Shadow Warrior (Incomplete)

[Cielingcat]

Which means that as long as you're willing to never take a swift action, Shadow Discorporation is total invulnerability.

[Bigode]

Which managed to be more broken than timeless body, since the latter blocks helpful effects and carries a PP cost.

[Ecureuil_Diabolique]

But with timeless body you can make attacks, with this ability you can't even attack. It's basically a get out of jail free card. A really awesome get out of jail free card.

[CalibronXXX]

Better than I thought it was, but still seems reasonable for level 19 or 20. In order to hurt you people will have to use readied actions or their own immediate actions. Considering your classes otherwise lackluster offensive and defensive options for that level of play it honestly doesn't strike me as unbalanced.

[Bigode]

Ecureuil: actually, the shadow warrior would attack on its turn and be invulnerable out of it.

Calibron: I did think the same for combats against classed PCs (which, ironically, makes it OK for my games), but remembered the "lots of relatively sucker monsters" style prevalent here, and doubted whether the same would apply for it. For me, it really would be OK against PC-like guys.

[Ecureuil_Diabolique]

Oh yeah, duh. I knew I was forgetting something. Well no AoO's?

Either way it doesn't make him totally invulnerable because he still has his turn, which spells that are already in effect could harm him, right? Also the thing about readied actions and such.

So have you decided on a concrete capstone ability yet, Cielingcat? A cool one would be something like everyone's (That are targeted, of course) shadows attack them or the like. I just thought that would look really cool.

[Cielingcat]

Yeah, readied actions should be enough to keep it balanced, especially since it's A: level 19 and B: the monster can just attack someone else.

For a capstone, I like my Black Tentacles idea.

Edit: Hmm, what if Shadow Discorporation made you immune to everything until the end of the current turn? So you can dodge any one monster's attacks, but your invulnerability ends with his turn.

[Aktariel]

Sweet class, man.

Now I can play a stereotypical CG drow with twin... claws. And six tentacles.

I think that a permanent Evard's Black Tentacles effect in the area of Shadow Mire wouldn't be at all broken.


Question: How do his weapons interact with the F&K Tome feats Two Weapon Fighting and Insightful Strike?

Also, do they count as natural weapons for the purpose of Improved Natural Attack?



In terms of concept, maybe he's a Void Warrior. Which is shadow/space/cold/negative energy themed all in one simple four letter word.

[Cielingcat]

Shadow Warrior sounds cooler.

Black Tentacles would be a lot better than the spell, since a 4th level spell is not appropriate for level 20.

His weapons interact normally with Insightful Strike (claws become 15-20x3, tentacles 19-20x5), and not at all with Two-Weapon Fighting, as they are natural attacks. Since the claws are "treated as any other natural weapons" they would count as such for INA.

[Aktariel]

This is true: I was simply offering a solution to the differing ideas/concepts about shadow.

Again, I stand corrected. So how would it work?

So.... you get *counts on fingers* eight attacks at 20th level?

How about rapidstrike? [And any suggestions on a Tome feat for this?]

[Cielingcat]

It works as outlined in the first post, which I've now updated.

Yes, you get 8 attacks at level 16, and you continue to have 8 attacks at levels 17, 18, 19, and 20. Rapidstrike would give you 2 more, and I'm not sure if that'd be balanced, but I don't really care; balancing the class against the whole of WotC material is impossible.

[JonSetanta]

Yep one can go insane that way. Believe me, I've been there. It's not pretty, seeing everything WOTC has made, and comparing it, all at once.

My advice is to stick to comparing to Fighter/Barbarian at low levels, Cleric/Druid in medium range, and Wizard in the high range. If it can't hold its own in any of those ranges, it'll need work.
But that's just my theory.

Frank's is that all classes should compare to the capabilities of a Specialist Transmuter; if the class can't keep up with that specialist and anything those spells can do, they will be left behind. I'm trying that theory but it seems there are some weak points especially when it comes to running out of spells vs. the 'consistent power' of warrior-types, and the sheer physical wimpiness of mages as they begin their careers.

Take what you will from that, and spit the rest out.

[Ecureuil_Diabolique]

Great class, I assume you're completely finished right?

Mechanically I mean, because I want to see if I can use this class in a game I'm in.

[Cielingcat]

Finished except for skills and flavor, yeah.

[Koumei]

I approve wholeheartedly of this class.

One idea: There's a spell I'm fond of, called Shadow Well. 4th level Sorc/Wiz spell, and it drops the target into the Plane of Shadow for 1 round/level on a failed Will save. When they emerge, they're Shaken/Frightened/Whatever.

Think there's a level it could get slotted into, just because?

[Cielingcat]

I'm not sure. If someone gets around to playing it, and a level seems underpowered, then we could drop it there.

[Koumei]

Well, in a game I'm running, a level 4 one is going to be the next enemy, I'll mention how it goes - it's a Tome game, and the only thing they've fought so far is a team of 12 kobold warriors. Those little bastards got exactly what was coming to them.

So I'll let you know how it fares. As for actually playing, well, if I get the chance *shrug*

[Cielingcat]

At level 4 he should sneak around and try to separate people, then drop Darkness and attack from the shadows. Basically be an Assassin without the Death Attack, and make sure to take advantage of light-sources.

[Koumei]

Yeah, I figured that's what he'll be doing, mostly. Also with plenty of (when visible) leaping around like a fighting game character. Lots of double-jumping for the win.

[Bigode]

Well, that's what I think the version I'll use will look like. The highlight is the GTFO to the nightwalker, as I hate item/cohort abilities. Comment on balance with regards to the shadow warrior would be appreciated.

Cielingcat: you're near the point where you'd do better changing the thread title ...

---

VOIDWEAVER

Hit Die: d8.
Attack: Good.
Fortitude: Good.
Reflex: Good.
Will: Good.
Skill Points: 6.
Proficiencies: Simple weapons.

Class Skills: Balance, Climb, Craft, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Search, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble.

Void Armament (Su): As a free action, a voidweaver can form or dismiss a pair of weapons for themselves. They are treated as any other natural weapons, deal a base 1d6 damage (for a Medium voidweaver), and have a critical threat range of 19-20. They strike as magic weapons, and last until dismissed.
At 5th level, and every 5 levels thereafter, the voidweaver becomes able to form an additional pair of weapons. The additional weapons are all secondary.

Void Shroud (Su): As a free action, a voidweaver can form or dismiss a cloak that offers them protection. It gives them an armor bonus to AC equal to 4 plus half their class level. The shroud absorbs the light around it, causing the area within 60 feet of the voidweaver to be dim, as well as supressing any light effects in the area, unless they were created with an effective level higher than the voidweaver's character level. This does not interfere with vision, but it does allow creatures with light blindness to function normally.

See the Void (Su): A voidweaver can see perfectly in darkness of any kind.

Voidstep (Ex): At 2nd level and every 5 levels thereafter, all the voidweaver's base speeds increase by 10 feet.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su): A 2nd-level voidweaver can use the Hide skill even while being observed.

Dark Weave (Sp): A 3rd-level voidweaver can use darkness at will as a spell-like ability. Unlike the normal darkness, this ability does not actually shed light; it merely dims it to the level of shadowy illumination. If the area is already that dark, nothing happens.

Draining Strike (Su): The natural weapons of a 4th-level voidweaver deal an extra 1d6 points of negative energy, fire or cold damage, chosen for each attack.
At level 9 and every 5 levels thereafter, this extra damage increases by 1d6.

Darkstalker (Ex): When a 5th-level voidweaver hides, creatures with blindsense, blindsight, scent, or tremorsense must make Listen or Spot checks to notice them, regardless of those special qualities.

Voidstrike (Su): A 6th-level voidweaver’s natural weapons automatically bypass hardness and damage reduction, and can strike incorporeal creatures as if they had the ghost touch property.

Dark Grinders (Ex): A 7th-level voidweaver's dark armament has a critical multiplier of x3.

Void's Expanse (Ex): An 8th-level voidweaver adds 5 feet to the reach of its dark armament. It can still attack adjacent foes.

Void Unbound (Su): A 9th-level voidweaver's land speed is no longer bound by gravity.

Soulstrike (Su): A 10th-level voidweaver’s natural weapons inflict one negative level per hit, and creatures killed by these negative levels become shadows under the control of the voidweaver. These shadows are not able to create spawn, and the voidweaver cannot control a total Challenge Rating of shadows higher than their own, minus 2.
A 16th-level voidweaver can spawn greater shadows instead.

Dark Mire (Su): A 11th-level voidweaver can turn the air up to 60 feet around them into seeping, watery shadow. Moving within this area costs 10 feet of movement for every 5 feet that a creature wishes to move. The voidweaver is immune to this effect. This effect can be activated, disactivated or resized as a free action.

Inner Entropy (Ex): None of a 12th-level voidweaver's class features, or their effects, can be dispelled or suppressed. Also, the voidweaver cannot be detected by magical means.

Dark Secrets (Sp): A 13th-level voidweaver can use blacklight, greater blink and shadow walk at will as spell-like abilities.

Twin Strikes (Ex): A 14th-level voidweaver can, at any situation in which they are only allowed one attack, such as a standard action, make one attack with each primary weapon of their dark armament.

Numbing Strike (Su): Any creature hit by a 15th-level voidweaver's dark armament at least twice in a round must make a Charisma-based Will save. Should it fail, it can only take a partial action each round, and has its speed halved, for 1 round per voidweaver class level. A creature already slowed by this ability must, if struck twice in another round, make a further Fortitude save (same DC) or be paralyzed for one round.

Dark Warp (Su): As a swift action, a 16th-level voidweaver can move up to its movement speed in any direction.

Killing Strike (Su): Any creature hit by a 17th-level voidweaver's dark armament at least twice in a round must make a Charisma-based Fortitude save or die instantly. Even creatures normally immune to effects that require Fortitude saves, such as undead, can be killed in this way.

Black Hole (Su): Any creature affected by a 18th-level voidweaver's dark mire class feature is considered grappled. This effect is treated as a Huge creature with a grapple check of 12 plus the voidweaver's base attack bonus, plus the voidweaver's Charisma modifier. It deals 1d4 negative levels at the end of the voidweaver's turn to every creature it has successfully grappled for at least 1 round.

Void's Embrace (Su): As an immediate action, a 19th-level voidweaver can collapse their body in such a way that they cannot be harmed in any way, but are unable to make any attacks. This ability lasts until the beginning of the voidweaver's next turn.

Steal Essence (Su): Any creature hit by a 20th-level voidweaver's dark armament at least twice in a round must make a Charisma-based Will save. Should it fail, the voidweaver makes a replica of it, that exists as long as the enemy lives and the voidweaver has line of effect to the replica. The replica acts as the voidweaver wants during their round, and the voidweaver shares all its senses. The voidweaver can't maintain more than one replica created in this manner at once; whenever a new one could be created, the voidweaver may unmake the former one as a nonaction.

[Bigode]

Well, the last post was mine, but that's in the interest of saying I got the spell name wrong at first - it's blacklight.

[Surgo]

This is about ready for inclusion in the pdf. Could you give a cool opening quote and flavor text?

Also, maybe some immortality ability should be added to the mid-high levels.

[Bigode]

O feline creator,

I get the impression that you don't at all care to finish the shadow warrior. If that's right, do you mind me doing it?

[Cielingcat]

What is there left to finish? Skills and flavor?

Oh, and I've now changed Shadow Discorporation to work like I wanted it to.

[Bigode]

Yeah, just skills and flavor. And the change seems to work well.