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2011-06-29, 07:15 PM (ISO 8601)Halfling in the Playground
- Join Date
- May 2011
[3.5] Shadowblade. New base class. PEACH pls.
Hi All,
Like so many others I thought I would try my hand at creating a "stealthy warrior guy" base class. In an effort to iron out all the kinks and finalize the class I thought that I would post it here for critique as well as possible suggestions. This is a WIP so any and all comments are very much welcome.
DRAFT VERSION OF SHADOWBLADE
Spoiler
[IMG]
[/IMG]
Shadowblades are a martial practitioner which seeks to enhance their combat prowess by mastering their ability to use stealth, and shadows, to their advantage. Unlike normal warriors shadowblades will seek to find the advantage against an opponent. Whether it be striking from the shadows or launching a deadly volley of arrows from cover a shadowblade seeks to first weaken his target before closing in for the kill. Through intense study and the ability to harness the darkness of the world around him, as well as that which dwells within him, the shadowblade is able to move about in the heaviest armour and still remain silent and hidden. This mastery of darkness also allows the shadowblade to cloak his weapon in an obscuring sheen of pitch black night which both enhances his weapon and his combat prowess.
Adventures: Most shadowblades travel and adventure in order to hone their martial skills as well as their mastery of stealth and darkness. Many shadowblades will find themselves acting as an enforcer, or operative, for a local crime lord. Others still are the shadowy protector of some nobleman who wishes his guard to remain hidden until needed most. While others skulk about using stealth to waylay those they deem as prey. Lastly, there are a great many shadowblades that work as hired killers. Using their abilities to hunt down and kill those that have been marked for eradication.
Characteristics: Shadowblades are warriors of darkness. They are capable martial combatants, however, before engaging an enemy they will seek to gain an advantage. Oftentimes the advantage is as simple as catching their mark unawares by sneaking up on them. They also wield their shadowed blades to great affect. The beshadowed weapons are well known for leaving their opponents confounded as to where the shadowblade will strike next.
Alignment: Any. Although there is a noticable inclination towards chaotic or evil alignments. Most individuals that become shadowblades are prone to becoming assassins or hitmen.
Religion: Self reliance and determination is usually the only faith a shadowblade has time for, however. It is not unknown for some to actively worship dieties associated with darkness, thievery or assassination. There has been at least one account of a shadowblade that thought himself a specially blessed servant of a god of darkness. He believed that all of his abilities were a boon granted to him by his diety.
Background: WIP.
Races: WIP.
Other Classes: Shadowblades are usually found amongst others with a natural inclination towards subtlety. This includes, but is not limited to, rogues, monks, shadowcasters and fellow shadowblades.
Role: The shadowblade is primarily a warrior. Even though their abilities allow them to be incredibly stealthy, even while heavely armoured, they are still front line fighters. The ability to wear heavy armour as well as their other more defensive abilities allow them to enter and remain in melee combat without fear.
Game Rule Information
Abilities: Dexterity is one of the shadowblade's most important stats as it greatly enhances his stealth, however. Constitution and Strength are equally important as well being that the character is a warrior and will find himself in the frontlines often.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level: ( 4+ Int Modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4+ Int Modifier
{table=head]Level|BaB|Fort|Ref|Will |Special
1st|+1|+2|+2|+0|Armoured Stealth (-2), Sudden Strike +1d6
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+0|Beshadowed Blade (+2 feint checks)
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+1|Shadowsight
4th|+4|+4|+4|+1|Shrouded Armour (unhindered movement)
5th|+5|+4|+4|+1|Steel Shadows (+1)
6th|+6|+5|+5|+2|Beshadowed Blade (move action feint)
7th|+7|+5|+5|+2|Sudden Strike +2d6
8th|+8|+6|+6|+2|Shrouded Armour (preternatural grace)
9th|+9|+6|+6|+3|Armoured Stealth (-4)
10th|+10|+7|+7|+3|Beshadowed blade (swift action feint)
11th|+11|+7|+7|+3|Steel Shadows (+2)
12th|+12|+8|+8|+4|Slip Between the Shadows
13th|+13|+8|+8|+4|Shrouded Armour (concealment)
14th|+14|+9|+9|+4|Sudden Strike +3d6
15th|+15|+9|+9|+5|Beshadowed Blade (frost)
16th|+16|+10|+10|+5|Steel Shadows (+4)
17th|+17|+10|+10|+5|Armoured Stealth (-6)
18th|+18|+11|+11|+6|Shrouded Armour (hide in plain sight)
19th|+19|+11|+11|+6|Sudden Strike +4d6
20th|+20|+12|+12|+6|Beshadowed Blade (shadowstriking)[/table]
Class Features: All of the following are class features of the Shadowblade class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Shadowblades are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light).
Armored Stealth (Ex): You learn to adapt your movements to the restrictive nature of armor. Beginning at 1st level, you reduce the armour check penalty of any armor with which you are proficient with by 2 (to a minimum of 0). At 9th level, this reduction increases to 4 points (to a minimum of 0). At 17th level, this reduction increases to 6 points (to a minimum of 0).
Sudden Strike (Ex): If you can catch an opponent when she is unable to defend herself effectively from your attack, you can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Whenever your target is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC against your attack (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus to Armor Class or not), you deal an extra 1d6 points of damage with your attack. The extra damage increases to 2d6 at 8th level and to 3d6 at 14th level and 4d6 at 19th level.
Ranged attacks count as sudden strikes only if the target is within 30 feet; you can’t strike with deadly accuracyfrom beyond this range. You can only use sudden strike against living creatures with discernible anatomies — undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack.
Any creature that is immune to extra damage from critical hits is not vulnerable to sudden strike damage. You must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. You cannot make a sudden strike while striking a creature with concealment
or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are out of reach.
You can’t use sudden strike to deliver nonlethal damage. Weapons capable of dealing only nonlethal damage don’t deal extra damage when used as part of a sudden strike
Shadowsight (Ex): At 3rd level, you can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.
Beshadowed Blade (Su): At 1st level you are able to command the shadows to envelope your weapon in a sheath of pitch black darkness. This shroud of shadow grants a +2 on feint checks because it is difficult for enemies to perceive the motion of your weapon while attacking. You can only have one such weapon imbued with this ability, however. You may change the weapon to which this ability is applied to after resting for 8 hours. Using this ability requires the character to perform a short 1 min ritual. The beshadowed blade grants additional benefits as the character progresses.
- At 6th level the obfuscating effects of the shrouded weapon allow the character to feint as a move action.
- At 10th level the character's blade is a shadowy blur which makes it almost impossible for enemies to react to the shadowblade's attacks. This allows a shadowblade to feint as a swift action.
- At 15th level the shadows that grip your weapon instill within the blade the chill of the darkest night. From this point forward the weapon gains the frost weapon special ability. This is in addition to any special properties the weapon already has.
- At 20th level the umbral power of the character's beshadowed blade now strikes true against most creatures. By relying on the reflective nature of shadows the blade is now capable of overcoming most types of damage reduction. This ability imbues the character's shrouded blade with the shadow striking weapon special ability. This is in addition to any special properties the weapon already has.
Shrouded Armour (Su): This ability allows you to imbue shadows into a suit of armour with which you are proficient with. The imbued item grants several benefits to the character. At 4th level the shadows laced into the suit of armour lessens the impact armour normally has on movement. While wearing their shrouded armour the character does not suffer from a reduction in speed. You can only have one such suit of armour imbued with this ability, however. You may change the armour which this ability is applied to after resting for 8 hours. Using this ability requires the character to perform a short 1 min ritual.
- At 7th level the shrouded armour is instilled with the preternatural grace and fluidity of shadow. From this point forward you take no penalty on Hide or Move Silently checks while moving at up to your normal speed, and you take only a –10 penalty on Hide and Move Silently checks when running or charging (instead of the usual –20).
- At 13th level your shrouded armour is now so steeped in shadows and darkness that the armour grants you 20% concealment.
- At 18th level your shrouded armour continually leaks streamers of shadows. This effect grants the shadowblade the ability to hide in plain sight — that is, you can use the Hide skill even while being observed.
Steel Shadows (Su): At 5th level the shadows at your command seek to prevent harm to you by intercepting attacks that would otherwise strike you. This grants the character the listed bonus as a shield bonus to AC.
Slip Between the Shadows (Ex): The character gains the evasion special ability as per the rogue special ability, however. The character is able to use evasion even while wearing medium or heavy armour so long as the armour being worn has been imbued with the character's shrouded armour ability.
FINAL VERSION OF SHADOWBLADE
SpoilerCool Shadowblade PIC#1
Spoiler[IMG][/IMG]
Cool Shadowblade PIC#2
Spoiler[IMG]
[/IMG]
Shadowblades are a martial practitioner which seeks to enhance their combat prowess by mastering their ability to use stealth, and shadows, to their advantage. Unlike normal warriors shadowblades will seek to find the advantage against an opponent. Whether it be striking from the shadows or launching a deadly volley of arrows from cover a shadowblade seeks to first weaken his target before closing in for the kill. Through intense study and the ability to harness the darkness of the world around him, as well as that which dwells within him, the shadowblade is able to move about in the heaviest armour and still remain silent and hidden. This mastery of darkness also allows the shadowblade to cloak his weapon in an obscuring sheen of pitch black night which both enhances his weapon and his combat prowess.
Adventures: Most shadowblades travel and adventure in order to hone their martial skills as well as their mastery of stealth and darkness. Many shadowblades will find themselves acting as an enforcer, or operative, for a local crime lord. Others still are the shadowy protector of some nobleman who wishes his guard to remain hidden until needed most. While others skulk about using stealth to waylay those they deem as prey. Lastly, there are a great many shadowblades that work as hired killers. Using their abilities to hunt down and kill those that have been marked for eradication.
Characteristics: Shadowblades are warriors of darkness. They are capable martial combatants, however, before engaging an enemy they will seek to gain an advantage. Oftentimes the advantage is as simple as catching their mark unawares by sneaking up on them. They also wield their shadowed blades to great affect. The beshadowed weapons are well known for leaving their opponents confounded as to where the shadowblade will strike next.
Alignment: Any. Although there is a noticable inclination towards chaotic or evil alignments. Most individuals that become shadowblades are prone to becoming assassins or hitmen.
Religion: Self reliance and determination is usually the only faith a shadowblade has time for, however. It is not unknown for some to actively worship dieties associated with darkness, thievery or assassination. There has been at least one account of a shadowblade that thought himself a specially blessed servant of a god of darkness. He believed that all of his abilities were a boon granted to him by his diety.
Races: Any. There are a multitude of races which would find this class attractive. Humans make some of the best shadowblades as the bonus feat as well as skill points help a great deal to fill any possible gaps the character might have. Elves also make excellent shadowblades given their high Dexterity scores. Gnomes and halfings also make for an interesting shadowblade as their size and grace help to bolster the classes natural tendency towards stealth.
Other Classes: Shadowblades are usually found amongst others with a natural inclination towards subtlety. This includes, but is not limited to, rogues, monks, shadowcasters and fellow shadowblades.
Role: The shadowblade is primarily a warrior. Even though their abilities allow them to be incredibly stealthy, even while heavely armoured, they are still front line fighters. The ability to wear heavy armour as well as their other more defensive abilities allow them to enter and remain in melee combat without fear.
Game Rule Information
Abilities: Dexterity is one of the shadowblade's most important stats as it greatly enhances his stealth, however. Constitution and Strength are equally important as well being that the character is a warrior and will find himself in the frontlines often.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level: ( 4+ Int Modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4+ Int Modifier
{table=head]Level|BaB|Fort|Ref|Will |Special|Steel Shadows|Slip Between the Shadows
1st|+1|+2|+2|+0|Improved Feint, Sudden Strike +1d6|--|--
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+0|Armoured Ease (-2, +1), Steel Shadows|+1|--
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+1|Beshadowed Blade (wrap in shadow), Shadowsight|+1|--
4th|+4|+4|+4|+1|Shrouded Armour (unbridled grace), Graceful Strike|+1|--
5th|+5|+4|+4|+1|Sudden Strike +2d6, Slip Between the Shadows |+1|20 ft
6th|+6|+5|+5|+2|Armored Ease (-4, +2)|+2|20 ft
7th|+7|+5|+5|+2|Beshadowed Blade (shadow feint)|+2|40 ft
8th|+8|+6|+6|+2|Shrouded Armour (Unrivaled Stealth)|+2|40 ft
9th|+9|+6|+6|+3|Sudden Strike +3d6|+2|60 ft
10th|+10|+7|+7|+3|Armored Ease (-6, +3)|+3|60 ft
11th|+11|+7|+7|+3|Beshadowed Blade (ephemeral blade)|+3|80 ft
12th|+12|+8|+8|+4|Shrouded Armor (Concealment)|+3|80 ft
13th|+13|+8|+8|+4|Sudden Strike +4d6|+3|100 ft
14th|+14|+9|+9|+4|Armored Ease (-8, +4)|+4|100 ft
15th|+15|+9|+9|+5|Beshadowed Blade (endless feint)|+4|120 ft
16th|+16|+10|+10|+5|Shrouded Armor (Hide in Plain Sight)|+4|120 ft
17th|+17|+10|+10|+5|Sudden Strike +5d6|+4|140 ft
18th|+18|+11|+11|+6|Armored Ease (perfected)|+5|140 ft
19th|+19|+11|+11|+6|Beshadowed Blade (shadowstriking)|+5|160 ft
20th|+20|+12|+12|+6|Shrouded Armor (Shadow Step)|+5|160 ft[/table]
Class Features: All of the following are class features of the Shadowblade class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Shadowblades are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light).
Improved Feint: You are a master at disguising your own movements, attacking where others least expect it. At 1st level, you gain improved feint as a bonus feat.
Sudden Strike (Ex): If you can catch an opponent when she is unable to defend herself effectively from your attack, you can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Whenever your target is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC against your attack (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus to Armor Class or not), you deal an extra 1d6 points of damage with your attack. The extra damage increases to 2d6 at 5th level and to 3d6 at 9th level and 4d6 at 13th level and to 5d6 at 17th level.
Ranged attacks count as sudden strikes only if the target is within 30 feet; you can’t strike with deadly accuracy from beyond this range. You can only use sudden strike against living creatures with discernible anatomies — undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack.
Any creature that is immune to extra damage from critical hits is not vulnerable to sudden strike damage. You must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. You cannot make a sudden strike while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are out of reach.
You can’t use sudden strike to deliver nonlethal damage. Weapons capable of dealing only nonlethal damage don’t deal extra damage when used as part of a sudden strike.
Armored Ease (Ex): You learn to adapt your movements to the restrictive nature of armor. Starting at 2nd level, you reduce the armour check penalty of any armor with which you are proficient with by 2 and increase its maximum dexterity bonus by +1. At 6th, 10th, and 14th levels, you reduce the armour check penalty of such armor by an additional 2 and increase the maximum dexterity bonus by +1. This ability may not reduce the armour check penalties you take from armor to below 0. At 18th level, you've perfected the integration of your armour with your natural fluid movements. From this point forward you never suffer armour check penalties from armor and may always use your full Dexterity bonus.
Steel Shadows (Su): At 2nd level the shadows at your command seek to prevent harm to you by intercepting attacks that would otherwise strike you. This grants the character the listed bonus as a shield bonus to AC.
Beshadowed Blade (Su): At 3rd level you are able to command the shadows to instantly envelope your weapon(s) in a sheath of pitch black darkness. This shroud of shadow grants a bonus to Bluff (feint) skill checks equal to half of your class level (rounded up) because it is difficult for enemies to perceive the motion of your weapon while attacking (note that no matter how many weapons the character wields he only recieves this benefit once). This effect applies to any held/wielded weapon including weapons which are thrown, however. The effect ends at the end of your turn after making a ranged attack with a thrown weapon(s). The beshadowed blade grants additional benefits as the character progresses.
- At 7th level, the obfuscating effects of the shrouded weapon allow the character to feint as a swift action.
- At 11th level, your blade becomes a weapon of shadows, allowing it to harm incorporeal and ethereal creatures as though it were a force weapon. Furthermore, the weapon may not be sundered.
- At 15th level the shadows that grip your weapon become far trickier, bending at nearly impossible angles. When using your beshadowed blade, you may feint as a free action in combat a number of times per round equal to the shadowblades Dexterity modifier.
- At 19th level the umbral power of the character's beshadowed blade now strikes true against most creatures. By relying on the reflective nature of shadows the blade is now capable of overcoming most types of damage reduction. This ability imbues the character's shrouded blade with the shadow striking weapon special ability. This is in addition to any special properties the weapon already has.
Shadowsight (Ex): At 3rd level, you can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.
Shrouded Armour (Su): This ability allows you to imbue shadows into a suit of armour with which you are proficient with. The imbued item grants several benefits to the character. At 4th level the shadows laced into the suit of armour grant you a certain degree of grace. While wearing your shrouded armour, you do not suffer from a reduction in speed. Furthermore, you gain evasion, as the rogue class feature except that it applies no matter what armor you wear. You can only have one such suit of armour imbued with this ability, however. You may change the armour which this ability is applied to by performing a 1 minute ritual after resting for 8 hours.
- At 8th level the shrouded armour is instilled with the preternatural grace and fluidity of shadow. From this point forward you take no penalty on Hide or Move Silently checks while moving at up to your normal speed, and you take only a –10 penalty on Hide and Move Silently checks when running or charging (instead of the usual –20).
- At 12th level your shrouded armour is now so steeped in shadows and darkness that the armour grants you concealment against all attacks.
- At 16th level your shrouded armour continually leaks streamers of shadows. This effect grants the shadowblade the ability to hide in plain sight — that is, you can use the Hide skill even while being observed.
- At 20th level your shrouded armour can pull you fully into the shadows. This allows you to use shadow walk as a spell-like ability once per day.
Graceful Strike (Ex): At 4th level, a shadowblade becomes able to make attacks which take advantage of the shadowblade's grace and fluidity during combat. He applies his Dexterity bonus (if any) as a bonus on damage rolls (in addition to any Strength bonus she may have) with any weapon which has been imbued with the beshadowed blade ability. Targets immune to sneak attacks or critical hits are immune to the shadowblade's graceful strike.
Slip Between the Shadows (Su): At 5th level, a shadowblade gains the ability to travel between shadows similar in effect to a dimension door spell. The limitation is that the magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some shadow. A shadowblade can jump up to a total of 20 feet each day in this way; this may be a single jump of 20 feet or two jumps of 10 feet each. Every two levels higher than 5th, the distance a shadowblade can jump each day increases by 20 feeet(40 feet at 7th, 60 feet at 9th, etc). This amount can be split among many jumps, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a 10-foot increment. Activating this ability is a standard action, at 10th level activating this ability becomes a swift action and at 15th activating this ability becomes a free action.
I would also like to add an ability that increases the maximum Dexterity modifier of armour worn. But I am unsure where it should go. Any insight into this issue would be welcomed.
Thanks for any and all input!
Cheers
Volf
EDIT: Please see above for finalized version of the shadowblade class.Last edited by Volfogg; 2011-07-01 at 04:39 PM.
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2011-06-30, 04:38 AM (ISO 8601)Orc in the Playground
- Join Date
- Jun 2008
Re: [3.5] Shadowblade. New base class. PEACH pls.
I like very much the concept, but I think that the Beshadowed blade shold give another ability at 15th.
By that level, having a +1 ability on the weapon is cheap. I think hitting true concealed and incorporeal creatures would fit better the concept, but it is just an opinion.
Otherwise, it is a very definite class and it seems quite interesting to play
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2011-06-30, 11:14 AM (ISO 8601)Troll in the Playground
- Join Date
- Apr 2007
Re: [3.5] Shadowblade. New base class. PEACH pls.
Looks like a decent attempt at a stealthy warrior. Definitely balanced so there's no real power issues to worry about. That said, this class seems a bit... underwhelming as several abilities scale oddly and others (such as evasion at 12th level and frost at 15th level) seem to give too little too late.
Off the top of my head, I'd recommend something like this:
On the other, you may have been trying to make a class for use in campaigns where spellthieves, monks, samurai, and other such classes are common or you may be trying to stay on the safer side of things, in which case your original work is pretty much right on the ball.
Originally Posted by Volfogg
Spoiler
[IMG][/IMG]
Shadowblades are a martial practitioner which seeks to enhance their combat prowess by mastering their ability to use stealth, and shadows, to their advantage. Unlike normal warriors shadowblades will seek to find the advantage against an opponent. Whether it be striking from the shadows or launching a deadly volley of arrows from cover a shadowblade seeks to first weaken his target before closing in for the kill. Through intense study and the ability to harness the darkness of the world around him, as well as that which dwells within him, the shadowblade is able to move about in the heaviest armour and still remain silent and hidden. This mastery of darkness also allows the shadowblade to cloak his weapon in an obscuring sheen of pitch black night which both enhances his weapon and his combat prowess.
Adventures: Most shadowblades travel and adventure in order to hone their martial skills as well as their mastery of stealth and darkness. Many shadowblades will find themselves acting as an enforcer, or operative, for a local crime lord. Others still are the shadowy protector of some nobleman who wishes his guard to remain hidden until needed most. While others skulk about using stealth to waylay those they deem as prey. Lastly, there are a great many shadowblades that work as hired killers. Using their abilities to hunt down and kill those that have been marked for eradication.
Characteristics: Shadowblades are warriors of darkness. They are capable martial combatants, however, before engaging an enemy they will seek to gain an advantage. Oftentimes the advantage is as simple as catching their mark unawares by sneaking up on them. They also wield their shadowed blades to great affect. The beshadowed weapons are well known for leaving their opponents confounded as to where the shadowblade will strike next.
Alignment: Any. Although there is a noticable inclination towards chaotic or evil alignments. Most individuals that become shadowblades are prone to becoming assassins or hitmen.
Religion: Self reliance and determination is usually the only faith a shadowblade has time for, however. It is not unknown for some to actively worship dieties associated with darkness, thievery or assassination. There has been at least one account of a shadowblade that thought himself a specially blessed servant of a god of darkness. He believed that all of his abilities were a boon granted to him by his diety.
Background: WIP.
Races: WIP.
Other Classes: Shadowblades are usually found amongst others with a natural inclination towards subtlety. This includes, but is not limited to, rogues, monks, shadowcasters and fellow shadowblades.
Role: The shadowblade is primarily a warrior. Even though their abilities allow them to be incredibly stealthy, even while heavely armoured, they are still front line fighters. The ability to wear heavy armour as well as their other more defensive abilities allow them to enter and remain in melee combat without fear.
Game Rule Information
Abilities: Dexterity is one of the shadowblade's most important stats as it greatly enhances his stealth, however. Constitution and Strength are equally important as well being that the character is a warrior and will find himself in the frontlines often.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level: ( 4+ Int Modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4+ Int Modifier
{table=head]Level|BaB|Fort|Ref|Will |Special|Steel Shadows
1st|+1|+2|+2|+0|Improved Feint, Sudden Strike +1d6|--
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+0| Armoured Ease (-2, +1), Steel Shadows|+1
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+1|Beshadowed Blade (wrap in shadow), Shadowsight|+1
4th|+4|+4|+4|+1|Shrouded Armour (unbridled grace)|+1
5th|+5|+4|+4|+1|Sudden Strike +2d6|+1
6th|+6|+5|+5|+2|Armored Ease (-4, +2) |+2
7th|+7|+5|+5|+2|Beshadowed Blade (shadow feint) |+2
8th|+8|+6|+6|+2|Shrouded Armour (Unrivaled Stealth) |+2
9th|+9|+6|+6|+3|Sudden Strike +3d6|+2
10th|+10|+7|+7|+3|Armored Ease (-6, +3) |+3
11th|+11|+7|+7|+3|Beshadowed Blade (ephemeral blade) |+3
12th|+12|+8|+8|+4|Shrouded Armor (Concealment) |+3
13th|+13|+8|+8|+4|Sudden Strike +4d6|+3
14th|+14|+9|+9|+4|Armored Ease (-8, +4) |+4
15th|+15|+9|+9|+5|Beshadowed Blade (endless feint) |+4
16th|+16|+10|+10|+5|Shrouded Armor (Hide in Plain Sight) |+4
17th|+17|+10|+10|+5|Sudden Strike +5d6|+4
18th|+18|+11|+11|+6|Armored Ease (endless) |+5
19th|+19|+11|+11|+6|Beshadowed Blade (shadowstriking) |+5
20th|+20|+12|+12|+6|Shrouded Armor (Shadow Step) |+ 5[/table]
Class Features: All of the following are class features of the Shadowblade class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Shadowblades are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light).
Improved Feint: You are a master at disguising your own movements, attacking where others least expect it. At 1st level, you gain improved feint as a bonus feat.
explanation:SpoilerWhile it is completely reasonable to keep move action feints “hostage” until beshadowed blade grants them, the fact remains that improved feint can grant this benefit as early as level one and giving it so much later tells players NOT to take a feat that fits the character design so well. As such, granting it at first level shouldn’t be much of a problem.
Sudden Strike (Ex): If you can catch an opponent when she is unable to defend herself effectively from your attack, you can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Whenever your target is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC against your attack (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus to Armor Class or not), you deal an extra 1d6 points of damage with your attack. The extra damage increases to 2d6 at 8th level and to 3d6 at 14th level and 4d6 at 19th level.
Ranged attacks count as sudden strikes only if the target is within 30 feet; you can’t strike with deadly accuracy from beyond this range. You can only use sudden strike against living creatures with discernible anatomies — undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack.
Any creature that is immune to extra damage from critical hits is not vulnerable to sudden strike damage. You must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. You cannot make a sudden strike while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are out of reach.
You can’t use sudden strike to deliver nonlethal damage. Weapons capable of dealing only nonlethal damage don’t deal extra damage when used as part of a sudden strike
explanation:SpoilerAlthough this guy gets one more attack than a ninja, it seems to me that merely halving the damage done would keep this thing balanced enough. Otherwise, all of that feinting isn’t doing this guy much good.
Armored Ease (Ex): You learn to adapt your movements to the restrictive nature of armor. Starting at 2nd level, you reduce the armour check penalty of any armor with which you are proficient with by 2 and increase its maximum dexterity bonus by +1. At 6th, 10th, and 14th levels, you reduce the armour check penalty of such armor by an additional 2 and increase the maximum dexterity bonus by +1. This ability may not reduce the armour check penalties you take from armor to below 0. At 18th level, you never suffer armour check penalties from armor and may always use your full Dexterity bonus.
explanation:SpoilerYou wanted an ability to improve maximum dex bonuses and tucking it into this ability seemed like the way to do it. You also gain this ability more often and eventually gain a “capstone” by saving you from all armor.
Steel Shadows (Su): At 2nd level the shadows at your command seek to prevent harm to you by intercepting attacks that would otherwise strike you. This grants the character the listed bonus as a shield bonus to AC.
Explanation:SpoilerThis ability has been spread out a bit further with more even advancement to help make the levels where you gain armoured ease more interesting/beneficial. It also gets up to +5 (1 higher than the original) but I can’t imagine it making much of a difference.
Beshadowed Blade (Su): At 3rd level you are able to command the shadows to envelope your weapon in a sheath of pitch black darkness. This shroud of shadow grants a bonus to feint checks equal to half of your class level (rounded up) because it is difficult for enemies to perceive the motion of your weapon while attacking. Furthermore, the weapon blends physically into the shadows on your person, making it impossible to find when stowed away unless you wish it. You can only have one such weapon imbued with this ability, however. You may change the weapon to which this ability is applied to by performing a 10 minute ritual after resting for 8 hours. The beshadowed blade grants additional benefits as the character progresses.
- At 7th level, the obfuscating effects of the shrouded weapon allow the character to feint as a swift action.
- At 11th level, your blade becomes a weapon of shadows, allowing it to harm incorporeal and ethereal creatures as though it were a force weapon. Furthermore, the weapon may not be sundered.
- At 15th level the shadows that grip your weapon become far trickier, bending at nearly impossible angles. When using your beshadowed blade, you may feint against a single creature any number of times in combat.
- At 19th level the umbral power of the character's beshadowed blade now strikes true against most creatures. By relying on the reflective nature of shadows the blade is now capable of overcoming most types of damage reduction. This ability imbues the character's shrouded blade with the shadow striking weapon special ability. This is in addition to any special properties the weapon already has.
Explanation:SpoilerI found the advancement of this ability to be a bit odd (3 feint abilities followed by two non-feint abilities gained at odd levels) so I spread the abilities out a bit more even. In this version, the feint bonus increases with your level, you get some insurance against theft and sundering, you can strike incorporeal/ethereal creatures/ and you gain infinite feint attempts in combat. As mentioned by the above poster, the frost ability is kind of weak at 15th level and it has been removed (although it is admittedly quite flavorful)
Shadowsight (Ex): At 3rd level, you can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.
Explanation:SpoilerThis ability is pretty good and was left unchanged.
Shrouded Armour (Su): This ability allows you to imbue shadows into a suit of armour with which you are proficient with. The imbued item grants several benefits to the character. At 4th level the shadows laced into the suit of armour grant you a certain degree of grace. While wearing your shrouded armour, you do not suffer from a reduction in speed. Furthermore, you gain evasion, as the rogue class feature except that it applies no matter what armor you wear. You can only have one such suit of armour imbued with this ability, however. You may change the armour which this ability is applied to by performing a 10 minute ritual after resting for 8 hours.
- At 8th level the shrouded armour is instilled with the preternatural grace and fluidity of shadow. From this point forward you take no penalty on Hide or Move Silently checks while moving at up to your normal speed, and you take only a –10 penalty on Hide and Move Silently checks when running or charging (instead of the usual –20).
- At 12th level your shrouded armour is now so steeped in shadows and darkness that the armour grants you concealment against all attacks.
- At 16th level your shrouded armour continually leaks streamers of shadows. This effect grants the shadowblade the ability to hide in plain sight — that is, you can use the Hide skill even while being observed.
- At 20th level your shrouded armour can pull you fully into the shadows. As a standard action, you may become ethereal until the end of your turn.
Explanation:SpoilerThe first thing that you may notice is that slip between the shadows has been incorporated into the 4th level ability. The thing is that gaining evasion by 12th level seems really quite late by the standards of most stealth classes (although I might very well be overshooting things) and this approach kind of streamlines the class table. Not much else has been changed except for the removal of the addition of a capstone ability to allow for tactical movement.
Edit: oh, yeah, there was one more thing. The concealment that this ability granted was turned into a simple miss chance as possessing actual concealment allows a creature to use the hide skill, making hide in plain sight pretty useless (and I’m guessing that wasn’t your intention).never mind.
Last edited by Realms of Chaos; 2011-06-30 at 11:18 AM.
I'm try not to be too vain but this was too perfect not to sig.
At long last, I have an extended signature Originally Posted by Primal Fury
okay RoC, that is enough! the gitp boards can only take so much awsome, you might actually hurt somebody with this one!
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2011-06-30, 01:08 PM (ISO 8601)Troll in the Playground
- Join Date
- Aug 2009
Re: [3.5] Shadowblade. New base class. PEACH pls.
What's your intended balance point? This class obviously draws a lot of inspiration from the ninja, but that class is widely reviled for being weak and ineffective. As RoC mentioned, if your campaign consists mostly of low-end classes, this is ok-ish, but if you intend it for play with classes like ToB classes, warlocks, duskblades, or even the big boys like cleric, druid, and wizard, then it needs a significant power upgrade.
Subclasses for 5E: magus of blades, shadowcraft assassin, spellthief, void disciple
Guides for 5E: Practical fiend-binding
D&D Remix for 3.x: balanced base classes and feats, all in the authentic flavor of the originals. Most popular: monk and fighter.
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2011-06-30, 04:10 PM (ISO 8601)Halfling in the Playground
- Join Date
- May 2011
Re: [3.5] Shadowblade. New base class. PEACH pls.
First off I would like to thank everyone for their comments and insight. It's greatly appreciated.
I would also like to thank Realms of Chaos for basically redoing the class. I rather like what you've done with it.
So, without further ado, here is the updated class:
Spoiler{table=head]Level|BaB|Fort|Ref|Will |Special|Steel Shadows
1st|+1|+2|+2|+0|Improved Feint, Sudden Strike +1d6|--
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+0|Armoured Ease (-2, +1), Steel Shadows|+1
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+1|Beshadowed Blade (wrap in shadow), Shadowsight|+1
4th|+4|+4|+4|+1|Shrouded Armour (unbridled grace), Graceful Strike|+1
5th|+5|+4|+4|+1|Sudden Strike +2d6|+1
6th|+6|+5|+5|+2|Armored Ease (-4, +2)|+2
7th|+7|+5|+5|+2|Beshadowed Blade (shadow feint)|+2
8th|+8|+6|+6|+2|Shrouded Armour (Unrivaled Stealth)|+2
9th|+9|+6|+6|+3|Sudden Strike +3d6|+2
10th|+10|+7|+7|+3|Armored Ease (-6, +3)|+3
11th|+11|+7|+7|+3|Beshadowed Blade (ephemeral blade)|+3
12th|+12|+8|+8|+4|Shrouded Armor (Concealment)|+3
13th|+13|+8|+8|+4|Sudden Strike +4d6|+3
14th|+14|+9|+9|+4|Armored Ease (-8, +4) |+4
15th|+15|+9|+9|+5|Beshadowed Blade (endless feint)|+4
16th|+16|+10|+10|+5|Shrouded Armor (Hide in Plain Sight)|+4
17th|+17|+10|+10|+5|Sudden Strike +5d6|+4
18th|+18|+11|+11|+6|Armored Ease (endless)|+5
19th|+19|+11|+11|+6|Beshadowed Blade (shadowstriking)|+5
20th|+20|+12|+12|+6|Shrouded Armor (Shadow Step)|+5[/table]
Class Features: All of the following are class features of the Shadowblade class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Shadowblades are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light).
Improved Feint: You are a master at disguising your own movements, attacking where others least expect it. At 1st level, you gain improved feint as a bonus feat.
Sudden Strike (Ex): If you can catch an opponent when she is unable to defend herself effectively from your attack, you can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Whenever your target is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC against your attack (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus to Armor Class or not), you deal an extra 1d6 points of damage with your attack. The extra damage increases to 2d6 at 5th level and to 3d6 at 9th level and 4d6 at 13th level and to 5d6 at 17th level.
Ranged attacks count as sudden strikes only if the target is within 30 feet; you can’t strike with deadly accuracy from beyond this range. You can only use sudden strike against living creatures with discernible anatomies — undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack.
Any creature that is immune to extra damage from critical hits is not vulnerable to sudden strike damage. You must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. You cannot make a sudden strike while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are out of reach.
You can’t use sudden strike to deliver nonlethal damage. Weapons capable of dealing only nonlethal damage don’t deal extra damage when used as part of a sudden strike.
Armored Ease (Ex): You learn to adapt your movements to the restrictive nature of armor. Starting at 2nd level, you reduce the armour check penalty of any armor with which you are proficient with by 2 and increase its maximum dexterity bonus by +1. At 6th, 10th, and 14th levels, you reduce the armour check penalty of such armor by an additional 2 and increase the maximum dexterity bonus by +1. This ability may not reduce the armour check penalties you take from armor to below 0. At 18th level, you never suffer armour check penalties from armor and may always use your full Dexterity bonus.
Steel Shadows (Su): At 2nd level the shadows at your command seek to prevent harm to you by intercepting attacks that would otherwise strike you. This grants the character the listed bonus as a shield bonus to AC.
Beshadowed Blade (Su): At 3rd level you are able to command the shadows to envelope your weapon in a sheath of pitch black darkness. This shroud of shadow grants a bonus to Bluff (feint) skill checks equal to half of your class level (rounded up) because it is difficult for enemies to perceive the motion of your weapon while attacking. Furthermore, the weapon blends physically into the shadows on your person, making it impossible to find when stowed away unless you wish it. You can only have one such weapon imbued with this ability, however. You may change the weapon to which this ability is applied to by performing a 1 minute ritual after resting for 8 hours. The beshadowed blade grants additional benefits as the character progresses.
- At 7th level, the obfuscating effects of the shrouded weapon allow the character to feint as a swift action.
- At 11th level, your blade becomes a weapon of shadows, allowing it to harm incorporeal and ethereal creatures as though it were a force weapon. Furthermore, the weapon may not be sundered.
- At 15th level the shadows that grip your weapon become far trickier, bending at nearly impossible angles. When using your beshadowed blade, you may feint as a free action in combat a number of times per round equal to the shadowblades Dexterity modifier.
- At 19th level the umbral power of the character's beshadowed blade now strikes true against most creatures. By relying on the reflective nature of shadows the blade is now capable of overcoming most types of damage reduction. This ability imbues the character's shrouded blade with the shadow striking weapon special ability. This is in addition to any special properties the weapon already has.
Shadowsight (Ex): At 3rd level, you can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.
Shrouded Armour (Su): This ability allows you to imbue shadows into a suit of armour with which you are proficient with. The imbued item grants several benefits to the character. At 4th level the shadows laced into the suit of armour grant you a certain degree of grace. While wearing your shrouded armour, you do not suffer from a reduction in speed. Furthermore, you gain evasion, as the rogue class feature except that it applies no matter what armor you wear. You can only have one such suit of armour imbued with this ability, however. You may change the armour which this ability is applied to by performing a 1 minute ritual after resting for 8 hours.
- At 8th level the shrouded armour is instilled with the preternatural grace and fluidity of shadow. From this point forward you take no penalty on Hide or Move Silently checks while moving at up to your normal speed, and you take only a –10 penalty on Hide and Move Silently checks when running or charging (instead of the usual –20).
- At 12th level your shrouded armour is now so steeped in shadows and darkness that the armour grants you concealment against all attacks.
- At 16th level your shrouded armour continually leaks streamers of shadows. This effect grants the shadowblade the ability to hide in plain sight — that is, you can use the Hide skill even while being observed.
- At 20th level your shrouded armour can pull you fully into the shadows. This allows you to use shadow walk as a spell-like ability once per day.
Graceful Strike (Ex): At 4th level, a shadowblade becomes able to make attacks which take advantage of the shadowblade's grace and fluidity during combat. He applies his Dexterity bonus (if any) as a bonus on damage rolls (in addition to any Strength bonus she may have) with any weapon which has been imbued with the beshadowed blade ability. Targets immune to sneak attacks or critical hits are immune to the shadowblade's graceful strike.
I thought that I would also include a feat, for those dual wielders out there, to help support the class:
So, how does it look now?DUAL BESHADOWED BLADE
You are now able to imbue two weapons with your beshadowed blade ability.
Prerequisites: Beshadowed blade ability.
Benefit: You can imbue two weapons with your beshadowed blade ability.
I would like the shadowblade to be a viable class when in the same company of warblades, duskblades, clerics etc. I am not going for something that can split mountains with a sideways glance but at the very least I want something that, if among the big hitters, a player would choose to play. Originally Posted by jiriku
Cheers
VolfLast edited by Volfogg; 2011-07-01 at 09:41 AM.
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2011-06-30, 05:53 PM (ISO 8601)Barbarian in the Playground
- Join Date
- Jan 2011
Re: [3.5] Shadowblade. New base class. PEACH pls.
I suggest taking a few looks at the Shadeknife, which has some juicy range extension, auto-feint, and short-range teleportation effects that fit in perfectly. You might even grant a few Shadow Magic Mysteries at higher levels, like a Paladin's spellcasting.
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2011-06-30, 06:04 PM (ISO 8601)Halfling in the Playground
- Join Date
- May 2011
Re: [3.5] Shadowblade. New base class. PEACH pls.
That is a spiffy class! However, I want to stay as close as possible with my original intent. I really want to refrain from adding any spellcasting to the class. I believe now, with the changes that have been made, the class is robust enough and varied enough that spells/spell-like abilities are no longer required. Although I did manage to slip in a daily use of shadow walk. :P Originally Posted by Gideon Falcon
Cheers
Volf
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2011-06-30, 07:38 PM (ISO 8601)Troll in the Playground
- Join Date
- Apr 2007
Re: [3.5] Shadowblade. New base class. PEACH pls.
The class looks decent right now but it suffers from a pretty large problem. Namely, it has a hard time dealing damage.
This guy relies on sudden strike to deal damage, meaning that a surprise attack allows for one sudden strike against a foe. Because this class specializes in feinting, he can get a single additional sudden strike. Because you can't feint a single target more than once in an encounter, however, you can only get that one additional sudden strike before becoming pretty bad at dealing damage.
I'm try not to be too vain but this was too perfect not to sig.
At long last, I have an extended signature Originally Posted by Primal Fury
okay RoC, that is enough! the gitp boards can only take so much awsome, you might actually hurt somebody with this one!
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2011-07-01, 09:40 AM (ISO 8601)Halfling in the Playground
- Join Date
- May 2011
Re: [3.5] Shadowblade. New base class. PEACH pls.
Um ... I must be having a stupid moment but where exactly is that rule found? As it stands now the shadowblade can feint as a free action a number of times per round equal to their Dexterity modifier. Which would allow them to feint versus a single target multiple times during a round. This should allow them to deal a decent amount of damage at higher levels. Originally Posted by Realms of Chaos
The class looks decent right now but it suffers from a pretty large problem. Namely, it has a hard time dealing damage.
This guy relies on sudden strike to deal damage, meaning that a surprise attack allows for one sudden strike against a foe. Because this class specializes in feinting, he can get a single additional sudden strike. Because you can't feint a single target more than once in an encounter, however, you can only get that one additional sudden strike before becoming pretty bad at dealing damage.
Cheers
Volf
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2011-07-01, 11:36 AM (ISO 8601)Troll in the Playground
- Join Date
- Apr 2007
Re: [3.5] Shadowblade. New base class. PEACH pls.
Huh... I guess that was my mistake. For some reason, I've always thought that you can't feint a single target more than once per encounter.
Well, I'm more than glad to be wrong.I'm try not to be too vain but this was too perfect not to sig.
At long last, I have an extended signature Originally Posted by Primal Fury
okay RoC, that is enough! the gitp boards can only take so much awsome, you might actually hurt somebody with this one!
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2011-07-01, 03:54 PM (ISO 8601)Halfling in the Playground
- Join Date
- May 2011
Re: [3.5] Shadowblade. New base class. PEACH pls.
No problem Realms of Chaos. I would much prefer someone to speak their mind then to remain silent. Originally Posted by Realms of Chaos
Huh... I guess that was my mistake. For some reason, I've always thought that you can't feint a single target more than once per encounter.
Well, I'm more than glad to be wrong.
<drum roll> After much blood, sweat and tears I have completed the final version (hopefully) of the shadowblade. Please see my 1st post with the draft and final version. Thanks for all of the help/comments/insight/suggestions. They were all awesome! Without everyone's help this would never have succeeded in becoming what it is now.
Cheers
Volf
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