Instead of summoning a skeleton, these necromancers summon the shadows of their fallen victims to do their bidding.
The shadow mage is an archetype of the necromancer class.
Class Skills
A shadow mage adds Stealth to his list of class skills and loses Use Magical Device as a class skill.
This ability modifies the starting necromancer skills.
Shadow Magic
At 1st level, a shadow mage may take vanish spells or spells with the shadow descriptor from the illusionist spell list when obtaining spells.
This ability modifies spells.
Shadow Soldier (Su)
At 1st level, a shadow mage is able to make shadow soldiers out of his fallen victims. Any intelligent, living creature killed (doing at least 1 damage, if killed by other party members) by the shadow mage that has the same hit dice or lower than the shadow mage’s level can be made into a shadow soldier. The shadow soldier has the same abilities (shadow soldiers loses a Constitution score and instead increases their Charisma score to what they had in Constitution unless they had a higher Charisma score) and equipment (the equipment disappears if removed from the shadow soldier) that it had in life and is undead and incorporeal, but can’t improve its abilities any further. Despite being incorporeal, the shadow soldier can attack corporeal opponents without any problems but can be attacked by nonmagical weapons. If the shadow soldier had natural armor bonus, it becomes deflect bonus instead. Once made into a shadow soldier, the body can no longer be resurrected. A shadow mage can have a number of hit dice of shadow soldiers equal to twice his necromancer level. A shadow mage can spend a standard action to summon all his shadow soldiers at once. If a shadow mage has too many hit dice of shadow soldiers, he must immediately release enough hit dice to fit within his shadow soldier pool. While the shadow soldier may not have the same languages as the shadow mage, the shadow mage can communicate with his shadow soldier telepathically. The shadow soldier counts as a bone commander for all necromancer class features, talents, and feats. Once a shadow soldier dies, it cannot be resummoned or raised, they are permanently gone, all equipment that given to them drops to the ground.
This ability replaces bone commander.
Shadow Soldier Talents (Ex/Su)
At 2nd level and every two necromancer levels, a shadow mage may take the following talents in addition to necromancy talents.
Greater Shadow Soldier (Ex): A shadow mage adds his Charisma modifier to the number of hit dice he can acquire for shadow soldiers. Prerequisite: A shadow mage must have Improved Shadow Soldier talent to gain this talent.
Improved Shadow Soldier (Ex): A shadow mage is considered 4 levels higher for determining hit dice for shadow soldiers.
These abilities may replace necromancy talents.
Shadowstrike (Su)
At 3rd level, a shadow mage can make a ranged touch attack as a standard action (up to 30 feet away) that inflicts 1d6 points of shadow damage + 1 for every necromancer level he possesses. If the shadow mage is in stealth or invisible when using this ability, he will deal additional precision damage as if using sneak attack as a thief as the same level. In addition, the target is dimmed for 1 minute (no save). Creatures with low-light vision or darkvision are not dazzled by this ability. He can use this ability aa number of times equal to half his necromancer level + his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces harm touch.
Nighteye (Ex)
At 4th level, a shadow mage gains darkvision 30 feet. At 7th level, a shadow mage gains darkvision 60 feet. If he already possesses darkvision, its range is increased by these amounts. At 10th level, a shadow mage can see in any darkness (such as the deeper darkness spell).
This ability replaces unholy fortitude.
Cloak of Darkness (Su)
At 5th level, a shadow mage conjures a cloak of shadowy darkness that grants him a +4 armor bonus and a +2 circumstance bonus on Stealth checks. At 9th level, and every four levels thereafter, these bonuses increase by +2. He can use this cloak for 1 hour per day per necromancer level. The duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-hour increments.
This ability replaces fear aura.
Wings of Darkness (Su)
At 7th level, as a swift action, a shadow mage can manifest a set of translucent, inky wings that grant him a fly speed of 60 feet with good maneuverability. He can use these wings for 1 minute per day per necromancer level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-minute increments. At 11th level, he can use these wings to fly as if with flight once per day. Used in this way, the ability lasts for up to 1 hour per level, and counts as his total use of this ability for the day. This ability has also grants the shadow mage a +8 bonus on Fly skill checks.
This ability replaces cheat death.
Stealth Mastery (Ex)
At 8th level, a shadow mage gains Skill Focus (Stealth). At 12th level, a shadow mage gains Signature Skill (Stealth), even if he doesn’t meet the feat’s prerequisites. At 16th level, a shadow mage gains the hide in plain sight thief class feature.
This ability replaces unlife healer.
Shadow Well (Su)
At 9th level, a shadow mage 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 move 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 him. 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 miasma.
Living Shadow (Sp)
At 13th level, a shadow mage’s body dissolves, and he becomes a living shadow. This ability functions as gaseous form. At 20th level, this ability functions as shadow body instead, except he also gains DR 10/magic and becomes immune to poison, sneak attacks, and critical hits as if also using gaseous form. He can use this ability a number of minutes per day equal to his necromancer level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-minute increments.
This ability replaces death’s kiss.
Enveloping Darkness (Su)
At 19th level, a shadow mage may create an area of deeper darkness that he can see through without penalty. All creatures except the shadow mage are entangled within this darkness unless using freedom of movement or a similar effect. He may use this ability once per day.
This ability replaces final guide.
Shadow Lord (Su)
Upon reaching 20th level, the shadow mage’s body becomes permanently suffused with the essence of the Shadow Plane. A shadow mage gains regeneration 5 while in dim light or darkness and immunity to ice, critical hits, and sneak attacks. His regeneration is suppressed while in any level of illumination brighter than dim light. In addition, any spells he casts of the shadow subschool or with the darkness descriptor are automatically enlarged without affecting their MP.
This ability replaces lich transformation.