Shadow (4e Race)
From D&D Wiki
|
This page is of questionable balance. Reason: Needs to be toned down. In particular invincibility as well as major damage reducers push this to be overpowered. Symbiosis allowing access to another creature's powers is massively abusable. Weapon Shade renders the race incompatible with some classes.
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 When the mechanics have been changed so that this template is no longer applicable please remove this template.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 |
|
This page is incomplete and/or lacking flavor. Reason: Missing adventurers.
You can help D&D Wiki by finishing and/or adding flavor to this page. When the flavor has been changed so that this template is no longer applicable please remove this template. If you do not understand the idea behind this page please leave comments on this page's talk page before making any edits. Edit this Page | All stubs |
Contents |
[edit] Shadows
I am your oldest companion, one who knows you best, and still you do not know me, nor will you ever.
| Racial Traits |
| Average Height: A Shadow's height changes depending on its Host and how close it is to light. On its own, A Shadow is the same height as its initial Host, to be determined by the player. |
| Average Weight: Shadows, being creatures that exist only partially on the material plane, possess no weight whatsoever. |
| Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence |
| Size: Shadows take on the shape of their original Host, determined by the player. (Small or Medium) |
| Speed: Shadows take on the speed of their initial Host, determined by the player. (5 - 7) squares |
| Vision: Darkvision |
| Languages: Abyssal, Common, Initial Host's Native Language OR Choice of one other |
| Skill Bonuses: +2 Acrobatics, +2 Athletics |
| Shadow Integration: As a creature born from Shadow, you are perfectly at home in darkness. If there is no light in the room, you become completely invisible, as well as immune to melee damage. |
| Shadow Movement: You are capable of changing shape to become capable of sliding through bars, grates, under closed doors, and beneath the feet of others. |
| Symbiosis: You may use a minor action to latch onto a new Host, and must stay within one square of your Host to receive its benefits. When in a Symbiotic Relationship with a Host, you gain temporary access to all of the Host's abilities so long as you are withing one square of your Host. Whenever your Host takes damage, the damage is split between you and your Host. Similarly, whenever your Host gains hit points, so too do you. Should your Host die while you are in Symbiosis, you are knocked prone for one turn. |
| Weapon Shade: Rather than using physical weapons, you take the weapon's shadow, which renders the original weapon useless, but generates a Weapon Shade with the abilities of the weapon you obtained it from. You can transform your limbs into the Weapon Shade after you have absorbed it, and you can absorb an infinite amount of Weapon Shades. Since the Weapon Shades are made from Dark Matter, they have no weight, and therefore no penalty. Shadows cannot create Weapon Shades from two-handed items. When a Shadow creates a Weapon Shade, the weapon that has lost its shadow becomes useless, and crumbles into nothing. This of course means that Shadows cannot sell or pass down their used weapons, as the weapon only exists in memory. This also applies to armor and accessories. |
| Resilient Shade: When a Shadow's hit points reach zero, it dissipates for a day and reforms at the exact time of its death the next day with 1/4 of its hit points. A Shadow cannot be resurrected by any other means. |
| Intangible: Shadows can not be knocked prone by melee attacks, and only receive half damage from melee attacks. This does not include enchanted weaponry. Shadows do not take fall damage. When Shadows are knocked prone, they may make an athletic check DC20 to see if they become completely intangible until they recover their footing. If this succeeds, they are unable to attack for three turns after, as they must regain tangibility to do so. As Shadows only half exist on the material realm, they are entirely immune to disease. |
| Shadows In The Deep: A Shadow cannot swim across water, and is incapable of crossing it without the help of a boat, bridge, or other such object. To touch even the smallest body of water will sweep the Shadow away and render its hit points to zero. It will then reform on the side of the body of water it attempted to cross from one full day later. If a Shadow is connected to a Host who moves across the water, Symbiosis will be forcefully torn away and dissipated, then reform on the side the Host attempted to cross from one full day later. Yes, puddles and creeks count as bodies of water. Rain will not have these effects on a Shadow if it is in Symbiosis. |
| Shadow Shield: The Shadow can form, with its arms and legs melded together, a massive shield. The Shadow cannot move or attack in this state, but it is rendered invulnerable to most forms of damage and can be worn as a weightless shield to protect its Host, or simply sit motionless as a bunker. Regardless, in this state, the Shadow takes full Melee damage, but takes no damage from ranged or magic attacks. Water will instantly dissipate the Shadow in this state. |
| Symbiosis: Light Sensitivity: The closer the Host of Symbiosis moves to light, the larger and stronger the Shadow becomes, but in order to maintain the enhanced state, the Shadow must be connected to its Host, which it cannot do if the Host moves too far away. This effectively tethers the Shadow to its temporary Host. The Shadow may abandon the Host if it wishes, but it will sacrifice the enhancements of the Light effect. On the contrary, if the Host is in dim lighting, the Shadow loses power and becomes smaller. In these circumstances, the Shadow will often abandon its Host and maintain its natural level of power. The changes in power are temporary, and as soon as the Shadow abandons the host, it returns to its normal power levels. |
| Trance: You do not sleep, although you are still susceptible to sleep effects. Shadows can enter a meditative state known as trance in order to gain the benefits from taking an extended rest. You need to spend 4 hours in this state to gain the same benefits other races gain from taking a 6-hour extended rest. While in a trance, you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal. |
Shadows are lonely, misunderstood, and often feared, but they still defend their Hosts fiercely. Most PC Shadows have failed in their duty to protect their first Host, and seek to rectify this mistake by protecting many others. They are everywhere, doing everything, but they are rarely noticed.
Play a Shadow if you want...
- To be part of a race that is under-appreciated, misunderstood and mysterious.
- To be stealthy and versatile in many situations.
- To be capable of transforming your limbs into weapons.
- To be a member of a race that favors Stealth-oriented classes.
[edit] Physical Qualities
Shadows resemble their initial host down to every tiny detail, but they are always in shades of gray or black. The shades range from chalky, charcoal gray to a dark, glossy black, and all Shadows possess either glowing red or yellow eyes with no pupils. Shadows can change their physical appearance to resemble a different host if needs be, but their 'true form' is always that of their initial host. Shadows can change the appearance of their clothing at will. Shadows are capable of speech, and the sound of their voice is exactly like their original Host's, though as if heard through a long tunnel.
[edit] Playing a Shadow
In the beginning, before there was anything else, there was Light and there was Darkness. When the first man stood on the world, the first Shadow stood with him, unnoticed and unappreciated. When the man slept, his Shadow kept him safe from harm. When the First Man met what he thought was the First Woman, the man noticed that the woman did not have a shadow. He had never thought anything of the black shape that clung to him so until then. He turned to examine his Shadow, convinced that it was a thing of evil, attempting to banish his unnoticed guardian. The Shadow, hurt and feeling lonely, did as his ward bid him nonetheless and left. The Shadow noticed other black shapes that clung to things. Trees, rocks, animals. All things had a Shadow, so didn't the woman? The Shadow realized the danger too late; his Ward was slain. Weeping, the Shadow, now formless without a host, assumed the shape it had last known, and stood for itself rather than crawling at another's heels. The Shadows that stand have failed their host, and have taken an awareness of their own. These Shadows are still under appreciated and fairly unknown, but they do exist. A free Shadow can attach itself to any host at will and assume the shape of that host's shadow, allowing them to hide easily. If one encounters a Shadow, they may react many ways, but for most, it is a discomforting sight.
Some Shadows wish for nothing other than to be noticed. Others wish simply to protect those in the Material World. Others enjoy causing mischief and discord simply because they don't know what else to do. Shadows are rarely noticed otherwise, and people usually ignore them. Shadows can be of any alignment, really.
Shadow Characteristics: Withdrawn, Lonely, Protective, Awkward, Unenthusiastic, Tolerant, Patient, Reliable, Cunning, Mischievous, Tactful, Low Self-Esteem, Eery, Submissive, World-weary
Male Names: Wrathmere, Kafriziel, Zarifiel, Saphiel, Gavrall, Xalifer, Galafor
Female Names: Adrikatis, Vytis, Shaktis, Gaebriel, Zariel, Teriel, Xangera
[edit] <!-Your race-> Adventurers
Three sample <!-your race-> adventurers are described below.
Back to Main Page → 4e Homebrew → Races
