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First Post
I'm looking to introduce this ritual to my players, but I wanted to get some extra opinions beforehand. My main concern is that there are too many drawbacks without enough benefits.
Shadowflesh Rebirth
You and your allies suffer a prolonged agony in order to become another race.
Time: 10 minutes ------ Key Skill: Bluff
Duration: Bluff check (special)
Prerequisite: The ritual must be cast out of natural light.
You and up to eight allies suffer ten minutes of agony as you slowly transform into any Medium humanoid race. The ritual allows you to assume the general appearance and scent of a particular race, but not of a unique creature. You cannot control the details of height and weight, hair or eye color, though all are within the new race's limits.
While a flesh-and-blood member of the new race, you lack the race's immunities, racial powers and other unique aspects. However you receive the benefits of physical qualities such as wings for flying, gills for breathing underwater, eyes for low-light or darkvision, and so on (up to the DM's judgment).
Roll a Bluff check +5. That is the new DC for Insight checks to discern you are not the race. Obvious racial disparities like a lack of cultural knowledge and inability to speak the native language may lower this DC (up to the DM's judgment). The ritual's duration depends on the same Bluff check.
So long as you are under the effects of the ritual, you sacrifice a healing surge which cannot be regained until the duration is spent or the guise is removed. Anyone under the effect of the ritual may dispel it and suffer ten more minutes of gruesome restoration, during which time you are dazed (no save).
If natural light, as from the sun or a power with the Radiant keyword, hits you, the ritual is also undone.
Bluff Check ------- Result Duration
19 or lower -------- 4 hours
20-29 ------------- 1 day
20-39 ------------- 3 days
40 or higher ------- 1 week
Lore:
Shadowflesh Rebirth is a gruesome ritual to suffer through, as the ten minute casting breaks and realigns bones, shuffles organs, burns skin and stings eyes. The recipient feels every little shift in anatomy as the surrounding shadow wracks and reforms with a chorus of cracks, squishes (and likely screams).
It was developed by the myriad races of the Underdark (some say drow, others duergar or incanabulum) in order to further their foul schemes and political ambitions. In such a racially charged and hostile environment, it's a great boon to be able to shift physiology, and pain is a very small price to pay.
Assassins able to cast rituals make use of Shadowflesh Rebirth to get closer to infiltrate cities and throne rooms. Shadar'kai and followers of Torog favor this ritual for the pain and dark nature. Vampires use it to allay obvious suspicions as they stalk their intended prey. It is taught amongst the shadow cults and to various practitioners of the Shadow power source.
Shadowflesh Rebirth
You and your allies suffer a prolonged agony in order to become another race.
Level: 14 ----- Component Cost: 840 gp
Category: Deception ----- Market Price: 4,200 gp
Time: 10 minutes ------ Key Skill: Bluff
Duration: Bluff check (special)
Prerequisite: The ritual must be cast out of natural light.
You and up to eight allies suffer ten minutes of agony as you slowly transform into any Medium humanoid race. The ritual allows you to assume the general appearance and scent of a particular race, but not of a unique creature. You cannot control the details of height and weight, hair or eye color, though all are within the new race's limits.
While a flesh-and-blood member of the new race, you lack the race's immunities, racial powers and other unique aspects. However you receive the benefits of physical qualities such as wings for flying, gills for breathing underwater, eyes for low-light or darkvision, and so on (up to the DM's judgment).
Roll a Bluff check +5. That is the new DC for Insight checks to discern you are not the race. Obvious racial disparities like a lack of cultural knowledge and inability to speak the native language may lower this DC (up to the DM's judgment). The ritual's duration depends on the same Bluff check.
So long as you are under the effects of the ritual, you sacrifice a healing surge which cannot be regained until the duration is spent or the guise is removed. Anyone under the effect of the ritual may dispel it and suffer ten more minutes of gruesome restoration, during which time you are dazed (no save).
If natural light, as from the sun or a power with the Radiant keyword, hits you, the ritual is also undone.
Bluff Check ------- Result Duration
19 or lower -------- 4 hours
20-29 ------------- 1 day
20-39 ------------- 3 days
40 or higher ------- 1 week
Lore:
Shadowflesh Rebirth is a gruesome ritual to suffer through, as the ten minute casting breaks and realigns bones, shuffles organs, burns skin and stings eyes. The recipient feels every little shift in anatomy as the surrounding shadow wracks and reforms with a chorus of cracks, squishes (and likely screams).
It was developed by the myriad races of the Underdark (some say drow, others duergar or incanabulum) in order to further their foul schemes and political ambitions. In such a racially charged and hostile environment, it's a great boon to be able to shift physiology, and pain is a very small price to pay.
Assassins able to cast rituals make use of Shadowflesh Rebirth to get closer to infiltrate cities and throne rooms. Shadar'kai and followers of Torog favor this ritual for the pain and dark nature. Vampires use it to allay obvious suspicions as they stalk their intended prey. It is taught amongst the shadow cults and to various practitioners of the Shadow power source.
