Post/Author/DateTime	Post
EmperorKO 12-05-04, 03:01 AM	Anyone know whether the Shade template from FR was ever ported over to 3.5? If so, where can I find it? Specifically, I'm looking for LA numbers, and the possibility of turning it into a template class if the LA is too prohibitive.
Voldenuit 12-05-04, 03:32 AM	The new Shade template can be found in Races of Faerun. Note however that it has been hit by a nerf stick bad. You thought the Red Wizard was castrated? The Shade was neutered, sex-changed, and then spayed, and left for in a prison cell with a bunch of serial rapists for a weekend. It's now a +4 LA template. If any of my players ever want to play a Shade, I let them use the FRCS version.
zoombie 12-05-04, 09:22 AM	Ive played to shade characters twice now and i take the 4 lvl adjustment with all the ability's the shade gets: see through magical darkness control light (lvl 10 you can creat 100% darkness within a 100ft radius....) 10%/lvl shadow port 1/day teleport without error anywhere on the planet or to the shadow plane (this you would only get at 16th lvl because of lvl dif) shadow image invisibility 1/round extended life span the ability's more than make up for the lvl restriction you get them over a span of 12 lvl's so at lvl 16 you have all your shade ability's i have two questions though is about the shadow port...how does it work!? it just says 300ft in any shadowy local i mean can he just apear anywhere can he looks through the shadow? does he have to see the place first take someone with him? there is no information about these kind of things havent found any reference either. and the control light it says 100ft radius but if your in a building does it still apear outside... or can you control within the radius?...
EmperorKO 12-05-04, 02:20 PM	see through magical darkness control light (lvl 10 you can creat 100% darkness within a 100ft radius....) 10%/lvl shadow port 1/day teleport without error anywhere on the planet or to the shadow plane (this you would only get at 16th lvl because of lvl dif) shadow image invisibility 1/round extended life span Whaa?! This can't be all they gave them in 3.5, can it?? What happened to the ability, speed, and skill enhancements in darkness? Did they seriously cut out all their cool night stalking abilities? That was the whole appeal of the template! So Voldenuit, when you let your players take the original template, what adjustment do you give it?
zoombie 12-05-04, 02:36 PM	lol yeah i didnt list every thing those were off the top of my head geez what else +2 CON, CHA +20 ft in darkness +2 to attack role and damage +4 luck bonus to saves +4 luck bonus to AC (i think) +8 to hide and move silently +4 to two other skills i cant think of at the moment Fast healing (2hp/round) spell resistence 10+character lvl the list from before: see through magical darkness control light (lvl 10 you can creat 100% darkness within a 100ft radius....) 10%/lvl shadow stride shadow travel 1/day teleport without error anywhere on the planet or to the shadow plane (this you would only get at 16th lvl because of lvl dif) shadow image invisibility 1/round extended life span i think that sums it up... ill edit this entry tomorrow in case i forgot something im at work right now so this is from what i can remember ive played to shade characters now and dont know what i would do withought some of these ability's now lol
Voldenuit 12-05-04, 05:13 PM	So Voldenuit, when you let your players take the original template, what adjustment do you give it? Well, the issue hasn't come up yet, but I feel +4 is too harsh. Especially since all of the shade's abilities vanish with a simple 3rd-level spell (daylight), not to mention in bright lighting. Since +2 is too lenient and +4 is too harsh, I'd probably go for a +3 unless someone can convince me that it's too lenient.
zoombie 12-05-04, 05:23 PM	actualy a full shade in the radius of a daylight spell can extiguish it because of his control light ability effectivly making a 200ft globe of darkness that cannot be dispelled or countered unless the shade is killed and since he can see in the dark is not impeded in any way exept that he more or less gives away his position. If you ever actualy play with a shade you will realize why the LA is +4 they are realy powerful not restricted by walls darkness of anykind once they have all there powers they are extreamly hard to kill at the first sign of danger they can turn invisible and just shadow port away there safe until they recover just play one and you will see oh that reminds me they also have fast healing oh and spell resistence 10+character lvl
Voldenuit 12-05-04, 07:05 PM	*cough* You must have missed the line in the racial abilities description of the Shade (preserved in both 3.0 and 3.5) ...shades have the following powers when within shadows or darkness. In well-lit surroundings (daylight or the radius of a daylight spell), none of these powers function This is why I say they're not worth +4. A single 3rd level spell renders all their racial benefits moot. A Githyanki/Githzerai has stat adjustments as good as/better than a Shade, power resistance that is "always on", and psi-like abilities (Dimension Door 3/day for the Githyanki, and Plane Shift for both), and are only +2 LA. Not to mention the gith are naturally psionic and can take psionic feats even without taking psionic classes. It's widely ackowledged that the gith are a "strong +2". The Shade is more powerful than they are, but only in shadows, making them either a "very strong +2" or a "weak-to-balanced +3". But a +4? I'm not seeing that.
rob4 12-06-04, 01:11 PM	I'm pretty sure the Shade got the 3.5 treatment along with most of the other Faerunian monsters in the PGTF web enhancement.
Voldenuit 12-06-04, 05:37 PM	Thanks, rob4. I had a look at the PGtF WE, and guess what? Shade is a +5 LA template. WTF? A Sharn is +5 LA. A Sharn can kick the Shade's butt ten ways to Tuesday. Yes, I know the sharn has racial HD, but in this case, the racial HD are beneficial to the creature's spellcasting classes. It's entirely likely Baker and Wyatt have taken complete leave of their senses. No wait, they didn't just take leave, they went AWOL and are currently rotting in a Rangoon prison after getting drunk one night and busting up the joint. Currently, neither the US Government nor the owners seem to have any interest in extradicting said senses. A publishing executive was overheard saying "but their output has increased tenfold! Exxcellent..." when asked for comment. +3 LA in my campaign it stands. Now to convince one of my players to play one...
zoombie 12-06-04, 05:45 PM	no the +5 was a mistake i read it on a thread that they asked him later and he said he had made a mistake that it was +4 it was originaly +2 then went +4 then up again to +5 (by mistake) back to +4 so i wouldnt be suprised if it came down to +3 lol ;) btw what is this PTGF...
malykoth 12-06-04, 05:51 PM	Dragon #322 has the shade spread out over 4 levels. Looks pretty balanced, especially if you let the character take the shade levels mixed in with normal levels.
Voldenuit 12-06-04, 06:22 PM	no the +5 was a mistake i read it on a thread that they asked him later and he said he had made a mistake that it was +4 it was originaly +2 then went +4 then up again to +5 (by mistake) back to +4 so i wouldnt be suprised if it came down to +3 lol ;) btw what is this PTGF... Good point zoombie. And it is pretty funny when you think about it :) Then again, the original +2 was, iirc, for CR. As WOTC arefond of telling us, CR != LA :D PGtF = Player's Guide to Faerun And I'll have to check out Dragon #322 - thanks to malykoth for the heads-up!