Shadow (5e Class)
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Shadow
Banished from the land of the living and cursed with undeath? Stuck between the Material and Astral plane? Got a supercharged soul that refuses to carry on? or spell gone wrong. A shadow is someone who was once of the land of the living, but through some event have been partially sent to the other side, but how? While there did you spend time clawing your way back or was it a part of a deal?
Creating a Shadow
How did you obtain you shadow powers and learn how to fight? Were you taught by a master of shadows or did you grow up embracing the shadows and training yourself? Why do you become a shadow? Was it for power, revenge, a goal, or something else? Also think about how open about your powers and abilities you wish to be.
- Quick Build
You can make a Shadow quickly by following these suggestions. First, Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity. Second, choose the sage background.
Class Features
As a Shadow you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d4 per Shadow level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 4 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d4 (or 3) + Constitution modifier per Shadow level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: light armor
Weapons: simple weapons
Tools: thieves' tools, one musical Instruments
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Wisdom
Skills: Choose four from Arcana, Deception, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Persuasion, Insight, and Stealth
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) rapier or (b) shortsword
- (a) shortbow Or longbow and quiver of 20 arrows or (b) shortsword
- (a) musical instrument or (b) thieves' tools
- (a) A explorer's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
Merge
Starting at 1st level, you may choose to merge with another willing humanoid within 5 ft of you as an action for 1 Merge Point. Merging is a process of you combining yourself with another, this means that you are no longer corporeal, or present, and as such you cannot be targeted directly. You occupy the same tile as the target. By merging with another creature you amplify their own abilities with your own, and vice versa.
Once a merge happens, the following effects will take place:
- The host adds your Wisdom modifier to one of it's scores. For example, if you have a +3 on your Wisdom modifier your host could add that number into one of it's scores, if he chooses his 15 Strength score it would become a 18 Strength score while on the merge. This can go above the host's maximum. At 5th level, your host can add your modifier towards another score of it's choice. At 9th level, your host can add your modifier to three different scores. At 13th level, your host can add your modifier to four different scores. At 17th level, your host can add your modifier to five different scores. And at 20th level, he can add your modifier to all of the scores.
- Your initiative is merged, using the higher roll.
- The host adds your maximum hit points times your Wisdom modifier/2 as temporary hit points while you are merged with them.
- The host adds half of your movement speed to their own movement speed.
- The host gains all proficiencies in skill, tools, armours, weapons, languages, etc., that you have.
- You have telepathy with your host.
- You cannot be targeted by attacks or saving throws, only your host will be.
While merged you can still activate attack, features and spells however they cannot be harmful in any way shape or form. Both your inventory and the host's inventory are independent from each other.
You must be conscious while merged in order stay in that state. If at any point while merged you fall unconscious, or the temporary hit points reach 0 then you are forced out and appear within 5 ft of the host that is not currently occupied by another creature, or object, if there are none, then the DM decides where you re-appear. You may decide to leave as an action.
- Merge Points
You have a number of number of merge points equal to half your level(rounded up) + your Wisdom modifier. Once you have used all of your merge points, you can regain them after taking a short or long rest.
Overthrow
Also at 1st level, sometimes you really want a body, but the host is not really agreeing with your intentions. As an action for 1 merge point you can chose to merge with an unwilling humanoid that is within 5 ft using a Merge Point. The target must make an Intelligence save versus your merge DC. On a success, you don't take over their body. On a failure, you take control of their body and you gain all of the benefits of Merge, now controling the host and acting on your turn in the initiative order.
At the end of every round, the host may make another Intelligence saving throw. If you are forcing them to do something they would be against, for example handing over their items, killing an ally, or putting themselves in harm's way, they gain advantage.
Your merge DC is calculated as it follows:
8 + proficiency bonus + Wisdom Modifier
Shadow Defense
Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.
Regenerative Possession
At 2nd level, you have learned how to help your hosts by giving them part of your essence. As an action while merging with someone, you may convert an indifinite number of temporary hit points gained by Merge into hit points for the host. If this reduces the temporary hit points to 0, you will be removed from the merge.
Enhanced Strike
At 2nd level, you may remove part of your essence in exchange to granting your host more power. As a reaction to your host making an attack roll, you may remove 5 temporary hit points obtained from the merge to grant your host 1d4 damage on all damage rolls until the end of their turn. You may remove your temporary hit points a number of times in the same turn as your proficiency bonus, with each additional 5 temporary hit points removed adding one additional dice.
Shadow's Evasion
Starting at 3rd level, as a shadow, you are wispy and difficult to pin down. As a bonus action on each of your turns in combat you can take the dash, disengage, or hide actions.
Shadow Aspect
At 3rd level, all shadows have a distinct form, you could not be different. You must choose one of the following Shadow Aspects: Supportive, Supreme or Subtle, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your shadow aspect grants you features at 3rd level, and then at 6th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level.
Ability Score Increase
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Hardened Defences
At 5th level, you have harnessed the ability to blunt incoming attacks for your host. While Merged with a host their AC will be increased by your proficiency bonus.
Quick Escape
Starting at 5th Level, when you are knocked out of a host you may run out of there in a rush. As a reaction after ending a merge, you can move up to half your movement speed. This movement does not trigger opportunity attacks.
Evasion
Beginning at 7th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a red dragon's fiery breath or an ice storm spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Host Capabilities Enhancement
At 9th level, while inside your hosts, their capabilities are greatly enhanced. While inside your hosts, they will gain one additional attack on their attack action.
Enhanced Actions
At 11th level, your host's body reaches it's peak whenever you are inside of it. Your host will gain one additional bonus action.
At 20th level, your host will gain one additional action.
Lethal Shadow
At 13th level, you are able to more easily spot a creature's weaknesses. You and your host now have a crit range of 18-20 in your attack rolls.
"Lucky"
Starting at 14th level, having been Merged with hosts for a while now, you have become accustomed to not being appreciated when your host is miraculously saved from a situation. When your host fails a saving throw, ability check, or attack roll you may spend 15 temporary hitpoints to make them reroll it, keeping the higher amount.
Shadow Drain
At 17th level, your attacks are like a shadow consuming the light, draining the life force of the unfortunate enough to battle you. Whenever you or your host deals damage, you will regain hit points equal to half of the damage dealt.
Combination Mastery
Finally at 20th level, you are a master of entering bodies. Entering a host no longer costs Merge points, and you gain two of the following benefits depending on your shadow aspect:
- The DC to Overthrow a target is increased to 8 + proficiency + Wisdom + Charisma (Must not be a supremacy aspect).
- When you or your host attacks another creature your attacks naturally ignore resistances or immunities (Must not be a subtle aspect).
Shadow Aspects
Supportive Aspect
A supportive Shadow is similar to a host's personal bodyguard, that is, always protecting them even when they don't know it. Through modifying their current abilities and protecting them from harm, a Supportive Shadow is a perfect choice for someone who wants their friends to excel.
- Symbiotic Potential
At 3rd level, your innate properties are more refined and soothing to the host. When you merge with a willing host you apply double your maximum hit points times your Wisdom modifier to the host as temporary hit points. At 15th level, the host gains three times your maximum hit points times your Wisdom modifier as temporary hit points.
- Power Amplification
At 6th level, your shadow powers can change the host's attacks to make them stronger. If bonded with a willing host you can use your bonus action to add one additional damage dice to your host's damage rolls.
At 15th level, this increases to two damage dices.
- Enhanced Bond
At 10th level, you and your host have become closer through interaction, and because of this you have become more efficient in aiding them on their endeavors. When you use the Merge ability on a willing host they gain +1 to all ability scores, including their maximums.
At 15th level this increases to a +2, and +3 at 20th level.
- Regenerative Bond
At 15th level, when merged with a wounded host your presence acts like a warm embrace that soothes the host's mind and body. Whenever you merge with a host, they regain hit points equal to half of your maximum hit points(rounded up).
- Tight Bond
Finally at 20th level, you and your hosts have formed a symbiotic relationship. when your host runs out of temporary hit points when bonded with you, as a free action you can attempt to merge again immediately, this succeeds if the shadow passes a Wisdom Dc check equal to the amount of damage taken to break the merge. they only regain 1/10 of your hit points as temporary hp when re-merged.
Supremacy Aspect
A Supremacy Shadow revolves around the puppeteering of foes to dance around the battlefield to your will. Temporary hosts that are used as meat suits for the express purpose short actions.
- Learned Manipulator
At 3rd level, your grasp on your host's mind has become more complete, the Intelligence save for the skill Overthrow becomes 8 + proficiency bonus + Wisdom Modifier + your Character level/3 (rounded down).
- Reactive Damage
At 3rd level, you are attached to your hosts mentally and physically so much so that being forcefully removed causes them pain. When you are knocked out of a host you may choose to deal psychic damage to them equal to half your maximum HP as a reaction.
This number rises as the temporary HP used to control them rises.
- Shadow of the Mind
at 6th level, Nothing is hidden from you, While Merged with a host you can try and scry the host's memories of up to 1 day in the past, but you must pass a Charisma roll equal to the Charisma stat of the target.
The number of days you can sry back to increases to 1 week, 3 months, and 1 lifetime at 10th, 15th, and 20th level
- Shadow Stitching
at 10th level, you are able to sustain your manipulation from farther away, when you would merge with a host you may choose to stay outside of their tile and control them from a distance at the cost of using your action per turn to continue to the Merge effect, when you would be knocked out of your host, you appear where you moved to then can do any additional actions provided from other features.
- Shadow Puppeteering
At 15th level, You can use the effect of shadow stitching to target additional hosts for overthrow but cannot merge with a willing host, when you do this for each additional host reduce the dc of the overthrow Intelligence save by 3.
- Bound Puppets
at 20th level, Overthrown hosts no long gain advantage against the overthrow for forcing them to do something they would be against.
Subtle Aspect
The Subtle Shadow embraces what the Shadow is in essence, a being that follows from a close distance with its target none the wiser. Using darkness to their advantage the Subtle Shadow is an expert in information gathering and infiltration.
- Silent Shadow
At 3rd level, using your incorporeal form has given you some advantages in not disturbing the land you walk, gain Expertise in stealth, and while moving you make no sound and cannot be tracked by non-magical means.
- Unexpected Visitor
At 3rd level, you have found a weakness in your unsuspecting targets' mental shields, when you attempt to overthrow a target from stealth they gain disadvantage on their Intelligence save.
- Silent Merge
At 6th level, when you are in stealth you can use the merge action or overthrow action while retaining stealth, if you use overthrow in stealth and succeed none of that host's allies can notice its effect outside of magical detection.
- Stalker
At 6th level, attaching to your targets secretly has become nature, you may use this ability to merely attach to your target instead of controlling them. When you use this feature the host must make an Intelligence save normally, but if they fail you have no control over them but move along with them on their normal actions. They may roll their Intelligence save again every 5 minutes instead of 6 seconds to force you out You may convert this to a Silent Merge at the cost of 1 Merge point, though the target may make another Intelligence save to resist.
At 15th level, you may attempt to alter their actions using a bonus action, you can... - Give disadvantage on their next attack roll - Cast Suggestion on them - Or provide disadvantage on perception rolls
- Shadow Step
at 10th level, you use the darkness as a veil, as a bonus action you can teleport from one shadow to another shadow within a range of 30ft, shadows cast by creatures smaller than you cannot be teleported to.
- Consuming Shadow
At 15th level, When merged with a host, as a bonus action you can use the shadow step feature to ether; -teleport you and your host from a shadow to another shadow within 30ft with shadows cast by creatures smaller than your host being unavailable to be teleported to. -teleport yourself from one host to another host within 30ft at the cost of a merge usage, if this new host is hostile you must succeed the overthrow Intelligence or appear within a tile 5ft of the hostile target.
- Memory Manipulation
at 20th level, You have mastered the art of secret control, by using your powers you can directly hide and change memories of your hosts. As an action, you may remove and alter up the memory of 1 nearby target though you can only manipulate up to 1 minute in the past.
Additionally, you may change from Stalking and Merging with your host at will, the host will either forget what had happened during the time Merged or believe that they did the actions of their own free will.
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Shadow class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Wisdom and 13 Dexterity.
Proficiency. When you multiclass into the Shadow class, you gain the following proficiency: Stealth.
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