Shadow Stalker

I have been thinking on a sneak attack/stalking based prestige class for some time, and had a lot of time on my hand today. So what do you say? It was originally based on the assassin.

Shadow Stalker

There is no people better at the job of tracking down anyone or anything in ENWORLD than the Shadow Stalker. Most Shadow Stalkers work independently and are not organized. However, it is rumored that the Conclave and other criminal organizations have more than a handful working for them to track down people trying to hide. Shadow Stalkers have been known to hunt down criminals, but they seldom deliver a man alive for justice.
Shadow Stalkers are rumored to origin from the Free Folk. However most Shadow Stalkers deny that they were ever dancing around and stealing from people, but there is really no evidence off this as Shadow Stalkers has a tendency to secrecy about their trade and no recorded history is known to exist. However, one thing is certain almost all Shadow Stalkers get restless if they stay too long in the same city.

When the Shadow Stalker finishes his/her hunt they attack swiftly before ever being seen and most victims won’t know what hit them. They are not a match for a true fighter in a fair fight, and that is why there probably won’t be one if the Shadow Stalker can help it.
Shadow Stalkers also make excellent spies, because every Shadow Stalker knows that a good disguise or a wellplaced lie can be just as effective a concealment as a shadow.

Hit Die: d8.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Shadow Stalker, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
BAB +4
Feats: Track, sneak attack (+2d6)
Skills: Survival 8 ranks, Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks.

Class Skills
The Shadow Stalker’ class skills (and the key abilitiy for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level
6 + Int modifier.







Sneak Attack
This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 every 3 level (1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th). If a Shadow Stalker gets a sneak attack bonus from another source the bonuses on damage stack.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
Starting at 5th level, a Shadow Stalker retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. (He still loses any Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.)
If a character gains uncanny dodge from a second class the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below).

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
At 8th level, a Shadow Stalker can no longer be flanked, since he can react to opponents on opposite sides of him as easily as he can react to a single attacker. This defense denies rogues the ability to use flank attacks to sneak attack the Shadow Stalker. The exception to this defense is that a rogue at least four levels higher than the Shadow Stalker can flank him (and thus sneak attack him).
If a character gains uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge, and the levels from those classes stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su)
At 6th level, a Shadow Stalker can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, a Shadow Stalker can hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow.

Swift Tracker (Ex)
A Shadow Stalker can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. He takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.

Supreme tracker (Ex)
The shadow Stalker can move up to twice his normal speed while following a track without taking the -20 or -10 penalty to his check
A shadow stalker can also take an auto 10 on all survival check to track.

Shadow link: (su)
A Shadow Stalker that deals sneak attack can forgo 1d6 sneak attack damage to implant a portion of his essence into the target, granting him a +10 circumstance bonus on attempts to track the target for up to one day per level of Shadow Stalker. When the Shadow Stalker use this ability he losses the benefit from any previous links.

Reveal: (su)
This ability works like locate creature, but can only be used to locate a specific creature known to you. Caster level is you Shadow Stalker level. It can be use 1/ pr. 2level of Shadow Stalker/pr. day, but you can only target one particular creature pr. day.

Quick act: (ex)
The Shadow Stalker learns that the one who act the quickest is the one who is most likely to walk away alive. At 3rd level the Shadow stalker gets a +1 bonus to initiative. This increase to +2 at sixth and +3 at ninth level.

This PrC seems like a ranger/rogue crossover. Coulnd't a multiclassed rogue/range lead to a similar result?

You probably could but sneak attack and stealth abilities don’t go hand in hand that way, you would seriously lover you SA if you want the stealth stuff from the ranger. What I had in mind is a substitute for the evil ONLY assassin without making a good assassin. I could try to come up with something to substitute some or all the FE abilities, or just cut some of them if the PrC is a bit overpowered, as they were added more to balance the class then for flavor.

Been gone from my gaming group for little more then 6 month and I am starting have some urgings to do DnD stuff from lack of gaming. As I said I have a lot of time the next few days and are bored to death, I need something to do

A possible swap for the favored enemy at lvl 6 could be

Supreme tracker.
The shadow stalker can move up to twice his normal speed while following a track without taking the -20 or -10 penalty to his check
A shadow stalker can also take an auto 10 on all survival check to track

Too many abilities (especially hide in plain sight by Character level 9!) and not enough prerequisites. Better than you could do with a ranger/rogue without much of a cost.

That PrC can be easily taken by any Ranger. No need to be roguish to take it. And you gain the most interesting combat oriented power of each class. So maybe here some suggetsions:

Requirement, I would add: Sneak Attack : +1d6 (+2d6?)
Delay Hide in Plain Sight to be gain much later (level 8?)
Maybe have up to 4 dice of sneak attack only (at level 1,4,7 and 10)

Shaved of the favored enemies as they were only filler. Moved a bit around on when you get stuff, making it a little weaker in the beginning. Hide in plain sight is now at lvl 7, I would prefer it earlier (shadow dancer gets it at first level) but I know it might be a bit to powerful. Changed Requirements, adding a +4 BAB and +2d6 Sneak attack.
Was thinking of adding two weapon fighting too or would that be too much?

That's a lot better, in my opinion. I wouldn't add TWF as a requirement, as I don't see why this class should favor melee over the bow to that extent. I still think it's a little on the powerfull side. How about giving sneak attack at levels 1,4,7 and 10 and moving hide in plain sight to 8th? Either that, or giving the class a medium BAB?

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Current state of proposal said:

Shadow Stalker
Hit Die: d8.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Shadow Stalker, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
BAB +4
Feats: Track, sneak attack (+2d6)
Skills: Search 8 ranks, Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks.

Class Skills
The Shadow Stalker’ class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level
6 + Int modifier.


Code:


Level Base Fort Ref Will Special
Attack Save Save Save
Bonus
1st +1 +0 +2 +0 Swift Tracker.

2nd +2 +0 +3 +0 Sneak attack +1d6

3rd +3 +1 +3 +1 uncanny dodge

4th +4 +1 +4 +1 Sneak attack +2d6
5th +5 +1 +4 +1 Improved uncanny dodge
6th +6 +2 +5 +2 sneak attack +3d6


7th +7 +2 +5 +2 hide in plain sight

8th +8 +2 +6 +2 Sneak attack +4d6

9th +9 +3 +6 +3 Supreme tracker

10th +10 +3 +7 +3 Sneak attack +5d6





Sneak Attack
This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 every other level (1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th). If a Shadow Stalker gets a sneak attack bonus from another source the bonuses on damage stack.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
Starting at 2nd level, a Shadow Stalker retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. (He still loses any Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.)
If a character gains uncanny dodge from a second class the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below).

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
At 5th level, a Shadow Stalker can no longer be flanked, since he can react to opponents on opposite sides of him as easily as he can react to a single attacker. This defense denies rogues the ability to use flank attacks to sneak attack the Shadow Stalker. The exception to this defense is that a rogue at least four levels higher than the Shadow Stalker can flank him (and thus sneak attack him).
If a character gains uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge, and the levels from those classes stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su)
At 4th level, a Shadow Stalker can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, a Shadow Stalker can hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow.

Swift Tracker (Ex)
A Shadow Stalker can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. He takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.

Supreme tracker (Ex)
The shadow stalker can move up to twice his normal speed while following a track without taking the -20 or -10 penalty to his check
A shadow stalker can also take an auto 10 on all survival check to track

Click to expand...

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Moved the hide in plain sight to lvl 9
As a player, I know that I want something new at each level, I want to fell that I went a level up. The reduction of sneak attack is no an option as that is one of the main teams behind. I am not found of reducing the BAB and would prefer if their would be another way of reducing the power level of the class.

Shave the extra Sneak Attack die to 1/3 levels.

Give it a few unique abilities, particularly one early.

Survival needs to be a req if track is.

BAB advancement is too high for the given set of abilities, skills, and progression. Use the Shadow Dancer as a guide, as it is very similarly positioned, though it's abilities are a bit better.

I actuly have no problem with Hide in Plain sight being lower (Shadow Dancer gets it around CL 9).

Right now, this is a class that is a little too ubermix of classes that actualy synergize fairly well with eachother (Ranger and Rogue) and doesn't bring much unique to the table. I'm not exactly sure of a good way to make it stand out, but I like the concept, so it can be done.

Sometimes, just a new spin on a current ability can help. For example, if the idea is to build a ranged hidden sniper, perhaps doubling Sneak Attack and Point Blank range as one power might be cool (and fits with tracking and hiding). Something like Trackless Step might be usefull as well.

Changed: BAB to cleric BaB, sneak attack every 3lvl now instead of every 2nd, moved hide in plain sight to 6th lvl.
Moved around when you get most abilities.
changed search to survival in requirement.
added

added Reveal (su) and blood trail to the abilities
are they unbalanced?

is the class still to strong and or stand out too little?