Shadowdancer

<color=Gold>**Shadowdancer**</color>

Civilized folk have always feared the night, barring themselves behind doors or comforting themselves with bonfires when the shadows grow long, rightfully wary of the creatures prowling the darkness. Yet long ago, some learned that the best way to conquer an enemy is to embrace it. These were the first shadowdancers.
Shadowdancers exist in the boundary between light and darkness, where they weave together the shadows to become half-seen artists of deception. Unbound by any specified morality or traditional code, shadowdancers encompass a wide variety of adventuring types who have seen the value of the dark. Spellcasters use their abilities to safely cast spells from hiding and then move quickly away, while classes devoted to hand-to-hand combat enjoy the ability to attack foes with the element of surprise.

<color=Gold>Requirements:</color>
**Skills:** Hide 8, Move Silently 8, Tumble 5

<color=Gold>Class Features:</color>
**Hit Die:** d8
**Base Attack Bonus:** Medium
**High Saves:** Reflex
**Skill Points:** 6 + Int modifier
**Class Skills:** Bluff, Craft Trap, Diplomacy, Hide, Listen, Lore, Move Silently, Parry, Search, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Tumble

**Darkvision:** A Shdowdancer’s affinity with shadows allows her to pierce normal darkness with her gaze. At 1st level, a Shadowdancer receives Darkvision if she does not already have it.

**Shadowed Path:** At 1st level, the Shadowdancer chooses a path. This path provides a specific advancement, while also determining her 10th level capstone feat.
 *Duskstalker:* the Shadowdancer gains 1d6 sneak attack at levels 1, 7, and 9. These dice stack with those from other sneak attack-granting classes.
 *Shadowcaster:* At each even level, the Shadowdancer learns a shadow variant of one of a small number of offensive spells which can be used as a cooldown-based ability.
 *Twilight Champion:* The Shadowdancer’s levels are High BAB. This effectively results in a +1 to BAB at levels 1, 5, and 9.
 *Tenebrous Fist:* The Shadowdancer’s levels in the class count towards progression of Monk unarmed attack damage and speed bonus.

**Uncanny Dodge:** At 2nd level, a Shadowdancer can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

**Shadow Jump:** At 3rd level, a Shadowdancer gains the ability to travel between shadows as if by means of a Dimension Door spell. This ability has a cooldown of 30 seconds.

**Hide in Plain Sight:** At 5th level, a Shadowdancer may attempt to enter stealth mode even while being observed. If the attempt fails, the Shadowdancer may try again in 6 seconds (1 round).

**Shadow Companion:** At 6th level, the Shadowdancer can summon forth a dark creature from the Plane of Shadow once per day. This creature scales based on the Shadowdancer’s class level.

**Umbral Investment:** At 7th level, the Shadowdancer’s form is suffused with shadowstuff, leaking it into any garment she dons. The garment gains damage reduction 3/darksteel. This increases to DR 6/ darksteel at level 10. In addition, it receives the Umbral Burst quality; anytime she is struck in melee, there is a 7% chance of a burst of shadow emanating from her, causing all creatures within 10’ to take her Shadowdancer level in magic damage and be blinded for 1d2 rounds.

**Improved Uncanny Dodge:** At 8th level, the Shadowdancer can no longer be flanked. This defense denies an enemy the ability to sneak attack the Shadowdancer by flanking her, unless the attacker has four more levels than the target in classes that grant uncanny dodge.

**Bonus Feat:** At 4th and 9th levels, the Shadowdancer can pick one of the following feats: Blind Fight, Defensive Roll, Improved Evasion (if she already has Evasion), Slippery Mind, Ghost Walk, or (if she qualifies) Epic Dodge.

**Umbral Evocation:** At 10th level, the Shadowdancer gains an additional ability depending upon the path she chose at 1st level.
 *Umbral Ambusher:* a Duskstalker suffers no speed penalty when using stealth. She gains an additional 1d6 of sneak attack, and is considered to always be under the effect of Freedom of Movement.
 *Shadow Barrier:* a Shadowcaster gains the ability to wield shadow to negate his opponents’ magics, erecting a mantle of shadow that absorbs 15 levels of spells before dissipating. While in effect, the barrier also provides 20% concealment against missile attacks. This ability has a 2-minute cooldown.
 *Umbral Armor:* a Twilight Champion’s shadowy essence coalesces to protect her in an almost sentient manner. While active, she is immune to negative energy, and whenever she takes damage, shadows swirl about her, inflicting damage on her attackers. This ability lasts one minute and has a two-minute cooldown.
 *Afterimage:* a Tenebrous Fist’s Shadow Jump ability improves. It can now be used every 24 seconds, and when used a shadow copy of the Shadowdancer is left in her place, continuing to act for one round.