Shadow Mind (3.5e Class)
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Shadow Mind
Most Shadow Minds come from dark corners of the earth and usually act as hired assassins for those who are desperate and cowardly. They are typically those of whom who have experienced a loss or trauma well beyond our comprehensions, forcing their minds to develop a twisted sense of reality and become the backstabbing, shifty scum that most know them to be. If you really want to kill them, lure them out of the shadows, or overpower them with numbers, just never loose sight of them, and always strike first.
Making a Shadow Mind
Abilities: They primarily use Dexterity, Intelligence, and Constitution in that order.
Alignment: Shadow Minds tend to be more devious and avoid the laws. They aren't always Chaotic, but neither are they always Neutral.
Starting Gold: 6d8×10 gp (270 gp).
Starting Age: Simple.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +1 | Trauma, Hide in plain sight, Sneak attack + 1d6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +1 | +1 | +3 | +2 | Uncanny Dodge, Evasion, Darkvision | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +2 | Shadow Shift (25 ft.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +3 | +2 | +4 | +3 | Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +3 | +2 | +4 | +3 | Shadow Sword, Sneak attack +2d6, Shadow Shift (50 ft.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +4 | +3 | +5 | +4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +5 | +3 | +5 | +4 | Shadow Shift (100 ft.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +6/+1 | +4 | +6 | +5 | Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +6/+2 | +4 | +6 | +5 | Sneak attack +4d6, Shadow Shift (200 ft.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +7/+3 | +5 | +7 | +6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | +8/+3 | +5 | +7 | +6 | Shadow Shift (400 ft.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | +9/+4 | +6 | +8 | +7 | Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | +9/+5 | +6 | +8 | +7 | Sneak attack +8d6, Shadow Shift (800 ft.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | +10/+6/+1 | +7 | +9 | +8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th | +11/+6/+2 | +7 | +9 | +8 | Improved Uncanny Dodge, Shadow Shift (1,600 ft.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th | +12/+7/+3 | +8 | +10 | +9 | Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17th | +12/+8/+3 | +8 | +10 | +9 | Sneak attack +16d6, Shadow Shift (3,200 ft.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th | +13/+9/+4 | +9 | +11 | +10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19th | +14/+9/+5 | +9 | +11 | +10 | Shadow Shift (6,400 ft.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +10 | +12 | +11 | Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (8 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Shadow Mind
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Shadow Minds are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, and short sword. Shadow Minds are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.
Trauma: At level 1, a Shadow Mind must choose which trauma they went through.
Shadow Shift: At 3rd level, a Shadow Mind 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 shadow that can completely cover them. A Shadow Mind can jump up to a total of 25 feet each day in this way; this may be a single jump of 25 feet or five jumps of 5 feet each. Every two levels higher than 4th, the distance a Shadow Mind can jump each day doubles (50 feet at 7th, 100 feet at 9th, and so on). This amount can be split among many jumps, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a 5-foot increment. This is a move action. They can bring along 1 other willing creature of same size or smaller.
Shadow Sword: A 5th level Shadow Mind can reach into a shadow and break off a piece of it to form a weapon with the shape and size determined by their imagination (DMs, you might want to limit this a bit). These weapons have no weight. It lasts for 1d4 + 1/level rounds. A black fog starts to surround the blade, getting darker each round as pieces of it fall off. This is a swift action.
Shadow Vortex: Upon attaining level 7, the Shadow Mind can literally suck the light out of a given area. They choose a point within 100 ft. + 10 ft./level of their current location. It takes a round to cast, and the Shadow Mind cannot do anything in that round. The light in a range of their level * 10 ft. will get sucked into that point for 1d4 rounds, 1 round after they cast it, making the area pitch black. Since it is not magical darkness, nothing can see through this area, but they can see the bright point in the center. The area casts a shadow away from light sources like it was a solid sphere of the same diameter.
Sneak Attack: If a Shadow Mind can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, they can strike a vital spot for extra damage.
The Shadow Mind's attack deals extra damage any time their target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the Shadow mind flanks their target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it doubles every 4 levels thereafter. Should the Shadow Mind 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 Shadow Mind can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. They cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty.
A Shadow Mind 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 Shadow Mind 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 Shadow Mind cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.
Uncanny Dodge: Starting at 2nd level, a Shadow Mind can react to danger before her senses would normally allow them to do so. They retains their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if they are caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, they still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
If a Shadow Mind already has uncanny dodge from a different class they automatically gain improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.
Improved Uncanny Dodge: A Shadow Mind of 15th level or higher can no longer be flanked.
This defense denies another Shadow Mind or Rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking them, unless the attacker has at least four more Shadow Mind or Rogue levels than the target does.
If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum Shadow Mind level required to flank the character.
Evasion: At 2nd level and higher, a Shadow Mind can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If they make a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, they instead take no damage. Evasion can be used only if the Shadow Mind is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Shadow Mind does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Darkvision: At 2nd level, a Shadow Mind can see in the dark as though they were permanently under the effect of a darkvision spell. They have been in the dark long enough that their body has become in tune to the darkness.
Human Shadow Mind Starting Package
Weapons: Short Sword (1d6, crit 19-20/x2, 1 lb., light, piercing), Shortbow (1d6, crit x3, range inc. 60 ft., 2 lb., piercing), Dagger(1d4, crit 19-20/x2, range inc. 10 ft., 1 lb., piercing or slashing).
Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 8 + Int modifier.
| Skill | Ranks | Ability | Armor Check Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move Silently | 4 | Dex | 0 |
| Hide | 4 | Dex | 0 |
| Spot | 4 | Wis | 0 |
| Listen | 4 | Wis | 0 |
| Search | 4 | Int | 0 |
| Disable Device | 4 | Int | - |
| Open Lock | 4 | Dex | - |
| Climb | 4 | Str | 0 |
| Use Magic Devices | 4 | Cha | - |
| Decipher Script | 4 | Int | - |
| Bluff | 4 | Cha | - |
| Intimidate | 4 | Cha | - |
Feat: Run, Point Blank Shot, and Improved Initiative.
Gear: Backpack with waterskin, one day's trail rations, bedroll, 2 torches, with 10 arrows.
Gold: 5d6 gp.
Campaign Information
Playing a Shadow Mind
in order to play a Shadow Mind, you as a player most come to the terms with dealing with your trauma and redirecting it through this morbid world. Your job if you choose to accept, it is to sneak, kill and steal for those who are weak and murder the strong while they sleep.
Religion: Due to their trickery nature, they either have no deity or worship Olidammara, but there are those outliers.
Other Classes: They are not really trustworthy of any other class, until that character has earned the Shadow Minds trust. Other classes, once they know of the Shadow mind, generally treat them like they would a rogue, distanced, and wary about the Shadow Minds movements.
Combat: A high level Shadow Mind is great at distracting opponents with their many jumps. All Shadow Minds are perfect at getting behind the enemy and hitting them where they hurt worst.
Advancement: It would be a good idea to look into a magic casting class to cast spells from almost every direction, and a Shadowdancer to be able to jump through shadows at a greater rate.
Shadow Minds in the World
| “ | The scariest monsters are those who lurk within our souls. | ” |
| —Edgar Allen Po, Human Shadow Mind | ||
Daily Life: Wake up at mid-day, pick up the supplies for any missions that night and any food to eat, check the mission details, spy on their target, wait for the moment and strike, run from the guards if they weren't to careful, find a good hiding place for the night, and the next day they go out and look for another mission.
Notables: Dae Aul, Daris, Naarik, Zonzo, and Fobo.
Organizations: Shadow Minds can be found in dark alleys, old parts of the city, or the rich parts during nights. They also do not stay in groups too long.
NPC Reactions: NPCs treat a Shadow Mind as if they where anyone else.
Shadow Minds in the Game
They are the ones that can reach nearly inaccessible areas, sneak up on creatures, and silently take out their targets.
Adaptation: Shadow Sword can be used 3 times a day, plus 1 more every 3 levels, and Shadow Vortex can be used twice a day, plus 1 more every 3 levels.
Sample Encounter: Dark city streets, hidden corners of "famous" dungeons, or areas mercenaries normally gather.
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