Shade (3.5e Template)
From D&D Wiki
|
This page is of questionable balance. Reason: LA0 despite having no real drawback needs more or a more potent weakness - this is similar to one in Races of Faerun
You can help D&D Wiki by better balancing the mechanics of this page. When the mechanics have been changed so that this template is no longer applicable please remove this template. If you do not understand balance please leave comments on this page's talk page before making any edits. Edit this Page | All pages needing balance |
Contents |
[edit] Shade
| This page needs an image. If you are an artist, or know of any image that would fit this page, please upload a picture and add it. |
A shade borders the realm of death. Neither alive nor undead, a shade merely exists, calling upon the shadowfell for its existence.
[edit] Creating a Shade
Any base creature who can be Neutral on the Good-Evil alignment axis can acquire this template. For example, demons, devils, and celestials cannot be shades.
[edit] Size and Type
Size remains unchanged. Add the augmented subtype to base creature's type
[edit] Hit Dice
No change
[edit] Speed
In shadows, increase base speed by 50% of the original base speed. For example, a human shade has a base speed of 45 ft in shadows, while a halfling shade has a base speed of 30 ft in shadows. Calculate after changes due to a medium or heavy load or for restrictive armor. for example, a human wearing a full plate would have a base speed of 30 ft in shadows. Round down to the nearest 5 if necessary.
[edit] Armor Class
The shade gains a Deflection Bonus to AC equal to the base creature's HD/4 (minimum +1, round down) while in shadows.
[edit] Attack
The shade, while in shadows, gains a bonus to all attack rolls equal to the base creature's HD/4 (minimum +1, round down).
[edit] Special Attacks
All existing Extraordinary, Supernatural, and Spell-like abilities remain unchanged. Add the following to the base creature's Spell like abilities:
Darkness: 2/day, caster level equal to 1/2 the Base creature's HD (round down)
[edit] Special Qualities
Add the following to the base creature's special qualities:
No Metabolism(Ex):a shade doesn't have a metabolism and doesn't need to eat, sleep, or breathe, nor does it age. A shade gains all the appropriate immunities one would have for not having a metabolism, such as immunity to fatigue, exhaustion, ingested poisons, death from aging, etc.
Fast Healing(Ex): The shade gains fast healing equal to the base creature's HD/4 (minimum +1, round down). This fast healing only applies when the shade is in a shadowy area.
Shadow Jump(Ex): The shade can travel through the essence of shadow, pulling him through an entirely different dimension to instantaneously arrive at its destination. While in a shadowy area, the shade may teleport, with nothing more than a thought, to another shadowy area it sees within 120 ft of its current location. The Shade must have line of sight to the destination to use this ability, and it is activated as a free action. This can be used once per day per three HD of the base creature (Minimum 1, round down)
Darkvision(Ex):The shade gains 120 ft darkvision. Needless to say, this only works while the shade is in a shadowy or darker area.
Flight(Ex):A shade can fly at its base land speed (newly adjusted one if in shadows) with perfect maneuverability. The shade can fly even in the brightest light, as the shadowstuff it is created from is not affected by gravity.
Light Sensitivity(Ex):The shade, a being melded of the essence of shadow, does not react well to being placed in light. It takes a -2 penalty to its Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution while in lighting conditions brighter than shadowy. Also, The shade has a vision range limited to 120 ft under these lighting conditions. The shade cannot see anything past 120 ft while in bright light, and instead of seeing the sky or horizon, as one normally would, the shade sees nothing but black beyond this vision border. However, if a shade is capable of casting Wish (or Miracle), it can wish for this ability to be removed. This wish costs the shade experience pints sufficient to lower its HD by two and put its experience total at the minimum for its current level. For example, a 17th level shade casts the wish to remove this flaw, and it loses Exp sufficient enough to place its total at the minimum required for 15th level. A shade must do this for himself, he cannot cast wish out of a scroll or other item, nor can it have another creature cast wish for it. A shade may still make other wishes, but for most shades, their primary goal in their pursuit of power is to remove this burden from themselves.
Fire Vulnerability(Ex):A shade takes double damage from fire attacks and spells, due to the simple fact that fire gives off light. This effect may not be removed, and any magical item that grants resistance to fire attacks grants only half its resistance to the shade (Round up if necessary). This penalty is only for the shade, as the magic item will work normally for anyone else. Also, shades able to cast Spells cast Fire Spells at -2 Caster Level.
[edit] Abilities
In shadows, the shade gains +2 to Strength, +4 to Dexterity, and +2 to Constitution. In addition, the shade gains +2 to Charisma no matter the lighting situation.
[edit] Skills
The shade gains +4 to hide and move silently while in shadows.
Also, while in lighting brighter than shadowy, a shade takes a -4 penalty to all Strength and Dexterity based Skill Checks.
[edit] Environment
Well shadowed lairs and fortresses
[edit] Organization
Solitary
[edit] Challenge Rating
No change
[edit] Treasure
Standard
[edit] Alignment
Lawful Neutral, True Neutral, or Chaotic Neutral.
[edit] Advancement
By HD or Character Class
[edit] Level Adjustment
+0. Even though it can eliminate the flaw made to balance out this template, the level loss will replace the light sensitivity as the limiter of the shade's power.
Alternatively, shades can be created without Light Sensitivity for a +3 LA.
Another variant, one without Light Sensitivity or Fire Vulnerability, has a LA of +5.
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Creatures → Templates0
