Specter

Specter are not born, they are made. In order to possess the traits necessary to become a Specter, one must be touched by the shadows at a young age, becoming linked to the creatures of darkness and the Umbral plane they reside on. A Specter learns to use the gifts granted to them by this connection to enhance their own talents for subterfuge and assassination, many making a name for themselves in the dark underbelly of society. Few Specter ever reveal the secrets of their trade, preferring only to allow those who will never speak another word of their dark secret to learn the truth.

Dark Affinity

Starting when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your dark power allows you to summon a cloud of unnatural darkness whenever you command. You gain the ability to cast the darkness spell 3 times per day. You can see through the magical darkness you create using this ability. You regain all uses of this spell at the start of each new day.

 

Assassinate

Starting at 3rd level, you are at your deadliest when you get the drop on your enemies. You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn't taken a turn in the combat yet. In addition, any hit you score against a creature that is surprised is a critical hit.

 

Shadow Clone

Starting at 9th level, you can use your bonus action to create a copy of yourself in an unoccupied space you can see within 30 feet of you. The clone appears as an exact copy of your appearance at the time of its creation, down to the smallest detail. The Clone lasts for 10 minutes, until it is destroyed, until you summon another clone, or until you dismiss it as a bonus action.

The Clone's AC is equal to 10 + your Dexterity Modifier + your Proficiency Bonus, and it has Hit Points equal to half of your maximum Hit Points. The clone makes its own saving throws using your saving throw bonuses, and it has resistance to Necrotic Damage, and immunity to the blinded, deafened, frightened, charmed, and petrified conditions.

You can use your clone in the following ways:

• It counts as an ally for the purposes of activating your sneak attack ability on enemies.
• It has its own movement it can take on its turn, equal to your own movement. If your own or the clone's movement speed is reduced or increased by a spell or effect, the others is not affected by it. (A Haste applied to you will not increase your clone's movement, a Slow applied to your Clone will not reduce your own movement, and vice versa.)
• On your turn when you take the attack action, you can opt to have your clone make the attack instead, using the same modifiers for attack and damage. Your clone cannot make use of your own sneak attack feature, however.
• Whenever you score a critical hit with a melee attack, or attack an enemy that is suprised, you can use your reaction to have your Shadow Clone automatically make an additional melee attack against the same target, if it is within range.

When you use your bonus action to dismiss your clone early, you can choose to detonate it instead. If you do, all creatures (yourself included) within 5 feet of it must immediately make a dexterity saving throw (Save DC = 8 + Your Proficiency Bonus + Your Intelligence Modifier). A creature takes 4d8 Necrotic damage on a failed save, and half as much on a successful one.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence Modifier (Minimum of 1). You regain all uses after completing a long rest.

Shadow Step

Starting at 13th level, you gain the ability to step through shadows to reposition yourself. As a bonus action on your turn, you can use the misty step spell to maneuver yourself, with the target point being any shadow you can see within 30 feet of yourself. The shadow's size and source do not impact this ability in any way.

Additionally, you can choose to instead use your bonus action to automatically swap places with your shadow clone, regardless of the distance between you and the clone. After doing this, you can then choose to detonate your clone as part of the same bonus action.

Shadow Mastery

At 17th level, you possess an unparalleled knowledge of the shadows and mastery of your abilities. You gain the following effects:

• When you roll initiative, if you have no uses of your Shadow Clone remaining, you regain 1 use of it.
• You now possess darkvision up to 60 feet, and have the ability to see normally through magically created darkness.
• You have advantage on any attack rolls made against a creature while your Shadow Clone is also within 5 feet of the creature.
• The damage you deal when detonating your Shadow Clone is increased to 5d8 Necrotic damage.