Shade (Classed)

It is agreed by most sages that a shade is a once-powerful human or demihuman who sought out immortality by infusing his mortal body with shadowstuff—the “semi-element” that comprises the demiplane of Shadow. The magical union with this dark essence has brought about the character's transformation into a shade.

Only a single-classed human or demihuman of at least 10th level may become a shade. A dual-classed or multiclassed character can never become a shade. A shade may continue to advance in its class (racial limits still apply) but cannot change to another class under any circumstances. Knowledge of the rare and highly reclusive shades is kept secret by the few residents of the Prime Material Plane worlds who know of their existence.

The infusion of gloomy shadowstuff often changes the alignment of a shade (generally toward neutral and/or evil). Because of this, only 10% of all shades encountered will be of good alignment, 50% will be neutral, and the remaining 40% encountered will be evil. Only a wish spell may prevent this change. Once it has successfully completed the transformation, a shade is considered to be a true native of the demiplane.

Special abilities: The transformation empowers all shades with special abilities. Some abilities are always available, while others may be employed only in areas of heavy shadows. The infusion of shadowstuff extends a shade's life indefinitely, for unless a shade is slain outright, it will never die. Shades no longer need to eat, but subsist solely on shadows. Additionally, shades gain magic resistance equal to 3% for each level possessed. Shades are immune to disease and life-level loss. All shades are able to regenerate lost limbs (except for the head) in 2d8 weeks. In areas of sufficient shadows, a shade will regenerate lost hit points. Moreover, a shade is empowered with special spell-like abilities. These spell-like abilities are common to all shades in addition to other abilities available to each particular class:

Shadow walk as per the seventh-level wizard spell (see Player's Handbook, page 186); two uses per day.

Lorloveim's shadowy transformation as per the sixth-level wizard spell (see Tome of Magic, page 38) 3 uses per day.

The shadow may open a gate (ninth-level wizard spell, PHB, page 195) to the demiplane of Shadow once per day (100% chance of success). The gate summons a specific creature that the shade personally knows (ally, pet, etc.). The creature may refuse to pass through the gate and is under no obligation to obey or fight for the shade.

Effects of light and darkness: A shade's power can wane or wav dramatically depending upon the lighting of its current surroundings. A shade is most powerful when surrounded in shadow. In areas of bright light or extreme darkness where shadows are scarce, a shade is weakened significantly and loses much of its special abilities.

General outlook

Most shades care little for the day-to-day affairs of mortals whose days are few and whose lives are consumed in petty quests and mundane struggles (an existence shades are glad to be freed from). The virtual immortality that all shades possess allows them to pursue those interests that they followed when mortal (magical research, increasing personal power or wealth, overseeing an ages-long project, etc.). Whatever endeavors they undertake, shades rarely interact with each other. The incorporation of shadowstuff into their beings invariably brings about a gloomy, sullen change in personality toward solitary behavior. Even good-aligned shades are affected in this way.

The priest-shade

This class of shade is among the rarest of all shades. Since most deitiesdo not approve of their clerics becoming shades, priests almost never become shades on their own. those who do often worship deities whose sphere of influence lies with shadow and darkness. Priest-shades lose all access to the Sun sphere of spells. Any priest who successfully becomes a shade has its Wisdom ability score permanently raised by one (with a maximum of 19).

Combat: Priest-shades are limited to the weapons and armor normally usable by their class. In shadowy areas, priestshades may, once per day, use the special ability either of shadowharm or shadowheal. When employing shadowharm, the priest-shade uses the magic of a harm spell on another creature's shadow, damaging the target as if affected by the 6thlevel priest spell, harm (saving throw allowed). Conversely, shadowheal will affect the target creature as if cured by a heal spell. The priest-shade must physically touch the target's shadow to use this special ability.

Habitat/Society: Because so few priests become shades, the priest-shade is the rarest of all shades. Given the fact that only the most devoted and powerful clerics rise high enough in level to become shades, it is improbable that such highlevel priests would forsake their deities to become shades unless given permission to do so. Priest-shades residing on the demiplane of Shadow must worship higher powers dwelling either in the Inner Planes or in the demiplane of Shadow (if any such exist in your campaign) to receive spells above second level. Priest-shades primarily seek to exist in their shadowy temples and live out their immortal existence obeying their deity. When priest-shades travel to the Prime Material Plane, it is mainly to keep in contact with the mortal members of their sect.

The psionicist-shade

After priest-shades, psionicist-shades are the rarest type of shade. This is primarily due to the secretive nature of psionicists and their small numbers. The transformation for a psionicist gives the psionicist a boost to her mental powers. A psionicistshade permanently gains 20 to 80 (1d4 x 20) additional PSPs. Additionally, a psionicist-shade gains the sciences of animate shadow and shadowform (even if the psionicist-shade does not have access to the disciplines that include these sciences). The use of these sciences does not have an initial cost or maintenance cost, and a psionicist-shade never rolls a 20 on its power score. A psionicist-shade may use each of these abilities twice per day.

Combat: With poor hand-to-hand combat skills, psionicist-shades rarely enter into physical combat. Since psionic effects are not hampered on the demiplane of Shadow, a psionicist-shade can use all its powers to overcome an opponent. If seriously threatened, a psionicist-shade will flee using its innate shadow walk ability.

Habitat/Society: Psionicist-shades are the most reclusive of shades. They spend most of their immortal existence alone strengthening their mental abilities through dedicated practice, creating a psionic artifact or two, and occasionally dealing with troublesome intruders. Psionicist-shades' dwellings are spartan and devoid of earthly riches or other “useless” treasures. Items found within a psionicist-shade's abode primarily serve a utilitarian purpose. Psionicist-shades rarely leave the demiplane unless on a mission of personal importance.

The rogue-shade

Only thieves—not bards—are eligible to become rogue-shades. Upon becoming a shade, a rogue-shade's Dexterity score is immediately raised three points (with a maximum of 19). This change in Dexterity improves the shade's thieving skill base scores appropriately. On the demiplane of Shadow or in areas of similar illumination, a rogue-shade can move silently and hide in shadows with a 100% base chance of success. When employing these skills, a rogue-shade is completely undetectable by normal means (but magical detection will still function).

Combat: Rogue-shades fight as they did in their mortal lives, except that they more craftily wield the power of shadows to aid them in their endeavors. Seemingly being able to dissolve into the shadows at will and then surprisingly reappear soon after in another area is the rogue-shade's main combat tactic ( +4 on attack rolls, +4 bonus to armor class when in shadowy areas). Rogue-shades are cunning opponents, always looking for an opportunity to utilize the surrounding shadows to the best advantage.

Habitat/Society: Rogue-shades enjoy accumulating wealth, especially if they can acquire riches through their thieving ways. Rogue-shades travel more than any other shade class between the demiplane of Shadow and the Prime Material Plane. Rogue-shades have been known to run thieving guilds on several Prime Material worlds from their home base on the demiplane of Shadow. Rogue-shades work solely for themselves and have never been known to serve a master. They primarily seek to fill their dark and dusky mansions with treasures and magical items. These mansions are always well guarded against unwanted visitors.

The warrior-shade

Warrior-shades were once formidable fighters, paladins, and rangers who now fight in a new shadow-enhanced body. The fear of old age and its infirmities that eventually turn all stalwart warriors into feeble things is what drives most warriorshades to become shades and thus be forever able and strong. Any subclass of the warrior class may become a warriorshade. All warrior-shades add one point to their Strength ability (with a maximum of 19; any score from 18 to 18/00 is raised one category).

Paladins and rangers who become shades suffer a great loss of abilities. Paladins who move toward this darker side lose all benefits associated with their subclass (spell-casting, cure disease, protection from evil, etc.). A paladin's war horse will always desert a master who becomes a shade. Rangers who become shades are no longer considered a part of nature and so lose most of their special ranger abilities. A ranger retains only those of his tracking abilities that work both on the ranger's home plane and on the demiplane of Shadow and the ability to hide in shadows. A paladin or ranger who undergoes the process to become a warrior-shade is now a warrior of the same level (experience points adjusted downward appropriately).

Combat: A warrior-shade is formidable in combat. In shadowy areas, a warriorshade gains a +2 bonus to armor class, +2 to attack and damage rolls (cumulative with any other benefits). A warrior-shade also may animate a shadow double of itself once per day when sufficient shadows are present. A shadow double is an exact physical duplicate of the warrior-shade with regard to armor class, THAC0, and hit points (shadow doubles have no weapons but may pick up an available one). The shadow double will fight or move as directed by the warrior-shade and will remain until dismissed by the warrior-shade or slain. A shadow double must be within the warrior-shade's field of vision to be controlled. A loss of control will dispel the shadow double for that day.

Habitat/Society: Warrior-shades are among the most numerous of shades. They gave up their mortal lives to become eternal warriors. At times, they are seen emerging suddenly from the shadows on a great battlefield to aid some cause or nation. Oddly enough, while warriorshades enjoy battle, their brooding and solitary ways keep them from sharing their adventures with others. Once a battle has been finished, a warrior-shade usually slips back into the shadows— avoiding curious adventurers and other questioning folk. In their keeps and castles, warrior-shades live as most royalty does—having a full staff of servants, welltended and stocked stables, a secured armory, and lots of treasure. A few are believed to rule lands and people in dark, shady castles on the Prime Material Plane.

The wizard-shade

This is the most common type of shade encountered. Any subclass of wizard may become a wizard-shade. Of all the character classes, wizards are perhaps the ones most likely to use life-extension methods. For wizards, the shade-transformation is viewed as a much more pleasant option than undeath. Wizard-shades add one point to their Intelligence scores (with a maximum of 19).

Combat: Wizard-shades suffer none of the spell limitations that normal wizards do when casting spells on the demiplane of Shadow. Spells that deal with shadows when cast by a wizard-shade will have double strength and a double duration. Illusion/phantasm spells cast by a wizardshade are more difficult to disbelieve (-2 penalty to save) since the caster has a deeper comprehension of the shadowy magic being wielded.

Habitat/Society: The lure of long life, the love of magic, and the desire to pursue a deeper understanding of their magic are the primary reasons that wizards become shades. Their immortality allows for nearly limitless research and creation of spells, magical items, and an artifact or two. Wizard-shades prefer to stay locked up in their towers to continue their arcane research. A few wizard-shades have been known to live in towers of solid shadowstuff situated on the border of a Quasi- Elemental Planes and an Energy Plane. How these structures withstand such harsh environments remains a mystery. Wizard-shades are very private and have rarely been known to accept strangers into their dwellings. Some wizard-shades keep in touch with old comrades on the Prime Material Plane and have been reported to aid friends in times of need.

Character subclasses of unique worlds: DMs may opt to allow character subclasses unique to certain worlds the option of becoming shades. These special subclasses would fall under the appropriate class heading (an Athasian gladiator would become a warrior-shade, a templar would become a priest-shade, etc.)

*—Light conditions:

**Special abiltities:

1= shadow walk

2= Lorloveim's shadowy transformation

3= gate

The transformation

A shade may be created in one of two ways. One is by the use of the new ninthlevel wizard spell create shade, which is described below. The other way is alluded to in the Player's Handbook under the ninth-level wizard spell energy drain, page 194—a wizard who has his Constitution score reduced to 0 by multiple castings of energy drain dies and is “reborn” as a wizard-shade. A shade created in this manner immediately undergoes an alignment change to neutral evil (due to an imbalance caused by tapping the Negative Energy Plane when casting energy drain).

Create Shade

Alteration

This powerful spell infuses one being with shadowstuff from the demiplane of Shadow and transforms him into a shade. The subject of this spell must be a singleclassed human or demihuman (psionicist, priest, thief, warrior, or wizard only) of at least 10th level.

The casting of this spell is a long, delicate, and highly complex procedure. The caster and the recipient must not be disturbed at all, or else the spell will fail. The caster must additionally cast shadow walk, Lorloveim's shadowy transformation, gate, and permanency upon the subject for the transformation to succeed.

Upon completion of all the castings, the subject must successfully roll a system shock roll.

A 25% bonus may be added to this roll if this spell is cast on the demiplane of Shadow. A percentile roll less than or equal to the survival chance indicates that the subject has been transformed successfully into a shade. Failure means that the subject dissolves away into shadow—lost forever. Any attempt (even by a wish) to return the subject to normal will automatically fail.

It is possible for a character to have his alignment changed by this spell. Roll d10 for any changes: 1, Alignment stays the same; 2-4, Alignment moves one step toward true neutral; 5-7, moves one step toward evil; 8-9, becomes true neutral; 10, becomes neutral evil. A wish spell may be used to prevent any change in alignment. After the spell is cast, the caster loses ld6 Constitution points and loses consciousness for 1d8 days (also aging five years if a wish was used to prevent an alignment change)

If not for the fact that this spell is dangerous to both the caster and the recipient, shades might be more numerous. Only a free-willed wizard can cast this spell successfully. The material components for this spell are 10,000 gp worth of powdered onyx, 10,000 gp worth of powdered diamond, and an amulet of the planes. The powdered onyx and diamond are consumed during the casting of the spell, while the amulet is used to draw forth the necessary amounts of shadowstuff and planar energy from the demiplane of Shadow and the Positive and Negative Energy Planes respectively.