New PrC: The Shadowsage [Archive] - Wizards Community

New PrC: The Shadowsage [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
thepoetoffunk
11-23-07, 12:37 AM This is my first post of any kind on the forums, a prestige class placing the Shadowcaster (from Tome of Magic) and Swordsage (from Tome of Battle) on a collision course of awesome. For the most part, it's an adaption of the Jade Phoenix Mage from the Tome of Battle. I'd appreciate some evaluations of the class.
As a caveat, I plan on cleaning up the final ability of the class after I get a second glance at the Complete Mage, there's an item I'm attempting to emulate from memory. Furthermore, this PrC is assuming use of the published shadowcaster, not the "fixed/improved" one posted elsewhere in the forums.

SHADOWSAGE
Hit Die: d6.
Requirements
To qualify to become a shadowsage, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Skills: Hide 9 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Martial Lore 2 ranks .
Martial Maneuvers: Must know at least two maneuvers from the Shadow Hand discipline.
Mysteries: 2nd level mysteries.
Special: (As of yet undecided).

Class Skills
The Shadowsage's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Martial Lore, Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Shadowsage
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Man. Man. Stances Mysteries Special
Known Readied Known
1st +0 +0 +2 +0 1 0 0 Nightshade Dash
2nd +1 +0 +3 +0 0 0 0 +1 level mystery casting class Umbral Stance
3rd +2 +1 +3 +1 1 1 0 +1 level mystery casting class
4th +3 +1 +4 +1 0 0 0 +1 level mystery casting class Empowering Strike
5th +3 +1 +4 +1 1 0 1 +1 level mystery casting class
6th +4 +2 +5 +2 0 1 0 Penumbral Stance
7th +5 +2 +5 +2 1 0 0 +1 level mystery casting class
8th +6 +2 +6 +2 0 0 0 +1 level mystery casting class Quickening Strike
9th +6 +3 +6 +3 1 1 0 +1 level mystery casting class
10th +7 +3 +7 +3 0 0 0 +1 level mystery casting class Silhouette

Class Features
All the following are class features of the shadowsage.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain no new armor or weapon proficiencies.
Mysteries: At each level except 1st and 6th, you gain new mysteries and an increase in caster level as if you had also gained a level in a mystery-casting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefits a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one mystery-casting class before becoming a master of shadow, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determing caster level and mysteries known.
Maneuvers: At each odd-numbered level, you gain a new maneuver known from the Shadow Hand discipline. You must meet a maneuver's prequisite to learn it. You add your full Shadowsage levels to determine your total initiator level and your highest-level maneuvers known. At 3rd level, 6th level, and 9th level, you gain an additional maneuver readied per day.
Stances Known: At 5th level, you learn a new martial stance from the Shadow Hand discipline. You must meet a stance's prequisite to learn it.
A note on sacrificing fundamentals: A number of Shadowsage abilities require the sacrificing of mystery castings. You may sacrifice fundamentals towards these abilities, however, a few special rules apply. You may sacrifice only one casting of each fundamental per battle. For example, you can sacrifice arrow of dusk towards the nightshade dash ability to gain a 10ft bonus to your movement speed, but you cannot again sacrfice arrow of dusk towards any other ability which requires the expenditure of a spell slot for the remainder of the encounter, whether it be nightshade dash, the damage bonus of umbral stance, or the reach bonus of penumbral stance. You could however, cast arrow of dusk normally, or sacrifice another mystery towards any of the mentioned abilities.
Nightshade Dash (Su): You can spontaneously channel stored spell energy (from your mysteries) to increase your speed. As a swift action, you can sacrifice a mystery to gain an insight bonus to your movement speed equal to 10ft. plus an additional 10ft. per level of the mystery sacrificed. This bonus lasts for one minute.
Umbral Stance (Su): At 2nd level, you learn how to channel the energy from one of your stances in a new way. While you are in a stance from the Shadow Hand discipline, you can forgo its normal benefit as a swift action to gain the effect of the umbral stance. This ability lasts as long as you would maintain the stance, or as described below. You can also stop using the umbral stance and resume gaining the normal benefit of the stance as a swift action.
While you use this ability, your caster level with mysteries increases by 1, and you gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC. In addition, at any time while in this stance, you may sacrifice a mystery as a swift action. If you do, all your attacks or strikes for one round gain a damage bonus equal to 2 plus the 2 x the level of the mystery sacrificed. This bonus only applies against an opponent who is either flanked or denied his dexterity bonus against your attacks.
Empowering Strike (Su): Beginning at 4th level, when you successfully attack an enemy with a martial strike, a mystery that you cast before the end of your next turn is empowered (as by the Empower Mystery metashadow feat). Casting a mystery that has been empowered through this ability does not increase the casting time of a mystery you cast. You do not need to know the Empower Mystery feat to use this ability. You can use this ability once per encounter.
Penumbral Stance (Su): At 6th level, you learn another application for a stance you know. While you are in a stance from the Shadow Hand discipline, you can forgo its normal benefit as a swift action to gain the effect of the penumbral stance. This ability lasts as long as you would maintain the stance, or as described below. You can also stop using the penumbral stance and resume gaining the normal benefit of the stance as a swift action.
While you use this ability, you gain resistance to cold 10, and your caster level when casting any cold mystery increases by 3. In addition, at any time while in this stance, you may sacrifice a mystery as a swift action. If you do, all of your melee attacks gain reach 10ft. for a number of rounds equal to 1 plus the level of the mystery sacrificed.
Quickening Strike (Su): Beginning at 8th level, when you successfully attack an enemy with a martial strike, a mystery that you cast before the end of your next turn is quickened (as by the Quicken Mystery metashadow feat). You do not need to know the Quicken Mystery feat to use this ability. You can use this ability once per encounter.
Silhouette (Su): Once per week, you can escape what might be an otherwise dire situation. When struck by an enemy's attack, the you may activate this ability as an immediate action. Firstly, if you would receive enough damage to reduce you less than 0 HP, you are instead reduced to 0 HP. Secondly, you turn invisible and create a mirror image of you in your place; these two effects are as per the sorcerer/wizard spells of the same name, and are caster level 10th.
Wall
11-23-07, 04:47 PM "Collision Course of Awesome." I like that.

Overall, the class looks pretty good. The only thing I'd say change would be the capstone (level 10) ability. That's worth doing more than once per week; although then it might require the expenditure of a daily mystery.
Realms of Chaos
11-25-07, 09:53 AM Yeah, that ability really should be usable more than once per week.

It really doesn't outshine the ability to deal huge amounts of damage, bannish outsiders, and reform completely healed.

Other than that, I'm thrilled that someone has made this.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
thepoetoffunk 11-23-07, 12:37 AM	This is my first post of any kind on the forums, a prestige class placing the Shadowcaster (from Tome of Magic) and Swordsage (from Tome of Battle) on a collision course of awesome. For the most part, it's an adaption of the Jade Phoenix Mage from the Tome of Battle. I'd appreciate some evaluations of the class. As a caveat, I plan on cleaning up the final ability of the class after I get a second glance at the Complete Mage, there's an item I'm attempting to emulate from memory. Furthermore, this PrC is assuming use of the published shadowcaster, not the "fixed/improved" one posted elsewhere in the forums. SHADOWSAGE Hit Die: d6. Requirements To qualify to become a shadowsage, a character must fulfill all the following criteria. Skills: Hide 9 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Martial Lore 2 ranks . Martial Maneuvers: Must know at least two maneuvers from the Shadow Hand discipline. Mysteries: 2nd level mysteries. Special: (As of yet undecided). Class Skills The Shadowsage's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Martial Lore, Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex). Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier. Table: The Shadowsage Level BAB Fort Ref Will Man. Man. Stances Mysteries Special Known Readied Known 1st +0 +0 +2 +0 1 0 0 Nightshade Dash 2nd +1 +0 +3 +0 0 0 0 +1 level mystery casting class Umbral Stance 3rd +2 +1 +3 +1 1 1 0 +1 level mystery casting class 4th +3 +1 +4 +1 0 0 0 +1 level mystery casting class Empowering Strike 5th +3 +1 +4 +1 1 0 1 +1 level mystery casting class 6th +4 +2 +5 +2 0 1 0 Penumbral Stance 7th +5 +2 +5 +2 1 0 0 +1 level mystery casting class 8th +6 +2 +6 +2 0 0 0 +1 level mystery casting class Quickening Strike 9th +6 +3 +6 +3 1 1 0 +1 level mystery casting class 10th +7 +3 +7 +3 0 0 0 +1 level mystery casting class Silhouette Class Features All the following are class features of the shadowsage. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain no new armor or weapon proficiencies. Mysteries: At each level except 1st and 6th, you gain new mysteries and an increase in caster level as if you had also gained a level in a mystery-casting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefits a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one mystery-casting class before becoming a master of shadow, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determing caster level and mysteries known. Maneuvers: At each odd-numbered level, you gain a new maneuver known from the Shadow Hand discipline. You must meet a maneuver's prequisite to learn it. You add your full Shadowsage levels to determine your total initiator level and your highest-level maneuvers known. At 3rd level, 6th level, and 9th level, you gain an additional maneuver readied per day. Stances Known: At 5th level, you learn a new martial stance from the Shadow Hand discipline. You must meet a stance's prequisite to learn it. A note on sacrificing fundamentals: A number of Shadowsage abilities require the sacrificing of mystery castings. You may sacrifice fundamentals towards these abilities, however, a few special rules apply. You may sacrifice only one casting of each fundamental per battle. For example, you can sacrifice arrow of dusk towards the nightshade dash ability to gain a 10ft bonus to your movement speed, but you cannot again sacrfice arrow of dusk towards any other ability which requires the expenditure of a spell slot for the remainder of the encounter, whether it be nightshade dash, the damage bonus of umbral stance, or the reach bonus of penumbral stance. You could however, cast arrow of dusk normally, or sacrifice another mystery towards any of the mentioned abilities. Nightshade Dash (Su): You can spontaneously channel stored spell energy (from your mysteries) to increase your speed. As a swift action, you can sacrifice a mystery to gain an insight bonus to your movement speed equal to 10ft. plus an additional 10ft. per level of the mystery sacrificed. This bonus lasts for one minute. Umbral Stance (Su): At 2nd level, you learn how to channel the energy from one of your stances in a new way. While you are in a stance from the Shadow Hand discipline, you can forgo its normal benefit as a swift action to gain the effect of the umbral stance. This ability lasts as long as you would maintain the stance, or as described below. You can also stop using the umbral stance and resume gaining the normal benefit of the stance as a swift action. While you use this ability, your caster level with mysteries increases by 1, and you gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC. In addition, at any time while in this stance, you may sacrifice a mystery as a swift action. If you do, all your attacks or strikes for one round gain a damage bonus equal to 2 plus the 2 x the level of the mystery sacrificed. This bonus only applies against an opponent who is either flanked or denied his dexterity bonus against your attacks. Empowering Strike (Su): Beginning at 4th level, when you successfully attack an enemy with a martial strike, a mystery that you cast before the end of your next turn is empowered (as by the Empower Mystery metashadow feat). Casting a mystery that has been empowered through this ability does not increase the casting time of a mystery you cast. You do not need to know the Empower Mystery feat to use this ability. You can use this ability once per encounter. Penumbral Stance (Su): At 6th level, you learn another application for a stance you know. While you are in a stance from the Shadow Hand discipline, you can forgo its normal benefit as a swift action to gain the effect of the penumbral stance. This ability lasts as long as you would maintain the stance, or as described below. You can also stop using the penumbral stance and resume gaining the normal benefit of the stance as a swift action. While you use this ability, you gain resistance to cold 10, and your caster level when casting any cold mystery increases by 3. In addition, at any time while in this stance, you may sacrifice a mystery as a swift action. If you do, all of your melee attacks gain reach 10ft. for a number of rounds equal to 1 plus the level of the mystery sacrificed. Quickening Strike (Su): Beginning at 8th level, when you successfully attack an enemy with a martial strike, a mystery that you cast before the end of your next turn is quickened (as by the Quicken Mystery metashadow feat). You do not need to know the Quicken Mystery feat to use this ability. You can use this ability once per encounter. Silhouette (Su): Once per week, you can escape what might be an otherwise dire situation. When struck by an enemy's attack, the you may activate this ability as an immediate action. Firstly, if you would receive enough damage to reduce you less than 0 HP, you are instead reduced to 0 HP. Secondly, you turn invisible and create a mirror image of you in your place; these two effects are as per the sorcerer/wizard spells of the same name, and are caster level 10th.
Wall 11-23-07, 04:47 PM	"Collision Course of Awesome." I like that. Overall, the class looks pretty good. The only thing I'd say change would be the capstone (level 10) ability. That's worth doing more than once per week; although then it might require the expenditure of a daily mystery.
Realms of Chaos 11-25-07, 09:53 AM	Yeah, that ability really should be usable more than once per week. It really doesn't outshine the ability to deal huge amounts of damage, bannish outsiders, and reform completely healed. Other than that, I'm thrilled that someone has made this.