkness of up to 1 5' by 5' area per 2 4 class levels by an amount based on the power of the mystery for a number of rounds equal to the mystery's level. The degree of darkness is increased by 1 for apprentice mysteries, 2 for initiate mysteries, and 3 for master mysteries.

Features of Light (Ex): You may manifest your true nature while in your wisp form. However, when doing so your features are made of light rather than flesh like normal. This has the following effects:

Spoiler

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• Features of light are made of light, and thus have a chance to miss much like features of shadow. Treat features of light as features of shadow for determining miss chance.
• Features of light are made of the light the wisp form gives off. As such they deal 1 point of extra damage for each die of wispfire damage the light of lurking shadows has, of the same type as that die. Note, 1d6 dice count double.
• If a feature of light would be extended beyond the range of the light produced by the wisp form, it casts bright light within any squares it occupies, and shadowy illumination in any squares adjacent to those.
• Being made of light, features of light are capable of attacking magical darkness. Any darkness made by spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities, as well as persistent effects of spells with the darkness descriptor, or from the the shadow subschool may be attacked by features of light. Treat them as having an AC equal to the caster level (or if they lack a caster level, the hd of what created it). If successfully attacked, the darkness or persistent effect is destroyed, countered, or dispelled if the spell level or spell level of a spell it mimics, is less than the light of lurking shadows' class levels. If it lacks a spell level and does not mimic a spell, treat it as having a spell level of 1/3 the sources HD (rounded up). If the darkness or effect is sustained by some source, it only remain destroyed until the start of the next turn. Supernatural darkness is not entirely destroyed by this effect, but instead only the square attacked and adjacent squares are destroyed. Darkness does not benefit from any miss chance that it causes when being attacked by features of light.

Force Shadow (Su): As of seventh level, a light of lurking shadows may cause its cast shadow ability to even be blocked by creatures to an extent. As a standard action, a it may give up a daily use of one of its mysteries to target a creature within the area of its light, and make it cast a shadow as if it were a blocking object. The shadow lasts twice as many rounds as sacrificed mysteries level. In addition, if an initiate mystery was used, the shadows have a minimum degree of darkness of lurking darkness, while if a master mystery was used they have a minimum degree of darkness of darkness.

Consuming Darkness (Su): By paying 10 shadow form points more for a feature of shadows group, it gains the ability to swallow whole a grappled target. Unlike most cases of swallowed whole where the target ends up in a stomach, if successful the target is taken to the Plane of Shadows. However, such a feature has a slight presence in the Plane of Shadows as a result. A feature of shadows group may be seen in the plane of shadows at its location, and attacked as if in the plane it is actually in. In turn however, if the group has at least one eye feature, it may see and attack things in the plane of shadows.

Playing a Light of Lurking Shadows

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Lights of Lurking Shadows in the world

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Name
alignment/Gender/Race/Levels
Init +0, Senses: Listen +, Spot +,
Languages
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AC , touch , flat-footed ()
hp ( HD)
Fort +, Ref +, Will +
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Speed ft. ( squares)
Melee
Base Atk +, Grp +
Atk Options
Combat Gear
Spells Prepared
Supernatural Abilities
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Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
SQ
Feats
Skills
Possessions

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