Greater Shadow

Greater Shadow (Shooter; CR 18)

Chaotic Evil - Medium - Undead (Incorporeal)

Lore:	Know (Religion)
36		51
Basic DC		Full DC

Initiative

37

Perception:
42	+32
Passive	Active

Ambush:

9+

on a d20

Senses:

• Standard Senses
• Darkvision 60 ft.

Movement Types:

• Hover 30 ft.
• Greater Teleport 100 ft.

Defense

AC

42

Man Def

42

Monster Health
1,494	747	34
Hit Points	Bloodied	Hit Dice

Saving Throws
Fort:	+20
Refl:	+15
Will:	+15

Strong Against:

• Incorporeal
• (Undead 1) Immune (no effect): diseases (infected, diseased, blighted), poisons (tainted, poisoned, blighted), ability damage (dilution, damage, drain), and essence damage (suppression, omission, destruction)
• (Undead 2) Immune (no effect): bleeds (bruised, bleed, ruptured), fatigued, exhausted
• (Undead 3) Immune (no effect): magical sleep (drowsy, sluggish, asleep), paralyzed, stunned
• (Undead 4) Immune (no effect): any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless)
• (Incorporeal) Immune (no effect): all damage from non-magic weapons.
• (Incorporeal) Hardened (½ damage): magic weapons, spells, spell-like effects, and supernatural effects.
• (Incorporeal) Incorporeal creatures take full damage from other incorporeal creatures and effects, as well as all force effects.
• (Incorporeal) 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% miss chance. While doing so, they can also be attacked, with a 50% miss chance.
• Immune (no effect): negative energy (energy, uncommon)

Weak Against:

• Vulnerable (1.5x damage): light (energy, uncommon)

Offense

Size:	Medium
5 ft.		10 ft.
Space		Reach

To-Hit

+27

Man Off

+30

Action

1

Points

Standard Attack (Melee):

• 2x Warping Gloom +31 vs. AC (always hits on a 17+ on the die) (5d8+26/19-20 x2)
  as negative (energy, uncommon)
  plus: 1d4+1 points of STR damage.

Full Attack (Melee):

• 4x Warping Gloom +31 vs. AC (always hits on a 17+ on the die) (5d8+26/19-20 x2)
  as negative (energy, uncommon)
  plus: 1d4+1 points of STR damage.

Standard Attack (Ranged):

Full Attack (Ranged):

Siege Damage: Not siege capable

Statistics

17

STR

23

DEX

—

CON

25

INT

14

WIS

16

CHA

Skills:

• Knowledge (Arcana): 30
• Perception: 32
• Stealth: 30
• All other skills: 25 (no ranks)

Languages: Common, Stilth

Feats:

• Combat Reflexes (EFFECT: Monsters with this feat make up to 4 attacks of opportunity per round instead of one.)

Special Abilities

Enfolding Shadows (Su) Swift Action 1/Rnd

Once per round as a swift action, the greater shadow may make a ranged touch attack against an enemy within 120 feet of it, as long as that target is not carrying an active source of bright light. This attack only provokes attacks of opportunity from the target of the attack (assuming that target is threatening the shadow when the attack is made). It does not provoke from other creatures threatening the shadow. Enfolding Shadow 1d20 + 31 vs. AC (always hits on a 17+ on the die) (5d6+17 points of negative (energy, uncommon) damage)

Uncertain Location (Su) Standard Action 1/Enc

The greater shadow shifts and twists, its shape constantly in flux. Greater shadows always have a reach of 10 feet, as well as Combat Reflexes (Feat). In addition, once per encounter as a standard action, the greater shadow may splinter and expand into a roiling mass of shadowy ropes and spiky chains, forcing a Reflex save, DC 28 on all enemy creatures within 30 feet of its space. Those who fail the save suffer 5d8+26 points of negative energy (energy, uncommon) damage, and become Blind to sight until they leave the affected area, or the start of the greater shadow's next turn, whichever comes first. Those who succeed on the saving throw take only half damage and are not blind. Regardless of whether the saving throw succeeds or fails, any active sources of bright light in the area are extinguished for the duration of the ability. This expanded form lasts until the start of the greater shadow's next turn. During this time, the greater shadow's reach is considered to extend out the full 30 feet. The greater shadow is still only attackable from its normal 5-foot space in the middle of this mass of shadowy cords, knots, spikes, and chains.

Manifestation (Su) Full Attack 1/Enc

Once per encounter as a full attack action, the greater shadow can briefly manifest itself into the Prime Material plane, temporarily becoming completely corporeal. During this time, emits a single, massive, burst of elemental shadow into all squares adjacent to its space, inflicting 5d8+26 points of negative energy (energy, uncommon) damage. Enemy creatures in the affected area may make a Fortitude save versus a DC of 28 to reduce this damage by half. Until the start of its next turn, the greater shadow is not incorporeal, suffering full damage from normal attacks during this time. At the start of its next turn, it automatically reverts to its incorporeal form as a free action.

Dissevered Shadow (Su) Move Action 1/Enc

Once per encounter as a move action, the greater shadow may select a bloodied enemy creature within 120 feet of its space and rip its shadow out of its body. Dissevered Shadow may only be used on an enemy creature which is at or below its bloodied hit point value, and who has not already had Dissevered Shadow performed upon it. A creature that is targeted by Dissevered Shadow must make a Fortitude save, DC 28, or gain 1d4+1 points of Essence Omission. Creatures that succeed on the saving throw suffer only 1 point of Essence Omission. In addition, whether the saving throw succeeds or fails, a CR 13 Shadow forms in a space adjacent to the target creature. A shadow summoned by Dissevered Shadow is unable to use its Torn Shadow ability. However, if it is able to spend a full minute adjacent to a recently slain enemy's corpse, it grows into a Greater Shadow. Shadows summoned with this ability always act at the bottom of the round in the initiative order.

Eat the Dark (Su) Swift Action

As a swift action, a greater shadow can consume an adjacent shadow (but not a greater shadow), instantly restoring 374 hit points to itself. By doing so, the shadow is destroyed. As with any healing, the greater shadow can only restore hit points it is actually missing. Any hit points of healing above its maximum hit points are wasted.

Deadshot (Ex; Shooter Role) Always On

Shooters may use any of their listed special attacks as though they have a range increment of 30 feet, with a maximum range of 150 feet. If an ability already has a listed range which is greater than this, use that range instead.

Unblinking Accuracy (Ex; Shooter Role) Always On

Shooters never take penalties for firing into melee. In addition, Shooters never suffer penalties on their attack rolls due to range, though they are still limited by the maximum range of their attack.

Greater Shadow

This creature possesses the Shooter role, and therefore counts as 2 monsters for purposes of encounter size, XP award, and treasure.

This monster frequently has the Shooter role, but may be set to other roles if desired.

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.

Where shadows appear to be incorporeal humanoids, driven by an insatiable desire to snuff out all life, greater shadows no longer comport themselves in any semblance of humanoid shape. They appear to be nearly the same size as normal humanoids (if a bit bulkier), though their shape morphs and shifts constantly, along with their size, making it difficult to know exactly where they are or how big they are at any given moment.

Combat Tactics

Greater Shadows seem to have a trick for all occasions. They teleport, have reach and combat reflexes, and have several attacks which affect all creatures around them. Furthermore, they are smart, can summon minions out of their injured foes, and can make a ranged attack once per round as a swift action. These guys are truly nasty.

Their ranged attack, Enfolding Shadows, should only be used against enemies which are not close to them. It is great for targeting those foes who don't want to close, such as the mage or ranger. That said, if the shadow gets too annoyed by these wallflowers, it can use teleport to get right up next to them, and unleash either Uncertain Location or Manifestation, to give that player a little special attention.

As soon as any enemy gets reduced to its bloodied value, it is nearly always worthwhile for the greater shadow to spend the move action to summon a shadow. Despite their lower CR, shadows are useful to provide flanks, possibly suck up some of the enemy's attacks, and also as a source of healing, should the greater shadow need it.

Because they are incorporeal, greater shadows are not at all shy about getting into the thick of things and mixing it up in melee. However, if an enemy has force attacks, or a ghost touch weapon, they will focus their attacks on these foes. They will try to blind them with Uncertain Location, set up flanks on them, and use any other trick they can think of to make them suffer for being so effective.

While greater shadows are healed by negative energy, all of their attacks can only be used to target enemies. As a result, they must find other means of healing themselves. This is principally done by using Eat the Dark on a summoned shadow, or finding a humanoid of questionable moral character willing to throw some negative energy their way.

Out of Combat

Greater shadows are a terrible menace to the civilized races. They propagate quickly, spawning shadows from injured foes, each of which is capable of growing into a greater shadow if a corpse is made available to it. In encounters with foes they can easily overwhelm, greater shadows will avoid using their Eat the Dark power, in order to allow their newly called Shadows to grow up into their much more powerful forms. It is only when challenged by dangerous foes that they will make use of Eat the Dark.

Entire villages and even cities have been known to fall to a single small group of greater shadows, assuming they are able to hide in a nice dark place during the daytime. Villagers will mysteriously disappear, with no hints about their fate, until the shadows build their numbers to a critical mass. At that point, they will emerge and overwhelm the remaining villagers, completely conquering the town.

Immortality

Many undead creatures, such as this one, cannot be killed by normal means. However, it will lie shattered and dormant after being defeated for up to a century before rising again to seek to rid the world of life. Casting Sanctify Corpse (Cleric Spell), Gentle Repose (Cleric Spell), Rest Eternal (Cleric Spell), Raise Dead (Cleric Spell), Resurrection (Cleric Spell), or using similar life-giving abilities in the space the creature was defeated only will delay its return for another one hundred years. In point of fact, there is no known way, short of a Wish (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell) or Miracle (Cleric Spell), or similar divine or quasi-divine intervention, to permanently destroy incorporeal undead.

Rewards

XP: 307,200 (Shooter role included.)

Treasure: Sellable Goods worth 135,778 gp.

Weight: 360 lbs.     Volume: 14.4 cu. ft.

Optional Treasure Rules: Roll a d20 on Table 1 below once per encounter (NOT per creature). Any items discovered are in addition to the normal treasure for the encounter.

Table 1: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 8	Nothing Found
9 - 12	1 Languid Remnant (tier 1)
13 - 15	1 Pale Remnant (tier 2)
16 - 18	1 Bright Remnant (tier 3)
19 - 20	Roll on Table 2
###	Nothing to see here!
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 2: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 3	4 Languid Remnants (tier 1)
4 - 7	4 Pale Remnants (tier 2)
8 - 11	1 Intense Remnant (tier 4)
12 - 15	1 Blazing Remnant (tier 5)
16 - 18	1 Vital Remnant (tier 6)
19 - 20	Roll on Table 3
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 3: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 3	4 Bright Remnants (tier 3)
4 - 5	4 Intense Remnants (tier 4)
6 - 8	4 Blazing Remnants (tier 5)
9 - 11	4 Vital Remnants (tier 6)
12 - 15	1 Prime Remnant (tier 7)
16 - 18	1 Mythic Remnant (tier 8)
19 - 20	1 Empyrean Remnant (tier 9)