Shadowdancer (Pathfinder Second Edition Archetype)
(art by Nether on Artstation)
Yesterday I mentioned that the shadowcaster shared a few feats with the shadowdancer, and now, we’re covering it as well.
The shadowdancer has a history that hearkens back to Pathfinder’s origins in 3.5 D&D, where it was a prestige class typically taken by bards or rogues. It of course made the jump to Pathfinder since it was one of the prestige classes in the 3.5 Player Handbook, and then on to Second Edition as well. However, since it has it’s origins with the time when Wizards of the Coast had ownership of the D&D property, and with the scenanigans on that company’s part which gave rise to the Remaster, it should come as no surprise why the 2e version didn’t get an update/reprint of in Player Core 2, which is arguably the Remaster version of the APG.
In any case, a shadowdancer, for those that aren’t aware, is one who has an innate connection to the shadows, able to hone it through a sort of dance or set of agile motions to slip in and out of them, as well as invoke the power of the shadows into spell-like effects, altogether combining the stealth of the rogue with the spellcasting flexibility of a shadow-focused illusionist. Honestly this is probably the best interpretation of the Shadowdancer I’ve seen so far outside of the original d20 system (be it 3.5 or Pathfinder), certainly better than when 4e merged shadowdancer and assassin into the same concept and 5e made it a monk subclass and synonymous with ninja.
In any case, Second Edition goes the extra mile by giving us lore on how some people, through accident of birth or cosmic circumstance, develop an innate connection to the shadows that beckons them to explore it, should they dare. So let’s have a look!
The base dedication for a shadowdancer, which is one of the rare ones that becomes available at levels later than 2, enhances their stealth as the shadows wrap around them, and grants them with superior darkvision that pierces even magical darkness.
Like shadowcasters, these sneaks can learn to conjure a cloak of darkness around themselves or how to jump from shadow to shadow via teleportation. Another feat gets them the spell they didn’t pick the first time.
If the shadowdancer does not already have training for delivering lethal blows from stealth, they can learn it through the development of this skill set.
Non-rogues can also gain the roguish skill of avoiding and negating being taken advantage of from stealthy or underhanded foes as well.
They can also, like many shadowcasters, create semi-real objects or creatures from shadow, the later of which being stronger than your average illusory creature. (and may be a stand-in for the old shadowdancer standby of having their own shadow be an undead shadow minion, come to think of it).
Continuing with the abilities shared between casters and dancers, they can also learn to use shadow magic to unleash a facsimile of various elemental evocation spells once a day.
Many also learn how to rush from the shadows, striking their foes before they even know what hit them, which is another technique borrowed from rogues.
While their ability to pierce all darkness is incredibly useful, many hone their senses further to notice the presence of hidden threats even their eyes fail to notice.
Shadowdancers often find it useful to resist mental control, and learn the roguish art of finding cognitive loopholes to subvert their orders.
True masters among shadowdancers are literally wrapped in shadows, armoring them against incoming attacks when not in bright light, and even softening the blow of explosive spells, whether it bey by cushioning them with semi-real shadowstuff, or by transforming themselves partially into unreal shadow.
Traditionally, this archetype was meant for agile characters like rogues, bards, and the occasional monk, but with the way Second Edition archetypes work, this need not be the case. Imagine a mighty warrior wrapped in protective shadows, or an investigator that can hunt down fleeing foes through the very shadows they think will protect them. Obviously shadowcaster is probably the preferred choice if you’re playing any sort of mage, but shadowdancer has a lot of fun toys in it’s arsenal for making a shadowy rogue or pseudo-rogue.
Now, it’s important to remember that darkness and shadows, while definitely in the evil power toolkit, are inherently amoral forces just as negative energy is. It’s how you use them that lends morality to them. As such, there are plenty of heroic shadowdancers, even if the majority are of more dubious morality if not outright evil.
In the criminal underworld, it is often considered wisdom to let dead matters remain buried, particularly when it is in fact a corpse. However, when a new young crime lord orders the tombs of past enforcers opened to plunder for magical weapons for his new generation of hired blades, he finds more than he bargained for. Now, his organization is being hunted by an undead killer with even greater power over the shadows than he had in life.
Though her kind thrive in the sun, Daya Moonflower finds solace in the dark, and the suli ghoran delights in the power it offers, becoming a daring swashbuckler thief that vanishes and reappears from the darkness like a figment from a dream.
Eager to unite the various stone giant tribes into an empire, Kuvalk Nightlord (called Kuvalk Night-Tainted by his detractors) is an imposing warrior of a stone giant, with a knack for channeling shadows that he has cultivated over the years, becoming a warrior clad in shadows almost as heavy as his armor.
