What's a good race/template for a shadow-shifting assassin?

[Piratecat]

I need to make up a high-level shadow-shifting assassin type, possibly using the Bo9S. I'd love some advice for good races, templates and prestige classes to use for the shadowy aspect.

I have all the various splat books.

Many thanks!

 

[Zurai]

Shadow Creature template from the Manual of the Planes (I think; it's either that or the Planar Handbook) is a very nice template for what I think you're looking for. It grants total concealment in any condition less than full daylight, plane shift to the plane of Shadows, extra speed, and some other goodies. It's the Dark template on steroids, basically (or, more precisely, the Dark template is a nerfed version of Shadow Creature).

 

[moritheil]

Shadow Creature template from the Manual of the Planes (I think; it's either that or the Planar Handbook) is a very nice template for what I think you're looking for. It grants total concealment in any condition less than full daylight, plane shift to the plane of Shadows, extra speed, and some other goodies. It's the Dark template on steroids, basically (or, more precisely, the Dark template is a nerfed version of Shadow Creature).

Shadow and Dark both come to mind for me as well, but I disagree with the assessment that Dark is weak. Dark gives HiPS, which alone is arguably worth a +1 LA. The rest of the stuff (darkvision, cold resist 10, etc.) is just a bonus. IIRC, there are some circumstances where you explicitly want Hide in Plain Sight.

I don't recall Shadow working in full darkness, either, which is inconvenient when you face creatures that can see in the dark (more common at high levels.)

 

[Neil Bishop]

IIRC, the shadow-walker template from FR's Unapproachable East grants some interesting powers including a chance that, when slain, the NPC simply discorporates and returns some other time. Not bad for a recurring villain.

 

[blargney the second]

Incorporeality would be fantastically useful for an assassin. Maybe use the Joystealer from MM4 as a starting place?
-blarg

 

[Nifft]

Shadow Creature template from the Manual of the Planes (I think; it's either that or the Planar Handbook)

Shadow Creature is in MotP and also Lords of Madness (the latter has the 3.5e update rules incorporated). It's one of my favorite templates ever. Speed boost, flavorful powers, and total concealment in anything less than full daylight -- love at first sight.

Throw that and a couple of Rogue or Ninja levels on anything that has 3 or more natural weapons. Total concealment + Evasion = oh boy, we're going to die.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Zurai]

Shadow and Dark both come to mind for me as well, but I disagree with the assessment that Dark is weak. Dark gives HiPS, which alone is arguably worth a +1 LA. The rest of the stuff (darkvision, cold resist 10, etc.) is just a bonus. IIRC, there are some circumstances where you explicitly want Hide in Plain Sight.

Shadow Creature provides all of that and more - although it isn't explicitly HIPS, a Shadow Creature gets total concealment in less than full daylight, and you can hide as long as you have at least partial concealment, so unless they're in full daylight they (effectively) have HIPS. Anyway, the description for the Dark template specifically says it's a simplified version of the Shadow Creature template.

I don't recall Shadow working in full darkness, either, which is inconvenient when you face creatures that can see in the dark (more common at high levels.)

It does. Daylight is the only thing that blocks the concealment ability, and that is the only ability that is affected by lighting conditions.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Shadowswift from Planar Handbook have some advantages in this build concept.

 

[moritheil]

Okay, I dug out my LoM since I remember Dark being very competitive with Shadow as an option. I found the basis of my impression: Shadow costs +2 LA whereas Dark only costs +1. If you aren't able to buy off LA, and/or you're starting low level, this could be an issue.

 

[Piratecat]

Excellent, thank you for the advice. I'll build him tonight. Wish me luck!