Alt. Shadowdancer

[Beowulf]

In an up-coming campaign, I'll be playing a Rogue based on Gerrett from Thief: The Dark Project.

Anyway, I was going to pick up the Shadowdancer PrC at level 8 becuase it fits nearly perfect with the idea. I say nearly beacuse I don't like the idea of having a bunch of Shadows follow me around.

So, instead of summoning shadows at 3rd, 6th, and 9th levels, I was thinking of asking for sneak attack progression in its place.

My question to you is, is this balanced? Is there an alternative to this that fits Thief better? Maybe Darkness X/day?

Any comments will be much appreciated.

 

[niastri]

Shadows are generally much more useful and specific to the class than sneak attack, but not necessarily more or less powerful. The shadow dancer becomes less unique, but not unbalanced. An extra 3d6 sneak attack over 9 levels isn't unbalancing at all, and is probably less powerful generally, so not problem with me.

 

[Beowulf]

My DM had an idea, maybe a bonus to stealthy skills (Move Silently, Hide, etc). Just throwing another idea out there for some feedback.

 

[Beowulf]

BUMP

No comments? No creative people out there?

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Perhaps it should be some sort of shadow related ability/magic.

Possibly the ability to sculpt shadow into increasingly better types of illusion?

I think it would fit with the acting/creative side of the PrC and could be really useful for a thief type?

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Sneak attack wouldn't unbalance anything but it does lack a certain flair.

Bonusses to hide and move silently are somewhat superfluous for a high level rogue.

Perhaps some supernatural abilities:

Lvl 3: The Darkness Broods. (SU) Once per day as a standard action, the alt.shadowdancer may call upon the shadows to quench light. All light sources in a 50 foot radius emanation radiate only half as far as normal. Consequently, torches illumine only ten feet rather than 20, etc. This ability also functions on all magical light short of daylight. This ability has no effect upon natural daylight. The ability lasts for ten minutes or until the shadowdancer chooses to end the effect (this is a free action).

Lvl 6: The Darkness Broods II. This ability is now usable twice per day and effects an 80 foot radius emanation. This also effects the Daylight spell although it is ineffective against natural sunlight.

Lvl 9: The Darkness Broods 3/day
Where There's Light, there's Shadow: The Shadowdancer's will can now give substance to shadows, even in full daylight. Once per day as a standard action, as long as there are significantly sized shadows present (so this works in a city or a canyon but not on a featureless plain or a sand dune unless there are clouds overhead), the shadowdancer may call upon them to snuff out light. In a 200 foot emanation, the range of all normal and magical illumination sources are cut to 1/4 and even the sun's radiance is dimmed. Visibility is reduced by one step. Daylight becomes twilight. Twilight becomes a clear night. Clear nights become a starlit night. Starlit nights become completely dark.
This effect lasts 10 minutes or until dismissed by the Shadowdancer (dismissing it is a free action).

I'm not sure how those would balance--they seem like they'd have a lot of synergy with hide in plain sight and shadow jump but that might not be unbalancing. What do ya'll think?

 

[Beowulf]

Those are some excelent ideas, thanks! I'll run them by my DM tomorrow.