Lord of Shadows (5e Class)

Lord of Shadows

History

For millennium, the Lords of Shadow were known throughout the world as beings of pure evil. They would hide away in special fortresses to subtly influence the world and hopefully lead it to its destruction. Unleashing terrors upon the world and striking fear into the hearts of men with the power of whichever domain they ruled over. Legends say that the Lords of Shadow were once beings completely devoted to their pursuit of holiness, and worship of the gods. Eventually they succeeded and their souls rose to heaven to sit alongside the gods they so devoutly worshiped. However, what they left behind were not empty husks, but the Lords of Shadow. The souls that rose to heaven were the good parts of their being, and they left behind their evil counterparts. That is when the reign of the original Lords of Shadow began.

Creating a Lord of Shadows

Dracula from Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2

Quick Build

You can make a Lord of Shadows quickly by following these suggestions. First, Constitution should be your highest ability score, followed by Strength. Second, choose the Soldier or Noble background.

Class Features

As a Lord of Shadows you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d12 per Lord of Shadows level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + Constitution modifier per Lord of Shadows level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: None
Weapons: Simple and Martial Weapons
Tools: 1 Gaming Set
Saving Throws: Strength and Constitution
Skills: Choose 3: Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Deception, History, Intimidation, Perception, Persuasion, Religion, and Stealth

Ability Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• 5 vials of human blood
• a cloak big enough to cover your entire body
• a dungeoneer’s pack or an explorer’s pack
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d12 x 10 in funds.

Table: The Lord of Shadows

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Arcane Armaments
1st	+2	Unholy Transformation, Unarmored Defense	0
2nd	+2	Arcane Armaments, Blood Whip	2
3rd	+2	Destiny, Shadow Daggers	3
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	3
5th	+3	Extra Attack	3
6th	+3	Mist Form, Plague of Rodents	4
7th	+3	Destiny Feature	4
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	4
9th	+4	Possession	4
10th	+4	Destiny Feature	4
11th	+4	Wings of Night	4
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	5
13th	+5	Anti-Magic Force	5
14th	+5	Master of the Body and Mind	5
15th	+5	Destiny Feature	5
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	5
17th	+6	The Dragon	5
18th	+6	Destiny Feature	6
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	6
20th	+6	Prince of Darkness	Unlimited

Unholy Transformation

At 1st level, you gain the following features:

Bloodthirsty

You need blood to survive. While the blood of animals can satiate you, humanoid blood works much better. For every day you do not drink blood, you gain a point of exhaustion. Exhaustion gained by not drinking blood can only be removed by drinking blood. All points you have gained from this feature are removed when you drink a sufficient amount of blood.

Disheartening Rejuvenation

Whenever you drink blood it will heal you for 1d12 per unit of the DM's choice. It can even heal the wounds of time. Drinking blood will keep your body in its prime and even reverse the effects of ageing magic.

Vampiric Body

You are proficient in unarmed strikes, they deal 1d4 slashing. You have 120ft of darkvision. You count as undead. You have resistance to necrotic damage.

Demon Blood

Your blood is a powerful poison and can kill almost anything that is not already a vampire. However, if a creature ingests enough of your blood so that at least half of theirs has been replaced with yours, they will gain 1 level in the Lord of Shadows class. Any less, and the creature will die an agonizing death within a matter of hours.

Sunlight Sensitivity

While in direct sunlight you cannot recover Hit Points. You also have disadvantage on Stealth checks while in direct sunlight.

Unarmored Defense

Your body is far stronger than that of a normal creature's. While not wearing armor, you have an AC of 10 + your Strength modifier + your Constitution modifier.

Blood Whip

At 2nd level, you can shape your blood into a whip and have it spring forth from your arm. You can manifest and de-manifest it as a free action. Because of the nature of your blood this weapon functions not only as a normal whip, but also deals an extra 1d6 poison damage.

Arcane Armaments

At 2nd level, you can call on different powers and weapons that were forged in the deepest recesses of your soul. It takes an action to summon one of them and you cannot have Chaos Claws and Void Sword active at the same time. They can stay active for up to 1 minute. They dissipate early if you are knocked unconscious or if you use a bonus action to disperse them. You can only summon them a certain number of times per day before needing a long rest, defer to the Arcane Armaments Chart:

Void Sword

Reaching deep into the empty void of your soul, you draw forth a sword of made of that nothingness. It is extremely sharp and as cold as your heart. This magical weapon is considered bound to you, and deals 1d10 cold damage. You heal 1d4 whenever you deal damage with this weapon.

Chaos Claws

Your anger burns as bright as the sun itself. May your enemies kneel before you and burn to ashes at your feet. You ignite your arms in the flames of your rage. Your unarmed strikes now deal 2d6 magical fire damage.

Destiny

At 3rd level, you decide which path you will follow, and where your destiny will take you. You can choose from Destiny of Redemption, Destiny of Loneliness, or Destiny of Destruction.

Shadow Daggers

At 3rd level, you can form a new weapon out of your blood. As a bonus action you can summon 3 daggers made of your blood. They have different effects depending on which ability you have active.

Neutral State: Can be used normally so long as you are holding them. If you choose to throw them, they disappear as soon as they impact or impale a solid surface.

Void Sword: As an action the daggers are launched from the sword and force the target to make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw if hit. A creature that fails the save begins to freeze and has their movement speed cut in half until the end of your next turn. If the affected creature is hit by this attack again before the end of your next turn and fails the save, they become frozen. While frozen, the creature is considered stunned until they succeed a Strength save at the end of their turn or if another creature does something to melt it.

Chaos Claws: As an action you fire the daggers which have become small explosive fireballs. They deal an extra 1d6 fire damage and force all creatures within 5ft of the target to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature suffers the same fire damage. It avoids the damage on a successful save.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Mist Form

At 6th level, you gain the ability to freely move between the shadows. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can move almost instantaneously without provoking opportunity attack up to 60 feet as a cloud of dark mist to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end of the turn.

Plague of Rodents

Starting at 6th level, you learn to become one with the smaller creatures of the night. When you are in dim light or darkness, you can use your action to transform into either a Swarm of Rats or a Swarm of Bats for 1 hour. You keep your mental stats while in these forms and it requires concentration. You can go out into direct sunlight while in these forms, but the time you can remain in them is cut in half. You can do this a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier before needing a short rest.

Possession

Beginning at 9th level, you start to grasp the concept of literally forcing your will onto others. As an action, you can now dissolve your body into a pile of blood that forcefully enters any creature equal to or below your CR. This can only work if a creature is surprised and they must first fail a Constitution saving throw. At the end of each of the creature's turns, it can make a Constitution saving throw to attempt to force you out. For every failure, you remain in control for another round. You are also forced out if the body drops to 0 Hit Points or if you use an action to end it. If you stay in control of a creature for more than 5 minutes, your poisonous blood will kill them. While in control, you can only perform basic motor functions, cannot cast spells, and cannot speak.

Wings of the Night

At 11th level, the darkness that constantly surrounds you manifests into itself something that can take you higher in your existence. Allowing you to travel the world and show it just what a Lord of Shadows can do. As a bonus action, you can materialize and de-materialize ethereal black-feathered wings that give a flying speed equal to your walking speed.

Anti-Magic Force

While you cannot cast many spells yourself, the very nature of what you are makes you resistant to all forms of magical attacks. At 13th level, you now have advantage on all saving throws against magical effects.

Master of the Body and Mind

At 14th level, understanding the full capabilities of your unique body grants you proficiency in all saving throws.

The Dragon

You are renowned for your sheer power and ferocity. This reputation along with the development of one of your strongest abilities yet, has earned you the title of "Dragon". At 17th level, you can use your action to transform yourself into Young Black Dragon. This transformation can last for up to 1 hour, but can end early if you use a action to do so or if your form is reduced to 0 Hit Points. You can do this once per long rest.

At 20th level, you can use this feature to become an Adult Black Dragon, but you cannot take legendary actions.

Prince of Darkness

At 20th level, you can unleash all the power stored within both your body and soul. As a full turn action, you release a burst of dark energy that causes the following effect: Centering on you, a 10ft radius sphere of darkness that only you can see through comes into existence and dissipates immediately after this ability is used. You become one with this darkness and destroy everything within it. Every creature in the sphere must make a Constitution saving throw. Each creature that fails, is reduced to 0 Hit Points. Each creature that succeeds, takes 10d10 necrotic damage. You heal for half as much necrotic damage that you dealt rounded down, but not above your maximum Hit Points. You can use this feature once per long rest, and you become paralyzed until the end of your next turn.

Destiny of Redemption

Some do not want to become Lords of Shadow, but have the power thrust upon them. The most famous case was a son of a Lord of Shadow. He was destined to defeat his father who he never met, but knew of. Just before he perished during combat with his father, he revealed his identity. Filled with grief, his father turned him into a Lord of Shadow. The son became the very thing he was trained to destroy, but he vowed to be the opposite of his father and defend humanity. This was his redemption. Redemption for him and his family.

The Crissaegrim

When you choose this path at 3rd level, your Void and Chaos powers merge into one. They now take the form of a single, bound weapon that can switch between their two powers and stats as a bonus action instead of an action. The weapon can look like anything you want.

Misty Strike

At 7th level, you can now strike enemies while in mist form. You can make one melee attack against any 1 creature within 5ft of your travel path when using Mist Form.

Timeless Vision

At 10th level, you can reshape the fabric of reality to fit your memory. If you spend a total of 7 days remembering and recreating a building you have been to, in your mind, you can cause the following effect: If you return to any of the places you have spent the required time remembering, you can use an action to reverse the hands of time and resest anything about or in that place to how you remember it originally. This effect lasts for 1 minute, the area you are affecting must fit into a 15ft cube, and it must be remembered exactly how you saw it when you were there. It does not affect living things and can only move inanimate objects. Everything that was moved this way is returned to its original position after time expires. If an object was originally in the space you are affecting but no longer is, it is not brought back, only objects that are in the area are affected. If an object is in the space that was not there when you saw it, is only affected in the manner that it is pushed or moved by the affected area moving around. If something like a door was open when you saw it but is now closed, it will only open if it is unlocked.

All-or-Nothing Strike

At 15th level, you risk everything to deal devastating damage. Before making an attack, you can declare it to be All-or-Nothing. Roll a normal attack roll. If it hits, it is treated as a critical hit. If it misses, it is treated as a critical failure.

Astral Wolf

At 18th level, you take the rebellious spirit inside you and give it form. As an action, you can project an astral wolf that has a movement speed of 60ft. This wolf is ethereal, intangible, cannot speak, and must be on the same plane of existence as you. It can fit through things such as bars or a screen but cannot fit into spaces smaller than 2ft x 2ft or go through solid objects more than 1ft thick. When you release this form, your consciousness and other senses are transferred to it and it takes your initiative if in combat. While in this form, the only other actions you can take besides dash, are either disperse or teleport. You can use another action to either have the form dissipate or have your physical body teleport directly to its position, if it can fit, returning consciousness to your body. Unfortunately, while you are controlling the astral wolf your body is left completely defenseless and is considered stunned until you regain control of your body.

Destiny of Loneliness

When one becomes a Lord of Shadow, or even a normal vampire, they are often times feared and shunned as soon as they are discovered. Lords that choose this path of destiny realize the fact that they may very well be alone until the end of their days. Some accept it, but most are driven into a deep depression at this realization. Therefore, they draw on the empty void that is now their soul and their life, and make it a power that they can wield.

Void Sword Master

When you choose this path at 3rd level, you gain the following effects while using your Void Sword:

• You gain a +1 to damage rolls using the Void Sword.
• You gain a +1 to AC.
• The Void Sword now heals 1d6 per strike instead of 1d4

Sword Kata

At 7th level, you learn how to better deal with groups while using the Void Sword. As an action, you slash like a whirlwind around yourself, making a single attack against each creature within 5ft of you.

Chilling Skill

At 10th level, your skill with a sword is so good that it sends chills down your enemies' spines. While wielding the Void Sword, you can use your reaction to cause one of the following effects:

• Deflect one melee or ranged attack that does not require a saving throw and targets only you.
• If an attack that required an attack role misses you, you can attempt a single melee attack against the creature it originated from, with the Void Sword.

Blast of Cold

At 15th level, you can cast Cone of Cold from the Void Sword as many times equal to half your Wisdom modifier rounded down before needing a long rest.

Sub-Zero Edge

At 18th level, the edge of this blade becomes as cold as the abyss of a soul it was drawn from. Anything the Void Sword strikes suffers the same effects it would, as if it were hit with a Shadow Dagger that was fired from the weapon.

Destiny of Destruction

Many Lords of Shadow throughout history decided to hide themselves from the world and work behind the scenes. Others were bold enough to try and re-enter society. Lords who chose the Destiny of Destruction, usually had their endeavors end in disaster. Famously, one Lord of Shadow managed to find love, and began to believe he could fully come back to the world he lived in before he transformed. Unfortunately, his wife was falsely accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake. This gave him a pure hatred for all humanity and because of that, all he wanted was to watch everyone burn for what they had done to him.

Unrelenting Assault

When you pick this path at 3rd level, your rage drives you to destroy whatever may stand in your way. When you use the Attack action with your unarmed strikes while Chaos Claws are active, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action.

Incendiary Strikes

At 7th level, any metal surface you strike with Chaos Claws has Heat Metal cast on it. This does not require concentration from you but can only be active on 1 metal object or surface at a time. Also, if you continue to strike an object that has Heat Metal currently active on it with your Chaos Claws, the object will begin to break and eventually shatter.

Flame Cover

At 10th level, you can manifest your anger into something that can protect you. You can now use your action to cast Fire Shield on yourself, but you can only choose the Warm Shield option of the spell. You can do this a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier before needing a long rest.

Eruption

At 15th level, you strike the ground and cause it to erupt with the flames of your rage. As an action, every hostile creature that is on the ground, in a 20ft radius of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 6d8 fire damage and is knocked prone. A creature takes half as much damage and is not knocked prone on a successful save. You can do this a number of times equal to half your Strength Modifier rounded down before needing a long rest.

Inferno Field

You can no longer contain your fury. All you see are the flames of vengeance, and they burn with the power of a collapsing star. At 18th level, you can force every creature within 10ft of you to make a Strength saving throw. Each creature that failed is pulled in as close to you as possible. They are not moved on a successful save. After that, you unleash the full power of the anger that burns within you. Every creature within 5ft of you takes 8d10 fire damage. Every creature 10ft away from you takes half damage. You can only use this feature once before needing a long rest.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Lord of Shadows class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 in Strength, 15 in Constitution and 13 in Wisdom

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Lord of Shadows class, you gain the following proficiencies: All weapons

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