Shadow Monarch

Rogues of the Shadow Monarch archetype are feared and respected for their ability to command the very darkness that surrounds them. These rogues are necromantic tacticians, able to raise shadows from the remains of fallen enemies, turning them into powerful minions who fight at their side. Masters of subtlety and manipulation, they are not only experts in striking from the shadows but also in controlling the battlefield with their spectral army.

When a Shadow Monarch strikes, they leave a lasting impression, not just on their target, but on the very essence of those they defeat. With their unique power to raise shadows from the corpses of those they fell, the Shadow Monarch becomes a literal king of the dead, leading these minions into battle with terrifying precision. But their true power lies in the way they control and manipulate these shadows, bringing them back to fight again and again, so long as they remain under the rogue's control.

Shadow Bind

3rd Level Feature

When you choose this subclass at 3rd level, you gain the power to bind the echoes of the dead into loyal Shadow Legions, commanding their essence as spectral warriors from your Shadow Realm.

Speak with Shadows

You can see and communicate telepathically with the souls of creatures that died within the last 24 hours, provided their bodies are within 30 feet. These souls linger for up to 2 hours after death, or longer if they have unfinished business (DM’s discretion). If a soul seeks revenge, justice, or is persuaded to serve you (via a Charisma (Persuasion) check, DC set by the DM), you gain advantage on checks to raise their shadow.

Raising a Shadow Legion

When a creature dies within 30 feet, you can attempt to bind its essence into a Shadow Legion as a free action. Make a Shadow Control Check: 1d20 + your Rogue level + your proficiency bonus, against a DC of 10 + the creature’s CR (minimum DC 12). You have advantage if the creature’s soul seeks revenge, justice, or agrees to serve you.

• You can attempt to raise a creature’s shadow up to three times before its soul moves on (typically 2 hours after death, or longer if it has unfinished business, DM’s discretion). These attempts do not cost hit points.

• If the check succeeds, the shadow is bound to your Shadow Realm, and you gain 1 temporary hit point, permanently tied to that shadow. These temporary hit points last until the shadow is released (see below) and do not expire otherwise. You cannot raise a creature’s shadow if its soul has moved on or if it lacks a soul (e.g., constructs, certain undead).

• Regaining Temporary Hit Points: If you expend temporary hit points (e.g., through damage or summoning), you regain half your expended temporary hit points (rounded up) on a short rest and all expended temporary hit points on a long rest.

Summoning Shadow Legions

As a bonus action, you can summon one or more Shadow Legions from your Shadow Realm to an unoccupied space within 10 feet. Each shadow costs 1 temporary hit point tied to that specific shadow to summon. If you have no temporary hit points, you can spend 1 regular hit point to summon two shadows of your choice from the Shadow Realm.

• Shadow Limit: You can control up to 2 Shadow Legions at 3rd level (increasing to 4 at 6th level, 8 at 11th level, and 16 at 17th level). Summoning beyond this limit causes an existing shadow (your choice) to return to the Shadow Realm.

• Health Restriction: If your hit points are at or below half your maximum, you can only summon and control one Shadow Legion at a time. If you have multiple shadows active when your hit points drop to half or below, each shadow must succeed on a Charisma saving throw (DC 10) at the start of its turn or return to the Shadow Realm, until only one remains. If your hit points drop to 0, all summoned shadows return to the Shadow Realm.

• Releasing Shadows: As a free action, you can release a shadow from your service, allowing its soul to rest. This permanently removes the shadow from your Shadow Realm and eliminates the temporary hit point tied to it. If a shadow is returned to the Shadow Realm by your command (not by dropping to 0 HP), you do not lose the temporary hit point tied to it.

Shadow Legion Traits

Shadow Legions are spectral copies of the creature at its peak, reshaped by darkness. They act immediately after your turn, following your telepathic commands (within 60 feet). You can perceive through their senses via your telepathic link.

• Hit Points: 2 × the creature’s original maximum hit points.

• Armor Class (AC): 12 (10 for Spellcasters) + your proficiency bonus (shadow armor).

• Speed: Original speed + 20 feet. (+10 feet for Spellcasters)

• Attacks: The shadow can make two weapon attacks per turn, dealing 1d6 bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage + 1d6 necrotic damage, with a +your proficiency bonus to attack rolls. Damage increases to 2d6 at 6th level, 3d6 at 11th level, and 4d6 at 17th level.

• Spellcasters (Optional): If the original creature was a spellcaster, its shadow can make two ranged spell attacks per turn (30-foot range), dealing 1d6 magical damage + 1d6 necrotic damage, with the same damage scaling as above.

• Shield of Faith (Spellcasters Only): As a reaction, a spellcaster Shadow Legion can cast a spectral shield, blocking incoming spells or damage from the front and protecting all creatures within 10 feet behind it. The shield lasts for 1 minute, during which the shadow cannot take other actions. The shield’s strength scales with your Rogue level:

  • Level 3: Blocks up to 3rd-level spells or 25 damage.

  • Level 6: Blocks up to 5th-level spells or 50 damage.

  • Level 11: Blocks up to 7th-level spells or 120 damage.

  • Level 17: Blocks up to 9th-level spells or 250 damage.

• Durability: If a Shadow Legion drops to 0 HP, it returns to the Shadow Realm and can be re-summoned later by paying the summoning cost.

• Loss Conditions: If you fail a death saving throw, you lose 1d6 Shadow Legions from your Shadow Realm (permanently). If you fail a second death saving throw, you lose 1d8 Shadow Legions. If you die, all Shadow Legions are lost forever, even if you are resurrected.

Shadow Realm

Your Shadow Realm is an infinite demiplane within your shadow, where bound Shadow Legions are stored. You can store an unlimited number of shadows, but your control limit (2 at 3rd level) restricts how many can be active at once.

• Monarch Authority: If you have 10 or more Shadow Legions in your realm you gain authority over the shadows. Granting advantage in attempting to raise a shadow from a corpse and granting fear conditions to hostile shadows and spirits within 30 feet of you.

Shadow Dominion

9th Level Feature

Your mastery over the Shadow Realm deepens, allowing you to command your Shadow Legion with unparalleled precision and meld with shadows to outmaneuver foes. You gain the following features, building on your Shadow Bind ability.

Shadow Command

Your Shadow Legion becomes more disciplined, responding to your tactical commands with enhanced effectiveness.

• Tactical Command: As a bonus action, you can issue a telepathic command to one Shadow Legion within 60 feet, granting it one of the following actions until the start of your next turn:

  • Assault: The shadow makes one additional attack on its turn (three total).

  • Defend: The shadow gains resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. If it has the highest hit points among your active Shadow Legion, it emits a taunting aura, forcing hostile creatures within 10 feet to make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier) or target only that shadow with attacks until the start of your next turn. Other Shadow Legion prioritize protecting you and your allies, granting advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to you and allies within 5 feet of them.

  • Maneuver: The shadow’s speed increases by 20 feet, it can move through other creatures’ spaces without treating them as difficult terrain, and hostile creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls against it due to its swift movement. You can use Tactical Command a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all uses on a long rest.

Umbral Shroud

You can manipulate ambient shadows or conjure darkness to become nearly untouchable.

• As an action, you can choose one of the following effects based on the lighting conditions:

  • In Bright Light: You cast the darkness spell (15-foot radius, centered on you) without expending a spell slot, using your Rogue level as the spellcasting level. You and your Shadow Legion can see through this magical darkness. While in this darkness, you and your Shadow Legion gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks, and hostile creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls against you and your shadows.

  • In Dim Light or Darkness: You blend into ambient shadows, becoming invisible for 1 minute or until you attack or cast a spell. While invisible, you and your Shadow Legion gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks, and hostile creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls against you and your shadows.

• When you summon a Shadow Legion while either effect is active, you can spend 1 additional temporary hit point to summon the shadow directly into the darkness or shadowed area (within 15 feet of you), even if the space is occupied, causing the shadow to emerge and make one immediate attack against a creature within 5 feet of it.

• You can use Umbral Shroud once, regaining the ability on a long rest. If you expend all temporary hit points tied to your Shadow Legion, you can spend 2 regular hit points to use this feature again, but you cannot do so if your hit points are at or below half your maximum.

Shadow Step

You can slip through shadows with supernatural agility, a prelude to greater powers at higher levels.

• As a bonus action, when you are in dim light or darkness, you can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. If you teleport into your Umbral Shroud’s darkness or shadowed area, you can immediately make a Dexterity (Stealth) check to hide as part of the same bonus action, even if observed.

• Shadow Swap: Once per turn, as a reaction when a Shadow Legion within 60 feet is targeted by an attack or effect, you can swap places with that shadow without expending a use of Shadow Step. The shadow takes your place, and you appear in its space.

• You can use Shadow Step a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all uses on a long rest. Uses are only expended when teleporting to an enemy’s shadow, an ally’s shadow, or an open space in dim light or darkness.

Future Progression: At 13th level, you can teleport to the shadow of an ally or Shadow Legion within line of sight, regardless of distance, expending one use of Shadow Step. At 17th level, this range becomes unlimited, provided you can see or know the ally or shadow’s location (e.g., via telepathic link).

Monarch's Ascendancy

13th Level Feature

Your dominion over the Shadow Realm elevates you to new heights, allowing you to summon elite shadows, traverse vast distances through shadows, and impose your will on the battlefield. You gain the following features, building on your Shadow Bind and Shadow Dominion abilities.

Elite Shadow Legion

You can bind and summon elite shadows, spectral champions that embody the pinnacle of your power, your named generals.

• Elite Binding: When you succeed on a Shadow Control Check to raise a Shadow Legion (per Shadow Bind), you can designate it as an elite shadow if the creature’s CR was 5 or higher. Elite shadows have the following enhanced traits:

  • Hit Points: 3 × the original creature’s maximum hit points (instead of 2 ×).

  • Attacks: Elite shadows make three attacks per turn (instead of two), dealing 3d6 +2d6 necrotic damage per attack (as per Shadow Dominion at level 13).

  • Special Ability: Choose one of the following when binding the elite shadow:

    • Champion’s Strike: The elite shadow’s attacks impose disadvantage on the target’s next attack roll until the start of the shadow’s next turn.

    • Guardian’s Aegis: As a reaction, the elite shadow can grant advantage on a saving throw to you or an ally within 5 feet against an effect you can see.

    • Phantom’s Guile: The elite shadow has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and can hide as a bonus action.

  • Limit: You can have only one elite shadow bound at a time. Binding a new elite shadow releases the previous one, removing its temporary hit point (per Shadow Bind).

• Summoning Elite Shadows: Summoning an elite shadow costs 2 temporary hit points (tied to that shadow) instead of 1, or 1 regular hit point if you have no temporary hit points (instead of 2 shadows per 1 HP). Elite shadows count toward your Shadow Legion control limit (8 at level 13).

Shadow Azguard

The Shadow Realm cloaks you in invisible armor, enhancing your defenses and allowing you to instill terror as you move through shadows.

• Shadow Armor: You gain a permanent +2 bonus to your Armor Class, as invisible shadow armor envelops you, reflecting the Shadow Monarch’s unyielding resilience.

• Shadow Veil: As a bonus action, you envelop yourself in a protective shadow aura for 1 minute, gaining an additional +2 bonus to your Armor Class (stacking with Shadow Armor). While the aura is active, you can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space in dim light or darkness, or to the shadow of an ally or Shadow Legion within line of sight, provided the destination is in dim light or darkness. If you teleport into your Umbral Shroud’s darkness or shadowed area, you can make a Dexterity (Stealth) check to hide as part of the same bonus action, even if observed.

• You can use Shadow Veil a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all uses on a long rest. If you expend all temporary hit points tied to your Shadow Legion, you can spend 2 regular hit points to use this feature again, but you cannot do so if your hit points are at or below half your maximum.

• Future Progression: At 17th level, your Shadow Veil teleportation range becomes unlimited for allies or Shadow Legion, provided you know their location (e.g., via telepathic link or scrying), allowing you to appear at their side from across the planes.

Shadow Surge

You can unleash a surge of shadow energy to overwhelm your enemies, asserting your dominion over the battlefield.

• As an action, you create a 20-foot-radius sphere of oppressive shadow energy centered on you, lasting for 1 minute. Hostile creatures in the area must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier) or be frightened of you for the duration. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. While in the area, you and your Shadow Legion gain the following benefits:

  • Your movement speed increases by 10 feet.

  • You and your Shadow Legion have advantage on attack rolls against frightened creatures.

• When you summon a Shadow Legion (or elite shadow) while Shadow Surge is active, you can spend 1 additional temporary hit point to have the shadow emerge with a surge of energy, dealing 3d6 necrotic damage to all hostile creatures within 5 feet of its summoning point (no save).

• You can use Shadow Surge once, regaining the ability on a long rest. If you expend all temporary hit points tied to your Shadow Legion, you can spend 2 regular hit points to use this feature again, but you cannot do so if your hit points are at or below half your maximum.

Sovereign of Shadows

17th Level Feature

You ascend as the true Sovereign of Shadows, your vitality bolstered by your legion, empowering your allies, and commanding an unrelenting tide of shadows to dominate the battlefield. You gain the following features, building on your Shadow Bind, Shadow Dominion, and Monarch’s Ascendancy abilities.

Supreme Shadow Legion

Your Shadow Legion reaches its zenith, enhancing your vitality and making your elite shadows even more formidable, with unmatched control over their ranks.

• Shadow Vitality: Your maximum hit points increase by 8, equal to half the maximum number of bound Shadow Legion (16 at this level), reflecting the Shadow Monarch’s resilience drawn from his legion.

• Supreme Binding: You have advantage in binding an elite shadow (per Elite Shadow Legion), it gains the following enhancements when bind successfully:

  • Hit Points: 4 × the original creature’s maximum hit points (instead of 3 ×).

  • Attacks: Elite shadows make four attacks per turn (instead of three), dealing 4d6 + 1d6 necrotic damage per attack (as per Shadow Dominion at level 17).

  • Special Ability: The elite shadow gains both Champion’s Strike and Guardian’s Aegis (from Elite Shadow Legion), or you can choose Phantom’s Guile to gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and hide as a bonus action.

  • Limit: You can now bind and control up to two elite shadows at a time, each costing 2 temporary hit points to summon (or 1 regular hit point if no temporary hit points remain).

• Legion Empowerment: All Shadow Legion (regular and elite) gain resistance to necrotic damage and advantage on saving throws against being frightened. When you summon a Shadow Legion, you can spend 1 additional hit point to grant it advantage on attack rolls until the start of your next turn.

• Control Limit: Your Shadow Legion control limit increases to 16 (including up to two elite shadows).

Shadow Azguard Ascendancy

Your mastery of the Shadow Realm cloaks you and your allies in protective shadows, granting unparalleled defenses and the ability to traverse planes with a thought.

• Shadow Armor: Your permanent +2 bonus to Armor Class (from Shadow Azguard) persists, reflecting the Shadow Monarch’s unyielding resilience.

• Shadow Veil: As a bonus action, you envelop yourself and all allies within 10 feet in a protective shadow aura for 1 minute, granting you and those allies an additional +2 bonus to Armor Class (stacking with your Shadow Armor). While the aura is active:

  • You can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space in dim light or darkness, or to the shadow of an ally or Shadow Legion anywhere, provided you know their location (e.g., via telepathic link, scrying, or prior knowledge) and the destination is in dim light or darkness. If you teleport into your Umbral Shroud’s darkness or shadowed area, you can make a Dexterity (Stealth) check to hide as part of the same bonus action, even if observed.

  • You and affected allies gain shadow vision, allowing you to see through magical darkness created by your Umbral Shroud. Hostile creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls against you and affected allies due to the disorienting shadow aura.

• Abyssal Gaze: When you teleport using Shadow Veil, you can force one creature within 10 feet of your destination to make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier) or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn. The creature feels as if it’s staring into the abyss, overwhelmed by your monarch-like presence. A creature that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to this effect for 24 hours.

• You can use Shadow Veil a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all uses on a long rest. If you expend all temporary hit points tied to your Shadow Legion, you can spend 2 regular hit points to use this feature again, but you cannot do so if your hit points are at or below half your maximum.

Monarch’s Domain

You unleash the full might of the Shadow Realm, summoning an unrelenting legion that overwhelms your enemies with an endless tide of shadows.

As an action, you activate Monarch’s Domain for 1 minute, summoning 2 elite shadows and 4 regular Shadow Legion (from your bound shadows) to unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of you. These shadows follow your telepathic commands and act immediately after your turn. While the domain is active:

• Endless Legion: Whenever a summoned shadow (elite or regular) drops to 0 hit points, a new shadow of the same type instantly appears in its place, provided you have sufficient temporary hit points to pay the summoning cost (2 temp HP for an elite shadow, 1 temp HP for a regular shadow, or 1 regular HP for 2 regular shadows or 1 elite shadow if no temp HP remains). Replacement shadows are chosen from your bound Shadow Legion and appear in the same space or the nearest unoccupied space.
• Overwhelming Presence: Hostile creatures within 10 feet of 2 or more summoned shadows (elite or regular) from your Monarch’s Domain must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier) at the start of their turn or be frightened of you until the start of their next turn. A creature that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to this effect for 24 hours.
• Enhanced Summons: When you summon a shadow (including replacements) within the domain, you can spend 1 additional temporary hit point to have the shadow emerge with a surge of energy, dealing 4d6 necrotic damage to all hostile creatures within 10 feet of its summoning point (no save).

• You can use Monarch’s Domain once, regaining the ability on a long rest. If you expend all temporary hit points tied to your Shadow Legion, you can spend 3 regular hit points to use this feature again, but you cannot do so if your hit points are at or below half your maximum. The domain ends early if you are incapacitated or have no bound shadows or temp HP remaining to summon replacements.