My interpretation of the Shadowdancer's hide in plain sight

[RangerWickett]

Since Hyp is big on reading the definitions of terms in the rules, consider this:

Hide in Plain Sight (Su): A shadowdancer can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as she is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, a shadowdancer can hide herself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. She cannot, however, hide in her own shadow.

Now, the word 'shadow' is not defined in the rules, right? We know what 'darkness' is. Darkness affects your ability to see, move, and attack unless you have darkvision. But we don't have a definition of shadow.

Except in the Monster Manual.

Yes, I believe that it was the designer's intention that shadowdancers must have an undead shadow within 10 feet (other types of shadowy monsters might work, like night walkers, because the rules do say 'some sort of shadow') if they want to use their HiPS ability. Because you cannot hide in your own shadow, the best shadowdancers fight in pairs. At 3rd level they get a shadow companion, so they just need to keep their shadow companion near their ally, and they'll never be seen.

 

[Goolpsy]

ehm i would say you surly could see whats in a shadow...

The weather in this time of year is a great example.. the sun shines, its very warm .. So people might gather within the shadows of buildings.. (Doesn't mean they go blind) But its out of the way for the nasty warm sun rays, still there is some light. A shadow is just something covering some of the light to an area...
That the difinition

 

[Nail]

errr....I think you may have missed a joke, Goolpsy. Look over RW's post again.....

 

[Pinotage]

By the time most shadowdancer get to 3rd level, they should have no problems with HiPS. Silly designers got the abilities the wrong way around!

Pinotage

 

[Li Shenron]

Hide in Plain Sight (Su): A shadowdancer can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as she is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, a shadowdancer can hide herself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. She cannot, however, hide in her own shadow.

Yes, I believe that it was the designer's intention that shadowdancers must have an undead shadow within 10 feet (other types of shadowy monsters might work, like night walkers, because the rules do say 'some sort of shadow') if they want to use their HiPS ability. Because you cannot hide in your own shadow, the best shadowdancers fight in pairs. At 3rd level they get a shadow companion, so they just need to keep their shadow companion near their ally, and they'll never be seen.

But the line "cannot hide in her own shadow" is actually redundant. In fact the shadowdancer is never hiding in any shadow at all when using HiPS, she's hiding in the open. The rules never say that you have to move inside the shadow or anything...

Therefore he doesn't need any other's shadow: she is always within 10 ft of her own shadow (at least the projected one, not the undead) and therefore can use HiPS all the time. Unless perhaps she is flying.

 

[werk]

Yes, I believe that it was the designer's intention that shadowdancers must have an undead shadow within 10 feet

But shadows have darkvision!!

 

[ARandomGod]

"The night-time is the Right-time"

But shadows have darkvision!!

And therefore they eliminate shadows. However there is a special exemption in the Monster's Manual regarding this, right under the entry on Shadows.

Of course, it's written in darkvision ink, and noone with darkvision will tell you what it says. However, there are a number of ways to get darkvision yourself. Just do that, and you will understand.