Shadow knights are enforcers of the underworld in the kingdoms. Taking to the alleys to stalk, assassinate and torture prey from the darkness. They rely on their own strength and their shadows to surround and overwhelm their foes. Dark lords enlist shadow knights to be their hand in taking care of their business with discretion. Their power is fueled by those they have slain, the souls of those they have killed returning as shadows of the shadow knight to fight alongside them, giving them a simply unending amount of shadows to conjure.
The shadow knight is an archetype of the dark knight class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The shadow knight mainly focuses on STR/DEX for martial combat and CHA for their class features and spells.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Grit Stance, Limit Break (Dark Force). 2nd – Dark Knight Talent, First Into Battle, Shared Offense. 3rd – Defile. 6th – Defile. 9th – Defile, Last Resort. 12th – Defile. 15th – Defile, Shadow Wall. 18th – Defile. 20th – Dark Champion.
Limit Break (Su)
At 1st level, the shadow knight receives the Limit Break (Army of Shadows).
Army of Shadows (Su): This Limit Bream allows the shadow knight to empower himself with the might of his shadows. He gains shadow doubles equal to the normal amount from his shadow double ability plus 1 additional shadow plus an additional shadow per four dark knight levels after 1st. If shadow double is already active, he only gains the additional shadows and any missing shadows from his normal total. This limit break lasts for 1 round plus 1 round for every four dark knight levels after 1st. This limit break requires only a swift action.
This ability replaces the Limit Break (Dark Force).
Shadow Double (Su)
At 1st level, a shadow knight can take a standard action to create a single, quasi-real, shadowy duplicate. This shadow double remains in his square, mimicking his movements as a single mirror image, except that it lasts until it is destroyed or he chooses to dismiss it as a free action. This ability does not stack with the mirror image spell or with similar abilities.
At 5th level, a shadow knight gains a second shadow double. In addition to using these shadow doubles as mirror images in his square, he can move his doubles as part of his own move action, dividing his movement between himself and his doubles. When outside his square, shadow doubles do not protect the shadow knight as mirror image and are limited in the actions they can take. Shadow doubles provide flanking for the shadow knight and his allies, but they do not possess teamwork feats or special abilities that alter the effects of flanking or aiding another. As a swift action, the shadow knight can direct his shadow doubles to use the aid another action, using his own base attack bonus plus his Charisma modifier for the roll. Although a shadow double appears to duplicate the shadow knight’s gear, this gear is part of its form; a shadow double’s gear cannot be destroyed, dropped, or stolen. A shadow double disappears if it ventures more than 50 feet from the shadow knight or if it leaves his line of sight. A shadow double that is hit by an attack roll or takes any damage is destroyed. The AC of a shadow double is equal to the shadow knight’s touch AC, and it has the same CMD and saving throw bonuses as the shadow knight. Shadow doubles possess evasion if the shadow knight does. Mind-affecting effects targeting a shadow double affect the shadow knight instead, though he isn’t affected twice by effects that target both him and his shadow double.
At 10th level, a shadow knight gains a third shadow double. He can divide his actions between his actual body and his shadow doubles, using them as the origin point for attacks, abilities or spells. For example, a shadow knight making three attacks as a part of a full attack could make his primary attack from his own body and his other two attacks from two of his shadow doubles.
At 15th level, a shadow knight gains a fourth shadow double. In addition to the abilities above, a shadow knight can assign the doubles to perform simple tasks on their own except that the shadow doubles have an effective Strength score of 10.
This ability replaces grit stance.
Shadow Vision (Sp)
At 2nd level, a shadow knight can use see invisibility, as per the spell, as a swift action for 1 minute per level per day. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be used in 1-minute increments.
This ability replaces first into battle.
Pierce the Shadows (Su)
Also at 2nd level, the shadows step aside from the shadow knight’s baleful gaze, affording him sight in even the deepest darkness. He gains darkvision 60 feet. If he already has darkvision, increase his existing darkvision by 60 feet instead. At 11th level, he can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even in absolute darkness or the darkness created by a deeper darkness spell.
This ability replaces a dark knight talent gained at 2nd level.
Shadow Armament (Su)
At 2nd level, the shadow knight can create a quasi-real simple or martial masterwork weapon appropriate for his current size. He is considered proficient with this weapon. The first time he hits a creature with this weapon, that creature can attempt a Will save (DC 10 + half of the dark knight’s level + his Charisma modifier) to disbelieve; failure means the weapon deals damage normally, while success means the creature takes only 1 point of damage from the weapon’s attacks. The weapon deals only 1 point of damage to objects.
At 9th level and every three dark knight levels thereafter, the weapon gains a cumulative +1 enhancement bonus. Also at 9th level, the weapon gains either the abyssal, frost or keen weapon special ability, chosen when the weapon is created. These abilities don’t function against a target that succeeds at its Will save.
At 16th level, the weapon deals minimum damage (as if it had rolled a 1 on each of its damage dice) against targets that succeed at their saves instead of 1 point of damage. The shadow knight can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to his dark knight level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be used in 1-minute increments. The weapon disappears after 1 round if it leaves his grasp.
This ability replaces shared offense.
Shadow Tactics (Su)
The shadow knight learns to better coordinate with his doubles. At 3rd level, whenever the shadow knight successfully hits with a melee attack, he can spend a use of Harm Touch as an immediate action to make his Shadow Double make an attack roll or combat maneuver at a -2 penalty using his base attack bonus and half of his Charisma modifier as a bonus to the attack. If it hits with a melee attack, it deals minimum damage plus half the shadow knight’s Charisma modifier (rounded down) as shadow damage.
At 6th level, when the shadow knight uses an Abyssal Art, he can expend an attack of opportunity once per round to let a shadow double perform a combat maneuver to a creature within reach. This expended both the shadow knight’s and the double’s attack of opportunity. This combat maneuver uses the shadow knight’s base attack bonus and half his Charisma modifier (rounded down) and does not provoke an attack of opportunity unless that opponent has 2 or more hit dice than the shadow knight.
At 9th level, after performing a full attack or an attack action that takes a full-round to perform while in Darkside, the shadow knight can spend an attack of opportunity and an immediate action to let a Shadow Double perform an Abyssal Art. This still spends the shadow knight’s uses of Abyssal Arts. The Abyssal Art performed by the double only deals minimum damage and all DCs are reduced by 2.
At 12th level, a shadow knight’s double can reduce the flanking bonus on attack rolls against him by half if he has two or more shadow doubles adjacent to him or sharing his square.
At 15th level, as long as one or more doubles occupies the same square as the shadow knight, the shadow knight does not provoke attacks of opportunity with feats or abilities that normally provoke.
To perform any of the offensive features in Shadow Tactics, the shadow double must be within 30 feet of the shadow knight. After performing any of the features that require an action, if any doubles occupy the same square as the shadow knight, they lose the defensive benefits of the shadow double until the start of their next turn. Furthermore, any combat maneuvers that must be maintained, such as grapple, the double uses half the knight’s Charisma modifier and any additional bonuses instead of Strength on the checks to made to maintain the maneuver.
This ability replaces defile.
Shadow Well (Su)
At 9th level, the shadow knight can use the Stealth skill even while being observed and without cover or concealment, as long as he is within 10 feet of a shadow other than his own. In addition, when within an area of darkness or dim light, as a standard action, he may choose to switch places with a willing ally within 60 feet, who must also be in darkness or dim light. At 13th level, he can instead switch the positions of two willing allies, each of whom must be within 60 feet of the shadow knight. Unless otherwise noted, this travel is identical to dimension door. He may use the ability to switch places once per day at 9th level, plus one additional time per day at 17th level and 20th level.
This ability replaces last resort.
Enveloping Darkness (Sp)
At 15th level, the shadow knight may create an area of deeper darkness, as per spell. All creatures except the shadow knight are entangled within this darkness unless using freedom of movement or a similar effect. The shadow knight may use this ability once per day and twice per day at 20th level.
This ability replaces shadow wall.
Unfettered Shadows (Su)
At 20th level, as a standard action, a shadow knight can unfetter all of his shadow doubles for 1 minute. While unfettered, each shadow double can move and attack as if it were the shadow knight without using any of his actions. A creature struck by a shadow double can attempt a Will save (DC 20 + the shadow knight’s Charisma modifier) each time it takes damage to recognize the illusion. If it succeeds, the target treats all the shadow doubles as 20% real, as the spell shadow summoning. The shadow doubles cannot use the shadow double ability. The shadow knight can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces dark champion.
