I've started a new campaign with pathfinder classes and rules lately, and I've really liked the changes so far. However, I also want to use some Incarnum rules, so I've been toying with converting some of the Incarnum using classes for pathfinder rules.
I had a player who wanted to make a rogue/shadowdancer, and I suggested the Umbral Disciple class to him since it is pretty similar flavor wise, but with some different abilities. Here's my attempt at converting it to Pathfinder rules. I also filled in some of the ability gaps, so I borrowed some abilities from the Pathfinder shadowdancer (shadow master and shadow illusion specifically, along with evasion and improved evasion). I also increased the hit dice to D8 from D6 of course.
I'd be interested in hearing people's thoughts on this conversion. Part of my reasoning behind some of these changes is that I wanted to give the class a few abilities which weren't totally reliant on the player putting Essentia into them first, though I'm worried shadow illusion is a little tacked on. Oh, and I also adjusted the flavor of the abilities a bit because in my campaign incarnum will be more of a power of creation than soul energy, you can feel free to ignore that (renamed Step of the Bodiless to Step of Shadows for example). I also left out Sept Knowledge because he'll be the first Umbral Disciple ever in my campaign....so he wouldn't have a Sept to join, lol.
UMBRAL DISCIPLE
Class Information
The following information pertains to the Umbral Disciple advanced class.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To qualify to become a Umbral Disciple, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Skills: Perception 5 ranks, Spellcraft 2 ranks, Stealth 5 ranks, Knowledge (arcane) 2 ranks
Essentia Pool: 1.
Class Skills
The Umbral Disciple’s class skills are as follows: Acrobatics, Climb, Diplomacy, Knowledge (arcana), Stealth, Perception, Profession, Sense Motive
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Intelligence modifier.
Class Features
The following features pertain to the Umbral Disciple advanced class.
Evasion (Ex): At 1st level, an umbral disciple gains evasion. If exposed to any effect that normally allows her to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage, he takes no damage with a successful saving throw. The evasion ability can only be used if the umbral disciple is wearing light armor or no armor.
Step of Shadow: Starting at 1st level, you being learning to use incarnum to shape shadows and give them mass. With this ability, you can manipulate the shadows which are around you and at your feet to give yourself a +2 bonus on any acrobatics or climb checks for every point of essential you invest in this class feature.
Embrace of Shadow(Su): Starting at 3rd level, you can weave incarnum into an obscuring shadow that clings to you, providing you with a limited amount of concealment. While you are thus cloaked in shadow, each attack made against you has a 10% miss chance per point of essentia invested in this ability. The miss chance does not stack with miss chances provided by any other ability or effect. If the miss chance granted by this ability is 20% or higher, you also gain the ability to hide in plain sight – that is, you can use the Hide skill even while being observed. See the ranger class feature. Embrace of shadow is usable at will.
Shadow Illusion (Sp): When an umbral disciple reaches 4th level, he can create visual illusions. This ability functions as silent image, using the umbral disciple’s level as the caster level. An umbral disciple can use this ability once per day for every two umbral disciple levels he has attained. The DC for this ability is Constitution-based.
Sight of the Eyeless(Su): At 6th level, you begin to be able to sense things through the shadows themselves to perceive what would otherwise be hidden. Investing essential in this ability grants you the blindsight ability (range 10 feet per point of essentia invested). Sight of the eyeless is usable at will.
Soulchilling Strike(Su): At 8th level, you can imbue your melee attacks with a soulchilling essence. For every point of essentia you invest in this ability, your attack deals 1 point of strength damage to the target (fortitude negates, DC10 + invested essentia + your Con modifier) in addition to soulchilling effect. If you are making a full attack, the effects is delivered by your first successful attack of the round, and the rest of your attacks are resolved normally. This effect applies to all types of melee attacks made while essential is invested, regardless of whether natural or manufactured weapons are used.
Kiss of the Shadows(Su): At 9th level, you learn to wield the shadows themselves as your weapons. Tangible, incarnum-laced shadows of your weapons or fists follow your every strike, mirroring your attacks at a range. Your reach increases by 5 feet for every point of essential invested in this class feature, but only on your turn. While this ability is active, you are treated as if you were standing in the square adjacent to the target that is closest to your actual location for the purpose of flanking, attacking from higher ground, or similar situations. At the end of your turn, your reach (and thus the area you threaten, returns to normal.
Improved Evasion (Ex): This ability, gained at 10th level, works like evasion (see above). An umbral disciple takes no damage at all on successful saving throws against attacks that allow a Reflex saving throw for half damage. What's more, he takes only half damage even if he fails her saving throw.
Shadow Master (Su): At 10th level, whenever an umbral disciple is in an area of dim light, he gains DR 10/— and a +2 luck bonus on all saving throws. In addition, whenever he successfully scores a critical hit against a foe who is in an area of dim light, that foe is blinded for 1d6 rounds.
I had a player who wanted to make a rogue/shadowdancer, and I suggested the Umbral Disciple class to him since it is pretty similar flavor wise, but with some different abilities. Here's my attempt at converting it to Pathfinder rules. I also filled in some of the ability gaps, so I borrowed some abilities from the Pathfinder shadowdancer (shadow master and shadow illusion specifically, along with evasion and improved evasion). I also increased the hit dice to D8 from D6 of course.
I'd be interested in hearing people's thoughts on this conversion. Part of my reasoning behind some of these changes is that I wanted to give the class a few abilities which weren't totally reliant on the player putting Essentia into them first, though I'm worried shadow illusion is a little tacked on. Oh, and I also adjusted the flavor of the abilities a bit because in my campaign incarnum will be more of a power of creation than soul energy, you can feel free to ignore that (renamed Step of the Bodiless to Step of Shadows for example). I also left out Sept Knowledge because he'll be the first Umbral Disciple ever in my campaign....so he wouldn't have a Sept to join, lol.
UMBRAL DISCIPLE
Class Information
The following information pertains to the Umbral Disciple advanced class.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To qualify to become a Umbral Disciple, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Skills: Perception 5 ranks, Spellcraft 2 ranks, Stealth 5 ranks, Knowledge (arcane) 2 ranks
Essentia Pool: 1.
Class Skills
The Umbral Disciple’s class skills are as follows: Acrobatics, Climb, Diplomacy, Knowledge (arcana), Stealth, Perception, Profession, Sense Motive
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Intelligence modifier.
Code:
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Essentia Pool
1 +0 +0 +2 +2 Uncanny Dodge, 1
Step of Shadow
2 +1 +0 +3 +3 Sneak Attack +1d6 1
3 +2 +1 +3 +3 Embrace of the Shadow 2
4 +3 +1 +4 +4 Evasion, Shadow Illusion 2
5 +3 +1 +4 +4 Sneak Attack +1d6 3
6 +4 +2 +5 +5 Sight of the Eyeless 3
7 +5 +2 +5 +5 Improved Uncanny Dodge, 4
Soulchilling Strike
8 +6 +2 +6 +6 Sneak Attack +1d6 5
9 +6 +3 +6 +6 Kiss of the shadows 6
10 +7 +3 +7 +7 Improved Evasion 7
Shadow MasterThe following features pertain to the Umbral Disciple advanced class.
Evasion (Ex): At 1st level, an umbral disciple gains evasion. If exposed to any effect that normally allows her to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage, he takes no damage with a successful saving throw. The evasion ability can only be used if the umbral disciple is wearing light armor or no armor.
Step of Shadow: Starting at 1st level, you being learning to use incarnum to shape shadows and give them mass. With this ability, you can manipulate the shadows which are around you and at your feet to give yourself a +2 bonus on any acrobatics or climb checks for every point of essential you invest in this class feature.
Embrace of Shadow(Su): Starting at 3rd level, you can weave incarnum into an obscuring shadow that clings to you, providing you with a limited amount of concealment. While you are thus cloaked in shadow, each attack made against you has a 10% miss chance per point of essentia invested in this ability. The miss chance does not stack with miss chances provided by any other ability or effect. If the miss chance granted by this ability is 20% or higher, you also gain the ability to hide in plain sight – that is, you can use the Hide skill even while being observed. See the ranger class feature. Embrace of shadow is usable at will.
Shadow Illusion (Sp): When an umbral disciple reaches 4th level, he can create visual illusions. This ability functions as silent image, using the umbral disciple’s level as the caster level. An umbral disciple can use this ability once per day for every two umbral disciple levels he has attained. The DC for this ability is Constitution-based.
Sight of the Eyeless(Su): At 6th level, you begin to be able to sense things through the shadows themselves to perceive what would otherwise be hidden. Investing essential in this ability grants you the blindsight ability (range 10 feet per point of essentia invested). Sight of the eyeless is usable at will.
Soulchilling Strike(Su): At 8th level, you can imbue your melee attacks with a soulchilling essence. For every point of essentia you invest in this ability, your attack deals 1 point of strength damage to the target (fortitude negates, DC10 + invested essentia + your Con modifier) in addition to soulchilling effect. If you are making a full attack, the effects is delivered by your first successful attack of the round, and the rest of your attacks are resolved normally. This effect applies to all types of melee attacks made while essential is invested, regardless of whether natural or manufactured weapons are used.
Kiss of the Shadows(Su): At 9th level, you learn to wield the shadows themselves as your weapons. Tangible, incarnum-laced shadows of your weapons or fists follow your every strike, mirroring your attacks at a range. Your reach increases by 5 feet for every point of essential invested in this class feature, but only on your turn. While this ability is active, you are treated as if you were standing in the square adjacent to the target that is closest to your actual location for the purpose of flanking, attacking from higher ground, or similar situations. At the end of your turn, your reach (and thus the area you threaten, returns to normal.
Improved Evasion (Ex): This ability, gained at 10th level, works like evasion (see above). An umbral disciple takes no damage at all on successful saving throws against attacks that allow a Reflex saving throw for half damage. What's more, he takes only half damage even if he fails her saving throw.
Shadow Master (Su): At 10th level, whenever an umbral disciple is in an area of dim light, he gains DR 10/— and a +2 luck bonus on all saving throws. In addition, whenever he successfully scores a critical hit against a foe who is in an area of dim light, that foe is blinded for 1d6 rounds.
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