Skean-Falach

The Skean-Falach (or hidden blades) are the elite warriors of the Tenebrim. Native to the plane of shadow, they exist between worlds, able to straddle the divide between the material world and the shadow realm. This connection gives them eldritch powers to confound their foes which, combined with their martial skill makes the Skean-Falach a deadly force. Highly mobile masters of stealth and ambush, a trained Skean-Falach is able to move unseen, strike without warning, befuddle his enemies and escape into the shadows. Prized as scouts, spies and assassins, there are many who would seek the powers of the Skean-Falach, but only the Tenebrim know the secrets to existing between worlds.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements: To qualify to become a Skean-Falach, a character must fulfil all the following criteria. Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility. Skills: Stealth 5 ranks, Knowledge (planes) 2 ranks.

Class Skills:

The Skean-Falach's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Knowledge (planes) (Wis), Perception (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex) and Survival (Wis).

Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features:

All of the following are features of the Skean-Falach prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:

Skean-Falach are proficient with the club, crossbow (hand, light, or heavy), dagger (any type), dart, kukri, mace, quarterstaff, rapier, sap, shortbow (normal and composite), and short sword. Skean-Falach are proficient with light armour but not with shields.

Sneak Attack:

This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 every third level (1st, 4th, 7th and 10th). If a Skean-Falach gets a sneak attack bonus from another source, the bonuses on damage stack.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su)

A Skean-Falach can use the Stealth skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of an area of dim light, a Skean-Falach can hide himself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow.

Darkvision (Ex)

A Skean-Falach gains darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If he already has darkvision, the range increases by 30 feet.

Light Sensitivity (Ex)

Creatures with light sensitivity are dazzled in areas of bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell. Suffering a -1 penalty to attack rolls and sight based perception checks.

Evasion (Ex)

At 2nd level, a Skean-Falach gains evasion. If exposed to any effect that normally allows him to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage, he takes no damage with a successful saving throw. The evasion ability can only be used if the Skean-Falach is wearing light armour or no armour.

Gloom Strike (Su)

At 2nd level and higher, when a Skean-Falach is within an area of dim light or darkness, he gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls against enemies that are also within dim light or darkness.

Shadow Jump (Su)

At 3rd level, a Skean-Falach gains the ability to travel between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell. The limitation is that the magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some dim light. A Skean-Falach can jump up to a total of 40 feet each day in this way; this may be a single jump of 40 feet or four jumps of 10 feet each. Every two levels higher than 3rd, the distance a Skean-Falach can jump each day doubles. This amount can be split among many jumps, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a 10-foot increment.

Shadow Tricks:

At 4th level, the Skean-Falach gains the ability to use special shadow tricks. A Skean-Falach can use a shadow trick once per day for every two Skean-Falach levels.


 * Binding Darkness (Sp)


 * As a standard action, the Skean-Falach casts a weave of shadows at any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. The shadows entangle the foe for 1 round plus 1 additional round for every two Skean-Falach levels. In conditions of bright light, this duration is halved (minimum 1 round). A creature entangled by the shadows has concealment from those without darkvision or the ability to see in darkness, and other creatures likewise have concealment relative to it.


 * Cloak of Gloom (Sp)


 * As a standard action, a Skean-Falach can draw upon his link to the plane of shadow to shroud himself in an aura of darkness. This grants a +4 circumstance bonus on Stealth checks. The effect lasts for 10 minutes/Skean-Falach level. If the Skean-Falach makes an attack, this spell ends (as invisibility).


 * Menacing Shadow (Sp)


 * As a standard action, the Skean-Falach conjures a shadowy mirror image of himself to confuse and befuddle his enemies. The Menacing Shadow moves to engage any enemy that the Skean-Falach is fighting in melee combat. While it does not cause any damage, the Menacing Shadow always positions itself to flank the opponent. If the Menacing Shadow is unable move to flank the opponent, it will occupy the nearest square to a flanking position and move to flank it as soon as possible. When a target is first attacked by the Menacing Shadow, it may make a Will save to ignore the it and not suffer the penalties of being flanked. The DC of the save is 12 plus the Skean-Falach's charisma modifier. A target that is unable to see the Menacing Shadow is not affected. The Menacing Shadow can be physically attacked, it has the same AC as the Skean-Falach and 2D8 hit points. The Menacing Shadow lasts for 1 round/shadow caster level or until destroyed. The caster can dismiss it at any time.


 * Roiling Darkness (Sp)


 * As a standard action, the Skean-Falach conjures a cloud of roiling, black shadow matter. The cloud obscures all sight beyond 5 feet except darkvision. A creature 5 feet away has concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker cannot use sight to locate the target). The cloud extends in a 20 foot radius from the Skean-Falach and remains in place once it has been conjured. It dissipates after 1 minute/Skean-Falach level.


 * Shadow Weapon (Sp)


 * As a standard action the Skean-Falach uses raw shadow matter to shape a quasi-real masterwork melee weapon of a type he is proficient with. He may use this weapon to make attacks as if it were a real weapon, dealing normal damage for a weapon of its type. The first time he hits a creature with the weapon, the target may make a Will save to disbelieve; failure means the weapon deals damage normally, success means it only takes 1 point of damage from the weapon’s attacks. The weapon only deals 1 point of damage to objects. The target cannot make a save to disbelieve if he is flat footed or unaware of the attack, he may attempt to save as normal as soon as he is aware of the attack. The DC of the save is 12 plus the Skean-Falach's charisma modifier. At 6th level, the weapon gains a +1 enhancement bonus. At 8th-level, the Skean-Falach may increase the enhancement bonus to +2 or add the frost weapon property. The frost property has no effect if the target makes its disbelief save. The weapon lasts for 1 minute/level or until the weapon leaves the Skean-Falach's possession.


 * Tenebrous Decoy (Sp)


 * As a standard action, the Skean-Falach conjures an illusory image of himself from raw shadow stuff. The decoy can appear anywhere within 30 feet of the caster, the decoy does not move from the area in which it was conjured, but appears to be breathing and alive. Creatures encountering the decoy must study it closely or interact with it and pass a Will save in order to realise that it is not real. The DC of the save is 12 plus the caster's charisma modifier. The Decoy has an AC of 10 + the caster's dex modifier and will trigger a saving throw to disbelieve if it is struck. Casting the decoy can be combined with a stealth check to effectively switch places with the decoy, this check can be made in plain site as long as the Skean-Falach within 10 feet of an area of shadow. As a special full round action, the Skean-Falach may make a shadow jump, leaving a tenebrous decoy behind in the area that he jumped from. All the normal shadow jump restrictions apply.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

At 5th level and higher, Skead-Falach can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the Skead-Falach by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target has Skead-Falach levels.

If a character already has uncanny dodge from another class, the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Improved Shadow Tricks (Sp)

At 6th level the Skean-Falach adds +2 to DC of all saves verses his shadow tricks.

Escape Death (Su)

At 8th level, once per day, when the Skean-Falach would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by a melee attack, he can use an immediate action to take a shadow jump to escape the attack, leaving a tenebrous decoy in his place. He takes no damage from the attack. The Skean-Falach is staggered for 1 round on his next turn. The distance that he leaps counts toward his normal shadow jump allowance. If he does not have enough allowance to escape the attack, he takes damage as normal.

Greater Shadow Tricks (Sp)

At 8th level the Skean-Falach adds a further +2 to DC of all saves verses his shadow tricks.

Shadow Walk (Sp)

At 10th level, the Skean-Falach gains the ability to cast Shadow Walk once per day

Shadow Meld (Su)

At 10th level, whenever a Skean-Falach is in an area of dim light, he is able to step partway into the shadow realm, gaining a +5 bonus to all stealth checks, DR 5/— and a +2 luck bonus on all saving throws.

Improved Evasion (Ex)

This ability, gained at 10th level, works like evasion (see above). A Skead-Falach takes no damage at all on successful saving throws against attacks that allow a Reflex saving throw for half damage. What's more, he takes only half damage even if he fails his saving throw.