Shade, Variant (4e Racial Trait Variant)
Shades
Sentient shadows, shades are the ultimate assassins.
| Racial Traits |
| Average Height: 5' 6" - 6' 2" |
| Average Weight: None |
| Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence or Charisma |
| Size: Medium |
| Speed: 5 squares |
| Vision: Darkvision |
| Languages: Common, choice of one other |
| Skill Bonuses: +2 Stealth, +2 Intimidate |
| Darkspawn: If you are in a square of heavily obscured or totally obscured concealment, you are also insubstantial. |
| Long Shadows: When you are in bright light, weapon attacks you make with one-handed weapons with the Offhand property are also considered to also have the Reach property. |
| No Shadows Without Light: You cannot take a second wind action whilst in direct sunlight. |
| Shadow Walk: You can use shadow walk as an encounter power. |
| Shadow Origin: You are considered to be a shadow creature for the purpose of effects relating to creature origin. |
| Shadowstrike: If you make an attack from concealment or cover, you may immediately make a stealth check to hide. |
| Shadow Walk | Shade Racial Power |
| You hide yourself in the shadows of allies and enemies alike. | |
| 4e Power Usage::Encounter | |
| 4e Power Action Type::Move Action | Personal |
| Effect: You move your speed + 2. During this move you are invisible if you are adjacent to a creature. | |
<!- Fluff. ->
Play a shade if you want...
- To be mysterious and sneaky
- To have glowing red eyes
- To be a creature of both light and darkness
- To be a member of a race that favors the Rogue, Scout and Assassin classes.
Physical Qualities
Shades can look like almost anything, they always have glowing eyes, usually red, but blue and yellow are also common. They can seem humanoid or resemble animals, but a shade's shape is determined by their mind. they can distort and twist at times, but the overall shape of an individual shade stays the same for their entire life. Likewise, a shade's appearance is also affected by the individual's mental control. An insane shade is likely to look like a swirling cloud of matter, and a disciplined one has a well- defined shape with little blur around the edges.
Playing a shade
A shade's disposition is variable, from coldly logical, to cheerful and joking. Normal shades also will not believe that they are wrong at anything, and are very stubborn. They do not feel that they are superior, they just do not understand how the word "mistake" could be applied to them. Contrary to common belief, shades can strongly feel emotions, but only the very closest of friends ever see a hint of it. Shades often feel over protective of things that belong to them, from physical possessions to their passion for their friends. Should one endanger a shade's belongings, they are often hunted down and killed.
Shade Characteristics: Proud, Paranoid, capable, grim, sarcastic, shrewd
Shades tend to go by simple names that depict their outlook on life such as Pain, Anger, Silence, Sickle, etc.
Male Names: Drrak, Morn, Bak
Female Names: Shraad, Felarn, Xast
Shade Adventurers
Four sample shade adventurers are described below.
Bdal is a shade assassin. She learned her trade by watching a master as he ruled the streets and ran the rooftops. She eventually felt that she had learned enough and killed him. One day, word got to her that a group of adventurers was offering a large reward for any who would accompany them into a dungeon. She went to check it out, knowing that she could always slip away into the shadows. She never did.
Kren is a shade wizard. He established a community on the spine of the world by himself, always acting behind the scenes to keep the town running and playing the part of the reclusive arcanist. When his small community was destroyed by an enemy that he could not defeat, a group of adventurers found him trying to rebuild it, even though everybody but him was dead.
Pran is a shade rogue. He grew up on the streets and his skill of blending into the darkness saved his life more than once. Being an orphan, he made a living by begging on the streets and eventually was hired by a group of adventurers along with a large number of other waifs to report the location of a certain person. He found out on his own that the target was the adventurer's enemy, and instead of bringing the location, he brought the target's head. He had hoped for a bit more pay, but he got an adventure that would change his life.
Cross is a Shade Executioner. He became a shade through the trial of five shadows and was taken in by the Red Scales, an underground assassins' guild. He specialized in hand to hand combat and desired more knowledge in combat. Upon seeing an interesting group of fresh adventurers in town, he decided to leave the red Scales, promising maps and treasures to them upon his return in order to secure a clean severance.
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