Table 6–9: The Umbral Disciple Base Attack Fort Ref Will “Shadows can be found anywhere—even in the soul. Let me show Level Bonus Save Save Save you why you should be afraid of the dark.” 1st +0 +0 +2 +2 —Javarral Lysselvedar
UMBRAL DISCIPLE
PRESTIGE CLASSES
CHAPTER 6
of the Shadow Lion Sept The umbral disciple is a student of shadow in both a literal and a metaphysical sense. By infusing shadows with essentia, he can harness both the darkness of the world and the darkness of his own soul to meet whatever goals he has in mind. Others might shrink from dark places and dread the creatures that stir when the light fades, but the umbral disciple stares into the heart of the night without flinching. Much like the monk, the umbral disciple seeks to explore his own nature and perfectly master the dark power he finds within himself. The rare combination of stealth, mobility, and combat prowess that he cultivates makes him an excellent spy, burglar, magic-wielder, or assassin. Some umbral disciples become freelance monster hunters or vigilantes dedicated to seeking out evildoers and teaching them to fear the dark. Others become heartless killers who use their powers to prey on the weak and the defenseless. But regardless of how their skills manifest, all umbral disciples are drawn to the shadows, where they can clearly see the potential of their own souls.
BECOMING AN UMBRAL DISCIPLE First and foremost, an umbral disciple needs the ability to hide well, and he must be able to rely on his hearing when sight fails. In addition, he must develop strong mental discipline and study at least a small amount of arcane lore. Monks, rogues, or rangers can meet these requirements easily, though a few umbral disciples begin their careers as ninjas (described in Complete Adventurer). An umbral disciple also needs a store of soul energy with which to shape the shadows. Azurins and dusklings meet this requirement automatically because of the racial trait that grants them essentia. However, a candidate can also meet this prerequisite by taking an incarnum feat such as Indigo Strike or Sapphire Smite, or by taking a level in the incarnate or totemist meldshaping classes. The key abilities for an umbral disciple include Dexterity (for stealth and agility in combat) and Constitution (for soulmelds). Depending on the character’s other classes and specific focus, a high Strength or Wisdom score can also prove useful. Entry Requirements Skills: Concentration 4 ranks, Hide 8 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 2 ranks, Listen 8 ranks. Essentia Pool: 1.
CLASS FEATURES
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As an umbral disciple, you are most comfortable in the shadows. Thus, the abilities you gain focus on stealth, concealment, and the ability to strike by surprise. Furthermore, you can improve the potency of umbral disciple class features by investing essentia in them, as noted in the individual ability descriptions below. Your essentia capacity for these
Hit Die: d6
Essentia Special Pool Sept knowledge, 1 step of the bodiless 2nd +1 +0 +3 +3 Sneak attack +1d6 1 3rd +2 +1 +3 +3 Embrace of shadow 2 4th +3 +1 +4 +4 — 2 5th +3 +1 +4 +4 Sneak attack +2d6 3 6th +4 +2 +5 +5 — 3 7th +5 +2 +5 +5 Sight of the eyeless 4 8th +6 +2 +6 +6 Sneak attack +3d6 5 9th +6 +3 +6 +6 Soulchilling strike 6 10th +7 +3 +7 +7 Kiss of the shadows 7 Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level): Balance, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (arcana), Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Sense Motive, Spot, Tumble
abilities depends on your character level, as given on Table 2–1: Essentia Capacity on page 19. All of the following are class features of the umbral disciple prestige class. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain no new proficiencies with weapons, armor, or shields. Essentia Pool: Your essentia pool increases in size as you progress in the umbral disciple prestige class, as given on Table 6–9: The Umbral Disciple. This essentia can be invested into your class features to increase their power, or in incarnum feats and soulmelds, as normal. Sept Knowledge: If you belong to a sept, you can draw upon its collected knowledge. You gain a +2 bonus on any Knowledge or Gather Information checks made within 24 hours of speaking to another member of the same sept, or a +5 bonus if you visit the sept’s citadel or stronghold. Step of the Bodiless (Su): You can rely on the souls that grant you power to lighten your step and bear you up as you move. Beginning at 1st level, you gain a +2 enhancement bonus on Balance, Climb, Jump, and Tumble checks for every point of essentia you invest in this class feature. Sneak Attack (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, you deal extra damage when you are flanking an opponent or at any time when the target would be denied its Dexterity bonus. This extra damage applies to ranged attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. See the rogue class feature, page 50 of the Player’s Handbook. Embrace of Shadow (Su): Starting at 3rd level, you can weave incarnum into an obscuring shadow that clings to you, providing you with a limited amount of concealment. While you are thus cloaked in shadow, each attack made against you has a 10% miss chance per point of essentia invested in this ability. This miss chance does not stack with miss chances provided by any other ability or effect. If the miss chance granted by this ability is 20% or higher, you also gain the ability to hide in plain sight—that is, you can use the Hide skill even while being observed. See the ranger class feature, page 48 of the Player’s Handbook. Embrace of shadow is usable at will. Sight of the Eyeless (Su): At 7th level, you can tap into the piercing vision of pure, bodiless souls to perceive what
