Shadow

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Shadow (CR 13)

The exact origins of malevolent undead Shadows is the source of considerable controversy. Some say they arise from especially evil souls that cling to darkstuff to avoid their eternal fate. Others say they are malign spirits that suffuse the shades of the recently dead to act out their evil will upon the world of the living. Still others say that Shadows are a curse upon the world, the shadow of Undeath laid by some long-lost God or pantheon.

Regardless of their origin, Shadows are terrible foes. They are incorporeal, and can move through and attack from inside solid objects, are resistant to or immune to almost everything, and inflict terrible draining attacks. Shadows are Lost undead, spirits who have no place, and as such they are endlessly restless and deadly. They are also Eaters, driven by The Hunger to consume life and spawn ever more undeath.

As such, shadows are deadly menaces: They can be constrained by reverence and blessed ground, but little else will stop their rampages. Whenever a nest of Shadows is discovered, they must be rooted and burned out without fear, falter, or failure, or tragedy is sure to follow.

GENERAL

CR 13 Hit Dice 19

XP 25,600

CE, Medium, Undead

Init +6; Senses Darkvision 60ft, Perception +20

DEFENSE

AC 34, touch 24, flat-footed 30 (+8 armor, +4 dex, +6 natural, +6 deflection)

hp 295

Fort -, Ref +12, Will +17

Aura: -

SR: -

Special Defenses: Incorporeal

• Incorporeal creatures take half damage (50%) from magic weapons, spells, spell-like effects, and supernatural effects.
• Incorporeal creatures take full damage from other incorporeal creatures and effects, as well as all force effects.
• May enter and move through solid objects, but must remain within one square of the surface. May attack adjacent living creatures from within solid objects with a 50 percent miss chance.

Immunities:

• immune to all non-magical attack forms
• all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms)
• disease, poison, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain
• death effects, necromancy effects, sleep effects
• nonlethal damage
• paralysis, stunning, fatigue, exhaustion
• any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless)

Weaknesses:

• Cannot heal damage on its own (if it has no Int), but healed by negative energy.
• Vulnerable to attacks with the Light or Daylight energy types

OFFENSE

Speed Lesser Flight 40 ft.

Space / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.

Single Melee Shadowy Fangs +16 touch attack (2d8+15/x2 negative energy damage) + 1d6 Str damage

Full Melee Shadowy Fangs +16 touch attack (2d8+15/x2 negative energy Damage) + 1d6 Str damage, 2x Shadowy Claws +21 (2d6+5/x2 negative energy damage)

Ranged None, but see Distorted Shadow

Special Attacks Distorted Shadow, Strength Damage

Action Points 0

STATISTICS

Str -, Dex 16, Con -, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 15

Base Atk +13; CMB +22; Maneuver Defense: 30

Feats -

Skills Knowledge (Local) +20, Stealth +24 (-8 in bright light)

Languages Common, Stilth

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Distorted Shadow

Once per encounter, as a swift action, a Shadow may flicker and distort itself, throwing shards of itself in the area around it. While under the effects of Distorted Shadow, the shadow has a reach of 15 feet and temporarily gains the use of the Combat Reflexes feat, so it may make up to four attacks of opportunity. Distorted shadow lasts until the beginning of the Shadow's next action round.

Strength Damage

All of a Shadow's bite attacks (Shadowy Fangs) inflict STR damage as the Ability Damage status condition. Note that a shadow's attacks of opportunity also inflict STR damage.

Spawn Shadow

Any creature which is killed by the Shadow's Strength damage remains on the field of play. On the killing shadow's initiative tick in the next round, a new Shadow is spawned in that square, with an initiative equal to the creating Shadow's initiative, and it may immediately begin taking actions. Note that killing the spawning Shadow before the new shadow arrives WILL stop the new shadow from appearing.

TREASURE

sell value of approximately 11,250 gp

COMBAT TACTICS

The huge thing about Shadows is that they are incorporeal,so they are immune to non-magical attacks and take half damage from almost everything else. Add in that they have touch attacks and can attack from inside walls, and it gets very unpleasant very quickly.

Shadows are not mindless, but they are not smart, either. Their typical tactic is to hide inside the floor or walls of a room or corridor until they detect the living standing right next to them. They will then take an attack action with a 50 percent miss chance on creatures that walk adjacent to them, and then emerge from the wall and engage in melee.

Shadows love melee, and will strive to go to full attacks as fast as possible, trying to Str drain an enemy to death to get some re-reinforcements. Shadows will not work for flanks, but they will definitely move as much as they can through solid surfaces (most often the floor), to deny their foes opportunity attacks and to move into the back ranks of their enemies as fast as possible.

Shadows are smart enough to 'pile on' a given foe, to try and drain their Str until they die, so as to gain more spawns in the fight.

Shadows will usually only use their Distort Shadow power if they are having trouble reaching a foe. They will get within fifteen feet and distort, and then make their attacks, and attack any foes who move in the area of their Distorted Shadow for as long as it lasts.