I'm trying to get a fun and unusual sorceress using the Shadow Bloodine, and seek for idea to make it better.
The goal is to make a sorcerer who is dangerous because she's a true master at using and evolving in the darkness.
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Here are some toys I found to be great additions to the concept so far:
- Crossblooded archetype and Psychic Bloodline
The additionnal Bloodline Arcana switch the spellcasting type to psychic magic, cancelling any need for a verbal component.
The sorceress, who is able to hide in plain sight within the darkness due to her Shadow Well ability, is now impossible to locate by the sound she does when she cast a spell
- Umbral Spell feat and Mage Armor
That combo allows the sorceress to become litteraly a moving cloud of darkness, constantly casting a 10ft radius of darkness.
This allow her to always qualify for her hide in plain sight ability, since she will ALWAYS be surrounded by shadows, unless dispelled.
She's not even hindered by it, because she gets Darkvision at level 3 as part of her bloodline powers
- Spontaneous Metafocus and Tenebrous Spell
Since she ALWAYS walks withing the darkness, and Tenebrous Spell has to be taken to access Umbral Spell anyway, why not allow her to get +1 caster level on a polymorphic spell like Shadow Evocation?
- Deeper Darkness
Now comes the worst part: if any opponent with darkvision appears, the sorceress can shut down their vision by using this spell that cast a magical darkness that even darkvision cannot pierce.
She's not much hindered by it because as a spellcaster, she does not need a line of sight to hit people with her spells, but only a line of effect, which, by the rules, does not get broken by light conditions.
- Thoughsense
... but also, as ashe gain the most of what offer the level 15 shadow power with a spell with multiple use per day, she can trade it for the level 15 psychic power: Thoughtsense.
Now, she even know where all the foes are in the magical darkness, because she just feel the presence of their minds within it!
You won't escape from her... ever.
- Exotic Heritage and Eldritch Heritage: Umbral
Two feats is a sure cost, but she gains an extra power that work with all her other abilities: Cloak of Shadows, and an extra +2 stealth that cumulate with Stealthy and Skill Focus (Stealth) who are already bloodline feats...
That's a grand total of 7+her level/2 of bonus stealth, plus any bonus she gets from casting a spell due to the shadow bloodline arcana, making her an undisputed queen at hiding in the dark... did I mention she could also add greater invisibility in the mix?
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That's all I figured for now, but do you have some extra ideas to improve her even further?
Moonheart wrote: - Umbral Spell feat and Mage Armor
That combo allows the sorceress to become literally a moving cloud of darkness, constantly casting a 10ft radius of darkness.
This allow her to always qualify for her hide in plain sight ability, since she will ALWAYS be surrounded by shadows, unless dispelled.
She's not even hindered by it, because she gets Darkvision at level 3 as part of her bloodline powers
I vaguely recall having read somewhere that one can't hide in his own shadow unless otherwise specified. Even if I'm wrong or this doesn't count as her own shadow, I wouldn't let her hide in plain sight with only her personal cloud of darkness because, you know, a dark cloud in the middle of a sunny street is very noticeable. She might hide what she's doing this way, but not go unnoticed. On top of that, it's rather rude to walk around this way. It works if you're adventuring, but not if you're socializing.
Moonheart wrote: - Deeper Darkness
Now comes the worst part: if any opponent with darkvision appears, the sorceress can shut down their vision by using this spell that cast a magical darkness that even darkvision cannot pierce.
She's not much hindered by it because as a spellcaster, she does not need a line of sight to hit people with her spells, but only a line of effect, which, by the rules, does not get broken by light conditions.
I researched this a bit when I built a blind character, you still need to either see or touch the target or be able to otherwise pinpoint it (Perception DC 40 + modifiers) for spells with a "target" entry (you're still good to go with areas and such, though). However thoughtsense does allow automatic pinpoint creatures. Next step is to make sure which one are your allies.
Thoughtsense wrote: Thoughtsense can distinguish between sentient (Intelligence 3 or greater) and non-sentient (Intelligence 1–2) creatures, but otherwise provides no information about the creatures it detects. You're normally good to go since it's a constant ability, so you can keep track of people you had already noticed, but if someone exits range and re-enters, you don't automatically know who that is: you need another signal. If you grab a scent ability, you automatically recognize people in range (though you pinpoint them only if another sense pinpoints them or you succeed a Perception check or they're adjacent to you), or any oral signal you've agreed on previously with your allies does the trick (Perception DC 20 (invisibility) - 20 (talking/fighting) + 20 (pinpoint), total : DC 20). You don't even need to max it out since you'll be high level by that point, but it would be useful before you can grab thoughtsense at 15th level and I found it's always a good thematic synergy with shadow themes, anyway.
If the whole party is going into Stealth and they're not fine with getting pinpointed because they shouted upon entering range, remember that
- you can use Perception checks to keep track of their positions while they're outside your thoughtsense range (see the DC for invisibility, as always); though if they're going into stealth and your perception isn't monstrous it won't always be enough
- they can enter, speak (free action in the middle of the move) and if they move after their signal, they can still use Stealth to hide to where they moved after their words, or hide they moved at all.
Also, blindness (even by darkness) does more than negating line of sight. It's -4 to most Str- and Dex- based checks (it's subject to DM adjudication, but my own applied to each and everyone of them, including to-hits, so be wary of that and ask yours). You lose Dex to AC and -2 to AC, so it might get pretty low. You also take -4 to opposed Perception checks (remember how you might need to pinpoint people?). You cannot see/perceive/pinpoint inert objects nor move faster than half speed (Acrobatics DC 10 allows to, though, so it shouldn't be to hard on you). And all and any target has total concealment (50% miss chance). Sure, you're fine with darkness, but not really with deeper darkness. Unless...
Grab the Blinded-Blade feat series. If you want a good team-work, make sure your allies know they're going to get into darkness and deeper darkness, and then you can collectively grab that line of feats. Sure, it's been criticized because it's situational, but if you're going to repeatedly get blinded by darkness, it's a good choice. It gets you loads of perception bonuses, and a few misc bonuses which are always good to take (against feints, for example).
You might want to try and grab the Signature Skill (Stealth) feat. It will make sniping an easier job than ever, and denying the target Dex to AC will be a piece of cake for you that way. Also, the no-Dex-to-AC bit applies to any attack, to just sniping.
Then if you can get the feat several times, Signature Skill (Perception) is good for you. Not vital, in your case, but not bad.
Also, if you want my very personal opinion, I'm sure you've told your co-players you're going along that line already, but there's something incredibly fun that isn't always done: getting the same specialty for the whole team. I made a Bluff/Perception/Stealth team once, and witnessed a Teleport/Move Enemies team, PCs maxes out each other and it's practically unbeatable. In your case, since you're going into terrain control (via illumination control), it might be critical since you might impede your friends if they don't play with it, so, why not make a whole shadow team, if you can make good advertisement?
Be wary of your DM launching at you the great blind foe with all Blinded-Blade Style feats or the nightblade who doesn't give a damn your magical darkness :P
Well, those are nice infos and ideas.
Lusinian wrote: I vaguely recall having read somewhere that one can't hide in his own shadow unless otherwise specified. Even if I'm wrong or this doesn't count as her own shadow, I wouldn't let her hide in plain sight with only her personal cloud of darkness because, you know, a dark cloud in the middle of a sunny street is very noticeable. She might hide what she's doing this way, but not go unnoticed. If you use Hide In Plain Sight, it means you ALREADY have been noticed, or else, you just don't need the ability.
The point of the combat isn't to go unoticed, there is the Invisibility spell for that kind of need, but to disallow the opponents to actualy pinpoint your exact location, as well as impeding them if they can't see in the dark.
Also Umbral Spell works with almost any enchantment/transmutation spell, you can just use a spell who target an object she wears to make clears it's not HER shadow.
Quote: On top of that, it's rather rude to walk around this way. It works if you're adventuring, but not if you're socializing. If the sorceress need socializing, she can dispel her spell anytime as a standard action (this is part of the standard combat actions)... and she can also just use Arcane Mark with Umbral Spell, applied on a kind of amulet she'll put in or out of her cleavage depending if she needs the shadows or not.
Quote: I researched this a bit when I built a blind character, you still need to either see or touch the target or be able to otherwise pinpoint it (Perception DC 40 + modifiers) for spells with a "target" entry (you're still good to go with areas and such, though). Interesting rule, can you provide a link?
In some way, it make her even worst, because other caster will need to succeed that check, too, to throw some magic missile at her.
Quote: Also, blindness (even by darkness) does more than negating line of sight. It's -4 to most Str- and Dex- based checks (it's subject to DM adjudication, but my own applied to each and everyone of them, including to-hits, so be wary of that and ask yours). You lose Dex to AC and -2 to AC, so it might get pretty low. You also take -4 to opposed Perception checks (remember how you might need to pinpoint people?). You cannot see/perceive/pinpoint inert objects nor move faster than half speed (Acrobatics DC 10 allows to, though, so it shouldn't be to hard on you). And all and any target has total concealment (50% miss chance). This is what make her a true pain for a large variety of foes: she doesn't care much about AC penalities, 50% miss chance, and Str and Dex checks... but a lot of ennemies does.
Quote: Be wary of your DM launching at you the great blind foe with all Blinded-Blade Style feats or the nightblade who doesn't give a damn your magical darkness :P That still allow the sorceress to do a lot of things with the darkess:
- hidding, since the condition is not to "not being seen", but simply be at 10ft from an shadow
- get bonus for casting spell in the dark, like with Tenebrous spells
- entangling people
- swap place with other people
A light spell of higher level will trump a darkness spell, and one of equal level will suppress both. Metamagic other than heighten spell won't help. Beware someone with continual light.
Wall spells within darkness may be hard not to walk into. Likewise pits. You may want more umbral arcane marked items to throw around (or dancing darkness, etc.) to cover a larger area.
A few more targeted spells you may want to consider.
Mydriatic Spontaneity shadows are the result of light and darkness and this iss the strobe light spell.
Shield of darkness.
Shadowmind is not great but it is easier to target.
Fear the sun
Magical lineage + eclipse spell light or dancing light. Free darkness all the time.
Dark vision communal seems obvious.
Motes of Dusk And Dawn good for controlling the area of darkness.
avr wrote: A light spell of higher level will trump a darkness spell, and one of equal level will suppress both. Metamagic other than heighten spell won't help. Beware someone with continual light. Well, continual light doesn't cancel a deeper darkness, but it's true that it is a problem until you can cast this spell...
Grandlounge wrote: Magical lineage + eclipse spell light or dancing light. Free darkness all the time. Heh, nasty one, plus it can be done at level 1... I like it.
The other suggestion are good, too.
There is some further metamagic which could help:
1) Snuffing Spell has the chance to dispel light
2) Shadow Grasp entangles
Umbral Spell, Heighten Spell and Eclipse Spell were already mentioned, so I skipped them.
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