Campaign Design - Base Classes: Shadowsworn

Shadowsworn
(adapted from The Book of Roguish Luck)

Sometimes also called a shadow thief, a shadowsworn is an arcane rogue who sells her soul to the Plane of Shadow, one drop at a time. The commander of powerful shadow magic, he is utterly silent and deadly, able to walk literally under the noses of guards and watchers. Shadowsworn almost invariably go mad or become shades or shadows when their powers grow beyond mortal limits.

Abilities: Dexterity is crucial for a shadowsworn to move quickly and silently. Charisma proves vital for understanding and mastering the workings of arcane shadow magic. Wisdom allows a shadowsworn to resist the corruption of working with shadow magic longer.
Race: Cien-Kranula.
Alignment: Any nongood.
Hit Die: d6.
Luck Die: d6.

Class Skills

• Skill List: The shadowsworn's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Forgery (Int), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge: Arcana (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (all skills taken individually)(Wis), Search (Int), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
• Note: Because the Three Worlds campaign uses the Skills by Character house rule, the list of class skills given here is only included for the sake of completeness, and is not used by characters in the campaign setting.
• Skill Points at 1^st Level: (4 + Intelligence modifier) x 4.
• Skill Points at Each Additional Class Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the shadowsworn:

• Base Attack Bonus: Medium. A shadowsworn gains +¾ base attack bonus per class level.


• Fortitude Base Save Bonus: Poor. A shadowsworn gains +¹⁄₃ base Fortitude save bonus per class level.


• Reflex Base Save Bonus: Good. A shadowsworn gains a +2½ base Reflex save bonus at first level, and an additional +½ base Reflex save bonus per class level.


• Will Base Save Bonus: Poor. A shadowsworn gains +¹⁄₃ base Will save bonus per class level.


• Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Shadowsworn are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with all light armor, but not with shields.


• Spells: Shadowsworn cast arcane spells, which are drawn from the shadowsworn spell list. They can cast any spell they know without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a shadowsworn must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Charisma 10 for 0^th-level spells, Charisma 11 for 1^st-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a shadowsworn's spells is 10 + spell level + the shadowsworn's Charisma modifier. All spells cast by a shadowsworn gain the shadow descriptor, whether they normally have that descriptor or not.
  
  
  
  A shadowsworn can only cast a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. A shadowsworn's base daily spell allotment is given below. In addition, a shadowsworn receives bonus spells per day if they have a high Charisma score.
  
  
  
  A shadowsworn need not prepare spells in advance. They can cast any spell they know at any time, assuming they have not yet used up their spells per day for that spell level.


• Scribe Scroll: A shadowsworn can read arcane scrolls and gains Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat.


• Shadow Magic: A shadowsworn's magic is drawn from the Plane of Shadow. He gains the Shadow Magic feat as a bonus feat but does not need to pay the Wisdom cost normally associated with the feat.


• Darkvision: Beginning at 2^nd level, a shadowsworn gains increasingly powerful darkvision. If he has no darkvision, he gains it out to 30 feet. If he already has darkvision, he gains an additional +30 feet to his existing range. When a shadowsworn reaches 7^th level, the range of his darkvision is extended a further 30 feet, to a total of +60 feet.
  
  
  
  At 13^th level, a shadowsworn's darkvision extends a further 30 feet, to a total of +90 feet.
  
  
  
  Finally, 19^th level, a shadowsworn's darkvision reaches its full potential, extending another 30 feet to a total distance of +120 feet.


• Sneak Attack: If a shadowsworn of 3^rd-level or higher can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage.
  
  
  
  The shadowsworn’s attack deals extra damage any time his target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the shadowsworn flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 3^rd-level, and it increases by 1d6 every three shadowsworn levels thereafter. Should the shadowsworn score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.
  
  
  
  Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.
  
  
  
  With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a shadowsworn can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. He cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty.
  
  
  
  A shadowsworn can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies - undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The shadowsworn must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A shadowsworn cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.


• Shadow Familiar (Su): At 4^th-level or higher, a shadowsworn may conduct an all-day ceremony that releases his own shadow to serve as a familiar for him. This shadow has the usual statistics and abilities of a sorcerer or wizard familiar, but it is incorporeal though not undead. It cannot be turned, rebuked, or commanded by a third party. It can be cured with normal curative spells. It resembles a flat, flickering shadow and remains invisible in full or partial darkness. The shadow familiar can move under doors and through other tiny openings and can hide itself perfectly well by posing as its master's normal shadow.
  
  
  
  The shadowsworn may communicate with his shadow familiar normally starting at 4^th-level level rather than 5^th-level level as most wizards and sorcerers do. All other abilities are as shown on the familiar table in Chapter Three: Classes of the Player's Handbook for a caster of the shadowsworn's level.
  
  
  
  If his shadow familiar is killed, a shadowsworn no longer casts a shadow normally during daylight. He may only summon another shadow familiar after somehow regaining his normal shadow. A restoration spell can accomplish this, as can the use of the summon shadow ability that the shadowsworn gains at 8^th level (see below).
  
  
  
  A multiclassed shadowsworn/wizard or shadowsworn/sorcerer only gains one familiar which must be a shadow familiar if the shadowsworn is eligible for one (any previously obtained familiar becomes a shadow familiar when the shadowsworn reaches 4^th level in this class), but may add their caster levels together to determine the abilities of the shadow familiar.


• Bonus Feat: At 5^th level, 10^th level, 15^th level, and 20^th level the shadowsworn gains a bonus feat. This feat gained must be one of the following feats: Ambush, Dark Halo, Greater Spell Focus (Enchantment), Greater Spell Focus (Illusion), Greater Spell Focus (Necromancy), Infuse Reality, Insidious Magic, Master of Darkness, Pernicious Magic, Shadow Cloak, Shadow Familiar, Silent Kill, Silent Spell, Sleight of Mind, Spell Focus (Enchantment), Spell Focus (Illusion), Spell Focus (Necromancy), Still Spell, and Tenacious Magic.


• Summon Shadow (Sp): At 8^th level or higher, a shadowsworn can turn natural shadows into the undead creatures of the same name (see the Monster Manual, pages 221-222). He can perform this summoning as a standard action up to three times per day, summoning 1d3 shadows plus an additional shadow for every two shadowsworn levels above 8^th level. Once summoned, the shadows obey his mental commands at any range, though they can only communicate with the summoner when they come within 10 feet per shadowsworn level.
  
  
  
  After a shadowsworn reaches 13^th level, he can substitute one greater shadow for every three shadows he would normally summon. Any other creatures summoned at the same time appear as normal shadows.
  
  
  
  This ability is treated like a summon spell cast by a sorcerer of equivalent level. The shadows last for 1 round per shadowsworn level.


• Blind (Su): At 10^th-level or higher, a shadowsworn can literally steal a victim's sight, including darkvision and magical vision, as a free action. This requires a successful ranged touch attack or melee touch attack, or this ability can be combined with a normal melee or ranged attack (including a sneak attack).
  
  
  
  The victim is entitled to a Will saving throw (DC 10 + half the shadowsworn's level + the shadowsworn's Charisma modifier) to resist the blindness. If the save succeeds, the shadowsworn cannot blind the target with any future attempts. If the save fails, the victim is blinded for a number of rounds equal to 1d4 + the shadowsworn's Charisma bonus.
  
  
  
  A shadowsworn may return a creature's stolen sight as a free action.


• Shadow Self (Sp): Upon reaching 14^th level, a shadowsworn can call up and control a single copy of himself made from shadow. This shadow self, unlike normal shadows, is corporeal and subject to critical hits. It appears as a duplicate of the shadowsworn, even wearing and carrying duplicates of the controller's gear (except that the shadow self's gear is always nonmagical). A shadowsworn can direct this body to go places he could not safely go himself, and can see and hear everything that the shadow self sees and hears. A shadow self can easily be mistaken for its master; its gait, features, and mannerisms all resemble the shadowsworn's unless they are deliberately distorted by use of the Disguise skill or magic. The shadow self can receive and use additional gear of any kind up to 40 pounds, including magic items.
  
  
  
  The shadow self possesses all the shadowsworn's characteristics except for having half his hit points, a Dexterity score 4 points higher than the shadowsworn's, a Strength score 4 points lower, and a +2 natural armor bonus. The shadow self's base attack bonus is equal to half its controller's base attack bonus and it uses its own Strength and Dexterity modifiers to determine attacks and Armor Class.
  
  
  
  A shadow self is dispersed instantly by exposure to full sunlight, to a daylight spell or the equivalent (any effect that produces bright illumination out to 60 feet or more), or by a dispel magic spell. It is unaffected by attempts to turn undead.
  
  
  
  The shadow self can move any distance from the shadowsworn, but it has a limited lifespan, slowly unraveling whenever it is in partial illumination or full darkness. In an area of twilight or shadowy illumination, it lasts for one week. In daylight under cloudy conditions, or in a place of total darkness, such as an unlit cavern, if fades away within 24 hours.
  
  
  
  A shadowsworn who has already created one shadow self in a week may attempt to create additional duplicates, but each attempt requires a successful Fortitude save (DC 20 + 5 for each additional shadow self beyond the second). If any such save fails, the shadowsworn immediately gains a negative level and cannot create more than one shadow self until the negative level is removed.


• Shadow Strike (Sp): At 16^th level or higher, a shadowsworn attacking from the shadows can call on the power of darkness to strike down his foes once per day. This black, silent mass of negative energy rolls over a 20-foot-radius area dealing 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels to any creature that fails a Reflex save (DC 10 + half the shadowsworn's caster level + the shadowsworn's Charisma modifier) and half damage to those that do save.
  
  
  
  Undead are healed by this negative energy effect, usable only under conditions of shadowy illumination. Creatures standing in total darkness or full sunlight (or within the radius of a daylight spell) are immune to this effect. Creatures within the radius of a continual flame or deeper darkness spell (or similarly powerful illumination or darkness magic) gain a +4 bonus on the save. This ability is the equivalent of a 3^rd-level spell.


• Shadow Walk (Sp): At 19^th level, a shadowsworn gains the ability to shadow walk, as the spell, three times per day.


• Shadeform (Su): Upon reaching 20^th level, a shadowsworn can transform himself into a shadow at will, as if using the spell shapechange. Changing form (into a shadow or back again) is a move-equivalent action.

Shadowsworn

Level	Special	0th	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
1st	Scribe Scroll; Shadow Magic	2	-	-	-	-
2nd	Darkvision +30 feet	2	0*	-	-	-
3rd	Sneak Attack +1d6	3	1	-	-	-
4th	Shadow Familiar	3	2	-	-	-
5th	Bonus Feat	4	3	0*	-	-
6th	Sneak Attack +2d6	4	3	1	-	-
7th	Darkvision +60 feet	5	4	1	-	-
8th	Summon Shadow	5	4	2	-	-
9th	Sneak Attack +3d6	6	5	2	-	-
10th	Blind; Bonus Feat	6	5	3	0*	-
11th	-	6	6	3	1	-
12th	Sneak Attack +4d6; Summon Greater Shadow	6	6	4	1	-
13th	Darkvision +90 feet	6	6	4	2	-
14th	Shadow Self	6	6	5	2	-
15th	Sneak Attack +5d6; Bonus Feat	6	6	5	3	0*
16th	Shadow Strike	6	6	6	3	1
17th	-	6	6	6	4	2
18th	Sneak Attack +6d6	6	6	6	4	3
19th	Darkvision +120 feet; Shadow Walk	6	6	6	5	4
20th	Shadeform; Bonus Feat	6	6	6	5	5

*Charisma bonus spells only. If no bonus, no spells are gained at this level.

Spells Known

Level	0th	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
1st	4	-	-	-	-
2nd	5	2*	-	-	-
3rd	5	3	-	-	-
4th	6	3	-	-	-
5th	6	4	2*	-	-
6th	7	4	2	-	-
7th	7	5	3	-	-
8th	8	5	3	-	-
9th	8	5	4	-	-
10th	9	5	4	2*	-
11th	9	5	5	2	-
12th	9	5	5	3	-
13th	9	5	5	3	-
14th	9	5	5	4	-
15th	9	5	5	4	2*
16th	9	5	5	5	2
17th	9	5	5	5	3
18th	9	5	5	5	3
19th	9	5	5	5	4
20th	9	5	5	5	4

*If the shadowsworn has a high enough Charisma to gain bonus spells of this level

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