Shadow-Touched

A Shadow-Touched looses a part of himself to the Shadows sometimes in more then one way. They slowly loose mass and solidity and although they never truly become incorporeal, they do look somewhat different as to what they were before. Their skin, hair and clothing and most non-metallic objects that they hold or carry loose their luster and seem as if they are faded. All bright colors become darker and somber versions of what they once were. At higher levels, their skin turns into from smoky/ash-like to gray or even of dark hues like that of a Dueger or a Drow. Although their alignment need not be different from what they once were, a rare few are not affected by the shadow's touch. Most often then not, the change in the Shadow-Touched can be seen in their attitudes and the way they interact with the world. It is not uncommon to once see a jovial, outgoing and flirting individual to be transformed to a person that is a somber, and detached introvert once becoming Shadow-Touched.

Class Requirements

To qualify to become a Shadow-Touched, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
Base Attack: +5
Skills: Knowledge (Arkana) (2 ranks), Knowledge (the shadow plane) (5 ranks), Hide (8 ranks), Move Silently (6 ranks)
Feats: Shadow Weave Magic
Special: To be Shadow-Touched, a character must have at one point or another in his adventuring career have suffered strength loss of 3 points from shadow monsters or spells, abilities or psionic powers that imitate such strength loss.

Hit Dice: d6

Class Skills:
Strength: Climb, Jump
Dexterity: Escape Artist, Hide, Move Silently, Tumble
Constitution: Concentration
Intelligence: Knowledge (Arkana), Knowledge (the Shadow Plane), Spell Craft
Wisdom: Intuit Direction, Listen, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Spot
Charisma: Intimidate
Skill progression: 4 + Intelligence modifier per level

The Shadow-Touched Table Info

BAB: Like Shadow Dancer
Fort Save Poor
Ref. Save Poor
Will Save Good

Level / Special

1. Shadow-Touched, Control Light
2. Shadow Healing, Strength Damage
3. Shadow Image, Shadow Illusions
4. Sunlight Powerlessness, Frightful Presence
5. Shadow Sight, Shadow Blend
6. Shadow Stride
7. Shadow Bolt
8. Shadow Seeing
9. Turn/Rebuke Shadow-Type
10. Shadow Travel

Spells per day As Shadow Dancer

LvL.....1....2....3....4
1.........0....–....–....–
2.........1....–....–....–
3.........1....0....–....–
4.........1....1....–....–
5.........1....1....0....–
6.........1....1....1....–
7.........2....1....1....0
8.........2....1....1....1
9.........2....2....1....1
10.......2....2....2....1

Shadow-Touched spell list

1st level: Cause Fear, Chill Touch, Minor Shadow Conjuration, Net of Shadows, Obscure Shadow, Reshape Shadow, Shade's Sight, Shadow Images, Shadow Mask, Silent Sound

2nd level: Claws of Darkness, Dark Flames, Darkness, Dar'Tan's Shadow Bolt, Misdirection, Minor Shadow Evocation, Scare, Shadow Conjuration, Shadow Spray, Whispering Wind

3rd level: Blink, Deeper Darkness, Dispel Magic, Displacement, Greater Shadow Conjuration, Hold Person, Nondetection, Phantom Steed, Shadow Form of Lyrand, Shadow Shield, Shadow Strike, Shadow Well

4th level: Create Darken Beast, Curtain of Darkness, Detect Scrying, Scrying, Fear, Dimension Door, Ray of Weakness, Shadow Evocation, Shadow Hand, Shadow Weapon

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Shadow-Touched are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any armor or shields.

Class Features

Spells: Beginning at 1st level, a Shadow-Touched gains the ability to cast a small number of arcane spells. To cast a spell, the Shadow-Touched must have a Charisma score of at least 10 + the spell's level, so Shadow-Touched with a Charisma of 10 or lower cannot cast these spells. Shadow-Touched bonus spells are based on Charisma, and saving throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + Charisma modifier. When the Shadow-Touched gets "0" spells of a given level, such as 0 1st-level spells at 1st level, the Shadow-Touched gets only bonus spells. A Shadow-Touched without a bonus spell for that level cannot yet cast a spell of that level. The Shadow-Touched spell list appears below; a Shadow-Touched has access to any spell on the list and need not prepare those spells ahead of time. A Shadow-Touched casts spells just as a sorcerer does.

Shadow-Touched (Su): One of the biggest disadvantages to becoming a Shadow-Touched is that the character's strength and constitution decreases as he progresses in levels. Starting at 1st level and for every 3 levels thereafter that the character gains as a Shadow-Touched, the character suffers a loss of 1 point to both strength and constitution scores (to a maximum of 3). These points cannot be restored or regenerated by any means (perhaps by a wish or miracle equivalent spell).
In addition, as the character progresses in levels, the character can no longer increase these two ability scores and must instead use gained points for the other four. In addition to the ability losses, the character also looses mass at the rate of 5% per level of what he originally was (at 10th level, the character would normally weigh 50% of what he originally used to). This weight loss should affect all things related to it (bull rush, being carried, etc.)
Lastly, a character is partially affected by the turning effects or rebuking effects or Clerics. When a Cleric tries to turn the Shadow-Touched, the Shadow-Touched does not get turned or rebuked or receive any damage, however, the Shadow-Touched is stunned for that round.
Note: The Shadow-Touched can loose the functions of certain feats and even abilities that require a certain strength or constitution requirements that are no longer met due to the decrease in ability scores.
In addition, the Shadow-Touched never becomes weightless of incorporeal to the point that he gains damage reduction or the like. However, for every 10% of the weight that the character looses, he does become closer to the shadow stuff and thus less opaque and weightless allowing for the character to gain +1 to climb, jump, hide, move silently, etc. skill checks (to a maximum of +5).

Control Light (Sp): A Shadow-Touched can decrease the levels if light within a 100-foot radius of themselves by a factor of 10% per level. This decreases the overall effective range of vision for characters and creatures depended on light by the same percentage. For example, a human being can normally see 20 feet by the light of the torch. If a 5th level Shadow-Touched were to diminish the light by 50%, the human could then only see 10 feet. Characters within the effective area gain +1 bonus to hide checks for each 25% decrease in light. This ability does not work if the light is from natural daylight.
Note: Although the Shadow-Touched can decrease the amount of light, it is gradual (10% per round) and it requires a standard action of concentration to do so and maintain it thus allowing attacks of opportunity.

Shadow Healing (Su): A Shadow-Touched has an increased healing rate when in shadows. The shadow touched can regenerate 3 hit points per hour as long as it remains within a shadowy environment. The Shadow-Touched does not heal at all in normal daylight or its equivalent. Healing spells and potions function at half strength in daylight or its equivalent, allowing the Shadow-Touched to be healed but not as fully had he been in the shadows. Just like in healing, the same applies to the restoration of ability points and the like from both natural and magical restoration and such.

Strength Damage (Sp): A successful melee attack causes 1 point of temporary strength damage or twice that on a critical hit. If a target reaches zero or negative strength, the target does not die nor does it turn into a shadow, rather it becomes helpless and unconscious until it restores its strength to at least 1 point. The Shadow-Touched can do this 1x/day per every two Shadow-Touched levels and is considered as a free action.

Shadow Image (Sp): Three times per day, a Shadow-Touched can use this spell-like ability (similar to a mirror image) as a sorcerer equal in level as the character's Shadow-Touched level. This ability creates figments of the shade (1d4, +1 per three levels of the Shadow touched (to a maximum of +3))

Shadow Illusions: (Sp) A Shadow-Touched can create visual illusions from surrounding shadows. This spell-like ability is identical to the arcane spell silent image and may be employed once per day.

Sunlight Powerlessness (Su): Shadow-Touched are weakened in natural sunlight (not merely a daylight spell). A Shadow-Touched caught in sunlight attacks with a penalty of -1 to BAB, suffers -1 to all saves and skill abilities at first Shadow-Touched level and every 2 Shadow-Touched levels gained thereafter to a maximum of –5). In addition, when in natural light, the Shadow-Touched can take only partial actions.
Note: If the Shadow-Touched has taken or will take the Daylight Adaptation feat, the penalty is halved rounded up only and is not completely overcome (e.g., a 10th level Shadow-Touched would only suffer –3 to BAB, saves, and skill checks rather then the –5 penalty). The character with Daylight Adaptation feat would however be able to take the normal amount of actions as a typical character.

Frightful Presence (Su): This ability takes effect automatically when the creature attacks, charges, or flies overhead. It affects only opponents with fewer Hit Dice or levels that the Shadow-Touched levels that the character has and only those within 30 feet. The affected creature must make a successful Will save (DC 14) or become shaken. Success indicates that the target is immune to the Shadow-Touched frightful presence for one day.
Note: As the character goes up in Shadow-Touched levels, the Character's Frightful Presence gains in strength. For every 2 Shadow-Touched levels gained, the DC to save becomes harder to make, as it increases by 1 point the character suffers with all skills relating to Charisma that the character may have had from their previous class(es). For every DC point increase, all charisma based skills suffer 1 point penalty to their skill ranks with the exception of Intimidate (this ability gains +1 to skill rank)

Shadow Sight (Su): A Shadow-Touched can see in the dark as though she were permanently under the affect of a darkvision spell with a range of 30 feet. The Shadow-Touched can see normally through any darkness effects, but not through fog, invisibility, obscurement and so forth.

Shadow Blend (Su): During any conditions other than full daylight, a Shadow-Touched can disappear into the shadows, giving it nine-tenths concealment. Artificial illumination, even a light or continual flame spell, does not negate this ability, a daylight spell, however, will. In addition, the Shadow-Touched gains +4 to all hide in shadows skill checks.

Shadow Stride (Su): A Shadow-Touched gains the ability to travel between shadows as if by a means of a dimensional door spell. The limitation is that the magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some shadow. The Shadow-Touched can jump up to a total of 15 feet per Shadow-Touched level each day (Maximum of 150 feet) in this way, although this may be a single jump of 15 feet or three jumps of 5 feet each. The total footage amount can be split among many jumps, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a standard action and allows attacks of opportunity.

Shadow Bolt (Sp): Once every two rounds and as a full round action that provides attacks of opportunity, the Shadow-Touched can cast a shadow bolt fueled by the Shadow-Touched life force. For every 1 CON point spent, the Shadow-Touched does 2d4 hit points of damage and 1 point of strength damage to target. These CON points can be regenerated at the rate of 2 CON points per hour when the Shadow-Touched is in shadows (for that length of time) or 1 CON point per hour when the Shadow-Touched is not in shadows but also not in daylight. Again, in natural daylight, ability scores do not regenerate. The Range of these shadow bolts is 60 feet and a target can make a Ref. Save (DC 15 + Shadow-Touched level) to avoid the bolt.
Note: If the Shadow-Touched reaches 0 CON points, it turns into a Shadow and can't be controlled by the Player until the character regenerates at least 3 CON points (at the same rate as mentioned before). If the target dies, that target's body slowly dissipates into the shadows and becomes a shadow in d4+3 days (if raise dead, resurrection, or similar spells are used prior to completely being dissipated, the target is restored to life. The same principal applies if the target's strength is reduced to 0 due to this ability

Shadow Seeing (Su): The Shadow-Touched can, at will, switch between normal sight and shadow seeing enabling the Shadow-Touched to detect the shadowy outlines of objects, creatures and people in the shadow, ethereal and astral planes within 15 feet of the Shadow-Touched. This ability does not allow the Shadow-Touched to hit a target or object in those planes nor does it allow the Shadow-Touched to track or follow such a target as time and movement and such between the planes is different. This ability does not allow for the Shadow-Touched to see specific features or fine detains of creatures, people or items.
Note: When the Shadow Touched uses Shadow Seeing, he receives a penalty of 4 to all skill checks that require the use of sight (e.g., search, spot, decipher script, forgery, etc.) as well at -2 to his base attack bonus. Switching between Normal Sight and Shadow Seeing takes a partial action for the Shadow-Touched eyes to adjust and thus providing attack of opportunities.

Turn/Rebuke Shadow-Type (Su): Similar to a cleric's ability, a good aligned Shadow-Touched (or a neutral aligned Shadow-Touched) has the supernatural ability to turn Shadows and Shadow-type creatures. Evil aligned Shadow-Touched (or a neutral aligned Shadow-Touched) can rebuke such creatures. Neutral aligned Shadow-Touched can do one or the other (player's choice). Once the player makes this choice, it cannot be reversed. Note: Consider that a 10th level Shadow-Touched to be able to turn or control shadows or shadow-type creatures as if he/she were a 10th level cleric. If the Shadow-Touched was a cleric prior to becoming a Shadow-Touched, then add the Shadow-Touched levels to the Cleric's original levels when trying to control or turn shadows (and only shadows or shadow-type creatures). For example, a 8th level good-alighned Cleric/9th level Shadow-Touched would be able to turn undead as if a 8th level Cleric but be able to specifically turn Shadows as if a 17th level Cleric (8th level cleric + 9th level Shadow-Touched).

Shadow Travel (Sp): Once per week, the Shadow-Touched can use either teleport without error to reach a shadowy location on the same world or plane shift to access the Plane of Shadow. The Shadow-Touched must be in shadows to use this ability. Activating this ability requires a full action and allows attacks of opportunity.