[3.5 Base Class] The Shadow Shifter [PEACH]

**CryWolfCorrupt** · 2013-12-18, 02:49 PM (ISO 8601)

The Shadow Shifter
You don't know true terror until you've seen a man grow monstrous arms of shadows with claws like greatswords. -General Tsoura, Shadow Shifter

There are those in the world who seek to destroy the darkness. There are those who seek to eliminate it and better the world.
Then, there are those who seek to embrace the darkness. Become it. Those who use the shadows to shift their bodies into terrible, grotesque weapons of darkness. These are the Shadow Shifters.

Characteristics: Shadow Shifters worship the shadows with a dark passion that grants them the ability to mold the shadows surrounding them to their pleasing.

Religion: Shadow Shifters worship shadows and darkness, wherever they are found. They typically worship Shar or Tenbrion.

Races: Shadow Shifters can be of any race (with the exception of races natively from the Plane of Shadows). Their abilities are supernatural and come from a devout pursuit of shadow knowledge.

Background: Shadow Shifters require years of servitude to the shadows. They are almost always adults who began seeking the shadows as teenagers, though there are rare cases of children pursuing the darkness and some Shadow Shifters can be teenagers.

Other class synergy: Shadow Shifters get along with most stealth-type classes and almost all melee fighters.

Roles: Due to high skill points and stealth, Shadow Shifters can make good scouts. They also excel at battlefield mobility and make good assassins.

Ability Scores: Shadow Shifters typically want high Dexterity to make use of their assassin-style play or Strength if they want to be a bruiser. They also need a high Constitution so they can take a hit, and high intelligence to utilize some of their abilities and increase their skill points.

Alignment: Typically Chaotic, though Shadow Shifters can be any alignment.
Starting Gold: As Rogue.
Starting Age: Simple
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills: The Shadow Shifter’s class skills and corresponding abilities are Bluff (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge: The Planes (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Rope (Dex)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int Mod) x 4
Skill Points Following: 4 + Int Mod

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Shift Bonus	Special
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0	+0	Shadow Shift: Hands, Eclipse -1
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+1	+0	Shadowmeld, Evasion, Sneak Attack 1d6
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	+0	Eclipse (Darkness), Anti-Lantern
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1	+1	Vanish
5th	+5	+4	+4	+2	+1	Wicked Weapon
6th	+6/+1	+5	+5	+2	+1	Replica, Eclipse -2, Sneak Attack 2d6
7th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+2	+1	Shadow Shift: Feet, Vanish (Spider Climb)
8th	+8/+3	+6	+6	+3	+2
9th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+3	+2	Shadowy Wisps
10th	+10/+5	+7	+7	+3	+2	Improved Evasion
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+7	+3	+2	Taste of Blood, Eclipse -3, Sneak Attack 3d6
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+8	+4	+3	Replica (Greater)
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+8	+4	+3	Shadow Jump
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+9	+5	+3	Shadow Shift: Torso
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+9	+5	+3	Sneak Attack 4d6, Shadow Fluctuation
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+10	+5	+4	Eclipse -4
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+10	+5	+4
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+11	+6	+4	Depravity
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+11	+6	+4	Slippery Slope
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+12	+6	+5	Empowered Shadow Shifting, Sneak Attack 5d6

Class Features:
All of the following are class features of the Shadow Shifter.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Shadow Shifters are proficient with all simple weapons. Shadow Shifters are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Shadow Shift (Hands, Feet, Torso): Shadow Shifters pride themselves on their dominance of the shadows inhabiting the material plane. This control of shadows has granted them the supernatural ability to shape into new forms using the shadows. At 1st level, this grants them the ability to form weapons on their arms and hands. These weapons are natural weapons, and the Shadow Shifter may form any weapon from the table below. The shadow-weapons deal damage normally as the weapon, but deal an extra 1d6 (+1d6 for every 3 character levels) against enemies with the Light or Fire descriptors. Shadow Shift: Hands cannot be used for ranged weapons. Activating Shadow Shift: Hands is a free action, but switching to a new weapon or form from an existing form is a swift action. When using Shadow Shift: Hands without creating weapons, Shadow Shifters gain a +10 competence bonus on Sleight of Hand checks. Shadow Shift: Hands may be used to enhance their unarmed combat, dealing damage as if they had the Improved Unarmed Attack feat. Shadow Shift: Hands lasts until dismissed as a free action, and gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls (applied to both hands when dual wielding, only one when using a two-handed weapon) for every four levels of Shadow Shifter. The Blade, Claw, Tentacle, and Talon are considered light one-handed weapons. The Maul and Gore are considered two-handed weapons.

Name	Damage Type	Damage	ToB Damage	Bonus Effect
Maul	Bludgeoning	2d6	2d8, 3d6, 2d10	Double damage against Objects
Gore	Piercing	1d10	2d6, 2d8, 3d6	Reach, Double damage on Charge
Blade	Slashing	1d8	2d6, 2d8, 3d6	19-20/x2 Critical
Claw	Piercing and Slashing	1d6	1d8, 1d10, 2d6	18-20/x3 Critical
Tentacle	Bludgeoning	1d6	1d8, 1d10, 2d6	Reach, +5 Grapple
Talon	Piercing	1d4	1d6, 1d8, 1d10	19-20x2 Critical, +2 Disarm

At 7th level, the Shadow Shifter gains the ability to shape the shadows to their legs and feet. Shadow Shifters can meld the shadows to their lower half for various benefits. First, they do not sink or fall into water while Shadow Shifting their feet. They also gain the effects of Feather Fall, as the spell. They gain a +10 competence bonus to Jump and Move Silently checks. Shadow Shifting their feet also grants a 50% increase in movement speed for any form of movement the Shadow Shifter has access to, the ability to walk through spaces occupied by allies, and the ability to ignore difficult terrain when in darkness or shadowy illumination. Shadow Shifters cannot shift both their feet and hands at the same time. Switching from one to the other is a swift action. Shadow Shift: Feet lasts for ten minutes/Shadow Shifter level or until dismissed as a free action.

At 14th level, the Shadow Shifter has gained the ability to share their torso with the shadows. This grants them a +2 dodge bonus to AC and provides a +10 competence bonus to Hide, Move Silently, and Tumble. It also removes the Arcane Spell Failure and Armor Check penalties on their armor. While using Shadow Shift: Torso also grants them concealment and miss chance as the spell Blur (Invisibility if not in direct sunlight or similar Light-spells) and they can choose to carry up to three times their normal weight or weigh only one third their normal weight. In shadowy illumination, Shadow Shifters also get a +8 bonus to initiative while using Shadow Shift: Torso and gain one additional use of Shadowmeld, Anti-Lantern, and Vanish. Shadow Shift: Torso lasts for ten minutes/Shadow Shifter level or until dismissed as a free action.

Shadow Shift Weapon Mastery:Shadow Shifters can choose to apply either their Strength or Dexterity modifiers to their damage rolls. The table below explains the feats granted to the Shadow Shifter when using the shift-weapons listed. The feats are granted only when using the weapon associated with them, however at level 7 they still retain the level 1 and 4 feats when using the associated weapons.

Level	Weapons	Feats
1	Blade, Claw, Tentacle, Talon	Two-Weapon Fighting
1	Maul, Gore	Power Attack
4	Blade, Claw, Tentacle, Talon	Two-Weapon Defense
4	Maul, Gore	Weapon Focus (Piercing, Bludgeoning)
7	Blade, Claw, Tentacle, Talon	Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
7	Maul, Gore	Weapon Specialization (Piercing, Bludgeoning)

Light Sensitivity: Shadow Shifters suffer a -1 penalty to attack and damage rolls and suffer a -3 penalty to Search and Spot checks while in direct sunlight or similar Light-spell or effect. This penalty increases by 1 every other class level, but the Shadow Shifter gains Darkvision to 60 feet.

Eclipse (Su): Shadow Shifters have studied and worshipped shadows for so long, they understand the effects darkness has on others’ stability. When darkness created by the Shadow Shifter affects more than one enemy, those enemies become overcome with paranoia, and take a -1 penalty on Will and Reflex saves. At 6th, 11th, and 16th levels, this penalty increases by 1. Shadow Shifters then gain the ability to cast Darkness, as the spell, three times per day, starting at level 3.

Sneak Attack: If a Shadow Shifter can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from their attack, they can strike a vital spot for extra damage. The Shadow Shifter’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the Shadow Shifter flanks their target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 2nd level, and it increases by 1d6 every three Shadow Shifter levels thereafter. Should the Shadow Shifter score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a Shadow Shifter can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. A Shadow Shifter can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The Shadow Shifter must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A Shadow Shifter’s sneak attacks are not affected by concealment, with the exception of total concealment.

Shadowmeld (Ex): Shadow Shifters often find themselves lost in shadows; this is where they feel most at home. At 2nd level, when a Shadow Shifter is not in direct sunlight and is not being directly looked at, they are treated as invisible. They cannot move or make sounds or this breaks the effect. As long as the Shadow Shifter is within an area of shadowy illumination, they gain a +5 competence bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks. When using Shadowmeld with Shadow Shift: Torso, the Shadow Shifter gains the ability to Hide in Plain Sight. Shadow Shifters may make a Hide check with a DC of 25 while using Shadowmeld to become invisible.

Evasion: At 2nd level and higher, a Shadow Shifter can avoid magical and mundane attacks with great agility. On a successful reflex saving throw to take half damage, they take no damage instead. This can only be done in light armor or no armor. A helpless Shadow Shifter does not gain this benefit. At 10th level, a Shadow Shifter only takes half damage on a failed save in addition to taking no damage on a successful save.

Anti-Lantern (Su): Shadow Shifters can manipulate the shadows surrounding their bodies in the most peculiar ways. At 3rd level, three times per day, for one minute per Shadow Shifter level, Shadow Shifters can create an Anti-Lantern with their Shadow Shift: Hands ability. This ability removes all light from the area around them in a 15-foot radius circle. All allies within this area are granted total concealment and gain +5 competence bonuses to Hide and Move Silently checks. The darkness is considered magical darkness to anyone outside the area, and normal darkness to anyone inside the area. Magical sources of light dispel Anti-Lantern but mundane sources do not.

Vanish (Su): Shadow Shifters can envelop themselves in shadow at a moment’s notice. At 4th level, when a Shadow Shifter acts in the surprise round or before any of their enemies during a fight, they may use this ability to become invisible until the start of their next turn. They can also use this ability anytime they deal a killing blow. At 7th level, a Vanished Shadow Shifter gains the Spider Climb effect until the end of their next turn. A Vanished Shadow Shifter becomes visible if they perform any actions that normally break an Invisibility spell.

Wicked Weapon: At 5th level, the shadows surrounding the Shadow Shifter begin to corrupt them. Using the shadows to attack becomes a feat of high risk, high reward, and wickedness emanates from their hands. All weapons imitated with Shadow Shift: Hands are treated as having the Vicious ability.

Replica (Sp): Shadow Shifters eventually learn to use the shadows to imitate their own bodies. At 6th level, they gain the ability to use Mirror Image, as the spell, once per day plus their Int modifier. At 12th level, their Replica ability is treated as the spell Greater Mirror Image.

Shadowy Wisps (Su): Their continued exposure to the plane of shadow causes many Shadow Shifters to be tainted by the plane. Beginning at 9th level, Shadow Shifters can become one with their own shadow for one round per Shadow Shifter level. This causes them to become ethereal, as the Blink spell. Whenever the Shadow Shifter is not in direct sunlight or a similar Light-spell, they seem to have shadow tendrils emanating from their body. This grants them a +2 competence bonus on Intimidate checks. They also gain the benefits of Slippery Mind, granting them an extra chance to save against a mind-affecting spell or effect one turn after the failed save at the same DC. They only get this benefit once.

The Taste of Blood: Shadow Shifters who continue their worship of shadows and darkness develop an unnatural taste for violence. The shadows begin to satiate them, and their biological needs become negligible. At 11th level, Shadow Shifters only need to eat and sleep once per week, provided they kill something every day. They become fatigued for 1d4 days for every day they do not kill. Killing wildlife can satisfy this hunger, but assisting or securing a kill against men or monsters of a similar level causes your imitated weapons to increase in size. Critical hits also produce the same effect. Taste of Blood only affects the weapon that dealt the most damage to the enemy the round before it was killed. Size damage increases based on the table listed under Shadow Shift: Hands.

Shadow Jump (Su): Shadow Shifters, as a move action beginning at the 13th level, can travel between shadows as if by the spell Dimension Door, provided their trip begins and ends in a shadow or darkness. The Shadow Shifters can jump a total of 20’ per class level per day. This distance can be in separate jumps, but each jump counts in 10’ increments, no matter how small the distance.

Shadow Fluctuation: At 15th level, the Shadow Shifters learn the mold their shadows to affect their enemies in the most destructive ways. They can use their natural attacks with Shadow Shift to inflict an additional effect on an enemy based on the table listed under Shadow Shift: Hands. These bonuses can be used once per day plus the Shadow Shifter’s Int modifier and must be declared before performing the attack (a missed attack results in the loss of the ability’s use).

Shift	Bonus
Maul	Obliterate
Gore	Perforate
Blade	Decapitate
Claw	Rupture
Tentacle	Sweep
Talon	Rend

Obliterate: Your monstrous fist can crush even the most terrifying foes. Enemies hit by an attack with the Maul shift must make a fort save with DC 10 + ½ Shadow Shifter level +Con mod or die immediately.
Perforate: Your spear-like shadows can pierce enemies with the Gore shift, striking up to 2 additional targets within 20’ in a straight line from your original target. Enemies Perforated with a wall or other object behind them must make a reflex save with DC 10 + ½ Shadow Shifter level + Dex mod or be pinned against it. Pinned enemies are considered prone and can use a move or standard action each turn to attempt a new save to free themselves at the same DC.
Decapitate: Your shadowy blade makes driving even the most devastating attacks easy. Your next attack with the Blade shift will automatically crit.
Rupture: The large claws extending from your fingers sharpen immensely and seem to materialize even more. The critical threat range on the next two attacks made with the Claw shift is increased to 16-20x3. This increase stacks with the Keen and Improved Critical effects.
Sweep: Swinging the shadow tendrils about you gives you the chance to sweep the legs out from under enemies. Provided nothing breaks line of sight or line of effect, the next attack made with the Tentacle shift grants a trip check against all enemies in a 15’ cone.
Rend: The shadowy talons on your fingers give you immense control over your maneuvers. In addition to increasing the disarm bonus to +5, the next attack with the Talon shift deals an immediate 2d6 damage and causes a 3 point bleed at the start of that opponents turn for the next 1d4 turns.

Depravity (Su): Shadow Shifters who master their art become more and more corrupted with each passing day spend in the shadows. Shadow Shifters become depraved after enough time, and lose the majority of their social skills as they become feral and monster-like. Each day, Shadow Shifters may reduce their natural Charisma and Wisdom scores (before item or spell bonuses) to as low as 4. For each point detracted from each of them, the Shadow Shifter gains the same amount added to their damage rolls. For example, a level 20 Shadow Shifter drops his Cha from 12 to 6 and their Wis from 10 to 4, granting them a +6 to damage rolls.

Slippery Slope (Ex): Shadow Shifters spend their whole lives chasing the shadows and very, very few ever truly catch them. However, as they get closer and closer, the power becomes more and more tempting to them, blinding them to the dangers of the plane of shadow. At 19th level, twice per day, Shadow Shifters may assume any Shadow Shifter ability as a free action and not use one of their daily uses of that ability. However, each time Slippery Slope is used, they must roll 1d20. A roll of 1-4 results in the Shadow Shifter being unable to use that ability for that many days. The second time the ability is used, a roll of 1-8 will result in the Shadow Shifter being unable to use that ability for that many days.

Empowered Shadow Shifting (Su): Shadow Shifters who truly grasp the power of shadow are few and far between. They are malicious, fearless, and relentless. In combat, Shadow Shifters who have mastered the shadows can command them to attack for them, independent of the Shadow Shifter.

A Shadow Shifter at 20th level no longer has a restriction on his Shadow Shifting. They can use all three forms of Shadow Shifting at once, and the ability is just called Shadow Shifting. Switching weapons with Shadow Shifting is now a free action and all forms of Shadow Shifting have unlimited duration. They can also now command their shadows to attack as a free action. They can do this three times per day. Their shadows are treated as Shadow Illusions, and deal only a percentage of the damage to enemies who succeed a series of Will saving throws. The shadow attacks take place immediately after each attack by the Shadow Shifter during a full-attack action and succeed as long as the Shadow Shifter’s original attack succeeds, dealing damage at the Shadow Shifter’s full BAB. Enemies who fail their first Will save do not have the chance to make another during the attack. Each successful save during the full-attack action reduces the damage of the shadows’ hit by 20% (i.e. first success 80% second success 60% etc.).

Shadow Shifters also gain increased benefits by mastering the shadows that sweep around their feet. They gain the ability to fly, and a fly speed of 90’ (Good), as well as the ability to walk through up to two feet of solid objects. They gain a 50% increase in movement speed regardless of whether or not they are in shadowy illumination or direct sunlight and the Spider Climb feature while Shadow Shift is active.

The AC bonus from Shadow Shift: Torso becomes a +5 and all competence bonuses increase to +20. While Shadow Shift is active, the Shadow Shifter is considered weightless and can carry up to five times their normal weight capacity. Their bonus to initiative while using Shadow Shift increases to +10 and gain three additional use of Shadowmeld, Anti-Lantern, and Vanish.
Enemies who witness a Shadow Shift must make a will saving throw of DC 30 or become shaken. On a failed save, the Shadow Shifter may also make an Intimidate check against each enemy to fail the save to increase shaken to frightened (DC is the result of their saving throw). Shadow Shifters can also now use Shadow Walk a number of times per day equal to 3 plus their Intelligence modifier.

(This is my first attempt at 3.5 Homebrewing, but I really enjoyed it. I decided to err on the side of powerful for this class, because I'd rather tone it down than try to add more to it. Please tear it apart so I can make it better and learn so that I can get better and begin homebrewing more!)

**CryWolfCorrupt** · 2013-12-18, 04:11 PM (ISO 8601)

12-19-13:

Fixed Sneak Attack progression
Fixed Skill point progression
Fixed Weapon Proficiencies
Tweaked Vanish' Spider Climb to level 7 instead of 8
Moved Taste of Blood to 15 and changed it completely
Moved Depravity to level 18 and fixed interpretation of bonuses
Moved Slippery Slope to 19
Moved Darkness portion of Eclipse to level 3
Changed Flight speed to 90 to reflect multiple of 6
Removed bonus feats and worked them into natural weapons explanation
Updated the effects provided with Shadow Fluctuation to better reflect its connection to Shadow Shifting
Removed Shadow Tether for balance
Removed Weapon Finesse from Free Feats

12-20-13:

Fixed Eclipse to only -1, -2, -3, and -4
Changed Sneak Attack to every 4 levels evenly\
Rotated Shadow Fluctuation and Taste of Blood for better bonus progression
Moved Shadow Fluctuation bonus from first table to directly under the ability
Created a feat-ability explanation below Shadow Shifting to explain weapon feats granted for different weapons

12-27-13

Tweaked Depravity to reflect a reduction in both stats to attain one bonus point.

1-10-14

Updated wording fixes suggested by Kazyan (Thanks!)
Added maneuverability to fly granted from Empowered Shadow Shifting
Clarified dispelling Anti-Lantern
Clarified bonuses granted from Shadow Shift: Feet
Added wording making unarmed fighting with Shadow Shift: Hands applicable

**Aldurin** · 2013-12-19, 12:22 AM (ISO 8601)

An interesting refluff of the Blacklight Virus. A couple of things stick out to me, though.

This is an overpowered package, taking full-BAB, 6+INT skill points per level, full sneak-attack and a weapon proficiency package that beats anything official material grants. I'd say drop it down to simple weapon proficiency only, since Shadow Shift provides the weaponry he needs to fight.

A flight speed of 100 feet per minute mechanically translates to a 10 ft flight speed (a round is six seconds and movement speed is measured by how far a person can move in a round if they use a move action), which is negligible enough to just get magical flight through an item at that point.

Depravity turns this class into a walking meat grinder, since getting mind-affecting immunity and ability damage immunity negates the non-skill downsides of the ability, and suddenly a +6 cloak of charisma is a constant +12 attack and damage bonus. Say we run on the theory of a Shadow Shifter with 12 wisdom and 12 charisma. Get two +6 items for both and then drain yourself down to 4 in both stats. That's a total reduction of 28 points, or a +56 attack and damage bonus all day. Even if wisdom and charisma are non-boosted dump stats the power increase is too much.

This class is also perfectly set up for starting a rogue build with 1 level. Dip this once to get weapon finesse, sneak attack progression, a darkness SLA and a nonexistent weapons locker that they can pick a variety of weapons from as a swift action.

It's a good start at a concept, but has an inconsistent power progression, some abilities too easy to abuse and serves as an arguably overpowered dip for classes of similar roles.

I would recommend taking a look at this take of the Prototype concept, which while it still has some power issues manages to make a consistent progression without being dip-material, and could help serve as a guideline to help you figure out how to more evenly distribute power.

**CryWolfCorrupt** · 2013-12-19, 09:24 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Aldurin

An interesting refluff of the Blacklight Virus. A couple of things stick out to me, though.

This is an overpowered package, taking full-BAB, 6+INT skill points per level, full sneak-attack and a weapon proficiency package that beats anything official material grants. I'd say drop it down to simple weapon proficiency only, since Shadow Shift provides the weaponry he needs to fight.

I initially had the Shadow Shift replicating weapons and wanted to grant greater range since he is intended to be a melee fighter; I simply forgot to change the proficiencies when I changed them to natural weapons. Nice snag.

Originally Posted by Aldurin

A flight speed of 100 feet per minute mechanically translates to a 10 ft flight speed (a round is six seconds and movement speed is measured by how far a person can move in a round if they use a move action), which is negligible enough to just get magical flight through an item at that point.

Recommendations? I checked out the Fly spell and similar pre-epic methods of flight and they all granted 60' so I tried to just amplify it enough to be a good representation of an epic-level capstone without breaking it (I have yet to find anything for Epic-level flight, ideas/links appreciated)

Originally Posted by Aldurin

Depravity turns this class into a walking meat grinder, since getting mind-affecting immunity and ability damage immunity negates the non-skill downsides of the ability, and suddenly a +6 cloak of charisma is a constant +12 attack and damage bonus.

Unless I miswrote something, I don't recall ability damage immunity (unless referring to the fact that its already been 'drained' to 4?). Say a fix where only natural charisma, unaffected by items? Is that even allowed as a valid element?

Originally Posted by Aldurin

Say we run on the theory of a Shadow Shifter with 12 wisdom and 12 charisma. Get two +6 items for both and then drain yourself down to 4 in both stats. That's a total reduction of 28 points, or a +56 attack and damage bonus all day. Even if wisdom and charisma are non-boosted dump stats the power increase is too much.

Shadow Shifters may reduce their Charisma or Wisdom score to as low as 4

Key word being or and I did that specifically to avoid breaking the class with 2 boosted stats being dumped. See previous quote point on potential fix?

Originally Posted by Aldurin

This class is also perfectly set up for starting a rogue build with 1 level. Dip this once to get weapon finesse, sneak attack progression, a darkness SLA and a nonexistent weapons locker that they can pick a variety of weapons from as a swift action.

Ideas for fix:
Weapon Finesse at level 2, or potentially first bonus feat non-specified at level 2? ~~I don't know how to fix Shadow Shift to avoid dips for just that weapon locker though~~. I can also move Eclipse around or fix it so you get the bonus detractor to saves first, and get the Darkness later?
Edit: If Rogues used this class to dip for a weapons locker, they miss out on any and all bonus proficiency damages (all +1-5 bonuses are level 3 and onward). I don't know how much that gimps them, but at the least they can switch their hands to weapons as a swift action, but I intentionally left out any defensive options for the very reason of dips. If the Rogues want their stronger weapons, then they have no need for Shadow Shift unless they want to get in a hardcore Fight Club-style fist fight.

Originally Posted by Aldurin

It's a good start at a concept, but has an inconsistent power progression, some abilities too easy to abuse and serves as an arguably overpowered dip for classes of similar roles.

Right, like I said in the OP I decided to err on the side of power so I can strip it rather than try to buff it. I would be very interested in suggestions to make it not a breaking-point-dip and other fixes to skills that are too easy to abuse.

Originally Posted by Aldurin

I would recommend taking a look at this take of the Prototype concept, which while it still has some power issues manages to make a consistent progression without being dip-material, and could help serve as a guideline to help you figure out how to more evenly distribute power.

Thanks, I googled for a similar build but couldn't find one. Thanks!

**CryWolfCorrupt** · 2013-12-19, 10:08 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Aldurin

I would recommend taking a look at this take of the Prototype concept, which while it still has some power issues manages to make a consistent progression without being dip-material, and could help serve as a guideline to help you figure out how to more evenly distribute power.

Things I took from this to help balance out some dip/power issues:

Change the natural weapon decriptions in Shadow Shift: Hands to reflect that when using specific weapons, you are treated as having the TWF or THF feats. This stop rogues from taking a dip for Weapon Finesse/TWF for free, because they only get the feats with Shadow Shift: Hands and if they only take a dip, the weapons locker becomes drastically weaker at levels 3-4. Done, but may still need tweaking.
~~Free-Action discontinuation of Shifting~~ Done
Allow replacement of Vicious with other enchantments (per-weapon basis?) with appropriate time/cost
"Consume Flesh" possibly into something along the lines of "Absorb into Shadow"
Some sort of anti-death mechanic that allows functionality after dropping to 0 hit points or below (Possible fix to Depravity)
~~"Exotic" bonuses to damage for natural attacks, giving more flavor to the class~~ Shadow Fluctuation overhaul
~~Replace one (or some) of the later-game skills with improvements to weapons outside the +x bonus such as increasing size~~ Taste of Blood overhaul

These were just some things I saw that I think I will take into note for my build.

**CryWolfCorrupt** · 2013-12-23, 10:45 AM (ISO 8601)

Alright so I made a bunch of changes and I hope they look better after some input from a few friends. This is basically a bump so I can get some actual feedback before I try to start playtesting it.

**Aldurin** · 2013-12-23, 07:27 PM (ISO 8601)

The changes are good, though I don't know why you'd nerf the fly speed down to 9 feet (I clarified earlier that all movement speeds in D&D are listed by the distance it takes you in one move action, not one minute). Simply list the fly speed as 90 feet so that the confusion isn't there.

Depravity still needs work. It is essentially +4 strength for every point sacrificed. I would think that a one-to-one return is the absolute most it should go, possibly still a bit much with that.

I want to argue that Shadowmeld is too strong, but when weighed against the accessibility of Shadow Blend and passive Invisibility it is probably fine.

You should also remove the exotic weapons proficiency line, it makes no sense for a class that focuses on golf-bagged natural weapons to happen to be skilled with multiple weapons that require special training.

**CharityB** · 2013-12-23, 10:26 PM (ISO 8601)

For depravity, if it's too high as is maybe you could make it 1-to-1-to-1 instead? as in you have to reduce BOTH wisdom AND charisma in equal amounts to get the bonus? This way, if they want 1 bonus point they need to give up 1 point of Charisma and 1 point of Wisdom. That might nerf it enough.

**CryWolfCorrupt** · 2013-12-27, 09:47 AM (ISO 8601)

Alright I think I really fixed Depravity for good. I removed the exotic weapon proficiencies, and tweaked some other minor things. Any other opinions?

**Kazyan** · 2014-01-10, 01:23 PM (ISO 8601)

I'm pretty sure this isn't thread necromancy...

In general, I really like the feel of this class; you've captured the idea of using shadows and the dangers thereof. However, you need an editor--the rules text usually doesn't read like solid RAW legalese. For example, you've got a "competency" bonus instead of "competence", and you seem to be mixing up what's doing what when you're dealing with hard rules (is it the Shadow Shifter doing something, one of his abilities, a sub-ability of the ability...) Here's some editing thingamagigs.

- "Teenager" is not a starting age. Teenage humans are part of the "Simple" starting age category.

- "When using Shadow Shift: Hands without creating weapons, Shadow Shifters gain a +10 competency bonus on Sleight of Hand checks and attacks made with Shadow Shift: Hands without creating a weapon are treated as having the Improved Unarmed Attack feat." I understand what this means, but you should have 'unarmed' as part of the shadow shift weapons so make it clearer that this is an option.

- "They also gain the effects of Slow Fall, as the spell." Feather Fall. Slow Fall is the Monk feature, a nerfed version of Feather Fall.

- "Shadow Shifting their feet also grants a 50% increase in movement speed[...]" Does this also apply to non-land speeds?

- "Shadow Shift: Hands can use either the Shadow Shifter's Dexterity or Strength when choosing damage." Please revise this sentence; I know what you mean but the wording is poor.

- Anti-Lantern has this line: "The darkness is considered magical darkness to anyone outside the area, and normal darkness to anyone inside the area." How does this work with magical [Light] spells?

- Empowered Shadow Shifting's fly speed needs a maneuverability (clumsy to perfect).

**CryWolfCorrupt** · 2014-01-10, 03:22 PM (ISO 8601)