When you spend enough time lurking in the shadows, you begin
to understand them better than others. You can tell the difference
between the lighter or darker ones, not just by how much light they
allow in, whether they are solid darkness or simply dim, but how
they feel when you are inside them. Some are light as a summer
breeze, while others wrap around you like a heavy cloak to keep you
warm and safe. Perhaps you even talk to the blackness when the rest
of the world is asleep.
The life of a rogue can be lonely at the best of times, after all, and
what better companion for a thief than the shadows themselves. You
aren’t even shocked when the shadows begin to talk back, whisper- ing the secrets they keep and encouraging you to embrace the power
they offer.
Shadowdancers are a rarity, or more correctly they are rarely seen.
And when they are, they look to be no more than any other nim- ble rogue, dancing and leaping across the dimly lit battlefield. Those
with keen eyes sometimes see more though. They might in fact see
a darker, near impenetrable black mass of shadows cascade around
the rogue like water and follow their every footstep. They will likely
watch in wonder as the darkness pushes blades aside and absorbs
attacks. They will be finally struck with horror when the same shadows lash out at them, to wrap their arms and hold them tight while
the rogue’s dagger finds its mark.
Shadow Dance
Learning how to carefully weave the partial substance of
shadow into your very essence, you have truly become one
with the dark. While in dim light or darkness, you can take
two actions with your Cunning Action feature as part of the
same bonus action, though you can’t take the same action
twice as part of the same bonus action.
You can use this feature once. You regain all expended
uses when you finish a long rest.
When you reach certain levels in this class, you can use
this feature more often between rests: twice at 5th level,
three times at 11th level, four times at 17th level, five times
by 23rd level, and six times by 28th level.
Shadow Vision
You gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet and you can
discern color in darkness. If you already have darkvision
from your race, its range increases by 30 feet. In addition,
you can’t be blinded while in dim light or darkness. If you
are already blinded when entering an area of dim light or
darkness, the effect is suppressed while you’re there.
Umbral Camouflage
Accustomed to the dark, you become more adept than others at blending in with it as the shadows stretch around you
to obscure you. You can take the Hide action even while being observed, so long as you are in dim light or darkness,
or there is a source of dim light or darkness within 10 feet
of you.
Shadow Magic
You can shape the raw essence of shadow into powerful illusions and effects. You learn the investiture of shadow* and
silent image spells. You can cast these spells at their lowest
level without expending spell slots or components, and only
while in dim light or darkness. An illusion hit by bright light
disappears in a flash of black smoke.
Once you use this feature to cast a spell, you can’t use it
again until you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Umbral Defense
While in dim light or darkness, you can take the Dodge action as a bonus action with your Cunning Action feature; if
you do so, the effect ends early if you are touched by bright
light.
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