Shadow Priest
Shadow Priests use their knowledge of shadowcasting to enhance their manipulation of negative energy.
Requirements:
Alignment: Non-good
Hide 6 ranks
Knowledge religion 6 ranks
Knowledge the planes 6 ranks
Ability to cast 3rd level divine spells
Ability to cast 2nd level mysteries
Ability to rebuke undead
Class Features:
BAB: +1/2
Good Saves: Fortitude and Will
Hit Dice: 1d6
Class Skills:
Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge arcana, Knowledge religion, Knowledge the planes, Move Silently, Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft
Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int modifier
Shadow Priests gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
LEVEL ABILITY
1. Channel Shadow (Extra Mystery), Rebuke Undead, +1 level to divine caster level, +1 level to mystery caster level.
2. Animate Dark Servant, +1 level to divine caster level, +1 level to mystery caster level.
3. Channel Shadow (Resist Negative Energy), +1 level to divine caster level, +1 level to mystery caster level.
4. Bonus Fundamental, +1 level to divine caster level, +1 level to mystery caster level.
5. Channel Shadow (Negative Energy Healing), +1 level to divine caster level, +1 level to mystery caster level.
6. Create Dark Servant, +1 level to divine caster level, +1 level to mystery caster level.
7. Channel Shadow (Negate Critical Hit), +1 level to divine caster level, +1 level to mystery caster level.
8. Bonus Fundamental, +1 level to divine caster level, +1 level to mystery caster level.
9. Channel Shadow (Negate Attack), +1 level to divine caster level, +1 level to mystery caster level.
10. Create Greater Dark Servant, +1 level to divine caster level, +1 level to mystery caster level.
Channel Shadow (Su). The Shadow Priest can channel negative energy into shadow magic for a variety of effects.
At 1st level, the Shadow Priest can cast a mystery that he knows by spending a number of rebuke undead attempts equal to the level of the mystery.
At 3rd level, the Shadow Priest can spend a rebuke undead attempt as an immediate action and gain immunity to negative energy effects for 1 round.
At 5th level, the Shadow Priest can spend a rebuke undead attempt as an immediate action and heal from negative energy effects for 1 round, as if he were undead.
At 7th level, the Shadow Priest can spend a rebuke undead attempt as an immediate action and negate the extra damage from a critical hit or sneak attack, sudden strike, or skirmish attack.
At 9th level, the Shadow Priest can spend a rebuke undead attempt as an immediate action and negate the damage from any single attack, be it melee, ranged, or from a spell, spell-like effect, supernatural, or extraordinary effect.
Rebuke Undead (Su). Shadow Priest levels stack with cleric levels for the purposes of rebuking undead.
Animate Dark Servant (Sp). At 2nd level, undead creatures created by the Shadow Priest's animate dead spells gain the Dark creature template from page 158 of the Tome of Magic.
Bonus Fundamental (sp). At levels 4 and 8, the Shadow Priest gains the ability to choose an additional fundamental, or the ability to use a fundamental he currently knows 3 more times per day.
Create Dark Servant (Sp). At 6th level, undead creatures created by the Shadow Priest's create undead spells gain the Dark creature template from page 158 of the Tome of Magic.
Create Greater Dark Servant (Sp). At 10th level, undead creatures created by the Shadow Priest's greater create undead spells gain the Dark creature template from page 158 of the Tome of Magic.
First I have to say I love the idea. I think Shadowcasters are a great class concept wise if not a bit underpowered so combining it with a cleric is a nice idea. Not without going a looking at the books my first impression is it's too powerfull. Sure its a cleric paired with a shadowcaster which from a spell casting point of view is weaker than say the Mystic Thuerge. What concerns are the Channel Shadow powers which overall feel to me like Divine feats mechanics wise and your giving the PrC five of them which seems like a lot. Now the Extra Mystery one is nice but overall once I got some of the other it would be forgotten. Looking at the PrC I thinkof what its role would be and where they would be in a battle or adventuring party. They are non-good so undead minions are an option. Their Rebuke undead continues to progress so another plus for using undead. So basically they would probably be in the back having undead (Dark ones for that matter) fight for them. Things that would probably get to them are hiding/sneak attack foes which is covered at level 7 and ranged attacks which is covered by level 9. On top of that the negative energy that you use to heal your undead troops can heal you covered at level 5 and resisting energy attacks is always nice. Over all it seems like they get a bit too much. I would have to look at it side by side with say the Heirphant(sp?)(druid/wizard PrC) from Races of the Wild to get a good idea of balance.
If I were to tone it down a bit I would remove Negate Critical Hit and Negate attack. Then I would move Resist Negative Energy to levl 9. Not sure if adding the Dark template to undead is powerful or not without looking at it. My guess is on intelligent undead it would make them deadly assassins with it's bonuses to hide.
Thanks for the feedback! :-)
The Dark creature template adds a big bonus to Hide and Move Silently, +10 to Speed (all forms of movement), Cold Resist 10, LLV, Darkvision 60 feet, and Hide in Plain Sight.
I see their role as a combination social specialist (Bluff/Intimidate/Sense Motive) and scout (Hide/Move Silently, plus divinations) and master of minions (undead, summoned shadow elementals, etc.), leading from the back, with battle field control tactics too (especially some of the mysteries).
There is a 3rd level mystery called flicker that lets you teleport a short distance as an immediate action once a round for your level in rounds; if you teleport away from an attack, there is a 50% chance it misses. Maybe use a version of that for the Negate hit? Or maybe become incorporeal for at just the right moment, like Umbral Body? Or even incorporeal for 1 round? That way, there is a 50% chance magic weapons hit, and ghost touch and force effects are still useful.
SmiloDan, Is it possible to modify this into a 20 level class, I like your gloomblade and I've made a shadow ranger type you may like. I don't know if I can really reply to this old thread but I'm a tryin'.