Here is my submission to the community for a Shadow Witch Prestige Class(UPDATED). Beginning at 10th level Shadow Mistress Archetype
(NOTE 1: I borrowed heavily from Winter Witch Prestige class)
)NOTE 2: Pathfinder products sourced are attributed at the end)
Shadow Witch – Prestige Class
The otherworldly powers of shadow witches are inextricably linked with the shadow plane. The shadow patron bestows significant power on the Shadow Witch as a reward for a lifetime of service dedicated to the shadow plane. Accordingly, the Shadow Witch must begin her witch career with the Shadow Patron, and as the Shadow Mistress Archetype in order for the shadow patron to reward her with the prestige class and the power that comes with it.
Class Details
Hit Die: d6.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Shadow Witch, a character must fulfill all the following:
•Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks, Knowledge (planes) 8 ranks
•Spells: Able to cast at least three different spells with the shadow descriptor, one of which must be of 3rd level or higher.
•Special: Must have Shadow Patron
•Special: Must be Shadow Mistress Archetype (Buckley)
•Special: Must possess Shadow Bound and Shadowstrike hexes (Buckley)
Class Skills
The Shadow Witch's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (planes), Stealth (Dex), Perception (Wis), Disguise (Cha), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Base Attack Bonus, Fort Save, Ref Save, and Will Save: These figures stack with the existent Witch BAB and saves and thus are added to the totals.
Level 1:
BAB 0. Fort Save 0. Reflex Save 0. Will Save +1. Special: Shadow Patronage. Shadow Witchraft. Shadow Hex. Bonus Feats Improved Familiar (Shadow Drake), Shadow Familiar Hex. Weapon Focus Athame. Spells Per Day: +1 Level of Witch.
Level 2:
BAB +1. Fort Save +1. Reflex Save +1. Will Save +1. Special: Improved Shadow Bow. Tenebrous Spell Feat mandatory selection. Spells per Day: +1 Level of Witch.
Level 3:
BAB +1. Fort Save +1. Reflex Save +1. Will Save +2. Special: Shadow Spell Hexes: Shadows (Stephens, 2010). Expanding Shroud (Buckley). Major Hex (Major Shadowstrike or Shadow Servant). Spells per Day: +1 Level of Witch.
Level 4:
BAB +2. Fort Save +1. Reflex Save +1. Will Save +2. Special: Darkness. Umbral Spell feat selection mandatory. Spells per Day: +1 Level of Witch.
Level 5:
BAB +2. Fort Save +2. Reflex Save +2. Will Save +3. Special: Biting Shadows (Stephens, 2011). Major Shadowstrike or Shadow Servant Hex. Spells per Day: +1 Level of Witch.
Level 6:
BAB +3. Fort Save +2. Reflex Save +2. Will Save +3. Special: Shadow Sight. Deeper Darkness. Light prohibition. Spells per Day: +1 Level of Witch.
Level 7:
BAB +3. Fort Save +2. Reflex Save +2. Will Save +4. Special: Improved Shadow Summoning. Spells per Day: +1 Level of Witch.
Level 8:
BAB +4. Fort Save +3. Reflex Save +3. Will Save +4. Special: Unearthly Dark Spellcraft, Utter Darkness. Shadow Jump Hex. Spells per Day: +1 Level of Witch.
Level 9:
BAB +4. Fort Save +3. Reflex Save +3. Will Save +5. Special: Monster Summoning VIII (Shadow creatures only). Grand Hex, Major Hex, or Hex. Spells per Day: +1 Level of Witch.
Level 10:
BAB +5. Fort Save +3. Reflex Save +3. Will Save +5. Special: Hag Form, Night (Paul). Supernatural Darkness. Grand Hex, Major Hex, or Hex. Spells per Day: +1 Level of Witch.
Class Features
The following are class features of the shadow witch prestige class:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A shadow witch gains weapon focus, Athame (witch dagger) as a bonus feat.
Mandatory Metamagic Feats: It is an expectation of the shadow patron that the Shadow Witch take the Tenebrous Spell and Umbral Spell meta-magic feats not later then the first opportunity as a Shadow Witch. Thus Shadow Witch feats at 2d and 4th level Shadow Witch must be Tenebrous and Umbral respectively unless already taken.
Shadow Mistress Hexes (Buckley): The Shadow Witch must select Shadow Mistress Archetype (Buckley) hexes when they are mandatory. They include: Cloak of Shadows, Shadow Bow, Shadow Familiar and Shadow Jump (Buckley). Obviously, the Shadow Witch should already have Cloak of Shadows and Shadow Bow as a result of the Shadow Mistress Archetype. Shadow Familiar is selected and attributed to the Shadow Drake at 1st Level Shadow Witch.
Mandatory Hexes: Shadow Bound and Shadowstrike (Buckley).
Spells per Day
At the indicated levels, a shadow witch gains new spells per day, patron spells, feats, and hexes as if she had also gained a level in the witch class. In addition, she gains additional spells per day based on her ability score in addition to the increased level of spellcasting.
Shadow Patronage
A shadow witch’s patron reveals a shadow power perspective. A shadow witch adds the following spells to her spell list at the following class levels, but does not automatically learn them:
11th Level Witch/1st Level Shadow Witch—create shadow pocket (Paul)
13th Level Witch/3d Level Shadow Witch—darkness impedes magic (Paul)
15th Level Witch/5th Level Shadow Witch—persistent night (Paul)
Shadow Witchcraft
Levels of the shadow witch prestige class stack with witch levels for determining when she learns new hexes, the effect of her hexes and other witch class abilities (including archetype abilities), the abilities of her witch's familiar, and the level at which she can select major hexes or grand hexes. In addition, all spells cast with the shadow/darkness descriptor are cast at +1 CL and +1 DC respectively. Finally, the Shadow Witch must take Shadow Mistress hexes when they are mandatory and at the overall level she represents (2d level, Cloak of Shadows, 4th level Shadow Bow, 10th level Shadow Familiar {1st level Shadow Witch), and at 18th level {8th level Shadow Witch} Shadow Jump (Buckley).
Improved Familiar Shadow Drake
Once the Shadow Mistress becomes a Shadow Witch her patron bestows the Improved Familiar feat and presents her with a Shadow Drake familiar (and applies the Shadow Familiar Hex). Her old familiar does not disappear and may remain as a pet if the witch can communicate via Feral Tongues hex only. The new Shadow Drake familiar automatically knows all the spells known by the former familiar.
Shadow Hex
Starting at 1st level, whenever a shadow witch can choose a major hex, she must choose from the following hexes:
•Shadow Familiar (Mandatory) (Buckley)
•Shadow servant (Buckley)
•Major Shadowstrike (must have Shadowstrike Hex) (Buckley)
Once the shadow witch has selected all three shadow hexes, she may thereafter choose any other hex she meets the prerequisites for.
Improved Shadow Bow (Su)
At 2nd level, a shadow witch’s shadow bow (Buckley) becomes much more effective and bestows the following feats for the witch: Intelligent weapon finesse (with intelligence used as the primary modifier instead of dexterity), weapon focus shadow bow (+1 attack), weapon specialization, shadow bow (+2 damage) and spell focus - necromancy (+1 save DC vs blindness effect). For attack and damage purposes, the shadow bow is considered magical. Shadowstrike hexes may also be applied to the shadow bow as per shadow bow hex. These feat effects apply only to the shadow bow and do not apply to any other bow weapon (thus the witch cannot apply these feats to a normal bow.
Shadow Spell Hexes (Su)
At 3rd level, the shadow witch is able to cast Shadows (Stephens, 2010), and Expanding Shroud (Buckley) as a spell-like ability, 3/day. In addition, she must choose either Major Shadowstrike or Shadow Servant as a Major Hex.
Darkness (Sp)
At 4th level, the shadow witch can cast darkness (as per the spell) as an innate ability 3/day. At 6th level this becomes Deeper Darkness. At 8th level this becomes Utter Darkness. At 10th level this becomes Supernatural Darkness. If the witch already has a darkness spell like ability as a racial trait, the number per day stacks.
Biting Shadows (Su) (Stephens, 2011)
At 5th level, the shadow witch can cast Biting Shadows (Stephens, 2011) as a spell like ability 3/day.
In addition, she must selected either Major Shadowstrike or Shadow Servant as a major hex.
Shadow Sight (Su)
At 6th level, a shadow witch can see normally in natural or magical darkness of any degree (dim light, darkness, utter darkness, and supernatural darkness). When in dim lighting or darker, the shadow witch can see 90’.
Because of this gift, the shadow patron directs the prohibition of light spells. Thus, the Shadow Witch may no longer cast spells with the light descriptor from this point forward.
Improved Summoning (Su)
At 7th level, the shadow witch’s summoned shadow plane creatures gain both augmented summons and superior summons feats. The creatures gain +4 strength, +4 constitutions, and 1 additional creature is summoned during conjurations where more than one may appear. This applies only to creatures summoned from the Shadow Plane.
Unearthly Dark Spellcraft (Su)
At 8th level, a shadow witch’s spells, spell-like abilities, hexes, and supernatural abilities that deal darkness/shadow damage increase in effect. Half the damage caused by these effects comes from an otherworldly power and is not subject to being reduced by resistance, immunity to darkness/shadow, or deflection. In addition, all spells, hexes, and supernatural abilities cast with the shadow/darkness descriptor have a DC save increase of +2 and are cast at +2 CL respectively.
In addition, the Shadow Witch must selected Shadow Jump as a Grand Hex.
Monster Summoning (Su)
At 9th level, the shadow witch can cast Monster Summoning VIII as a spell like ability 3/day. The monsters summoned must come from the Shadow Plane.
Hag Form, Night (Su)
At 10th level the witch can cast Hag Form, Night (Paul) as a spell like ability 3/day. The risk of becoming a Night Hag permanently remains the same.
The Shadow Witch may select a Grand Hex, Major Hex or Hex.
Parenthetical Notation:
1. Stephens. Advanced Options: Witches Hexes. Super Genius Games. 2010. (Shadows Hex)
2. Buckley. Advancing With Class: The Witch. Knotty-Works. 2013. (Shadow Mistress Archetype. Cloak of Shadows, Shadow Bound, Expanding Shroud, Shadowstrike, Major Shadowstrike, Shadow Servant, Shadow Bow, Shadow Familiar, Shadow Jump, and Death in the Darkness)
3. Paul. 101 Shadow and Darkness Spells. Rite Publishing. 2015. (Spells. Create Shadow Pocket, Darkness Impedes Magic, Hag Form, Night, Persistent Night, Utter Darkness, and Supernatural Darkness)
4. Stephens. #1 With a Bullet: 13 Witch Hexes. Super Genius Games. 2011. (Biting Shadows Hex).