Shadow Stalker (HB)

Many rogues feel safer in the dark. They cloak themselves in it, allowing them to hide, skulk, and generally carry out their nefarious businesses. A Shadow Stalker is an individual who has become so at home in the dark that it has become part of their very being. They are able to manipulate the shadow, using it to shroud them even further or blind their opponents. As a result, Shadow Stalkers are some of the sneakiest and deadliest rogues in the land. Legend says that, in darkness, a Shadow Stalker is impossible to perceive, not until you see the flash of a blade. But by then, it is too late.

Home in the Shadows

From 3rd level, the dark becomes your home. You gain the following features.

• You gain darkvision out to 120 feet.
• While you are in dim light or darkness, you have advantage on Dexterity (stealth) checks, and you don’t need advantage on an attack roll to use your Sneak Attack against a creature if you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. All the other rules for Sneak Attack still apply to you.

Shifting Gloom

From 3rd level, you are able to bend and move the shadows at your whim. You gain the following bonus actions, both of which use your shadow DC, which is calculated as:

Shadow DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

• Advancing Shadow. As a bonus action, you choose a 10ft. radius region centred on a point you can see within 60 feet to fill with shadow. For the next minute, the light within this region is dimmed. Bright light becomes dim light, dim light becomes darkness, and darkness becomes magical darkness (all creatures other than yourself with darkvision can't see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it). This effect ends early if you use this feature again while it is still active, or you can choose to end it early (no action required). Any creature within the region when this bonus action is used must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your shadow DC or have disadvantage on their next attack before the end of its next turn. You can use this bonus action a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, and you regain all uses upon finishing a long rest.
• Retreating Shadow. As a bonus action, you choose a 10ft. radius region centred on a point you can see within 60 feet to withdraw darkness from. For the next minute, the light within this region is brightened. Dim light becomes bright light and darkness becomes dim light. This effect ends early if you use this feature again while it is still active, or you can choose to end it early (no action required). Any creature within the region when this bonus action is used must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your shadow DC or have disadvantage on their next attack before the end of its next turn. You can use this bonus action a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, and you regain all uses upon finishing a long rest.

Into the Void

From 9th level, you can use darkness and shadow as a pathway, transporting yourself from one patch of gloom to another. As a bonus action, you can teleport to a point that you can see within 120 feet that is in dim light or darkness. Alternatively, when you use the Advancing Shadow bonus action, you can teleport to the darkness created without the use of an action. You can teleport using this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, and you regain all uses upon finishing a long rest.

When you teleport using this feature, the next attack you make before the end of your turn has advantage. If you successfully hit this attack, the target creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your Shadow DC or become frightened of you for the next minute. The creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect upon themselves with a success. 

Monsters in the Dark

From 13th level, you have learned to manipulate the shadows further, turning them into terrifying shapes of solid shadow. As an action choose a creature that you can see within 120 feet that is within dim light or darkness, and choose one of the following effects to apply to it. You can use this action once per short rest.

• Tearing Shadow. The shadows around the creature form into teeth and claws that rake and tear across its body. The creature must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Shadow DC. On a failed save, the creature takes slashing damage equal to 2d6 + your Sneak Attack damage. On a success, the creature takes half as much damage. This counts as a use of your Sneak Attack for the turn.
• Grappling Shadow. The shadows around the creature turn into tendrils and tentacles that reach out and grab it. The creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your Shadow DC or become restrained. A creature affected by this can use its action to repeat the saving throw on its turn, ending the effect upon itself with a success.
• Maddening Shadow. The shadows around the creature contort into eldritch horrors and fill with whispers and screams. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your Shadow DC or become frightened for the next minute. A creature frightened by this effect takes 3d6 psychic damage at the start of each of their turns while it remains frightened. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turn if it is in bright light, ending the effect upon itself with a success.

Enveloped in Shadow

From 17th level, you can take on a new form, coalescing the shadows around you and transforming you into a creature of pure darkness. As an action, you transform into a being of shadow for the next minute, gaining the following features for the duration.

• You become resistant to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage.
• While you are in dim light or darkness, your movement speed is doubled.
• When you successfully use your Sneak Attack feature during your turn, your movement no longer provokes opportunity attacks for the remainder of that turn.

Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.