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I am interested in finding a home brew or 3rd party (or willing to take any advice in how to make) a Shadow Knight from James Clemens series of books called Godslayer.
He is going to be a in service to a nations government as a secret organization that "looks into" unusual phenomenon. Want him to be able to do a little of everything.... Heal, Spell cast, stealth, weapons. In the books they are very independent and operate solo or with a small group of adventures... sometimes with questionable backgrounds. Walks a fine line between goodness and using shadows to achieve their goals.
I am looking at a Paladin (maybe inquisitor)/Shadow Dancer build. The one thing holding it up is the Summon Shadow as i do not wish to have an an undead companion. Any alternate abilities for this class feature of the Shadow Dancer?
Must be good alignment
Core books + APG
Standard 20 point buy in
Standard races (leaning towards human)
Horror campaign setting
DM willing to let me replace the summon shadow class feature of SD with another class feature (not over powered).
Any help or ideas if people have read this series of books would be helpful. Thanks in advance.
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No alternate abilities. You can simply just not summon one.
For what you want the class is Bard.
LOL - sorry bard was weak in the 3.5 and Pathfinder didn;t help that class any. Its a Shadow Knight and i don't think Bard fits the character.
I cannot believe no one 3rd party or homebrew has come up with alternate class features for Shadow Dancer... must be something out in RPG world.
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This is hard if we don't know the books as that's not a great deal to go on.
Also, we need some kind of weighting on these abilities. Are they all equally important? Or is melee more important than healing (for example?)
So... Would you be able to share what kind of weapons, context of stealth, kind of out of combat stuff etc. that he does.
Looking at that description I would say that if this is an urban character then Urban Ranger heading into the Lion Blade prestige class might do the trick.
Also, you asked for recommendations and then laughed at someone's idea because it wasn't powerful enough. Laughing at people's ideas isn't very kind and if you wanted people to limit themselves to powerful options then you should have said so: criticising someone for failing to meet criteria that you kept secret from them is absurd.
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This is hard if we don't know the books as that's not a great deal to go on.
Also, we need some kind of weighting on these abilities. Are they all equally important? Or is melee more important than healing (for example?)So... Would you be able to share what kind of weapons, context of stealth, kind of out of combat stuff etc. that he does.
Looking at that description I would say that if this is an urban character then Urban Ranger heading into the Lion Blade prestige class might do the trick.
Also, you asked for recommendations and then laughed at someone's idea because it wasn't powerful enough. Laughing at people's ideas isn't very kind and if you wanted people to limit themselves to powerful options then you should have said so: criticising someone for failing to meet criteria that you kept secret from them is absurd.
LOL sorry just my sense of humor. I love role play but donlt take it so seriously that i get offened on a board. I am sure bard is GREAT for some RPG'ers but in my group they are sort of a joke i meant no disrespect.
I did mention the books CORE + APG Pathfinder (3 books in total) with the DM allowing me to swap out SD class feature for something. I like the Kalyth idea.
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This is hard if we don't know the books as that's not a great deal to go on.
Also, we need some kind of weighting on these abilities. Are they all equally important? Or is melee more important than healing (for example?)So... Would you be able to share what kind of weapons, context of stealth, kind of out of combat stuff etc. that he does.
Looking at that description I would say that if this is an urban character then Urban Ranger heading into the Lion Blade prestige class might do the trick.
Also, you asked for recommendations and then laughed at someone's idea because it wasn't powerful enough. Laughing at people's ideas isn't very kind and if you wanted people to limit themselves to powerful options then you should have said so: criticising someone for failing to meet criteria that you kept secret from them is absurd.
Importance of abilities -
Spell casting - low (figured SD shadow spell likes they get would cover what i needed)
Combat - melee medium (Knight flavor)
- distance - low
Defense - High
Skills - many (knows a little about alot)
Healing - Low
Looking at Paladin 5 vs Inquisitor 5 vs Cavalier 5 (someone mentioned that) I admit i not read up on those two knew classes but looking for Knight flavor but with a lesser strict code (almost Grey Guard like from 3.5).
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No alternate abilities. You can simply just not summon one.
For what you want the class is Bard.
LOL - sorry bard was weak in the 3.5 and Pathfinder didn;t help that class any. Its a Shadow Knight and i don't think Bard fits the character.
I cannot believe no one 3rd party or homebrew has come up with alternate class features for Shadow Dancer... must be something out in RPG world.
You said you wanted a bit of everything. You expect that and ultimate might as well? The Bard is the Jack of all Trades class. Unfortunately there is no Uberman class that will give you what you want unless you pull it out of some Mongoose book somewhere and adapt it.
D+D is not built for solo adventurers. They only succeed where success is scripted for them... at the whims of novel authors.
Ultimate might i can do. I opt well. This character is going to be MAD and by no means opt. 1 thing i know abut D-n-D if you try to do everything well, you end up doing nothing well. lol But trying for flavor over power... Yeah i lay on hands to heal (1d6) weak ... yes but kool in a pinch. Especially trying to be stealthy in Plate armor... not made to happen.
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I've seen a Paladin/ShadowDancer build on here before so I know it's possible.
Be careful with codes, even after you multi-class out of paladin you still have to keep to the code or you'll lose the powers.
Inquisitor can go into shadowdancer at level 6. Your BAB will take a permanent knock unless you delay taking shadowdancer until level 9 but everything else should fit (magic, healing, combat (with buffs and judgements).
The special character abilities suit someone who is capable of 'going solo' too.
If you don't want to summon a shadow then perhaps another CR3 creature might do (unicorn? elemental?)
I'm not really sure how to combine stealth and defence though, beyond some 3pp stuff and relying on magic (blur, mirror image, protection from evil, various AC spells) over armour.
I have been working on some variants/feats for a more shadow knight feel for the shadow dancer.
I will post them in a little.
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Maybe you should consider using class abilities for somethings and magic items (like cloaks and invisibility rings) for others. Inquisitor might be a good base to work on.
O.
Great idea! I always loved the ancestral relic feat from BOED. i will e-mail the DM be great if i could swap out Summon Shadow companion at 3rd level for something like a Shadow Cloak... kinda a graduation into the ranks above novice... now you've earned your cloak/sword... (fill the blank).
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I've seen a Paladin/ShadowDancer build on here before so I know it's possible.
Be careful with codes, even after you multi-class out of paladin you still have to keep to the code or you'll lose the powers.
Inquisitor can go into shadowdancer at level 6. Your BAB will take a permanent knock unless you delay taking shadowdancer until level 9 but everything else should fit (magic, healing, combat (with buffs and judgements).
The special character abilities suit someone who is capable of 'going solo' too.
If you don't want to summon a shadow then perhaps another CR3 creature might do (unicorn? elemental?)I'm not really sure how to combine stealth and defence though, beyond some 3pp stuff and relying on magic (blur, mirror image, protection from evil, various AC spells) over armour.
I just read this morning the Inquisitor class... i really like it for this. Like i said its a flavor character... we recently increase our group size from 4 to 7-9 player 2 times a week. Plenty of dmg dealers so now i have more opportunity for flavor.
I was thinking Inquisitor 8 / then jump to SD.
8 gets me a 2nd judgement and 3rd level spells.
Taking Darkness
- NIGHT subdomain - Night Hunter ability that allows you to blend into the shadows in dim light or darkness (as invisibility spell). nice go along wiht hide in plain sight.
Shadow Knight Variant (Draft)
These beings of shadow differed from the common shadowdancer, focusing on martial maneuverability and manipulation to augment their combat capabilities.
Requirements:
Base Attack +5 Skills: Stealth 5 ranks, Perform (dance) 2 ranks.
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility.
Founding Class: Shadowdancer
Role: While they are not as effective in front line as a pure melee class, such as a fighter, shadow knight's are more front line oriented than a normal shadow dancer.
Hit dice: D8
Skills: 4+int
Shadow Slip (Su): At 4th level, a shadow knight gains the ability to travel between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell. The limitation is that the magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some dim light. A shadowdancer 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 4th, the distance a shadowdancer can jump each day doubles (40 feet at 6th, 80 feet at 8th, and 160 feet at 10th). This amount can be split among many jumps increment. This amount can be split among many jumps, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a 10-foot increment.
Unlike a shadowjump, a few times per day a shadow knight can make melee attacks after the use of their shadow slip. Once a day a shadow knight can use their shadow slip ability as a swift action, after doing so they retain the ability to make a full round action after a movement. You can use this ability an additional time per day at level 6, 8, and 10. (This ability replaces the shadowjump class feature).
-Shadow Strike (Sp): A shadow knight can cast a specialized shadow power spell. Shadow power is now treated as a 4th level spell, it increases to a 5th level spell at level 4 of shadow knight, and an additional increase in spell level for every 2 shadow knight levels they posses.
Level: Shadow Knight 4th (see above)
Casting Time: One standard Action
Components: F (Magic Weapon With Weapon Focus Applied)
Range: Self
Duration: 1 round per 2 levels.
Saving Throw: None; special (see below).
This spell can be casted on up to two hand held weapons. This grants a +1 to hit. This empowerment of the weapon also grants an additional +1D6 damage to all attacks. This bonus to hit and extra damage increases by an additional +1 to hit and +1D6 damage at level 5, and additionally for every 4 shadow knight levels they posses thereafter. The bonuses for multiple uses of this ability does not stack with itself on the same weapon. The saving throw for the shadow evocation is made with the first successful hit attack of that round is made. If the save fails, the additional damage is only 1 point, but the bonus to hit remains. Effects of this saving throw continues for the remainder of that round for that target, failed or saved. Creating normal shadow illusion abilities cost twice as much uses for the same effect. (This ability replaces the shadow illusion ability.
-Shadow Bond (Su): Your summoned shadow is called into your armor, instead of out and about, to help you in combat in a different way. At the start of the day a shadow knight chooses an armor for their summoned shadow to bond with. The suit of must be a magical armor. This suit is treated as one type lighter (which stacks with the mithral effect). This armor also increase the max dexterity and reduces the armor check penalty by 1 for every level in shadow knight you posses. If the armor that you are bounded to is destroyed while the shadow is in the armor it is treated as the same effect as the shadow getting destroyed or dismissed losing all bonuses until another shadow is summoned and bound to a worn armor. The shadow bonded to the armor can still be targeted by spells, and is effected by them normally, but still gains the +4 bonus on Will saves made to halve the damage from positive channeled energy and the shadow cannot be turned or commanded.
Feats
Improved Shadow Illusion
Requirement: shadow strike ability, base attack +9
You can now create shadow illusions at normal cost of uses per day.
I did some editing, here is a link to the google doc.