Shadow Slave (5e Class)
Shadow Slave[edit]
A slave sits alone in a cage, the bars confining him as the cart moved slowly over the dirt path. There was no sound from the slave, almost no movement. Upon the ear is a tag, marking the slave with the rare registration of S16. The collar gleamed around the throat, but the slave was scarred from battles fought. Finally, the cart stopped, and the driver got off, dragging the heavy cage toward the back of the cart with a hook. A new person comes to view the slave within the cage. “Is the slave trained to be obedient no matter what?” The man asks, looking at the caged slave within as though he were purchasing a dog or some other piece of equipment.
The driver nods. “This slave is raised from birth and is conditioned to perfection. The slave will only listen to its owner. It is registered as S16. These beasts are never given a name and are amongst the rarest. They are trained killers and that is their only purpose, to kill on command by its Master.”
After a few hours, the man only smiled, the cage with its lone occupant in the basement now of the home. Crouching down, the man placed a hand upon the small cage. “You will do just fine. I plan to use you in my hunting for new slaves to sell at the market.” A light chuckle escapes his throat of his Master as the slave can only look on from the confines of the cramped cage.
Shadow Slaves[edit]
Shadow Slaves were created from years of experimentation and selective breeding of humanoid slaves. Slavers at the markets sold slaves without much care nor concern about who they were selling the slaves to. When scientists began to purchase them, they would lock the slaves away in cells and cages, trying to figure out how to draw the bloodlust in the docile creatures out and then to harness that rage. Many slaves were killed and experimented on to find out just how to control the behaviors of the slaves that they bought. When the slaves snapped into fits of madness known as going kennel crazy, they would breed these slaves in hopes of carrying on the vicious trait. When they found they could not control or brainwash the adult slave to their liking, they experimented with breeding two slaves together.
Taking the infant away from the parents when just hours old, the infants were kept isolated from everyone except their handler and the one brainwashing them. Their education is taught mostly in harsh methods and as they grow up, they learn to only be loyal to their handler. As young adults, they are then forced to kill for their food. However, these young adults were kept hungry, feeding them only once every other day or even up to a week without food. The slave is then told in order to get food, they must learn to hunt it down and with this, they are drilled over and over until their methods are perfected and they become vicious hunters.
Finally, the obedience long instilled on them is enforced strictly. They know nothing else but to appease their handler and to kill for their food. However, they are then trained to be personal attendants to their handlers so that they learn how to better appease those that they will soon be sold to. Each shadow slave is ear tagged with the letter S and a two-digit number. Only two of the slaves with the best traits wanted in a shadow slave are kept at the laboratory where they are used to breed new shadow slaves. Once the breeding cycle is done and they can have no more offspring are these two slain and a new pair is chosen making the cycle start all over again. The cruelty and the programming are so thorough, there is no way to reverse the extensive training these slaves go through.
Shadow slaves are used mostly to track down and kill the prey of their Owners. Having been raised in isolation, the brainwashing of these slaves is so complete that they believe what their Owner tells them above any other that may tell them otherwise. They know only to obey and how to kill. They are the rogue assassins of the slave class. They are only permitted simple and martial melee weapons, and the collar around their throat makes sure they remain obedient to their Owner.
Creating a Shadow Slave[edit]
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| AI Generated image by VegetaWrath |
When playing the Shadow Slave, several questions must be answered, and these are just some of them. Where were you kept isolated? How were you trained and brainwashed to become the slave that would be used for such plans? Were you only rewarded when you succeeded in something that they wanted you to do? What were the living conditions in isolation like? How long have you been in training to be a shadow slave? Why are you joining the adventurer party? What are your character's goals? Were you sold to the party or just loaned to them?
- Quick Build
You can make a Shadow Slave quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom. Second, choose the Shadow Slave, Slave, Jronian, or Outlander background. Third, choose Finally, take the Burglar's Pack or the Thieves’ Tools, and then take the feats of Sneak Attack, and Silent Step. *
- Silent Step allows advantage on Stealth rolls when nearing a combat area.
Class Features
As a Shadow Slave you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Shadow Slave level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Shadow Slave level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: none
Weapons: simple or martial melee weapons. Choose 2: Dagger, Quarterstaff, Rapier, Shortsword, or Spear
Tools: Thieve's Tools or Lock Picking Kit
Saving Throws: Wisdom and Dexterity
Skills: Choose 2: Acrobatics, Arcana, Deception, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, and Survival.
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) Burglar's Pack: Includes a backpack, a bag of 1,000 ball bearings, 10 feet of string, a bell, 5 candles, a crowbar, a hammer, 10 pitons, a hooded lantern, 2 flasks of oil, 5 days rations, a tinderbox, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it. or (b) Arcane Focus (Staff)
- Dungeoneer's Pack: Includes a backpack, a crowbar, a hammer, 10 pitons, 10 torches, a tinderbox, 10 days of rations, and a waterskin. This pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.
- Explorer's Pack: Includes a backpack, a bedroll, a mess kit, a tinderbox, 10 torches, 10 days of rations, and
a waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.
- If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4x10 Left over coin goes to your Owner. in funds.
Shadow Slave[edit]
You have gone through your life training to be a slave that is used for hunting down prey and killing it upon command of your handler. Now you find yourself sold to your new Owner and are taken to a new place far from what you have ever known. You accept your position as your Owner’s property, and you do not attempt escape. To your new Owner you are nothing more than a simple letter followed by two numbers. This identity is placed via an ear tag in your right ear like one would tag the ear of cattle.
Sneak Attack[edit]
Beginning at 1st Level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe’s distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use finesse or a ranged weapon. You get advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn’t incapacitated, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. Use the Rogue table to determine the amount of damage the sneak attack does.
Silent Step[edit]
Should you need to escape, you get advantage on slipping away into a forested area at the 1st level. You do not provoke an opportunity attack when your opponent is distracted by other means.
Unarmed Strike[edit]
When you have no weapons in hand, you may make an Unarmed strike at 1st Level. Unarmed Strike for you is 12+Dex Mod due to your expertise in combat. At 10th Level this increases to 14+Dex Mod. You also find that you are often forced to be the first to engage in combat whether you want to or not.
Obedience[edit]
At 2nd Level, you are obedient to your Owner’s every command and whim. You learn to anticipate what they may want and do it without asking. However, you are still kept on a leash due to the Owner’s preference. You gain proficiency in a skill of your Owner’s choice at the cost of 3d4 slashing thanks to the forceful lash of the whip your Owner wields while training you further.
Owner Deity[edit]
Beginning at 2nd level you now worship your Owner as your deity, and you try to appease them by making sure their needs and wants are attended to. There is no one of greater value in your life than your Owner and their whim. When carrying out a command from your Owner, you now carry it out without question nor complaint. You gain advantage on 2 skill checks of your choice; however, you must take a short or long rest to regain this feature once it is expended.
Sprint[edit]
Starting on the 2nd level and again on the 12th level, you now can sprint to accomplish the tasks that your Owner sends you to do within the home. You increase your speed by +5 and can take Dash as a bonus action.
Lock Picking[edit]
Only under supervision of your Owner at the 3rd level, are you given the lock picking kit and learn to open locks. You gain advantage when having to open a locked or stuck door that is not barred. Once you are caged or chained for the night, the lock picking kit is no longer in your possession.
Two Weapon Fighting[edit]
On the 3rd Level, you learn how to fight with two weapons instead of one. You get to add +1 to your Strength or Dexterity ability score and cannot go higher than 20 while using this feature.
Ability Score Improvement[edit]
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.
Owner's Enemy[edit]
At the 5th level you have been around your Owner long enough now that you learn your Owner’s enemies and gain a reviled hate for those enemies. Unless you are held back on the leash, you initiate the first attack on your Owner’s chosen enemies whenever you see them. If you are held back on leash, you may roll intimidation to see if you frighten the enemy and put them at disadvantage.
Speed Increase[edit]
When you reach the 5th level, you may increase your base walking speed by +5 due to constantly having to move faster. You no longer gain exhaustion when using the Dash feature as a bonus.
Recall[edit]
Your Owner has trained you to a specific word, sound, or hand motion by the 6th level to make you break off attack if attacking, or any conversation you are having, and return to your Owner upon given command. You then give all the information you learned to your Owner and your Owner gains advantage on their next two turns.
Extra Attack[edit]
At the 6th level, you gain the ability to use an extra attack when another creature has attacked your Owner. You grow furious at the attacker allowing you to make a surprised advantage strike as the creature you are attacking did not expect a slave to defend their Owner with such ferocity.
Homing Sense[edit]
It is now impossible for you to get lost starting at the 7th level. No matter where you are, you know where your Owner is by either tracking or if they have not moved from their previous position. You also recall how you got to your location with great clarity. You cannot use this if you are blinded or if you were blindfolded during the trek.
Personal Attendant[edit]
At the 7th level you know precisely what your Owner wants done and how they like it done. As their personal attendant you now serve them as a confidante while you attend their whims. When asked to cook for your Owner or the party, each person in the group that eats the food gets +5 temporary hit points. Your Owner decides if you can eat the food or if you will still be having the typical meal of slave gruel. If your Owner chooses the latter, you do not gain temporary hit points. Your melee weapons are now considered magical and do 1d6+Proficiency Bonus+ Your Spell Attack Bonus. The damage is considered necrotic.
Shove[edit]
At the 8th level you can now shove your Owner out of the way of harm when a successful attack is laid. However, you take half the damage given that would have been dealt to your Owner. Your Owner gains advantage on their next turn thanks to your devotion to their safety.
Off Leash[edit]
Beginning on the 9th level, your Owner trusts you enough to allow you off leash and as long as you stay within visual range unless otherwise commanded. You are now used for the more intricate infiltration type used to spy on your Owner’s enemies. When you return to your Owner with information, they gain advantage throughout the next combat if you picked up any combat tactics or fighting skills used by those you spied on.
Killing Strike[edit]
You are homed into the weaknesses of any attackers on the 9th level. Any rolls 18 and above are now considered critical and the creatures must take 4d8 damage dealt regardless of if you used weapons or not. Those that are close to death and will reach 0 hit points are now considered dead with this attack. You can only use this once per combat and you must take a short break to regain this feature.
Expert Tracker[edit]
On the 10th level, you are an expert tracker and can track things that are up to two weeks old with precision. Your keen perception has an advantage when trying to investigate where someone or something was going, how fast, direction, and even if they were carrying anything like a pack or not. Add +2 to your skills of Investigation and Perception.
Shadow Step[edit]
At 10th level you can begin to hide unnoticed within the shadows. You become part of the background thanks to your being a slave, but also you can infiltrate groups of people as though you were nothing more than someone sent to offer drinks or food. Your passive perception gains advantage of +2 to eavesdropping and your Owner gains advantage on the next combat due to your overhearing battle strategies and some vital information.
Unarmed Strike Improvement[edit]
Your unarmed attacks now become 15+ Your Dexterity Modifier.
Sprint Improvement[edit]
You may now add +5 to your Sprint feature at level 12. If you move at 40 feet when you take the Dash Bonus action, you get to move 160 feet instead of 80.
Owner's Favor[edit]
With the 13th level, your Owner chooses what you learn next. You, as a slave have no say in it, but you are more than willing to appease your Owner and deity. Your Owner gains the advantage of being able to use you for gathering food, supplies, and weapons at a lower cost thanks to your keen awareness. Your Owner also has proficiency in any martial melee weapon that they want to use.
Favorite Enemy[edit]
At level 13, your Owner has deemed which is their enemy and tells you their race and class. While hunting these targets at your Owner’s command, you gain advantage in tracking and on the first strike if you come from behind. They must roll a Wisdom Saving Throw of DC18 to detect your approach, or you gain advantage on your first strike given that you target your Owner’s hated enemy.
A Slave's Wish[edit]
On the 14th level, you get to tell your Owner one thing that you want, and they give it to you. This cannot include magical items unless it is used in service of your Owner’s ultimate goals. You get to choose one item from the equipment or weapons list to use as a proficient wielder of that item or weapon.
Musical Instrument[edit]
Beginning at the 14th level, your Owner decides that you need to entertain them and so makes you learn a musical instrument for their amusement. When you play, you must roll to see if your Owner is pleased, and the music is to their liking or not. If not, you suffer 1d4 slashing from the whip up to three times while playing the instrument until your Owner considers you proficient. Once they consider you proficient, you may add Performance to your proficiencies. To be deemed proficient you must roll above a DC17 three times in a row while playing for one hour. After becoming proficient, you must make a Charisma saving throw when playing the instrument of your Owner’s choice or suffer 1d4 slashing from the whip for displeasing your Owner.
Multiattack[edit]
When you or your Owner are attacked on the 15th level, you get the opportunity to use your daggers on more than one attacker if they are not more than 15 feet away from you. You gain advantage on Dexterity checks and advantage upon your first attack. Your daggers now do 6d6 slashing and piercing damages cumulatively for every time you make a successful attack with the daggers.
Uncanny Perception[edit]
Also at the 15th level, your perception is through the roof and very well honed. Not only do you gain advantage on perception checks, but your Passive Perception now becomes a 19 if it is not already that high or higher and your Acrobatics goes up +1. You now seem like a proficient killer, perfectly trained to be obedient to the one that holds your papers or leash if you are still upon a leash.
Shadow Cloak[edit]
The 16th level allows you to earn a shadow cloak which you can use to blend into the shadows and hide in plain sight if no one is watching. You are rendered invisible while in the darkness of the shadows and your intimidation skills work flawlessly granting you +1 in intimidation and advantage on intimidation checks.
Perfected Killing Strike[edit]
When you reach level 17 you learn to pinpoint your target’s weaknesses. Anytime you are let off leash for a killing blow, you gain advantage on your attacks. Anytime you roll an 18 or higher on your attack, the creature you are attacking must roll a saving throw of Dexterity or Strength. If they succeed, they take only half damage. If they fail however, you do double the normal damage. Instead of 6d6 on your daggers, you now strike them with 12d12. You are now an invaluable weapon your Owner can choose to use at any time to attack any target of their choice.
Trackless[edit]
Hitting the 18th level now makes it impossible to track your movements. You are now considered a phantom of the shadows that strikes fear and intimidation into the targets that you are pursuing. You have +10 to your attack bonuses, and your Owner can no longer be intimidated or frightened. How often you are sent out now depends on what your Owner decides to attack or if they want to start using you to gain notoriety in fighting rings.
Tribute to Deity[edit]
At Level 18, you pay tribute to your Owner, your deity by finding a legendary item that they deem useful. You also earn them 2d4+10 in bounty every week raising your Owner’s status well in to the elite or high-class society. However, you still remain your Owner’s personal attendant and weapon.
Shadow Guild[edit]
By level 19, you have proven yourself to your Owner and you are formally registered into the Shadow Guild. This elusive guild allows you to learn more ways of serving your Owner and how to placate them with a sacrifice to them. The brainwashing you have go through has also been firmly reinforced, and you are made to comply with any and all command by your Owner or suffer death.
Forever Loyal[edit]
At the 20th level, you are deemed forever loyal to your Owner, and you do everything you can to appease them. You would even lay your life down for them if the situation required it. Your Owner decides now if you take the damage dealt to them or if they take it when they enter combat. You must take any damage that your Owner decides they want to transfer to you even if it kills you.
Shadow Slave Perfected[edit]
You are now considered the perfect weapon and a perfect slave. You may now combine the Extra Attack with the Multiattack. However, you also gain advantage on melee weapon attacks as well. Your attacks also do 10d8 necrotic damage and are considered magical.
Spell List[edit]
You know all of the spells on the basic spell list and additional spells based on your subclass.
- 1st Level
<-Alarm, Disguise Self->
- 2nd Level
<-Detect Thoughts, Alter Self->
- 3rd Level
<-Lightning Bolt, Haste->
- 4th Level
<-Confusion, Fire Shield->
- 5th Level
<-Dominate Person, Dream->
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