Does ShadowDancer 9 get 3 shadow companions?

[Nail]

...cause if he does, and they each have +4 HD and aren't turn-able, that's really amazing.

The CR for such a shadow should be more than CR 4, eh? Not being turn-able should make it at least CR 5, I should think.

Put another way: If you were attacked by 4 such shadows, what would the EL be? How much XP would you give out if the PCs defeated them?

 

[DrSpunj]

Hmmm...the Shadowdancer Table lists the Summon Shadow ability at SD levels 3, 6 & 9. The text below that says:

Summon Shadow (Su): 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.

If a shadow companion is destroyed, or the shadowdancer chooses to dismiss it, the shadowdancer must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude save. If the saving throw fails, the shadowdancer loses 200 experience points per shadowdancer level. A successful saving throw reduces the loss by half, to 100 XP per prestige class level. The shadowdancer’s XP total can never go below 0 as the result of a shadow’s dismissal or destruction. A destroyed or dismissed shadow companion cannot be replaced for 30 days.

Given that the DMG Errata says this:

Errata Rule: Primary Sources
When you find a disagreement between two D&D rules sources, unless an official errata file says otherwise, the primary source is correct. One example of a primary/secondary source is text taking precedence over a table entry.

and the Summon Shadow text doesn't say anything about additional Shadow Companions, I'd have to say the SD only gets one and it gets +2 HD at 6th level and another +2 HD at 9th level.

As to your other question: Since you don't give out XP for Summon Monster spells are you supposed to hand out XP for Animal Companions? Familiars? Special Mounts? I would think it would be the same for Shadow Companions. If a party defeated a Shadow Companion without the SD being at all involved in the battle, then I'm not sure what I'd rate the CR at. But if the SD is around with their Shadow Companion, I think I'd only give XP for the SD. YMMV.

Thanks.

DrSpunj

 

[Dimwhit]

As to your other question: Since you don't give out XP for Summon Monster spells are you supposed to hand out XP for Animal Companions? Familiars? Special Mounts? I would think it would be the same for Shadow Companions. If a party defeated a Shadow Companion without the SD being at all involved in the battle, then I'm not sure what I'd rate the CR at. But if the SD is around with their Shadow Companion, I think I'd only give XP for the SD. YMMV.[/QUOTE]

There is precedent for this in an older Dungeon Mag (not sure the issue). But I ran a short mod from it that had three Shadowdancers in it, and it specifically said that you don't get XP for the Companions.

I did discover one thing. Shadowdancers and Haste make for a nasty combination...

 

[Nail]

Hmmm....you may be talking about the Dungeon module we are playing. It wouldn't have anything to do with a bank robbery, would it?

To answer DrSpunj's question: The shadowdancer(s) had apparently left his shadows (6 of them!!!) to guard an area. It turned out that at least 2 of these shadows were normal UD ones; ones I was easily able to turn and destroy. Four of them, however, were not turnable.

My question really "turns" on: how come there are 4 shadows in there that aren't turnable?

We got our butts handed to us, let me tell you. Out of 6 10th level PCs, two deaths and two Almost-Dead-But-For-The-Grace-Of-The-Gods (including my cleric). Did I mention they attacked from underneath each of us, and got a surprise round *and* won initiative? And that our flat-footed touch ACs without armor bonuses suck?

Ouch.