Shadow Monk (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

Shadow monks embrace that which others fear. By overcoming their own fear of the unknown and unseen, they gain power over it.

Class Information

This is a prestige archetype.

Prestige Class: Shadowdancer .

Build Class: Monk.

Role: Shadow monks are scouts extraordinaire but also fine warriors, able to shift from one role to another in the blink of an eye.

Alignment: Any lawful. Shadow monks seem mysterious to outsiders and their rules hard to fathom, but the monks themselves know better.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Features

The shadow monk has all monk class features, except as follows.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su)

A 3rd level shadow monk can use the Stealth skill even while being observed. As long as she is within 10 feet of an area of dim light, a shadow monk can hide herself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. She cannot, however, hide in her own shadow. This replaces maneuver training.

Darkvision (Ex)

At 3rd level, a shadow monk gains darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If she already has darkvision, the range increases by 30 feet. This replaces the speed increase gained at level 3.

Shadow Ki (Sp)

At 6th level a shadow monk can use his Ki to create a silent image as a spell-like ability, as long as she has one or more points remaining in his ki pool. The caster level of is the shadow monk's class level, and the saving throw DC is Wisdom-based. This replaces the speed increase gained at level 6.

Shadow Mysticism (Sp)

At 6th level, a shadow monk can draw upon her ki pool to use shadow magic as spell-like abilities at a caster level equal to her class level. At 6th level she can use silent image as a spell-like ability, as long as she has one or more points remaining in the 'kipool.

At level 9, the shadow monk can also use the following spells at the cost of one point from the 'ki pool: shadow conjuration, shadow step.

At level 12, the shadow monk can use the following spells at the cost of 2 points: shadow evocation, shadow walk.

At level 15, the shadow monk can use the following spell at the cost of 3 points: greater shadow conjuration.

At level 18, the shadow monk can use the following spell at the cost of 4 points: greater shadow evocation, shades.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

At 7th level, a shadow monk cannot be caught flat-footed, even if the attacker is invisible. He still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A shadow monk with this ability can still lose his Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action against him.

Improved Evasion (Ex)

This is the same as the monk ability of the same name, except that it is gained at level 13.

Shadow Master (Su)

At 20th level, whenever a shadow monk is in an area of dim light, she gains DR 10/— and a +2 luck bonus on all saving throws. In addition, whenever she successfully scores a critical hit against a foe who is in an area of dim light, that foe is blinded for 1d6 rounds. This replaces perfect self.

Table: Shadow Monk

Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus	Unarmed Damage	AC Bonus
1st	+0	+2	+2	+2	Bonus feat, flurry of blows, stunning fist, unarmed strike	–1/–1	1d6	+0
2nd	+1	+3	+3	+3	Bonus feat, evasion	+0/+0	1d6	+0
3rd	+2	+3	+3	+3	Hide in plain sight, darkvision, still mind	+1/+1	1d6	+0
4th	+3	+4	+4	+4	Ki pool (magic), slow fall 20 ft.	+2/+2	1d8	+1
5th	+3	+4	+4	+4	High jump, purity of body	+3/+3	1d8	+1
6th	+4	+5	+5	+5	Bonus feat, ki pool (silent image), slow fall 30 ft.	+4/+4/–1	1d8	+1
7th	+5	+5	+5	+5	Ki pool (cold iron/silver), uncanny dodge	+5/+5/+0	1d8	+1
8th	+6/+1	+6	+6	+6	Slow fall 40 ft.	+6/+6/+1/+1	1d10	+2
9th	+6/+1	+6	+6	+6	Ki pool (shadow conjuration, shadow step)	+7/+7/+2/+2	1d10	+2
10th	+7/+2	+7	+7	+7	Bonus feat, Ki pool (lawful), slow fall 50 ft.	+8/+8/+3/+3	1d10	+2
11th	+8/+3	+7	+7	+7	Diamond body	+9/+9/+4/+4/–1	1d10	+2
12th	+9/+4	+8	+8	+8	Ki pool (shadow evocation, shadow walk), slow fall 60 ft., shadow jump 80 ft.	+10/+10/+5/+5/+0	2d6	+3
13th	+9/+4	+8	+8	+8	Improved evasion	+11/+11/+6/+6/+1	2d6	+3
14th	+10/+5	+9	+9	+9	Bonus feat, slow fall 70 ft.	+12/+12/+7/+7/+2	2d6	+3
15th	+11/+6/+1	+9	+9	+9	Ki pool (greater shadow evocation, shades), quivering palm	+13/+13/+8/+8/+3/+3	2d6	+3
16th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+10	+10	Ki pool (adamantine), slow fall 80 ft.	+14/+14/+9/+9/+4/+4/–1	2d8	+4
17th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+10	+10	Timeless body, tongue of the sun and moon	+15/+15/+10/+10/+5/+5/+0	2d8	+4
18th	+13/+8/+3	+11	+11	+11	Bonus feat, slow fall 90 ft., shadow jump 320 ft.,	+16/+16/+11/+11/+6/+6/+1	2d8	+4
19th	+14/+9/+4	+11	+11	+11	Empty body	+17/+17/+12/+12/+7/+7/+2	2d8	+4
20th	+15/+10/+5	+12	+12	+12	Shadow master, slow fall any distance	+18/+18/+13/+13/+8/+8/+3	2d10	+5

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

These abilities of the original class are lost or modified in this archetype:

• Fast Movement (all)
• Maneuver Training
• Wholeness of Body
• Abundant Step
• Diamond Soul
• Perfect Self

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