Shadowdancer

Shadowdancers are mages from wilderness cultures not typically known for the arcane arts. This includes such species as wild elves, ghostwise halflings, and forest gnomes to name a few. Speak to your DM about what other races would fit. Shadowdancers defend their people and lands from the shadows by mastering a specialized form of blade fighting and stealth grounded in a tradition of arcane magic. In combat, a shadowdancer uses a series of intricate, covert maneuvers that fend off harm and allow the shadowdancer to channel magic into devastating attacks and a cunning defense.

Training in Survival and Stealth

When you adopt this tradition at 2nd level, you gain proficiency with light armor, and you gain proficiency with one type of finesse weapon of your choice.

Your training also affords you with the ability to blend more seamlessly with your surroundings, particularly in the wild. Choose proficiency in either the Stealth or Survival skills.

Stealth

As an arcane protector of your people, you need to be a master of many skills. The Shadowdance focuses on elusiveness and using shadows to your advantage. As a result of your training, you have learned the value of stealth.

Survival

As an arcane protector of your people, you need to be a master of many skills. This sometimes includes surviving for days on end by yourself or tracking intruders through the wilderness. 

Shadowdance

Starting at 2nd level, you can invoke a trance-like state of evasive movement called the Shadowdance. This is provided that you aren’t wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield. It graces you with supernatural speed, agility, and focus.

You can use a bonus action to start the Shadowdance, which lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are Incapacitated, if you don medium or heavy armor or a shield, or if you use two hands to make an attack with a weapon. You can also dismiss the Shadowdance at any time you choose (no action required).

While your Shadowdance is active, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).
• Your walking speed increases by 10 feet.
• You gain the ability to Hide as a bonus action.
• You gain a bonus to any Constitution saving throw you make to maintain your concentration on a spell. The bonus equals your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).

You can use this feature twice. You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.

Extra Attack

Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Flickering Step

Beginning at 10th level, your Shadowdance causes your form to flicker and shift like the dancing shadows of a deep and ancient forest canopy. You are difficult to hit squarely and you can use your magic to deflect damage while your Shadowdance is active. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to expend one spell slot and reduce that damage to you by an amount equal to five times the spell slot’s level. For instance, expending a 2nd level spell slot would reduce the damage by 10.

During your Shadowdance, you may also cast Blur as a bonus action provided you have the spell prepared and have a spell slot available of second level or higher. 

Prowess of the Gloaming

Your expertise of the Shadowdance is unparalleled. You are a master of slipping in and out of shadows, dancing like a leaf on the wind, and striking with deadly accuracy.

Starting at 14th level, you add your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1) to the damage of your Shadowdance melee weapon attacks.

In addition, if you know and cast Shadow Blade during your Shadowdance, it no longer requires concentration. Concentration is once again required as soon as the Shadowdance ends.

You may use a spell slot higher than 2nd to cast the spell but must choose between the scaled damage or the concentration freedom. For instance, you can cast the spell using a 5th level spell slot to deal 4d8 damage per attack but it will require concentration. Alternatively you can use the same 5th level spell slot to deal 2d8 damage per attack but require no concentration.