Shadow Ascendant

The Forgotten Shadow is a powerful religion that sweeps through the Forsaken. A devotee may throw off the shackles of her zombielike body, becoming one with the Shadow. Those who succeed become shadow ascendants. Outsiders do not understand the process that fuels the ascendants' evolution from a physically powerful but slow corpse to a quick and deadly shadow. The Cult of Forgotten Shadow, however, preaches that all Forsaken are born from the Shadow, and that they carry a portion of the Shadow within them. By strengthening her ties to death and undeath, the ascendant manifests her inner Shadow, bonding with it until she becomes a living shadow, the ultimate manifestation of the Shadow from

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Shadow ascendants gain no new proficiencies with weapons or armor. Death's Grace: As the Forsaken ascends the normal coils of undeath and transforms to an undead shadow, she grows supernaturally quicker. She gains +2 Agility at 1st, 4th and 8th levels. Hide in

Plain Sight (Su): An ascendant can use the Stealth skill to hide even while being observed. As long as she is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, Hakin stood silently in the woods, petting his dire wolf companion with great nervousness. The orc hated returning to Lordaeron, and not just for the bad memories. Ever since the Scourge conquered the place, Lordaeron just didn't feel right. The spirits of the land - they cried in Lordaeron, painfully. Da'kar whined in fear, and Hakin reassured his companion that this would be over soon. Why in the world did Thrall let these undead bastards into the Horde? You didn't have to be a shaman to see what would happen. The undead were just using the Horde! Their curse, and how only shaman can heal it? Bah! Since the Dark Lady's race had been part of the Horde, the Forsaken haven't even come close to finding a cure. They hadn't even shown a desire to cure their undead states. What's worse, Hakin had heard rumors that a few Forsaken wish to become even more undead than they already are, if you can believe that. Followers of this weird faith, called the Forsaken Shadow or something like that, believe that, by empowering themselves, they can grow to something that's greater than other Forsaken. He'd never seen any of these super-Forsaken, but even the rumors contradicted the Forsaken's reasons for joining the Horde. Thrall should be warned of this new development. Hakin was so distracted that he never heard the Forsaken ambassador approach. "Forgive the wait. I was dealing with an important matter in Undercity. W elcome to the Tirisfal Glades, shaman." The voice came from behind, but when Hakin turned, he still couldn't see the ambassador. The voice was odd, hollow and echoing, and sent shivers up his spine. His wolf hunched down on its quarters and whined. "Show yourself," Hakin said with weak conviction. "I prefer to talk to those I can see." " As you wish." The undead didn't walk so much as glide out from a hollow, and Hakin's throat constricted. It took him a moment to distinguish the dark shape from the shadows around it, but suddenly two burning, red eyes opened and made it all too easy. The creature was the shadows, a hulking image crafted out of darkness. Hakin could barely make out hints of a former humanity in the living shadow, the outline of radically-spiked hair, of cruel undead claws on its hands. "Does my state offend you, orc?" The undead spoke, and though it had no face, those burning eyes twinkled in amusement. an ascendant can hide from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. She cannot, however, hide in her own shadow.

Improved Cannibalism (Su): An ascendant heals 1d4 hit points per Hit Die each round while cannibalizing a corpse. Increased Hit Die: As the Forsaken continues on the path of true undeath, her Hit Die increases. At 2nd, 6th and 10th level, the Forsaken's current and future Hit Dice increase by one step, up to a maximum of d12+2. This ability stacks with the increased Hit Die feature from their racial levels. Thus, at 10th level, regardless of her class, the ascendant's Hit Die is always d12+2.

Improved Darkvision (Su): At 2nd level and 7th level, the range of the ascendant's darkvision increases by +30 feet. Shadow Drain (Ex): At 3rd level, an ascendant can attempt to drain the shadows from a creature, and through its shadows, absorb its life forces. If the ascendant pins a foe during a grapple, she drains its shadows, dealing 1d4 points of Stamina damage each round that she maintains the pin. Every time the ascendant deals Stamina damage in this way, she gains 5 temporary hit points. These temporary hit points last for 1 hour. When the ascendant uses this ability, the victim's shadows drain into the ascendant - the hollows in his facial features, under his hair, and beneath his body pale into nothingness. The ascendant may use this ability to cannibalize a corpse as well, as normal, but she does not need to actually eat any flesh. Furthermore, the healing is more effective, and the ascendant regains 5 hit points per Hit Die each round while cannibalizing a corpse. She does not gain temporary hit points when feasting on corpses. While the ascendant feeds, the corpse begins to wither, until it turns to dust. This otherwise functions as the cannibalize ability.

Summon Shade (Su): At 3rd level, the ascendant animates her own shadow into a shade resembling her. Unlike a normal shade, this shadow's alignment matches that of the ascendant, and the creature is always visible to the ascendant. The shade cannot be turned, rebuked or commanded. It serves as a companion to the ascendant and can communicate with her. Every third level the ascendant gains adds +2 HD (and the corresponding skill points, feats and base attack and base save bonus increases) to her shadow companion. Furthermore, at 4th level the shade's touch deals 1d2 points of cold damage, and at 8th level it deals 1d4 points of cold damage. If the shade companion is destroyed, or the ascendant chooses to dismiss it (which she can do at any time), the ascendant must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude save. If she fails, she loses 200 XP per ascendant level. A successful saving throw reduces the loss by half, to 100 XP per ascendant level. The ascendant's experience point total can never drop below 0 as the result of a shadow's dismissal or destruction. A destroyed or dismissed shade companion can be replaced after 30 days. While the ascendant has a shadow companion, she does not have a shadow of her own. See Invisibility (Su): At 4th level, the ascendant can see any invisible creature, as if with a permanent see invisibility spell. Table 3 -10: The Shadow Ascendant (Sha) Base Class Attack Fort Ref Will Level Bonus Save Save Save Special 1st +0 +0 +2 +0 Death's grace (+2 Agility), hide in plain sight, improved cannibalism 2nd +1 +0 +3 +0 Increased hit die, improved darkvision (90 ft.) 3rd +2 +1 +3 +1 Shadow drain, summon shade 4th +3 +1 +4 +1 Death's grace (+2 Agility), shadow jump 20 ft., see invisibility 5th +3 +1 +4 +1 Spider climb 6th +4 +2 +5 +2 Increased hit die, shadow jump 40 ft., summon shade (1d2 cold damage) 7th +5 +2 +5 +2 Energy drain, improved darkvision (120 ft.) 8th +6 +2 +6 +2 Death's grace (+2 Agility),, shadow jump 80 ft., true sight 9th +6 +3 +6 +3 Shadow tendrils, summon shade (1d4 cold damage) 10th +7 +3 +7 +3 Increased hit die, shadow jump 160 ft., shadow ascendance

Shadow Jump (Su): At 4th level, the ascendant can travel between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell. The magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some shadow. The ascendant can jump up to a total of 20 feet each day in this way; this may be a single jump of 20 feet or two jumps of 10 feet each. Every two levels higher than 4th, the distance an ascendant can jump each day doubles (40 feet at 6th level, 80 feet at 8th level, and 160 feet at 10th level). The ascendant can split this amount among many jumps, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a minimum of 10 feet. Spider Climb (Su): At 5th level, the ascendant may climb any surface as though under the effects of a spider climb spell. Energy Drain (Su): At 7th level, the ascendant's slam attack bestows one negative level upon a successful hit. A foe may make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + ascendant level + Charisma modifier) to avoid gaining a negative level. The DC to remove a negative level is also (10 + ascendant level + Charisma modifier). Every time the ascendant bestows a negative level, he gains 5 temporary hit points. These temporary hit points last for 1 hour.

T rue Sight (Su): At 8th level, the ascendant can see the truth, as if with a permanent true seeing spell. Sh adow T endrils (Sp): At 9th level, the ascendant can cause innumerable tendrils of shadowstuff to sprout from her body . This ability functions as Ner'zhul's black tentacles, except that: the effect is centered on the ascendant; the tentacles don't affect her; and if the ascendant moves out of her square during the ability's duration, the tendrils retract into her body and the effect ends. The ascendant may use this ability three times per day , and her caster level is equal to her levels in this class.

Shadow Ascendance (Su): At 10th level, the ascendant finally throws off the shackles of her body and becomes a living shadow . She gains the incorporeal subtype. As an incorporeal undead, she no longer has a Strength score, and cannot use any mundane item unless it has the ghost touch pr operty (see More Magic & Mayhem, Chapter 4: So Shiny!, "Magic Weapon Special Properties"). She loses her slam attack, but gains an incorporeal touch attack that deals 1d4+2 points of cold damage plus her energy drain ability . Her natural armor changes to a deflection bonus which stacks with the deflection bonus an incorporeal undead normally receives (thus she has a deflection bonus of 4 + his Charisma modifier). She can drain shadows only from a helpless victim or a corpse, however , as she can no longer grapple corporeal foes. She retains all other abilities. The ascendant finds herself unable to stand bright lights. While in a source of bright light (whether natural sunlight or from a spell), she takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws and skill checks. Furthermore, any light-based attack (such as the holy light spells - see More Magic & Mayhem - or damage from a brilliant magical weapon) deals double damage to the ascendant.