Shadinger (3.5e Epic Race)
Shadinger
Shadingers are primordial, powerful shadow beings that were locked down at the beginning of time and were accidentally released recently. They are invulnerable to almost anything created by either mortals or gods. No one knows how exactly they came to be, however there is an agreement among most scholars that it didn't just "happen". They are among the oldest beings in the entire cosmos, older than most of the gods, nearly as old as time. Despite being immortal and nigh-indestructible, Shadingers are, in fact, an endangered species, as they are incapable of any kind of reproduction.
Personality
The Shadingers were around long before there were any rules, but they respect them unless they ridiculous or offensive. They have a great respect for life and won't hurt a sapient species if they have a choice.
Physical Description
Shadingers appear like 3D humanoid shadows. While they are in vessels, only creatures who use True Sight can see their true faces and identify them as something different than common members of their vessels race (unless their vessels aren't common members of their race, like Player Characters).
Relations
They get along all humanoid races.
Alignment
Any
Lands
Any
Religion
Shadingers are all too aware to the power of the gods - they were who locked them down in the first place (one of the extremely rare occurrences so many of them worked together). However, they rarely worship them.
Language
Common, Shadow, Supernal. See Perfect Memory and Shadow (Language)
Names
Any. While in vessels usually use the vessels names.
Racial Traits
- Abilities: +40 Strength, +26 Dexterity, +30 Constitution,+12 Intelligence +16 Wisdom, +8 Charisma
- Medium monstrous Humanoid (Shadow)
- Shadinger base land speed is 1200 feet per round. They also have swimming speed, climbing speed and flight speed (perfect maneuverability) both 1200 feet per round.
- Invulnerability: Shadingers ignore all conventional damage; they have damage reduction 60/-.
- Regenerative Healing Factor: Shadingers possess near-absolute healing factor, able to regrow their entire body from but a single cell should the circumstances require so. They have regeneration 30/- and fast healing 5, and restore 5 points of ability damage and 1 point of drained ability per round.
- Resilient Body: Shadingers are naturally resistant to low-level harm such as small/low-velocity projectiles, which are incapable of damaging their body. They have a +20 bonus to the natural armor.* Heightened Senses: Shadingers possess extremely heightened and sharp senses, which also extend to paranormal level, and allow them, inter alia, to detect invisible creatures, creatures that are in overlapping dimensions and the astral/true form of unearthly beings, including Shadingers. Blindsight out to 300 feet, Blindsense out to 3000 feet, Highly Advanced Scent within 1 mile, Perfect Status Vision, micro vision and telescopic vision up to distance of 8 miles.
- Enhanced Essence Sense: Shadingers can sense the presence and nature of any being within a 30 feet radius, even if they are supernaturally/magically concealed.
- Natural Attacks: Shadingers are very strong and accordingly are capable of inflicting a lot of damage; they have a secondary slam attack that deals 4d6 damage and overcomes any DR.
- Possession: Shadingers can possess any being, corporeal or not. While inside vessels, they have access to all the vessel's abilities, memories and skills, and have a +30 bonus on Disguise checks for purpose of disguising themselves as their vessel. They grant their vessels most of their traits (traits that aren't granted are mentioned so in their description). Additionally, they gain the ability to shapeshift while in vessels.
- Intangibility: Shadingers can become intangible at will. They can stay intangible indefinitely. They cannot use this ability while in a vessel.
- Invisibility: Shadingers can become invisible at will. While invisible, they receive a +20 bonus on all Move Silently and hide checks. They cannot use this ability while in a vessel.
- Shapeshifting: Shadingers can alter the appearance of their vessel into that of any creature that is lesser than a demigod. While in an alternate form, Shadingers lose their slam attack and the natural attacks of their vessel, but acquire the natural weapons and extraordinary special attacks of their new form, and retain their own supernatural abilities and ability scores (although change in size may affect their ability scores). They can shift from one form to another without having to revert to their original form. They can also change the physical qualities (hair color/texture, skin color, gender etc.) of their vessel, grating them a +20 bonus on Disguise checks.
- Telepathy: Shadingers can hear the thoughts and read the memories of any creature that has Intelligence score with whom they establish a physical contact, and can send telepathic messages to any creature that has Intelligence score within a 60 feet radius.
- Advanced Immortality: As primordial shadow beings, Shadingers are ageless, and any injury they sustain immediately heals. Shadingers require no sleep and cannot get tired. They require no oxygen or nutrition, but are capable of breathing normally and are also capable of consuming and completely digesting almost any organic substance, as well as some non-organic substances (it gives them no nutrition though). Their vessels don't age while possessed.
- Advanced Immunity: Shadingers are completely immune to all diseases/toxins, holy/unholy damage and have spell immunity/epic.
- Advanced Telekinesis: Shadingers can maneuver, control and otherwise manipulate objects/beings with the power of their mind. They can affect weight of up to 600 pounds per HD. They can affect multiple objects/beings simultaneously as long as their collective weight doesn't pass the limit of maximum weight they can telekinetically affect. They also can affect something they do not currently see, as long as they know its general location and it is within a distance of 30 feet per HD from them.
- Direct Teleportation: Shadingers can teleport anywhere they want in the cosmos. They can also take other people with them. Unbounded Teleportation, spell-like ability, at will.
- Enhanced Brain Capability: Shadingers possess enhanced brain capability, and can process information much quicker and more efficiently than humans. They gain 20 times skill points per level than they should by their class, and can act twice per round.
- Perfect Memory: Shadingers possess perfect photographic memory, and remember all the memories and the skills of any vessel they ever possessed.
- Advanced Adhesion: Shadingers can cling to and walk on surfaces at any angle as if gravity was directed to these surfaces, without making a Climb check. They can extend the effect to other people they touch, however no more than two (they have to hold them).
- Shadingers automatically gain the following feats, even if they do not meet their prerequisites: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Deft Hands, Diehard, Distant Shot, Dodge, Endurance, Exceptional Deflection, Far Shot, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Improved Precise Shot, Improved Toughness, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Unarmed Strike, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Reflect Arrows, Snatch Arrows, Superior Initiative, Supreme Strength, and Two-Weapon Fighting, even if they aren't meets the prerequisites.
- Shadingers gain a +20 racial bonus on Athletics, Bluff, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks and a +10 racial bonus on Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Nature), and Knowledge (Religion) checks.
- Automatic Languages: Common, Shadow, Supernal (If in a vessel, then also the vessel's race automatic languages). Bonus Languages: Any
- Favored Class: Any
- Level Adjustment: +20
Shadow (Language)
Shadow is a language that shadow creatures use to communicate. This language is solely verbal and has no written version. Shadow is unteachable; the language can only be understood, and spoken, by creatures with the shadow type/subtype, which are all inherently proficient with it. For anyone else, it sounds like nothing but meaningless whisperings (although, there are certain rare spells and even technologies that can allow one to understand Shadow).
Vital Statistics
Starting Age: Shadingers are shadows. At the age of about 1, a Shadinger is fully grown. As primordial beings, they are almost as old as the cosmos. The exact age determines by the specific campaign world.
Shadingers Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can research the Shadingers to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.
| DC | Result |
|---|---|
| 5 | Shadingers are powerful, dangerous shadows. |
| 10 | Shadingers are invulnerable primordial shadows that can possess people. |
| 15 | Shadingers were locked down at the beginning of time by the gods, and accidentally released recently. |
| 20 | Rumors about specific person that is told to be possessed by a Shadinger and their location. |
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