Monsters/Lens: Shadow Creature

Monsters/Lens: Shadow Creature

Shadow creatures dwell on the Plane of Shadow. The lens is very expensive, especially compared to celestial and fiendish creatures. On the other hand, it does have some very powerful abilities. This template appeared first in the Manual of the Planes and was then updated in Lords of Madness.

Shadow Creature [Lords of Madness, page 167]

204 points
Applicable to: Corporeal aberration, animal, deathless, dragon, fey, fungus, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, plant, undead, or vermin.
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Basic Speed +1.00 [20]; Basic Move +1 [5].
Advantages: Dark Vision [25]; Regeneration (Regular) [25]; Silence 3 [15]; Temperature Tolerance 5 (Cold) [5].
    Blend into Shadows: Invisibility (Accessibility, Only in shadowy illumination, -30%; Affects Machines, +50%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Dispels after an attack, -20%; Magical, -10%) [34].
    Cold Resistance [35]: DR 10 (Includes Eyes, +10%; Includes Internal, +20%; Limited, Cold, -40%; Tough Skin, -40%) [25] + Immunity to Noxious Cold Effects [10].
    Shadow Jump: Jumper (Planar; Accessibility, Only on the Plane of Shadow and planes that border it, -5%; Limited Access, Plane of Shadow, -20%; Magical, -10%; Takes Recharge, 5 seconds, -10%) [55].
Disadvantages: Weakness (1d per 30 minutes; Sunlight) [-15].
Creature Type: Original (Extraplanar), animals or vermin become magical beasts.

 

Shadow Wight [Manual of the Planes, page 190]

 
275 points
Attribute Modifiers: ST+2 [20].
Secondary Characteristics Modifiers: HP+4 [8]; Will+1 [5]; Basic Speed +1.00 [20]; Basic Move +1 [5].
Advantages: Dark Vision [25]; Doesn’t Breathe [20]; Doesn’t Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn’t Sleep [20]; Dominance (Fatal Beating, -40%) [12]; DR 1 (Tough Skin, -40%) [3]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Immunity to Pain [30]; Injury Tolerance (Unliving, No Blood) [25]; Sharp Claws [5]; Sharp Teeth [1]; Silence 5 [25]; Temperature Tolerance 15 (5xHT to hot; 10xHT to cold) [15]; Unaging [15].
    Blend into Shadows: Invisibility (Accessibility, Only in shadowy illumination, -30%; Affects Machines, +50%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Dispels after an attack, -20%; Magical, -10%) [34].
    Cold Resistance [35]: DR 10 (Includes Eyes, +10%; Includes Internal, +20%; Limited, Cold, -40%; Tough Skin, -40%) [25] + Immunity to Noxious Cold Effects [10].
    Energy Drain: Leech 3 (Accelerated Healing, +25%; Magical, -10%) [38].
    Shadow Jump: Jumper (Planar; Accessibility, Only on the Plane of Shadow and planes that border it, -5%; Limited Access, Plane of Shadow, -20%; Magical, -10%; Takes Recharge, 5 seconds, -10%) [55].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous; Universal, +25%) [-25]; Bad Temper (12) [-10]; Callous [-5]; Disturbing Voice [-10]; Enhanced Unnatural [-100]; Frightens Animals [-10]; Intolerance (Living) [-10]; Lifebane [-10]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5]; Selfish (12) [-5]; Social Stigma (Dead) [-20]; Uncontrollable Appetite (15) (Life Force) [-7]; Unhealing (Partial; Leech) [-20]; Weakness (1d per 30 minutes; Sunlight) [-15].
Quirks: Glowing Eyes [-1]; Prefers to stay in its tomb [-1]; Sexless [-1]; Supernatural Dislike (Light) [-1].
Features: Not Subject to Fatigue.
Creature Type: Undead.
 

Typical Stats

ST:	12	HP:	16	Speed:	6.5
DX:	12	Will:	11	Move:	7
IQ:	10	Per:	10
HT:	10	FP:	N/A	SM:	+0
Dodge:	9	Parry:	10 (unarmed)	DR:	1* (tough skin), 10 (vs. cold)

Sharp Claws (14): thrust 1d-1 cutting (KYOS: 1d cutting), Reach C.
Energy Drain: While maintaining ongoing contact (grappling, for example), the shadow wight can drain 3 HP per second from the victim, while healing 1 HP per each stolen HP.
Create Spawn: Creatures killed by a shadow wight rise after 1d minutes as shadow wights under the shadow wight’s control. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life.
Blend into Shadows: In any condition of illumination that imposes a -5 penalty to Vision or worse, the shadow wight can disappear into the shadows, becoming invisible. This gives him a +9 bonus to Stealth in any situation where being seen would matter. Invisibility only works against electromagnetic vision (which encompasses ordinary vision, Infravision, Ultravision, and radar). The shadow wight does not cast a shadow and doesn’t show up in mirrors. Each minute of use costs 1 FP.
This effect ends if the wight attacks any creature. For purposes of this spell, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe or whose area or effect includes a foe. Exactly who is a foe depends on the invisible character's perceptions. Actions directed at unattended objects do not break the spell. Causing harm indirectly is not an attack. Thus, an invisible being can open doors, talk, eat, climb stairs, summon monsters and have them attack, cut the ropes holding a rope bridge while enemies are on the bridge, remotely trigger traps, open a portcullis to release attack dogs, and so forth. If the wight attacks directly, however, he immediately becomes visible.
Shadow Jump (10): The shadow wight can slip into the Plane of Shadows from the Material Plane and the other way around as per Jumper (p. B64). After using this ability, he cannot reactivate it for 5 seconds.
 
                Traits: Appearance (Monstrous; Universal); Bad Temper (12); Callous; Dark Vision; Disturbing Voice; Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat or Drink; Doesn’t Sleep; Enhanced Unnatural; Frightens Animals; Glowing Eyes; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards; Immunity to Noxious Cold Effects; Immunity to Pain; Injury Tolerance (No Blood, Unliving); Intolerance (Living); Lifebane; No Sense of Smell/Taste; Prefers to stay in its tomb; Selfish (12); Sexless; Silence 5; Social Stigma (Dead); Supernatural Dislike (Light); Temperature Tolerance 15 (5xHT to hot, 10xHT to cold); Unaging; Uncontrollable Appetite (15) (Life Force); Unhealing (Partial; Leech); Weakness (1d per 30 minutes; Sunlight).
Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-14.
Creature Type: Undead.
 

Shadow Choker [Lords of Madness, page 167]

 
267 points
Attribute Modifiers: ST-3 [-30]; DX+1 [20]; IQ-3 [-60]; HT+2 [20].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: SM-1; Basic Speed +4.25 [85]; Will+3 [15]; Per+3 [15].
Advantages: Clinging [20]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Constriction Attack [15]; Dark Vision [25]; DR 1 (Tough Skin, -40%) [3]; Double-Jointed [15]; Extra-Flexible Arms [10]; Good Grip 2 [10]; Reduced Consumption 3 [6]; Reduced Consumption 2 (Cast-Iron Stomach, -50%) [2]; Regeneration (Regular) [25]; Sharp Claws [5]; Silence 3 [15]; Slippery 1 [2]; Stretching 2 (Limited, Arms Only, -20%) [10]; Temperature Tolerance 5 (Cold) [5]; Terrain Adaptation (Uneven) [5].
    Blend into Shadows: Invisibility (Accessibility, Only in shadowy illumination, -30%; Affects Machines, +50%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Dispels after an attack, -20%; Magical, -10%) [34].
    Cold Resistance [35]: DR 10 (Includes Eyes, +10%; Includes Internal, +20%; Limited, Cold, -40%; Tough Skin, -40%) [25] + Immunity to Noxious Cold Effects [10].
    Shadow Jump: Jumper (Planar; Accessibility, Only on the Plane of Shadow and planes that border it, -5%; Limited Access, Plane of Shadow, -20%; Magical, -10%; Takes Recharge, 5 seconds, -10%) [55].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Ugly) [-8]; Callous [-5]; Cowardice (12) [-10]; Gluttony (12) [-5]; Greed (12) [-15]; Loner (12) [-5]; Odious Personal Habit (Eats sapient beings) [-15]; Semi-Upright [-5]; Short Lifespan 1 [-10]; Social Stigma (Monster) [-15]; Weakness (1d per 30 minutes; Sunlight) [-15].
Quirks: Likes shiny things [-1]; Prefers meat to other food [-1].
Features: Early Maturation 2.
Creature Type: Aberration.
 

Typical Stats

ST:	7	HP:	7	Speed:	10
DX:	11	Will:	10	Move:	10
IQ:	7	Per:	10
HT:	12	FP:	12	SM:	-1
Dodge:	14	Parry:	11 (unarmed)	DR:	1* (tough skin), 10 (vs. cold)

Sharp Claws (14): thrust 1d-3 cutting (KYOS: 1d-4 cutting), Reach C (Reach C-1 when fully stretched).
Blend into Shadows: In any condition of illumination that imposes a -5 penalty to Vision or worse, the shadow choker can disappear into the shadows, becoming invisible. This gives him a +9 bonus to Stealth in any situation where being seen would matter. Invisibility only works against electromagnetic vision (which encompasses ordinary vision, Infravision, Ultravision, and radar). The shadow choker does not cast a shadow and doesn’t show up in mirrors. Each minute of use costs 1 FP.
This effect ends if the choker attacks any creature. For purposes of this spell, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe or whose area or effect includes a foe. Exactly who is a foe depends on the invisible character's perceptions. Actions directed at unattended objects do not break the spell. Causing harm indirectly is not an attack. Thus, an invisible being can open doors, talk, eat, climb stairs, summon monsters and have them attack, cut the ropes holding a rope bridge while enemies are on the bridge, remotely trigger traps, open a portcullis to release attack dogs, and so forth. If the choker attacks directly, however, he immediately becomes visible.
Shadow Jump (7): The shadow choker can slip into the Plane of Shadows from the Material Plane and the other way around as per Jumper (p. B64). After using this ability, he cannot reactivate it for 5 seconds.
 
                Traits: Appearance (Ugly); Callous; Clinging; Combat Reflexes; Constriction Attack; Cowardice (12); Dark Vision; Double-Jointed; Early Maturation 2; Extra-Flexible Arms; Gluttony (12); Good Grip 2; Greed (12); Immunity to Noxious Cold Effects; Likes shiny things; Loner (12); Odious Personal Habit (Eats sapient beings); Prefers meat to other food;Reduced Consumption 3; Reduced Consumption 2 (Cast-Iron Stomach); Regeneration (Regular); Semi-Upright; Short Lifespan 1; Silence 3; Slippery 1; Social Stigma (Monster); Stretching 2 (Limited, Arms Only); Temperature Tolerance 5 (Cold); Terrain Adaptation (Uneven); Weakness (1d per 30 minutes; Sunlight).
Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-14; Survival (Plane of Shadow)-14; Wrestling-14.
Techniques: Choke Hold-14.
Creature Type: Aberration.