Phoenix8008
First Post
Turning to ENworld to help answer a question again. Thanks in advance for any help.
The rules state the following:
At 3rd level, a shadowdancer can summon a shadow, an undead shade. Unlike a normal shadow, this shadow’s alignment matches that of the shadowdancer, and the creature cannot create spawn. The summoned shadow cannot be turned, rebuked, or commanded by any third party. This shadow serves as a companion to the shadowdancer and can communicate intelligibly with the shadowdancer. Every third level gained by the shadowdancer adds +2 HD (and the requisite base attack and base save bonus increases) to her shadow companion. For example, a 9th level shadowdancer can have a shadow companion with 6 HD.
Something is wrong with this picture. Or at least the math. A shadow in the MM starts with 3 HD. I was originally under the impression that at 3rd level a shadowdancer would summon a normal 3HD shadow, which would grow to a 5HD shadow at 6th level and a 7HD shadow at 9th level. But the rules above say that at 9th level the shadowdancer would have a 6HD shadow. So did they mistakenly think that a shadow only started with 2HD? Or (as I'm thinking now) does the Shadowdancer summon a 5HD shadow at 3rd level when the power is gained? Then have it advance up to 7HD at 6th level and 9HD at 9th level? Giving the 9th level Shadowdancer a shadow companion with + 6HD!? After all, the paragraph reads "Every third level gained by the shadowdancer adds +2 HD". I believe this means even at level 3 when the power is first gained the shadow companion has an additional 2HD.
What say you? Anybody else interpreted it this way? Or any other source clarifying it that I'm missing?
The rules state the following:
At 3rd level, a shadowdancer can summon a shadow, an undead shade. Unlike a normal shadow, this shadow’s alignment matches that of the shadowdancer, and the creature cannot create spawn. The summoned shadow cannot be turned, rebuked, or commanded by any third party. This shadow serves as a companion to the shadowdancer and can communicate intelligibly with the shadowdancer. Every third level gained by the shadowdancer adds +2 HD (and the requisite base attack and base save bonus increases) to her shadow companion. For example, a 9th level shadowdancer can have a shadow companion with 6 HD.
Something is wrong with this picture. Or at least the math. A shadow in the MM starts with 3 HD. I was originally under the impression that at 3rd level a shadowdancer would summon a normal 3HD shadow, which would grow to a 5HD shadow at 6th level and a 7HD shadow at 9th level. But the rules above say that at 9th level the shadowdancer would have a 6HD shadow. So did they mistakenly think that a shadow only started with 2HD? Or (as I'm thinking now) does the Shadowdancer summon a 5HD shadow at 3rd level when the power is gained? Then have it advance up to 7HD at 6th level and 9HD at 9th level? Giving the 9th level Shadowdancer a shadow companion with + 6HD!? After all, the paragraph reads "Every third level gained by the shadowdancer adds +2 HD". I believe this means even at level 3 when the power is first gained the shadow companion has an additional 2HD.
What say you? Anybody else interpreted it this way? Or any other source clarifying it that I'm missing?
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