Shadowdancer

Shadowdancers walk the thin boundary between light and darkness, mastering the art of movement, misdirection, and supernatural stealth. To them, shadows are not merely absence of light—they are a living medium, a veil to hide within and a pathway to traverse.

Often originating as rogues, entertainers, or spies, shadowdancers refine their skills into something uncanny. Their training combines physical grace with an almost mystical connection to shadow itself. In dim light, they seem to blur and flicker; in darkness, they can disappear entirely. Some even learn to step into one shadow and emerge from another, bending space as easily as they bend perception.

While many shadowdancers are solitary infiltrators or assassins, others travel in mysterious troupes, using their abilities to entertain as much as deceive. Their performances—equal parts dance and illusion—leave audiences uncertain whether they witnessed artistry or magic. Beneath that spectacle, however, lies a dangerous truth: a shadowdancer is never more lethal than when unseen.

The power of a shadowdancer grows with their bond to darkness. At first, they simply hide where others cannot, slipping from sight even under watchful eyes. With time, they learn to manipulate shadow itself—calling forth darkness, shaping it, or even commanding it to strike at their enemies. The most powerful among them can dissolve into living shadow, becoming untouchable silhouettes that glide across walls and ceilings or slip through the battlefield unseen.

Despite their eerie abilities, shadowdancers are not bound to a single path. Some are thrill-seekers and performers, delighting in spectacle and danger. Others are spies, thieves, or assassins who weaponize fear and confusion. Wherever they go, they leave behind only questions—and the lingering sense that the darkness itself is watching.

Initiate of Shadow

You gain the following features.

Eyes of the Dark

You gain Darkvision with a range of 60 feet. If you already have Darkvision, its range increases by 60 feet.

Shadow Veil

While you are in dim light or darkness, you can take the Hide action even if you are being observed, provided you are not in bright light.

In addition, you have Advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks you make while in dim light or darkness.

You cannot use your own shadow to qualify for this feature.

Shadow Step

As a Bonus Action while 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.

After you teleport this way, you have Advantage on the first melee attack roll you make before the end of the current turn.

You can use Shadow Step a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Cunning Strike: Fade into Shadow

When you gain the Rogue’s Cunning Strike feature, you gain the following additional Cunning Strike option.

Fade into Shadow. Cost: 1d6 Sneak Attack damage.

When you deal Sneak Attack damage to a creature while you are in dim light or darkness, you can remove 1d6 from your Sneak Attack damage to use this effect.

You teleport up to 10 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. This teleport does not expend a use of Shadow Step.

After teleporting, you can immediately attempt to Hide if you are eligible to do so.

Cloak of Shadows

You can draw darkness around yourself like a living mantle.

As a Bonus Action while you are in dim light or darkness, you can expend one use of Shadow Step to gain the Invisible condition until the start of your next turn.

This invisibility ends early if you make an attack roll, deal damage, force a creature to make a saving throw, or enter bright light.

Shadow Slip

When a creature you can see targets you with an attack while you are in dim light or darkness, you can use your Reaction and expend one use of Shadow Step to impose Disadvantage on the attack roll.

If the attack misses, you can teleport up to 10 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is in dim light or darkness. This movement does not provoke Opportunity Attacks.

Shadow Dance

Your movement becomes fluid and supernatural.

Your Shadow Step range increases to 60 feet.

In addition, once on each of your turns while you are in dim light or darkness, you can spend 15 feet of movement to teleport up to 15 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness.

This movement-based teleport does not expend a use of Shadow Step and does not grant Advantage on an attack roll.

Dancing Between Blades

When you teleport using a Shadowdancer feature, you can move through the spaces of hostile creatures until the end of the current turn.

Those spaces count as difficult terrain, but moving through them does not provoke Opportunity Attacks.

Important: edit your Shadow Step action from level 3 and change the range text from 30 ft. to 60 ft. if D&D Beyond does not update it automatically.

Master of Shadows

You become almost inseparable from darkness.

Umbral Body

While you are in dim light or darkness, you have Resistance to Necrotic damage and to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage from attacks.

You do not gain this Resistance against Radiant damage.

Unseen by Darkvision

While you are Hidden or Invisible in darkness, creatures relying only on Darkvision cannot see you.

This does not protect you from Blindsight, Tremorsense, Truesight, magical detection, or other special senses.

Endless Night

When you roll Initiative, if you have fewer than two uses of Shadow Step remaining, you regain enough uses to have two.

In addition, once per turn when you deal Sneak Attack damage while you are in dim light or darkness, you can deal extra Necrotic damage equal to your Dexterity modifier + your Proficiency Bonus.