Shadow Ranger (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

This is a work in progress.

Most rangers set out to master the wilderness, but the shadow ranger has a more specific goal - to master shadow. Using the borderland between light and darkness to move around unseen, they become peerless hunters of their chosen domain.

Class Information

This is a merged prestige class.

Prestige Class: shadowdancer.

Build Classes: ranger

Role: Shadow rangers make excellent adventurers, as they are not bound to any one terrain and they can move from shadow to shadow with impunity.

Alignment: Any. Shadow rangers tend to be loners or even recluses, but this does not affect their alignment in any way. Observing from the sidelines, they make their own decisions on who is worthy or unworthy of their aid.

Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills

The shadow ranger's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are .

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Abilities

The shadow ranger has all the ranger's class abilities, except as noted below.

Shadow Home

At 3rd level, a shadow ranger gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks and Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks when she is within 10 feet of an area of dim light. She does not gain a bonus from her own shadow. A shadow ranger traveling through shadow normally leaves no trail and cannot be tracked (though she may leave a trail if she so chooses).

At 8th level and every five levels thereafter, the skill bonus and initiative bonus increases by +2.

Dodge

A shadow ranger gains Dodge as a bonus feat at 2nd level, without needing to fulfill the prerequisites of the feat.

Additional spells

At 4th level, when the shadow rainger gains a spellcaster level, add the these spells to the shadow ranger's spell list at the indicated levels.

1. shadow weapon, silent image.
2. gloomblind bolts.
3. shadow conjuration, shadow step.
4. armor of darkness, shadow walk.

Mobility

A shadow ranger gains Mobility as a bonus feat at 4th level, without needing to fulfill the prerequisites of the feat.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su)

At 7th level, a shadow ranger 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 ranger can hide herself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. She cannot, however, hide in her own shadow.

Low-light Vision (Ex)

At 8th level, a shadow ranger gains low-light vision. If she already has low-light vision, he gains darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If she already has darkvision, the range increases by 30 feet.

Darkvision (Ex)

At 12th level, a shadow ranger gains darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If she already has darkvision, the range increases by 30 feet.

Silent Shadow Step (Ex)

At 15th level, when casting shadow step, the shadow ranger can make a Stealth check to hide immediately afterwards, and this Stealth check suffers no penalties for the shadow rangers actions earlier in the round.

Quick Shadow Step (Ex)

At 18th level, the shadow ranger can cast shadow step as a swift action.

Shadow Master (Su)

At 20th level, whenever a shadow ranger 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.

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

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