Shadow Monarch, Variant (3.5e Class)

I believe this class is now in a playable state, and in the future I have intent to add feats specific for this class at the bottom of this page

Shadow Monarch

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Long ago before the gods existed an absolute being who towered above the laws of creation itself. This being gave birth to the Rulers; creatures of creation, and the Monarchs; creatures of destruction. Due to their natures, they waged with one another for eons. Eventually, With the destruction of the final Monarch, the Rulers had come to realize that the Absolute Being birthed them solely for their own amusement. The Rulers angered and grieving banded together and lashed out, slaying the Absolute Being. Only one Ruler remained loyal to the Absolute Being and tried to protect it against their siblings. Unfortunately despite his effort, he was outnumbered and perished at their hands.

While within the shadowy void of death, the fallen Ruler took notice of a fragment of power left to the Absolute Being's most loyal servant, only in the event of the being's demise; as a contingency plan of sorts. A powerful and terrifying ability capable of unspeakable atrocities, or miraculous boons; true power over Death itself. Realizing that his faith and sacrifice had been nothing more than a final pawn for the Absolute Being's game was too much. With this final betrayal, the ruler's mind fractured, giving birth to a new being; the first Shadow Monarch. Consumed by the fragment and corrupted, he set out to kill the Rulers who had betrayed the Absolute Being. After succeeding, he wandered death for eternity until drawn to a mortal connected to death. Appearing before them he passed his power to a mortal to do with as they saw fit before finally dispersing within death. As you stand before your own demise, you were chosen, as his avatar, the next monarch of shadows.

Making a Shadow Monarch

Abilities: Intelligence is the most important stat used for Shadow-related powers, typically with Dexterity being second.

Races: Any mortal race is capable of being granted the power of the monarch, provided he takes and interest in them.

Alignment: A Shadow Monarch is typically Chaotic, though they can take these powers for many reasons allowing for any alignment.

Starting Gold: 5d4x10 gp.

Starting Age: Simple.

Table: The Shadow Monarch

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+2	+0	Monarch's Touch, Fighting Style
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	Shadow Extraction, Soldier Enhancements
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1	Shadow Infiltrator
4th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Soldier Enhancements
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Extra Attack
6th	+4	+2	+5	+2	Shadow Mount
7th	+5	+2	+5	+2	Whispering Shadows
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+2	Soldier Enhancements, Shadow Exchange
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+3	Black Heart
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+3	Evolutions of the Shadows
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+3	'Full Recovery'
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Ruler of Shadows, Soldier Enhancements
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Monarch's Touch+
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+4	Life Harvest
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+4	Shadow infiltrator+, Shadow Slip
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Soldier Enhancements, Shadow Exchange+
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Shadows Embrace
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+6
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6	Monarch's Dominion
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6	Shadow Convergence, Soldier Enhancements
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Knowledge(arcana) (Int), Knowledge(Religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), all Profession (Wis), all craft (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Shadow Monarch Disciples are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light and medium armor but not with shields.

Monarchs's Touch

Using a swift action, an invisible spectral floating hand appears at a point you choose within range. The hand lasts for 1 hour or until you dismiss it as a free action. The hand vanishes if it is ever more than 30 feet away from you or if you cast this cantrip again. You can use your move action to control or command the hand. You can use the hand to manipulate an object, open an unlocked door or container, stow or retrieve an item from an open container, or pour the contents out of a vial. You can move the hand up to 30 feet each time you use it. (Note: You can't attack with this ability or lift unwilling creatures)

Monarchs' Touch+ - Beginning at the 13th Level, when you cast Monarch's Touch, your spectral hand is suffused with black shadowy flames. You can now have the hand interact with an object/target as a swift action. Monarch's Touch can now be used to make attacks either unarmed or with a weapon you are proficient with. The max weight the hand can lift is equal to 10 pounds per level. If used to attack a creature unarmed make a touch attack using an Intelligence modifier that deals 1d8 Necrotic damage, if armed with a weapon make an attack roll using your Intelligence modifier, this deals the weapon's damage + 1d4 as necrotic damage.

Fighting Style

You adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options.

Archery: You are treated as having the Rapid Shot feat, even if you do not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

Dueling: When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons or a shield, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity for disarming, sundering, or trip attempts, if you already do not provoke from any of these you gain a +4 to your checks to do these.

Great Weapon Fighting: When wielding two-handed weapons you are treated as having the power attack feat, even if you do not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

Two-Weapon Fighting: You are treated as having the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if you do not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

Shadow Extraction

Starting at 2nd level, you can resurrect the shadows of fallen creatures and keep them as soldiers to fight under your control. As an action, you can attempt to extract the shadow of a creature within 5 feet of you that has been dead for no longer than 1 hour, and that is not a construct, inorganic creature, or undead. Each Soul you extract will become a soldier that you can control. The shape of the summoned creature retains the same shape, stats, and abilities as if they were still alive, but the color is ink black with shadowy wisps rising from its body, and eyes that glow with eldrich blue light. The bonus they gain to HP and armor class will be represented in the Soldier Enhancements chart below, these creatures are treated as having the undead type.

Using a standard action, you can extract the soul of the creature (within 1 hr of its death). Extracting a soul this way is a difficult task, use a d20 + Int modifier vs a DC 8 + Creatures HD. You only have 3 chances to attempt a Shadow Extraction on a target, if you fail 3 times the remaining essence is lost forever and cannot be attempted to be extracted ever again. If successful, the newly formed Shadow becomes an undying subordinate to the Monarch, it cannot speak but can emote, and it will follow any commands given.

New shadows require time to properly form, as a result, newly acquired shadow soldiers will not be battle ready until the monarch receives a rest.

In battle, as a standard action, you can summon one shadow soldier and as a move action, you can store one soldier though they cannot be stored while in battle. You can give an order to your shadows within hearing distance. If they are out of range for an order they will continue with the order given. If they complete their order they will return to defend their Monarch. Upon death, your soldier will evaporate, leaving behind only black ashes and any items it held. Shadows cannot be summoned or stored while you do not have a shadow, such as in a completely pitch-black room or a room so bright no shadows exist.

You can store a number of soldiers equal to your level within your own shadow. You can never have more than 4 times your caster level worth of HD of Shadows. Once extracted the soul will immediately be stored in your shadow, if there is no room you must choose to release a stored soldier into smoke or forfeit the new soul.

Shadow soldiers when raised are equipped with a copy of the same equipment they had when their shadow is raised, the equipment loses all magical properties it had. You may switch out their weapon(s) and armor which will stay with the shadow until it perishes or is removed. Shadows may not be used for the purpose of overcoming carrying capacity. They may wield 1 weapon per hand and 1 set of armor.

You may not sacrifice a shadow if you didn't have space in your shadow hit-die pool for it to become your shadow.

Shadows lose the spellcasting ability but may still benefit from Extraordinary Abilities, Spell-like Abilities, and Supernatural Abilities (per Dm discretion)

Shadow General

You can choose a Shadow to be the most loyal soldier and the general of your army, the chosen shadow gains a passive ability, once per day when it would be struck with an attack while within 100ft of you (must choose to do so before the damage roll) you can use an swift action to return it to your shadow unharmed, this does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Whenever you gain an ability score improvement, your Shadow General's abilities also improve by the same amount in an ability score of your choice. If you designate a new shadow as your army general, The old one will lose all the improvements; and the new general receives them instead. You may only select a shadow to be your general once per day.

Soldier Enhancements

Starting at the 2nd level, You or your Shadow Soldiers now gain one of these abilities:

Unyielding: When your shadows are targeted by turn or rebuke undead, you may choose to impose disadvantage on their turning check.

Durable: All of your shadows gain the toughness feat. (Can be taken multiple times giving an additional Toughness feat each time)

Deep Connection: Giving Shadows an order only needs a Swift action and you can communicate telepathically with them, the maximum distance for this is 60ft. (Can be taken multiple times giving an additional 20ft range each time)

Monarchs Grace: You may use your own health to heal your shadows, you may transfer 2d6 HP per Shadow Monarch Disciple level to a shadow within 20ft. (Can be taken multiple times giving an additional 20ft range each time and allowing an additional 1d6 per level of health to be transferred)

Longer Shadow: Your shadow expands allowing you to fit additional Shadow Soldiers inside of it. You Gain your Intelligence modifier to the number of Shadows you can have in total. (Can be taken multiple times giving the same amount of additional shadows you can have each time)

At levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 you may choose an additional soldier enhancement to gain.

Soldier Ranks

At any point you may wish to enhance a shadow you have, you may sacrifice other shadows you have to empower one allowing it to gain ranks on the below chart, the cost is two times the rank you wish to achieve the number of other shadows. A shadow may only go up one rank at a time and cannot be a higher rank than your Shadow Monarch level, you cannot skip any ranks and each rank's bonus replaces the previous ones. This ability may be used 1 + Int modifier amount of times per day. You may sacrifice Shadows over time with this to save up for the next rank so they do not take up space in your shadow, though if the Shadow they were sacrificed to dies then all sacrificed shadows disappear with it. (Note: All Shadows start at rank 0) Sacrificing a higher-ranked shadow only counts as one sacrifice. You may sacrifice a newly acquired shadow.

Ranks	HP Bonus	Armor Class
1st-Normal	+25% of original	+0
2nd-Infantry	+35% of original	+1
3rd-Elite	+50% of original	+2
4th-Knight	+60% of original	+3
5th-Elite Knight	+75% of original	+4
6th-Commander	+85% of original	+5
7th-Colonel	+100% of original	+6
8th-General	+110% of original	+7
9th-Major General	+125% of original	+8
10th-Marshal	+135% of original	+9
11th-Grand Marshal	+150% of original	+10

Shadow Infiltrator

At level 3 you get the ability to infiltrate and store your shadow soldiers in the shadows of other humanoid targets. As a standard action, you can choose a target within 30 feet of you and send a single soldier into their shadow, when doing this you may give the shadow a command to defend the target if attacked after which the shadow will return to the target's shadow. The soldiers are incredibly hard to notice with normal senses requiring a DC 30 spot check to notice, they remain there unless you command them to leave the shadow of the target. As an action you can see what your soldiers see from the perspective of inside other people's shadows, during this time, you are deafened and blinded by your own senses. While in the shadow of another creature, they still count toward the number of your stored shadows. The Shadow will be forced to return to you if the Shadow is over 5 miles away from you, stays in another creature's shadow for over 3 days, or is destroyed.

Shadow Infiltrator+ - At level 15, the soldier no longer loses the connection after being 5 miles away and can stay in a creature's shadow for up to 30 days.

Extra Attack

At level 5 you gain the extra attack ability. Extra Attack: Your training as a Shadow Monarch Disciple has shown you how to better utilize your combat potential. You gain one extra attack at your highest base attack bonus when taking a full attack action.

Shadow mount

Beginning at the 6th Level, You may designate the shadow of a reasonable creature 1 size category larger than yourself as your mount. This creature's HD cost to your shadow pool is reduced by 1HD for every level you have in this class, In addition, the rider receives +½ shadow monarch level as a ride skill bonus when on this mount. The mount can be switched on short or long rest.

Whispering Shadows

At 7th as a full round action, you can communicate with your servants at any distance to discuss plans and give orders in addition, you can now allow them to use magic items. Items given to a shadow become part of the shadow and will remain with them until you remove them or if the shadow is destroyed, in which they drop the item. The shadow must be proficient in said item.

Shadow Exchange

At the 8th level, you can switch positions with any previously summoned shadow or with a shadow inhabiting another person's shadow within 60ft as a move action (within 5ft of the target). You may not do this if there is an area where magic is negated, or if there is not enough space in the area. This ability may be used once per day. You gain one additional use of this ability every four levels: 12, 16, and 20.

Shadow Exchange+ - At level 16 you gain further control over the shadows, you may now as a full round action expend 2 uses of your shadow exchange to switch places with a shadow at any distance, this upgraded version can only be used once per day.

Black Heart

At the 9th level, you have spent so much time dealing with shadows/undead and the forces that animate them that you have become resistant to some of their effects. You gain energy resistance to necrotic damage equal to twice your level and a +4 bonus on saving throws made to resist negative energy effects.

Evolutions of the Shadows

Beginning at the 10th Level, you can enhance the power of your Shadows giving them an +4 bonus to any one ability score or the Improved Toughness Feat even if they do not meet the prerequisites for it.

Full Recovery

Starting at the 11th level, you may when taking a long rest you may restore up to 4 points of ability damage or you may regrow a missing or damaged limb though you will suffer fatigue the next day due to the energy required to restore the limb. In addition, the aging process has slowed, increasing their life span to twice that of their races norm.

Ruler of Shadows

At level 12, You truly come into your own as a monarch. Your shadow storage capacity is now equal to twice your level in addition you may now store a shadow as a swift action once per turn. You can deploy two shadows using a full round action instead of just one from a standard action.

Life Harvest

Starting at the 14th level, by reaping life you are able to claim a fraction of those unfortunate creatures' life force to regenerate your wounds and fortify your body. At the end of your turn, if you or any shadow under your control have killed one or more creatures, you gain hit points equal to your 1d6 per 2HD of the creature slain. If doing so would grant you more hit points than you can have, you gain temporary hit points equal to the number of excess hit points received. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + Int modifier and only once per round.

Shadow slip

At the 15th level, you may wrap yourself and become one with the shadows, granting invisibility to yourself for 1 minute. This ability may be used twice per long rest.

Shadows Embrace

At the 17th level, you gain the ability to absorb your shadow soldiers within your shadows in return for power. You can spend one use of your shadow extraction and sacrifice one of your shadows to gain one of the following benefits for 1 minute/ 10 rounds:

Strength

You become one size category larger.

Flight

You gain a fly speed of 30 ft (Average) or you may choose to use the fly speed of the sacrificed shadow if it had one.

Resilience

You gain energy resistance against one type of damage equal to twice the sacrificed Shadows HD.

Might

When rolling damage, multiply the total of each die by 1½ for melee weapon attacks.

Monarch's Dominion

At level 19 you may use a standard action to activate the Monarch's Dominion. This causes the floor within a 120ft radius in a point you choose within 60 feet to become dyed black in shadows, and your soldiers will get your Highest Base Attack Bonus added to their damage while they stay in the cone extending upward indefinitely. The territory will dissipate after 1 + int modifier minutes. This ability can only be used once per day.

Shadow Convergence

At the 20th level, you may converge the material plane with your inner shadows. You turn the area in a 60-foot sphere around you into your Shadow Domain. All shadows under your control can teleport to any place within the sphere as a swift action each turn, up to a range equal to their movement speed. At the beginning of your turn, both you and the shadows under your control regain a number of hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier and gain a bonus to your attack rolls and AC equal to half your level. This area lasts for 10 minutes. This ability can only be used once per day and cannot be used with Monarch's Dominion.

Class-specific Feats

Coming soon

Class FAQ

Can you revive a shadow back into a living NPC/character Yes, the black ash left behind by a shadow can be targeted by a resurrection-type spell, though they will have a recollection of being a puppet of the shadow monarch.

Are the undead considered Intelligent? Provided the source material for the shadow is considered Intelligent, they keep the ability scores they had in life. Keep in mind, they are unable to speak, or cast.

Can a player character that died be the target of Shadow Extraction? By the rules of the class, yes. However, keep in mind this is entirely up to the Game Master's opinion

Can a player's shadow be played by them as if their character didn't die? Up to GM discretion, though this will still affect your HD pool and they will be constrained by all of the constraints shadows have, in addition, they wouldn't be able to level, as shadows do not gain XP.

Important tidbit

1. No gamemaster wants someone with an infinite number of summons on the board, it clogs up gameplay and ruins it for other players, a good practice of this class is to make something strong, rather than a field of annoyances. A good practice would be to try to avoid anything above 2 summons at a time.

2. Play fast and loose with your shadows, they are meant to be expendable, there is nothing wrong with losing a powerful shadow, as you will likely gain a new powerful shadow later.

3. The Gamemaster is always right, you should listen to them and your fellow players, this game is about the story and camaraderie, not a single individual.

Campaign Information

Playing a Shadow Monarch

Religion: A shadow monarch is likely to abhor religion in general, as they believe the gods to have formed from the aftermath of the great war. Though some follow the practice they had before gaining their newfound power

Other Classes: The shadow monarch always keeps an eye on strong individuals in hopes of collecting mightier shadows.

Combat: Typically a front-line melee role would be best, as you may create flanking opportunities with your shadows, though a ranged shadow monarch is entirely possible.

Advancement: Dipping into rogue for sneak attack pairs well with the ability to summon shadows and create flanking opportunities.

Shadow Monarch Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge Religion or History can research the legend of the Shadow Monarchs to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Knowledge History or Religion

DC	Result
5	Only nursery rhymes with vague meanings.
10	Ancient writings have mentions of a demon who waged war against the old gods.
15	Long before our pantheon, an ancient evil bore its fangs upon the old gods, leaving nothing but devastation before vanishing into the same blackness it came from.
20	Death itself slayed the old gods long before the current pantheon, legends say it still walks among us, having grown weaker from battle.

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