Nightblade

Hit Die: d8

Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (planes), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points per Level: 6 + Int Modifier

Level Base Attack Fortitude Reflex Will Special Mana Max Spell Level
1 +0 +0 +2 +2 Path Power 1/day, Path Technique 3 1st
2 +1 +0 +3 +3 Evasion, Shadow Surge 5 1st
3 +2 +1 +3 +3 Nightblade Art, Nighteye 7 1st
4 +3 +1 +4 +4 Path Power 2/day 10 2nd
5 +3 +1 +4 +4 Path Technique 13 2nd
6 +4 +2 +5 +5 Nightblade Art 16 2nd
7 +5 +2 +5 +5 Path Power 3/day 20 3rd
8 +6 +2 +6 +6 Hide in Plain Sight, Twin Surge 24 3rd
9 +6 +3 +6 +6 Nightblade Art, Shadow Shift 29 3rd
10 +7 +3 +7 +7 Path Power 4/day, Path Technique 35 4th
11 +8 +3 +7 +7 Improved Evasion 42 4th
12 +9 +4 +8 +8 Nightblade Art 50 4th
13 +9 +4 +8 +8 Path Power 5/day 59 5th
14 +10 +4 +9 +9 See in Darkness 69 5th
15 +11 +5 +9 +9 Nightblade Art, Path Technique 80 5th
16 +12 +5 +10 +10 Path Power 6/day 92 6th
17 +12 +5 +10 +10 Shadowy Realism, Triple Surge 105 6th
18 +13 +6 +11 +11 Nightblade Art 119 6th
19 +14 +6 +11 +11 Path Power 7/day 134 6th
20 +15 +6 +12 +12 Path Technique 150 6th

Spells Known

Level 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 4 2 - - - - -
2 5 3 - - - - -
3 6 4 - - - - -
4 6 4 2 - - - -
5 6 4 3 - - - -
6 6 4 4 - - - -
7 6 5 4 2 - - -
8 6 5 4 3 - - -
9 6 5 4 4 - - -
10 6 5 5 4 2 - -
11 6 5 5 4 3 - -
12 6 6 5 4 4 - -
13 6 6 5 5 4 2 -
14 6 6 6 5 4 3 -
15 6 6 6 5 4 4 -
16 6 6 6 5 5 4 2
17 6 6 6 6 5 4 3
18 6 6 6 6 5 4 4
19 6 6 6 6 5 5 4
20 6 6 6 6 6 5 5

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A nightblade is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, scythe, short sword, shortbow, and spiked chain. They are proficient with light armor, but not with shields. A nightblade can cast nightblade spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like other arcane spellcasters, a nightblade wearing medium or heavy armor or wielding a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has somatic components.

Spells: A nightblade casts arcane spells drawn from the nightblade spell list. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a nightblade must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Diffiulty Class for a saving throw against a nightblade’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the nightblade’s Charisma modifier.

Spells Known: A nightblade’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A nightblade begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of the nightblade’s choice. At each new nightblade level, she gains one or more new spells as indicated above.

These new spells can be common spells chosen from the nightblade spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the nightblade has gained some understanding of through study.

Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third nightblade level thereafter (8th, 11th, and so on), a nightblade can choose to learn a new spell in place of one she already knows. In effect, the nightblade “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least one level lower than the highest-level nightblade spell she can cast. A nightblade may swap out only a single spell at any given level and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that she gains new spells known for the level.

Nightblade Spells

Cantrips: Nightblades learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells. These spells are cast like any other spell, but do not consume mana or invoke eldritch dissonance.

Mana: A nightblade fuels her spells by expending Mana. She receives an amount of Mana each day listed on the table above, plus an amount of bonus Mana equal to her Charisma modifier. Half of this Mana pool (rounded down) is the nightblade's 'open pool' from which she can freely fuel her spells without consequence. The rest of her mana is her 'reserve pool'. Whenever a nightblade casts a spell using points from her reserve pool, she must make a will save after the spell resolves. The DC of the Will save is 10 + the number of points missing from her reserve pool. If she fails, she is winded (-2 Str, -2 Dex), if she fails a second time she is fatigued (-4 Str, -4 Dex, cannot charge or run), if she fails a third time, she is exhausted (-6 Str, -6 Dex). If she fails a fourth time, she immediately falls unconscious for one hour. 8 hours of rest will remove any of these negative effects. Spells and special abilities that remove exhaustion and fatigue instead only suppress the penalties for 5 rounds.

Eldritch Dissonance: A warmage accrues eldritch dissonance when she attempts to cast the same spell more than once in a single day. When she casts a spell a second time, she must pay an additional 1 mana. If she attempts to cast it a third time, she must pay an additional 2 mana, and so on.

Path: The teachings of shadow magic are complex and diverse, but mastering all of its powers is nearly impossible. Instead, nightblades focus on a particular aspect of shadow magic, greatly enhancing their capabilities in that area. Each nightblade must choose a path at 1st level, representing the specialization of her shadow magic. Once chosen, it cannot be changed.

A nightblade gains a technique for her path at 1st level, 5th level, and every fie levels thereafter. The techniques a nightblade gains are described in her chosen path. Each path also has an associated path power, which the nightblade can use once per day. The nightblade can use this power an additional time per day at 4th level and every three levels thereafter, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.

The nightblade’s path also grants her additional class features, including an ability that utilizes shadow surges (see below) and more choices when selecting nightblade arts. These features are described in the path’s entry.

Nightblade Paths

Evasion: A nightblade of 2nd level can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the nightblade is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless nightblade does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Shadow Surge: At 2nd level, the nightblade gains the ability to create a condensed reserve of energy from the Plane of Shadow which she can expend to great effect, but creating the reserve takes effort. The nightblade can spend a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity to gain a single shadow surge. When she does this, her shadow becomes darker and more distinct as it is infused with the planar energy.

The shadow surge is an expendable resource that the nightblade can use to fuel her various abilities. She cannot have more than one surge at a time, but there is otherwise no limitation on how many times a day the nightblade can create or use shadow surges. The nightblade has these surges indefiitely until she expends them, though she loses her surges if she is ever unconscious, asleep, or killed.

The nightblade can expend a shadow surge as a free action when making a Stealth check to enshroud herself in darkness, letting her roll twice and take the better result. In addition, the nightblade gains a method of expending her shadow surge based on her chosen nightblade path. This surge ability is described in the path’s entry. The nightblade can gain new ways to use shadow surges as she grows in skill, typically through gaining a nightblade art (see below).

Nightblade Art: As a nightblade gains experience, she learns a number of techniques and powers that enhance her combat skill and shadow magic. Starting at 3rd level, a nightblade gains one nightblade art. She gains an additional nightblade art for every three levels of nightblade attained after 3rd level. A nightblade cannot select a particular art more than once. If a nightblade art calls for a saving throw, the DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 the nightblade’s level + her Charisma modifier. A nightblade can choose from any of the following nightblade arts or from any of the arts listed for her chosen path.

  • Beckoning Shadows: The nightblade gains the ability to forcibly shadow shift another creature. As a standard action, the nightblade can target a single creature within 50 feet and teleport it in any direction to another location within 30 feet she can see, following the same limitations as her shadow shift ability. The destination must be on solid ground, and the teleportation cannot end in a space that is by nature hazardous to the creature the nightblade is teleporting. A Will save by the target negates the effect. The distance the nightblade teleports a creature with beckoning shadows counts triple against her total daily distance she can teleport with her shadow shift ability. The nightblade must be at least 15th level before selecting this art.
  • Casting Art: The nightblade gains a metamagic feat as a bonus feat.
  • Combat Art: The nightblade gains a combat feat as a bonus feat.
  • Dark Resurgence: The nightblade can quickly recover her shadow powers. Once per day as a free action, the nightblade can gain all of her shadow surges back, up to her maximum amount. The nightblade must be at least 6th level before selecting this art.
  • Disguising Veil: The nightblade can mask her appearance, as disguise self, for a number of minutes per day equal to her nightblade level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-minute increments. The DC to disbelieve the disguising veil is equal to the nightblade’s art DC, rather than the normal DC for disguise self.
  • Dusk Strike: The nightblade gains the ability to slip her weapon between dimensions, if only for a moment. By expending a shadow surge as a swift action, the nightblade’s melee, ranged, or natural weapon shifts partially into the Plane of Shadow, bypassing a target’s defenses. The next weapon or natural attack the nightblade makes resolves against touch AC, rather than the target’s normal AC. If the nightblade doesn’t make the attack before the start of her next turn, the effect is wasted. The nightblade must be at least 9th level before selecting this art.
  • Fall of Night: The nightblade can spend a shadow surge as a swift action when she confirms a critical hit to flood her target with shadowy energy. The nightblade can choose one of the following effects to inflict: blinded for 2d4 rounds, staggered for 1 round, or exhausted. A successful Fortitude save negates the effect. The nightblade must be at least 15th level before selecting this art.
  • Flexible Art: The nightblade gains a bonus feat. The nightblade must be at least 12th level before selecting this art.
  • Focused Cast: The nightblade can expend a shadow surge as a free action to take 10 on a concentration check, even if circumstances would normally prevent her from taking 10 on a check.
  • Hidden Stride: The nightblade can move at full speed while using the Stealth skill without penalty. When in dim light, the miss chance due to concealment against the nightblade increases to 50% (rather than 20%); this does not grant total concealment, it just increases the miss chance.
  • Mystic Shade: The nightblade can use her shadow magic to better emulate the abilities needed to activate wands, scrolls, and the like. The nightblade can expend a shadow surge as a free action when making a Use Magic Device check to roll twice on the check and take the better result.
  • Penumbral Aegis: The nightblade can use shadowstuff to redirect attacks that would normally bypass her defenses. The nightblade adds her Charisma modifier (minimum +0) as a bonus to her touch AC. This cannot make her touch AC exceed her normal AC. The nightblade must be at least 12th level before selecting this art.
  • Shadow Cache: The nightblade can carve out a space in the Plane of Shadow to hide her belongings. This functions as the spell secret chest, using the nightblade’s level as her caster level. Unlike with secret chest, the chest is made of shadowstuff (meaning it does not cost anything) and lasts until the nightblade either dismisses the cache or is killed. Creating, hiding, and summoning the chest can be done at will without a focus as a fullround action. Creatures cannot stay in the shadow cache; if a creature is inside the chest when it is sent back to the Plane of Shadow, the creature is left behind. The nightblade can only maintain one shadow cache. If she dismisses the shadow cache or is killed while the chest is still on the Plane of Shadow, the items in the chest remain there, and cannot be recalled by any means, even by creating another shadow cache. A planar expedition to the Plane of Shadow can be made to fid the chest. The nightblade must be at least 9th level before selecting this art.
  • Shadow Form: The nightblade can turn herself into a natural shadow, as the spell shadow form, for a number of minutes per day equal to half her nightblade level. This duration does not have to be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-minute increments. The nightblade must be at least 9th level before selecting this art.
  • Shadow Motion: The nightblade can bend the space she is in by partially moving into the Plane of Shadow. This allows her to spend a shadow surge as a free action when making an Acrobatics, Climb, or Swim check to roll twice and take the better result.
  • Shadow Run: The nightblade’s legs become shadowy wisps that bend and flw around the terrain. As a swift action, the nightblade can spend a shadow surge to gain the benefits of feather step for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifir (minimum 1). In addition, the nightblade adds her Charisma modifier to her CMD against attempts to trip, bull rush, reposition, or otherwise move her from her current space for the duration. Other penalties associated with moving over difficult terrain (such as damage) still apply. The nightblade must be at least 6th level before selecting this art.
  • Shadow Transference: The nightblade can manipulate shadow magic effects after they have been created, even those created by others. By expending a shadow surge as a standard action, the nightblade can adjust the target of an ongoing spell with the darkness or shadow descriptor or of the shadow subschool. She can shift the spell to another valid target within 10 feet of the original target. If the spell was cast by another creature, the original caster is entitled to a Will save to prevent the nightblade from transferring the spell. The shadow surge is still spent, whether the transference was successful or not. Spell resistance and saving throws apply to the new target of the spell (if applicable). The spell uses its original DC and caster level (regardless of its source), but caster level checks to overcome spell resistance always use the nightblade’s caster level. The nightblade cannot use shadow transference on a spell with a range of “personal” or a spell that does not target one or more creatures or objects, and can only attempt to use it once on a single effect. The nightblade must be at least 9th level before selecting this art.
  • Shifting Focus: The nightblade can shift an extra 100 feet each day using her shadow shift ability. The nightblade can also take other willing creatures that are adjacent to her with her when she shadow shifts. She must spend an equal amount of distance for each creature brought along. The nightblade must be at least 12th level before selecting this art.
  • Void Sight: The nightblade can grant others the ability to see in even the darkest of shadows. As a standard action, the nightblade can grant willing creatures within 30 feet the benefits of both an eyes of the void spell and a see invisibility spell, using the nightblade’s level as her caster level for each effect. The nightblade can affect one willing creature per three nightblade levels she has, to a maximum of 6 creatures. The nightblade can use this ability once per day. The nightblade must be at least 15th level before selecting this art.
  • Warp Strike: The nightblade can shift her weapon into the Plane of Shadows, distorting the distance between herself and her target. By expending a shadow surge as a swift action, all of her melee weapon attacks or natural attacks made during her turn have their reach increased by 5 feet. At 12th level, the range increases to 10 feet. She may also perform this with a single melee touch attack made on her turn. Alternatively, she can spend her shadow surge as a swift action to reduce the penalty on ranged attack rolls due to distance by 2 until the end of her turn. At 12th level, the penalty is reduced by an additional 2.

Nighteye: At 3rd level, the nightblade gains darkvision out to 30 feet. At 9th level, this distance increases to 60 feet. If the nightblade already has darkvision, its range is increased by these amounts. She also gains Blind-Fight as a bonus feat. If she already has this feat, she can choose any other feat she qualifies for.

Hide in Plain Sight: Starting at 8th level, a nightblade can use the Stealth skill even while being observed. As long as she is within 10 feet of an area of dim light, a nightblade can hide herself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. She cannot, however, hide in her own shadow

Twin Surge: A nightblade of 8th level or higher can store up to two shadow surges at once. She can gain both surges with a single full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity or gain one surge as a standard action as normal.

Shadow Shift: At 9th level, the nightblade gains the ability to travel between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell. The limitation is that the magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some dim light. The nightblade can shift 30 feet per level each day in this manner. This amount can be split among many shifts, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a 10-foot increment. This ability functions as if casting a dimension door spell for the purpose of qualifying for and using feats such as Dimensional Agility. She cannot bring other creatures along, except for her familiar (if she has one), and only if it is within arm’s reach. Bringing a familiar does not require additional uses of shadow shift.

Improved Evasion: At 11th level, a nightblade’s evasion improves. This ability works like evasion, except that while the nightblade still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, she henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless nightblade does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

See in Darkness: At 14th level, a nightblade can see perfectly in natural or magical darkness out to any distance.

Shadowy Realism: At 17th level, the nightblade’s shadow spells become more realistic. Any shadow spell the nightblade casts whose realness is represented as a percentage, such as shadow conjuration or shadow evocation, is 20% more real. This only applies to shadow spells she casts, not to spell-like abilities that mimic shadow spells (such as the shadow energy technique from the Path of the Ravaging Void). This does not stack with other abilities that increase the realism of shadow spells, such as the 20th-level bloodline power of the shadow sorcerer bloodline.

Triple Surge: A nightblade of 17th level or higher can store up to three shadow surges at once. She can gain all three surges with a single full-round action or can gain a single surge as a standard action.

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