Shadinger (3.5e Epic Race)

Shadinger

Shadingers are a primordial and esoteric shadow species, whose existence dates back to the primal days of the Cosmos. Shadingers are invulnerable to almost anything created by either mortals or gods. Their origin is all but unknown, even to them. Shadingers are incapable of natural reproduction, however can create new members of their species using a special and highly complex ritual.

Personality

Due to their age, Shadingers tend to have a broader perspective of events. Thus, usually they care little for local problems. However, it isn't unheard of that a Shadinger grows attached to mortal individuals; in such cases, they may go out of their way to protect said individual.

Physical Description

Shadingers are humanoid in shape; in fact, their exact features can resemble those of various humanoids. Their skin and other soft tissues are shadowy black, while their bones, teeth and nails are silvery. Their eyes are pure silver save for the pupil, which is black. Their blood is bright purple. While a Shadinger possesses a vessel, their true form is hidden and can only be seen via the use of a True Sight spell.

Relations

Shadingers seldom prejudge or discriminate; therefore, they can usually get along with anyone whose alignment doesn't oppose theirs and is willing to accept them.

Alignment

Any. Shadingers are as variable as mortals in terms of morality and principles.

Lands

Any. Shadingers can be found virtually anywhere, even in very inhospitable locations.

Religion

To say that Shadingers worship anything would be an overstatement. They do acknowledge the power of higher entities like the gods, however seldom actually worship them.

Language

Common, Supernal. Furthermore, their Intuitive Multilingualism ability enables them to quickly learn virtually any language, even codes and encryption.

Names

Any. While in vessels may use the vessels' names.

Racial Traits

• Abilities: +40 Strength, +26 Dexterity, +30 Constitution, +12 Intelligence +16 Wisdom, +8 Charisma
• Medium Outsider (Primordial, Shadow): Shadingers are a primordial and esoteric shadow species; they are also nearly indestructible. All their HDs are d20s.
• Shadinger base land speed is 300 feet per round. They have swimming speed and climbing speed 300 feet per round and flight speed (perfect maneuverability) 600 feet per round.
• Invulnerability: Shadingers are durable, and not easily injured. They can endure virtually all damage without succumbing to it. They have damage reduction 40/- and a +10 bonus to natural armor.
• Advanced Healing Factor: Shadingers possess a nigh-absolute healing factor. They can quickly regenerate practically all sustained damage, regardless of its severity; potentially, they can completely regenerate from mere tissues. They have regeneration 20/-, and fast healing 5, and restore 5 points of ability damage and 1 point of drained ability per round.
• Heightened Senses: Shadingers possess exceedingly sharp and accurate senses which make them keenly aware of their surroundings. Blindsight out to 300 feet, Blindsense out to 3000 feet, Highly Advanced Scent within 1 mile and Perfect Darkvision.
• Perfect Perception: Virtually nothing is hidden from a Shadinger's perception; they can see through magical darkness, camouflage and illusions. They can see the true form of things that were magically polymorphed, changed or transmuted by focusing on them. They can focus their senses to perceive overlapping planes of existence (like the Ethereal plane from the Material Plane).
• Enhanced Essence Sense: Shadingers can sense the presence and nature of any creature within a 30 feet radius, even if they are supernaturally/magically concealed.
• Slam: Shadingers are incredibly strong and can inflict extreme damage. They have a slam attack that deals 2d6 hp damage and overcomes any DR except DR/-.
• Eldritch Nature: Shadingers are never considered extraplanar. They are immune to any non-physical planer trait. Shadingers are healed by both positive and negative energy. They aren't in burst danger from positive energy or in withering danger from negative energy. Moreover, Shadingers receive an additional +10 bonus against all divination and mind-affecting effects.
• Possession: Shadingers are capable of possessing any creature that has a physical body and is also lesser than a demigod. This ability works like the spell Magic Jar (caster level 20 or their HD, whichever is higher), however does not require a receptacle. In order to possess a creature, a Shadinger has to attempt to move into the target’s space. While possessing a creature, they have complete access to said creature's abilities, memories and skills, and gain a +30 bonus on Disguise checks for the purpose of disguising themselves as their vessel. Shadingers grant their vessels most of their traits/abilities (traits/abilities that aren't granted are mentioned so in their description).
• Intangibility: Shadingers can become intangible (incorporeal) at will; while intangible, they can't interact with anything corporeal but can interact with other incorporeal creatures. Shadingers can also make only certain parts of their body intangible, without becoming entirely intangible. Shadingers are able to remain intangible indefinitely. They cannot use this ability while in a vessel.
• Invisibility: Shadingers can become invisible at will, and can remain invisible for as long as they wish. While invisible, Shadingers gain a +20 bonus on all Hide and Move Silently and checks, and can't be revealed via Darkvision or See Invisibility, only via True Seeing.
• Telepathy: Shadingers are able to telepathically communicate with any creature that has Intelligence score, within a 120 feet radius.
• Advanced Immortality: Shadingers are entirely ageless beings and have indefinite lifespan. They require no sleep and can't get tired naturally. They don't need to breath at all, and also require no sustenance, but can consume and completely digest almost any organic substance, as well as some non-organic substances. A Shadinger's vessel doesn't age while possessed.
• Resistances: Shadingers have spell resistance 40 and power resistance 20.
• Immunities: Shadingers are immune to all elements, diseases, poisons, death effects, transmutation effects and holy/unholy damage.
• Direct Teleportation (Su): Shadingers can teleport virtually anywhere, at will. This ability works like the spell Unbounded Teleportation, except they can only teleport themselves and people they are in physical contact with (along with any equipment they are carrying).
• Enhanced Brain Capability: Shadingers possess enhanced cognitive ability; thus, they can learn far quicker than ordinary humans. They gain 12 additional skill points and an additional feat per level.
• Perfect Memory: Shadingers possess perfect photographic memory. Thus, they retain all the memories and skills of any vessel they have ever possessed.
• Intuitive Multilingualism: Shadingers automatically decipher linguistic patterns, and as such can understand and quickly learn any language via sufficient exposure to it.
• Adhesion: Shadingers are able to adhere to solid surfaces. Therefore, they can climb and walk on any solid surface, even vertically and upside down, without needing to make a Climb check. They can negate any fall simply by clinging to a surface; doing so isn't considered an action.
• Shadow Magic (Su): Shadingers can create and shape shadows to manifest a variety of effects. This ability functions like the spells Greater Shadow Conjuration and Greater Shadow Evocation, which can be used at will. However, the shadow effects are manifested shadows, rather than illusions, thus are distinctly made of shadows and darkness, and fully effective against all targets.
• Spell-Like Abilities: At Will - Cure Light Wounds, Detect Thoughts, Discern Lies, Dispel Magic, Feather Fall, Hypnotism, Make Whole, Suggestion, Telekinesis. General caster level is equal to 12 + HD.
• Shadingers automatically gain the following feats, even if they do not meet their prerequisites: Alertness, Ambidextrous, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Deft Hands, Diehard, Distant Shot, Dodge, Endurance, Far Shot, Improved Casting, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Unarmed Strike, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Magic Mind, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Snatch Arrows, Supreme Strength, Track, Two-Weapon Fighting and Unheard.
• Shadingers receive a +20 bonus on all Acrobatics, Bluff, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks, and a +8 bonus on Knowledge checks.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Supernal (while in a vessel, also the automatic languages of said vessel's race). Bonus Languages: Any, including secret languages such as Druidic.
• Favored Class: Any
• Level Adjustment: +20

Vital Statistics

Starting Age: Shadingers are ageless beings who are created fully grown.

Shadingers Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can research the Shadingers to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (arcana)

DC	Result
5	Shadingers are a powerful and esoteric shadow species whose origin is a mystery.
10	Shadingers are invulnerable to almost anything created by either mortals or gods. Shadingers are primordial creatures who predated even most of the gods.
15	Shadingers cannot reproduce naturally. New Shadingers can only be created through a ritual so tedious and complex it is very seldom performed.
20	Shadingers can possess other creatures, gaining all of the creature's memories and skills. While Shadingers possess creatures, only the most powerful spells can reveal them.

Shadinger Creation Ritual

The ritual to create a new Shadinger can only be performed by Shadingers. Furthermore, it is extremely tedious, taking an entire week, and agonizingly complex. Thus, even with their immortal patience, Shadingers can barely bear to perform it. Additionally, performing the ritual is very demanding for the caster; a Shadinger who performs the ritual becomes exhausted for a month afterwards. As such, Shadingers very seldom perform the ritual; literal ages can pass between the creation of two Shadingers.

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