Shadow Eye prestige class by Dak the TFI

Description

Shadow Eyes prefers to be unseen but see "everything of interest". Because they are very curious and suspicious, it will be just "everything" They often works alone, but don't make habit of this. In solo, they first do some reconaissance, then one silent and unseen but perfectly accurate move, of which the victim often not knows until it's too late...

They aren't just thieves or mages, they are the something in between, combining the abilities of both for one goal - to be unseen and unheard of but get the stuff they seek, be it knowledge or item.

They somehow reminds of bards or spellfilchers, but are different. They're not bards, since they do everything in opposing way - they hide and crawl where bards sings and marsh. And they're not spellfichers, too, since their magic isn't inborn and their abilities are result of hard work, and they work only for themselves, not for guild or any other abstract.

Main task carried by them in party is to scan the suspicious places before all the party comes unknowingly in danger without warning.

They lurks in shadows, and shadows favor them but not without price. With time Shadow Eyes becomes less and less "real" and more "shadowy". This gives them some bonuses at some cost. They're becomes unremarkable, somewhat "transparent", and un-charismatic.

They're stealthy, and skillfull; they're magic, and intuitive...

They're eyes in darkness and ears on the wall...

Game rules information

Requirements

Must be able to cast 1st level arcane spells.
Must have a rank of 4 in Spot, Search and Listen skills.
Must have a rank of 2 in Hide, Move silently and Climb skills.
Must be of non-Lawful alignment.

Basics

Shadow Eyes gains a d4 hit points per level, plus their Con modifier.
Shadow Eyes gains a 6 skill points per level, plus their Int modifier.

Levels-and-features table

* - additional attacks are only with ranged weapon. Don't forget that there is some rounding when calculating attack bonus for multiclassed characters. IMHO it is much fairier to round these bonuses AFTER addition.

Further progression:

Attack, AC, Charisma penalty, Saves, Skills bonuses and spells - as described in text.
At each odd class-level (11, 13, 15, etc) Shadow Eye gains additional +10'/5'/1' to their darkvision/blindsight/x-vision ranges.
At 12th class-level they can use both abilities modifiers for skills where they can choose an ability to use (look at class skills list).
At 14th class-level they gain ability to truly become a Shadow, Wraith or Ghost once a day for their level minutes or until chooses so, gaining ALL special abilities of creature chosen.
At 16th class-level they gain a second bonus metamagic feat.
At 18th class-level they can use either shadowform, wraithform or "became a spirit" abilities one extra time per day (ability is choosen at time of use).
At 20th player-level they finally became an unmaterial undead of their choice, retaining all their class/race abilities and gaining all special abilities of chosen undead (in case of contradicting abilities choose what is most favorable for Shadow Eye).

Class skills:

Alchemy (Int), Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (distraction and feints only, no penalty) (Cha), Climb (Str/Dex), Concentration** (Con/Wis), Decipher script (Int), Disable device (Int), Heal** (Wis/Int), Hide (Dex), Innuendo** (Wis/Int), Jump** (Str/Dex), Knowledge (Int), Listen (Wis), Move silently (Dex), Open lock** (Dex/Int), Read lips (Int), Scry (Int), Search (Int), Sense motive** (Wis/Int), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use rope (Dex).

** - for these skills at DM's option Shadow Eye is allowed to choose base ability from two listed.

Weapon proficiences

Shadow Eyes are proficient with light melle weapon like rapier, shortsword and dagger, and with all types of Bows, X-Bows.

Armor proficiences

Shadow Eyes never wear any armor which implies spell casting or skill usage penalty. Instead, due to their half-shadow nature, they gain an evasion AC bonus of +1 per 4 levels and their opponents suffer have a miss chance of 3% per ShadowEye's level (5% for ranged attacks).

Features

SuperVision

From first level Shadow Eye gains a low-light vision (or range bonus if he already had have low-light vision, such as elves, or darkvision as dwarves) of +20 feet per level, to a maximum of 120. At fourth level it becomes a true darkvision (including base low-light vision, if any).

From third level Shadow Eye gains a "ranged touch" - ability to sense hard, material objects at range, similiar to blindsight, but limited to hard (touchable) substances. It improved at rate of +10 feet per level, to a maximum of 60 feet. At fifth level he develops really improved blindsight, which allows to see everything, including invisible and ethereal object, even if they aren't material (ghosts, for example).

From sixth level he gains most outstanding of his vision abilities, X-vision, which allows to see through solid obstacles, for 2 feet per level to a maximum of 10 feet of stone (add a half of this range when looking thru wood and reduce by one-quarter when look thru metal like steel or lead).

Weapon abuse

Becoming the Shadow Eye means to forever lose any additional attack with melee weapon, since he prefer to acts as remote as possible. But this has a positive side in reducing penalty for additional attacks with ranged weapons from 5 to 4.

Additionally, at 7th level they add a Wis bonus to ranged attack, since they're "feel" how arrow will go, and at 10th level they add an Int bonus instead, and once a day can shoot an arrow (as full-attack full-round action) with their Int modifier as magical enchantment bonus.

Charisma penalty

Shadow Eyes aren't charismatic at all. They're somewhat dull and "shadowy", for they are blending with shadows, looking somewhat sick or tired. This implies a penalty for all charisma and charisma-based skills checks when it comes to inspire people or force them to do something.

AC bonus

But being blended with shadows not at all that bad... Perhaps, not for Shadow Eyes, as they gain an evasion AC bonus of +1 per four levels, and, moreover, their opponents suffer a miss chance equal to 3% per Shadow Eye's level (5% when attacking with ranged weapon - it's hard to say where's Shadow Eye EXACTLY).

Skills bonus

Being so shadowy and very "out of focus" also helps Shadow Eye with being unnoticed, so they gain a competence bonus equal to half their level for Hide, Move Silently and Listen checks; also, having such a vision, they gain a bonus of full their level to their Spot and Search checks.

Shadowshape

At second level Shadow Eye gains the ability to became a shadow on the wall, floor or other mostly even surface. This lasts for his level in minutes or until he chooses to end this state. In this form he cannot move but gains a bonus to Hide of half their level, +2 bonus to Fort saves and can't be touched or targeted by spells. However, area spells affects him at half power (if effect can be halved, otherwise - up to DM). This ability can be used once a day and only if there is something than give enough light to throw a shadow.

At 8th Shadow Eye also gain Wraithform, as per spell, twice per day.

Spellcasters

Yes, they are. And their Shadow Eye level is added to their caster level to determine the amount of spells to cast and DC to save versus them. But they're limited in their ability cast spells. First of all, they can study only spells from Shadow Shool. Second, they are limited in number of spells known - total sum of level of all spells known must not exceed 10 + Int modifier multiplied by their caster level. This is not strange, because they MUST know their spells well - at any time Shadow Eye can drop any spell and cast any other of one level lower, even if that to be casted wasn't memorized. If Shadow Eye is ever to be disjoined with his spellbook he can cast any his spell as a one-level higher without any other penalty and without even memorizing it beforehand!

And at 9th level they gain a feat, as Wizards do.

Rating by Class Construction Engine

Base

Specials

Requirements

Grand total: 185 cp

Any comments and suggestions are welcome!
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