Shadow Master

The Shadow Master moves like a whisper in the night, slipping through the darkness with ease. With a flick of their wrist, they bend shadows to their will, creating illusions and striking from unexpected angles. Those who cross the Shadow Master's path may find themselves ensnared in a web of darkness, unable to escape their relentless pursuit.

Shadow Possession

Starting at 3rd level, you gain the ability to meld with the shadows cast by creatures, allowing you to move and perceive through their shadows. As an action, you can choose a creature at most one size larger or smaller than you, within 5 feet of you that is standing in bright light or dim light and that is casting a visible shadow. You then meld with that creature's shadow, disappearing from your current location and reappearing inside the chosen shadow.

You can use an action to emerge from the shadow, which causes you to appear in an unoccupied space adjacent to the shadow. Alternatively, you can choose to remain inside the shadow for as long as you wish whilst undetected. While you are inside a shadow, you can't be seen, heard, or targeted by any attack, spell, or other effect, unless the effect can also affect the shadow you're occupying. You can also see and hear from the perspective of the shadow, allowing you to observe your surroundings and eavesdrop on conversations. 

Any action you wish to perform while inside a creature's shadow must be made through a Dexterity (Stealth) check, with the creature casting the shadow making a Wisdom (Perception) check to see if they notice anything unusual. If the Wisdom (Perception) check succeeds, the creature becomes aware that something is amiss weakening your control and ejecting you from the shadow to an adjacent, unoccupied space.

Shadow Blades

You can manifest your control of shadows as ethereal blades of dark energy. Whenever you take the Attack action, you can manifest a shadow blade from your free hand and make the attack with that blade. This shadow blade is a simple melee weapon with the finesse and thrown properties. It has a normal range of 60 feet and no long range, and on a hit, it deals psychic damage equal to 1d6 plus the ability modifier you used for the attack roll. The blade vanishes immediately after it hits or misses its target, and it leaves no mark on its target if it deals damage.

After you attack with the blade, you can make a melee or ranged weapon attack with a second shadow blade as a bonus action on the same turn, provided your other hand is free to create it. The damage die of this bonus attack is 1d4, instead of 1d6.

Shadow Step

Starting at 9th level, you can use the shadows to teleport short distances. As an action, you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space that is in dim light or darkness, and that you can see. This feature can be used twice per long rest.

Additionally, if you teleport to a space that is adjacent to an enemy, you can use your bonus action to make a melee weapon attack against that enemy. This attack has advantage and deals an extra 1d6 necrotic damage, as you strike from the shadows with deadly precision.

Shadow Shroud

At 13th level, the Shadow Master's control of shadows allows them to manipulate the battlefield to their advantage. They gain the ability to create an area of darkness up to 30 feet in diameter, shrouding the battlefield in shadows and allowing the Shadow Master to move around unseen. The Shadow Master can place the darkness anywhere within 60 feet of themselves as an action.

Enemies within the darkness have disadvantage on all attack rolls, and the darkness lasts for 1 minute or until the Shadow Master dismisses it as a bonus action. Additionally, the Shadow Master gains advantage on all attack rolls against enemies within the darkness. Once this ability is used, it cannot be used again until the Shadow Master finishes a long rest.

Shadow Avatar

At 17th level, the Shadow Master gains the ultimate control over shadows, allowing them to create an avatar of darkness. By using an action, the Shadow Master can summon a shadowy figure that is immune to all damage types except radiant damage. This avatar lasts for 1 minute or until it is destroyed, and the Shadow Master can control it as a bonus action on their turn.

The Shadow Avatar has the following stats:

• AC: 18
• Hit Points: 100
• Speed: 40 ft. (walking)
• Damage Immunities: All damage types except radiant damage
• Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
• Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 20

The Shadow Master can use their bonus action on each of their turns to command the Shadow Avatar to take one of the following actions:

• Multiattack: The Shadow Avatar makes three melee attacks.
• Shadow Burst: The Shadow Avatar releases a burst of shadow energy in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 10 + DEX + Proficiency) or take 8d8 necrotic damage and be frightened for 1 minute. A successful save halves the damage and negates the frightened condition.
• Shadow Teleport: The Shadow Avatar teleports up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.

Once the Shadow Avatar has been summoned, the Shadow Master cannot use this ability again until they finish a long rest.