Shadow Hunter

She sits perched atop a tree, eyeing the dark jungle floor as the light of the moon shines upon the canopy. A half-elf, painted black, appears behind her prey, as the darkness it used to hide is turned against it. The half-elf’s shortswords slice furiously, attacking with deadly precision and shadowy discipline until all that is left is only red.

Uttering a dark incantation, a human covered in tattoos prepares a devastating curse. As the first orc reaches his sight, he unleashes a series of debilitating hexes and shadowy blasts, ensuring his foe is quickly destroyed.

From above, a volley of arrows litters the battlefield as a dragonborn whispers a prayer to the Spirit of Demise, ensuring their allies will not meet death today, but securing that for their enemies.

No matter their Spirit Guide, shadow hunters are driven solely by their desire for alternate means of power, be that through shadow or spirit magic. Whether used as protective means for yourself and others or to be used as a predator does with its prey, the Spirit Guide’s dark knowledge blesses shadow hunters with power to carry out their will.

A Spiritual Relationship

The shadow hunter is defined by their mentorship with an otherworldly spirit. Sometimes the relationship between shadow hunter and Spirit Guide is like that of a warlock and its patron, or cleric and its deity, though the spirits that serve as Spirit Guides for shadow hunters often seek to destroy such patrons and deities, be it through war or influence. A shadow hunter might lead a small team of rangers dedicated to a specter of death, an Underdark predator deity, or a powerful spellcaster refusing to pass on – beings that typically find no pleasure in the company of demons, elementals, or even other spirits and undead. Most often, though, the arrangement is similar to that between a mentor and an apprentice. The shadow hunter learns and grows in power, often at the cost of continued servitude toward the goals of the Spirit Guide.

Due to their relationship with a Spirit Guide, shadow hunters acquire the ability to cast dark spells that harness their Spirit Guide’s vast power, much as a ranger does with nature. Shadow hunter spells augment their superior combat abilities, emphasizing versatility, curses, and the hunt. A shadow hunter’s strengths and abilities are crafted by the Spirit Guide with grim intent.

Scorned by the World

Though a shadow hunter might make a living as an assassin or spiritual healer, a shadow hunter’s true purpose is to serve the goals of their Spirit Guide, often by destroying monsters and humanoids that threaten their power. Often, shadow hunters join ranger’s secretive orders or become employed by large civilizations. In these cases, however, the shadow hunters remain independent or, at least, secretive of the powers they wield, knowing that, when a threat to their Spirit Guide arises, a shadow hunter must abide or lose all they have worked for. Sometimes, shadow hunters join small adventuring parties in hopes of being able to freely express their power and pursue their goal, relatively uninhibited.

This fierce need for secrecy and constant survivalist mindset makes shadow hunters excellent assassins, spiritual healers, witch doctors, and adventurers, operating and being well accustomed to life far from the eyes of the public. No one accepts mentorship from a dark spirit if they do not intend to use the power thus gained. Rather, the vast majority of shadow hunters spend their days in active pursuit of training, survival, their goals, and the goals of their Spirit Guide, which typically drive the shadow hunter toward adventure.

Creating a Shadow Hunter

When making a shadow hunter, you must think to yourself, how have you come to know a powerful spirit? Is the knowledge and relationship with the powerful spirit passed down through heritage, tradition, or did you come across it unknowingly? Consider what sparked your desire to seek out alternate, more resented sources of magic. What has caused you to continue such a path, one that will possibly leave you stigmatized, a path that symbolizes the fine line between life and death? Are you just in believing that any magic can be used for good, no matter the source? Or are you accepting of being forced to the shadows?

Work with your DM to determine how big a part your Spirit Guide will play in your character’s adventuring career. Your Spirit Guide’s goals might drive you into adventures, or they might consist of a small change in conversation, subtly attempting to lower their inhibitions to dark magic.

What kind of relationship do you have with your Spirit Guide? Is it friendly, antagonistic, respectful, or a duty that must be carried out? How important does your Spirit Guide consider you to be? What part do you play in their plans? Are there other shadow hunters mentored by your Spirit Guide? If so, do you know them, and what is your relationship with them?

How does your Spirit Guide communicate with you? Some shadow hunters are shown signs etched into nature, strange phrases spoken by unknowing passersby, or through astrology – unexplainable messages that only the shadow hunter can understand. Other shadow hunters converse with their Spirit Guide in dreams or waking visions.

Quick Build

You can make a shadow hunter quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity or Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom or Constitution. Second, choose the Outlander background.

Class Features

As a fletcher, you gain the following class features

Hit Points

• Hit Dice: 1d8 per shadow hunter level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per shadow hunter level after 1st

  Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor
• Weapons: Simple ranged weapons, Martial ranged weapons, Dagger, Handaxe, Javelin, Spear, Rapier, Scimitar, Shortsword, Trident, Whip
• Tools: None

• Saving Throws: Wisdom, Dexterity
• Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Arcana, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Stealth, or Survival

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a martial ranged weapon or (b) two shortswords
• (a) a quarterstaff or (b) a dagger
• (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a priest's pack
• A hand crossbow, 20 bolts, leather armor, and an effigy of your Spirit Guide

Spirit Guide

At 1st level, you have formed a relationship and begun tutelage under an otherworldly spirit of your choice: the Witch Queen, the Night Predator, the Spirit of Demise, the Shadow Forgemaster, the Bloodfiend, the Spires of the North, or the Spark of the Empress, each of which is detailed at the end of the class description.

Your choice grants you features at 1st level, and again at 3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 20th level.

Shadow Hunting

At 1st level, you no longer have disadvantage on attack rolls against targets in darkness. In addition, you have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track fey and undead, as well as on Intelligence checks to recall information about them. At 10th level, this feature extends to dragons, fiends, and elementals.

At 15th level, when you attack a creature you can’t see, or while you are suffering from the blinded condition, your inability to see doesn’t impose disadvantage on your attack rolls against it.

Spellcasting

By the time you reach 2nd level, your Spirit Guide has taught you to use their dark blessing of power to cast spells.

Spell Slots

The shadow hunter table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. For example, if you know the 1st-level spell arms of hadar and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast arms of hadar using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the shadow hunter spell list. The Spells Known column of the shadow hunter table shows when you learn more shadow hunter spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 5th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the shadow hunter spells you know and replace it with another spell from the shadow hunter spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your shadow hunter spells, since your magic draws on your Spirit Guide’s blessing. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a shadow hunter spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Encroaching Darkness

When you reach 3rd level in this class, you learn the darkness spell as a bonus spell. This spell counts as a shadow hunter spell for you, but it doesn’t count against your number of shadow hunter spells known. You can cast this spell without using a spell slot an amount of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once).

You regain any expended uses of this feature when you finish a long rest.

In addition, your speed increases by 5 feet, increasing by an extra 5 feet while you are in dim light or darkness.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Voodoo Bond

At 6th level, your continued communication with your Spirit Guide has trained you against mind-altering effects. You gain proficiency in Charisma saving throws. If you already have this proficiency, you instead gain proficiency in Intelligence saving throws.

In addition, while frightened, you can now move up to half of your speed toward the source of your fear, and you can no longer be aged by being frightened.

Evasion

Beginning at 7th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or an ice storm spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Spirit Meld

At 10th level, you can use the Dash, Disengage, or Dodge action as a bonus action. While in dim light or darkness, you gain a +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Shadowsense

Starting at 14th level, if you are able to hear, you are aware of the location of any creature within 10 feet of you. In addition, you can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet.

Shadow Hunter Spell List

Spirit Champion

At 18th level, your Spirit Guide selects you to be their champion, granting you a powerful blessing to use in combat. Once on each of your turns, you can add your Wisdom modifier to the attack and damage roll of an attack you make against a creature while you are in darkness or dim light.

You can choose to use this feature before or after the attack roll, but before any effects of the roll are applied.

Spirit Guides

The Spirit Guides that train shadow hunters are powerful inhabitants of other planes of existence – not gods, but almost godlike in their power.

Various Spirit Guides give their shadow hunters access to different powers and magic, and expect continued servitude, and in some cases, favors in return.

Some Spirit Guides collect shadow hunters, doling out dark knowledge and boasting of their ability to spread their spiritual influence. Other Spirit Guides bestow their blessing only grudgingly and might form a bond with very few shadow hunters. Shadow hunters who share the same Spirit Guide might view each other as rivals or a challenge set forth by their Spirit Guide to be defeated.

Your Spirit Guide is the Witch Queen, a spellcaster of legend who holds dark secrets that protect her spirit from passing on to the afterlife. Her motivations are often destructive, sometimes genocidal, and are usually targeted toward settling age-old grudges with spellcasters, dragons, or the undead. Shadow hunters trained by Alyanaza are versatile battlemasters, who use shadow magic to blast and curse their enemies. They learn spells to hex their opponents, and to empower those hexes to quickly ramp up damage.

Student of the Queen

As a student of the Witch Queen, you can invoke eldritch power to wreak havoc on the battlefield. Starting at 1st level, you learn the eldritch blast cantrip.

Witch Queen's Codex

The Witch Queen gives you access to her library, containing additional spells for you to learn during your training. Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Witch Queen’s Codex table. The spell counts as a shadow hunter spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of shadow hunter spells you know.

Witch Queen's Codex

Baleful Blasts

The Witch Queen has instructed you not to give up on ensuring your opponent falls. Starting at 3rd level, when you damage a creature with your eldritch blast, all weapon or shadow blade attacks you make against that creature have advantage and deal an extra 1d6 damage of the appropriate type until the end of your next turn.

Mark of the Witch

By 7th level, your understanding of the art of hexing has deepened. You can cast hunter’s mark as a 1st-level spell, without expending a spell slot or requiring concentration. At the start of each of your turns, roll a d6. On a 5 or 6, the spell ends.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Queen's Wrath

Your hexes have empowered, wracking your foe’s souls and sapping stamina from your opponents. Starting at 11th level, creatures affected by your hex or hunter’s mark spell or Baleful Blasts feature take an extra 1d6 damage of the appropriate type. Creatures affected by your bane or ray of enfeeblement spell take an extra -2 penalty to the appropriate roll. Targets affected by your bestow curse spell suffer from both effects.

Shadow Brand

The Witch Queen has taught you an additional hex to destroy her foes with. At 15th level, you can mark a creature within 120 feet as a bonus action with a Shadow Brand for 1 minute. While marked, the creature takes extra necrotic damage from all attacks equal to your shadow hunter level.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Master of Hexes

At 20th level, when you cast an enchantment spell of 1st through 5th level that targets only one enemy creature, the spell can instead target up to three enemy creatures within range and within 10 feet of each other.

If the enemy creature must make a spell saving throw, they have disadvantage on the roll.

You are guided by the Night Predator, a monstrous spirit originating from the Underdark. Desiring to become the apex predator of all life, Vel’nokil seeks to invoke itself through shadow hunters and turn all beings into prey. You mastered the art of ambush and close combat, using shadow magic to evade attacks and stalk your prey with deadly efficiency. Many shadow hunters mentored by Vel’nokil paint their face and body grey or black, in an effort to become nearly invisible while hidden in the shadows.

Predator's Fury

The Night Predator has taught you how to effectively hunt while dual-wielding. Starting at 1st level, when you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Devoured Spells

The Night Predator never forgets the magic of its prey. It repeatedly learns it until it is nearly reflexive. While being guided by the Night Predator, you are given a share of the Night Predator’s well of stolen magic for more efficient hunts. Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Devoured Spells table. The spell counts as a shadow hunter spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of shadow hunter spells you know.

Devoured Spells

Shadow Counter

Your training with the powerful Night Predator has infused your reflexes with dark magic. Starting at 3rd level, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage of a weapon attack made against you by 1d8 + your Dexterity modifier + your shadow hunter level.

If you reduce the damage to 0, you can make a melee weapon attack with a bonus of 1d6 force damage against a creature within range as part of the same reaction.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Darkstalker

At 7th level, you have become a master at hunting your prey in darkness. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end of the turn.

In addition, any melee weapon attack roll you make while you are in dim light or darkness is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Executioner's Instinct

By 11th level, the Night Predator’s instincts have replaced yours in battle. You know when an enemy you are engaged with is bloodied (below half hit points). When you use the Attack action with a melee weapon against a creature that is bloodied, you can make one extra weapon attack as part of the same action.

In addition, when you roll initiative while you are standing in dim light or darkness, you can Hide without using an action.

Bloodthirsty Ambush

At 15th level, the Night Predator’s bloodlust infuses the shadow hunter with dark strength during an ambush. Once per round, when you damage a creature that is surprised, it must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus).

On a failed save, the creature takes 10d6 + your shadow hunter level necrotic damage, and you gain temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt by this feature.

Umbral Prediction

By 20th level, you are constantly cloaked in shadow magic so that attackers rarely gain the upper hand against you. No attack roll has advantage against you while you aren’t incapacitated.

In addition, you gain advantage on all weapon attack rolls you make while you are in dim light or darkness.

Your Spirit Guide is a mysterious spirit whose origin is unknown and unspeakable within the mortal realms. Its motives are incomprehensible to mortals, often bestowing conflicting knowledge of immense power, proving the shadow hunter’s inability to wield the unruly powers of death, before taking it and sealing it away forever. When a shadow hunter is chosen by Sia-quashi, they often have had multiple near-death experiences in the past, attracting the Spirit of Demise to their affinity to the “fine line” between life and death. These shadow hunters are sometimes called Spirit Healers, as they use their experience with death to prevent others from falling into oblivion. Other times, the shadow hunters remain at a distance, using their knowledge of spirits to control the battlefield.

One Thing is Certain

The Spirit of Demise has reassured you on the distant certainty of death. Starting at 1st level, you gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Additionally, you learn the spare the dying cantrip.

Spells of Demise

The Spirit of Demise guides you on invoking spirits to heal your allies and manipulating the battlefield from afar. The guidance is fleeting and mysterious but is effective in shaping your understanding of spirit magic. Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Spells of Demise table. The spell counts as a shadow hunter spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of shadow hunter spells you know.

Spells of Demise

Walk the Fine Line

Starting at 3rd level, your training with the Spirit of Demise has progressed well, granting you the ability to manifest near-death experiences. As an action, you can force one creature you can see within 60 feet to make a Wisdom saving throw.

On a success, the target regains a number of hit points equal to 1d12 + your Wisdom modifier. On a failure, the target takes 1d10 necrotic damage and suffers one level of exhaustion. This feature has no effect on undead or constructs.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Borrowed Link

Your bond with the Spirit of Demise has deepened and become replicable. At 7th level, you can use an action to sacrifice up to half of your current hit points, transferring it and linking you to a creature you touch.

The creature then regains hit points equal to the sacrificed hit point pool. When the linked creature takes damage, you regain hit points equal to the damage taken, up to a maximum determined by the sacrificed hit point pool.

While your hit points are above 0, after one minute, any hit points remaining in the sacrificed hit point pool are transferred back to you. If this would reduce their hit points to 0, the linked creature falls unconscious and makes death saving throws, as normal. If this feature is used on a dead creature, they are immune to all healing for the duration. This feature has no effect on undead or constructs.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Timely Demise

The Spirit of Demise has taught you how to use its power to manipulate battle. At 11th level, when you or an ally within 60 feet that you can see misses an attack, you can use your reaction to have them make another weapon attack as part of the same action.

Alternatively, when an enemy within 30 feet that you can see hits an ally, you can use your reaction to force them to reroll the attack roll, taking the second result. You must use this feature before damage is calculated.

Protector of Life

At 15th level, your continued adjacency to the Spirit of Demise has granted you death-defying knowledge. You gain the Death Ward spell as a bonus spell. This spell counts as a shadow hunter spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of shadow hunter spells you know.

In addition, you gain advantage on death saving throws.

Harbinger of Death

At 20th level, you can harvest death and use it as an opportunity to invoke a portion of the Spirit of Demise’s form. Once per turn, when an enemy you can see dies within 30 feet of you, you or one ally of your choice that is within 30 feet of you regains hit points equal to the enemy’s number of Hit Dice.

In addition, a Specter of Demise rises from the enemy’s corpse. When the specter appears, it gains temporary hit points equal to your shadow hunter level. Roll initiative for the specter, which has its own turns. It obeys your verbal commands, and it gains a special bonus to its attack rolls equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of +0). The specter remains in your service until the end of your next long rest. You can use this feature only if you aren't incapacitated.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

A blacksmith of legend that went too far with his craft, the Shadow Forgemaster was often seen infusing his armor with shadow magic and dark runes. Despite warnings of becoming obsessed and corrupted by the magic he wove into his work, Sir Gotorouun continued toward his goal of creating an armor of pure shadow magic. Incidentally, he attracted the attention of powerful elementals who did not wish to see him bring shadow magic into the public eye. He was bound to his workshop by elementals, doomed to “perfect” his work, despite long ago completing his goal and passing. However, the Shadow Forgemaster is keen enough to use his bonds to his advantage. He imposes his knowledge on his shadow hunters and often guides them to do the same. These shadow hunters are especially resilient and disruptive, thanks to the work of the Shadow Forgemaster, who only desires to break the banishment put on his workshop and pass onto the afterlife.

Dark Craftsmanship

The Shadow Forgemaster has woven strings of shadow magic throughout your armor, reinforcing it. Starting at 1st level, while you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Forgemaster's Runes

The Shadow Forgemaster’s collection of enhancing runes and warding spells are available to you, as reward for your willingness to take up his shadowy arsenal. Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Forgemaster’s Runes table. The spell counts as a shadow hunter spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of shadow hunter spells you know.

Forgemaster's Runes

Shadowforge Equipment

By 3rd level, the Shadow Forgemaster has crafted a shadowy arsenal for you to use in battle. As a bonus action, you can manifest a breastplate, a shield, and a unique longsword (deals 1d8 + your Dexterity modifier necrotic damage) for 1 minute. This equipment manifests over any current armor and weapons you are wearing, and you are considered proficient in all three pieces of your Shadowforge Equipment (breastplate, shield, longsword) while you are wearing it.

You cannot unequip your Shadowforge Equipment for the duration, and you are immune to disarming effects. When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom or Constitution modifier (whichever is higher, minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Invasive Presence

By 7th level, you have become well-attuned to your Shadowforge Equipment, granting you various special attack options to disrupt your enemies in combat. You can only use this feature once per round as part of the attack action, and while you are wearing Shadowforge Equipment. The DC for each Invasive Presence equals 8 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus.

• Staggering Sweep. You make a melee weapon attack against all creatures in a 15 foot cone and force them to make a Strength saving throw, if they are Large or smaller, or be knocked prone.
• Virulent Whirlwind. You make a melee weapon attack against all creatures within 5 feet and force all creatures within 10 feet around you to make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. A poisoned creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
• Blinding Skewer. You make a ranged weapon attack against a creature within 30 feet. On a hit, you force the creature to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a fail, the creature is blinded until the end of their next turn.
• Crippling Wound. Make a melee weapon attack against a creature within 15 feet. On a hit, the target creature is forced to make a Dexterity saving throw, if it is Large or smaller. On a fail, the creature’s speed is set to 0 and they can’t take reactions until the start of their next turn. Creatures size Huge or Gargantuan automatically succeed the saving throw.
• Cruel Barb. Make a melee weapon attack against a creature within range. On a hit, the target creature is forced to make a Charisma saving throw. On a fail, the creature has disadvantage on their next three attack rolls or ability checks against targets other than you.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom or Constitution modifier (whichever is higher, minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Shadowforge Exoskeleton

At 11th level, the Shadow Forgemaster has brought you in as an apprentice Forgemaster, nourishing your Shadowforge Equipment with greater durability. You gain resistance to all nonmagical attacks while wearing Shadowforge Equipment.

In addition, you can use an action to manifest a shadowy exoskeleton on yourself or a willing creature you touch. For up to 1 hour, or until concentration is broken, the target creature has resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom or Constitution modifier (whichever is higher, minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Shade Projection

At 15th level, you have mastered maneuvering with your Shadowforge Equipment. You can throw your Shadowforge Equipment in front of an attack directed at another creature that you can see. Before the attack roll is made, you can use your reaction to teleport your Shadowforge Equipment to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the targeted creature. The attack that triggered the reaction is instead made against your Shadowforge Equipment.

On a hit, your Shadowforge Equipment retaliates. You make a melee weapon attack, originating from the Shadowforge Equipment’s space, against a creature within range. If the triggering attack was a spell of 5th-level or lower, the spell is reflected.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it, or the Shadowforge Equipment feature, again until you finish a short or long rest.

Shadeform

By 20th level, you have become one with your Shadowforge Equipment. While wearing your Shadowforge Equipment, you can use a bonus action to assume a shadowy form. In this form, you have resistance to all damage except radiant damage, and you can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. You take 5 force damage if you end your turn inside an object.

Enemy creatures within 10 feet of you have disadvantage on saving throws against your shadow hunter spells and Invasive Presence options.

Your spirit guide is the Bloodfiend, a spirit who was once a vampire, but now has a form that is warped and malformed. After being banished to the lower planes, Valdis Raghnell began work on creating a synthesis of his vampiric curse and the hellish powers of his new home realm. Now he seeks vengeance by training shadow hunters, sending them forth to destroy fey creatures and pillage the knowledge that they used to imprison him. He often trains multiple shadow hunters, unbeknownst to them, and informs them that they must destroy all who claim to know him. These shadow hunters closely model their Spirit Guide, combining proper swordplay with a unique blend of vampiric shadow magic and fire spells.

Infernal Discipline

In life, before his vampiric curse, the Bloodfiend excelled at dueling. He extends that to his shadow hunters, mixing in styles from his new home realm. Starting at 1st level, when you are wielding a melee weapon or flame blade in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Hellfire Tomes

The Bloodfiend has granted you access to a collection of tomes, originating from the lower planes, to study the fire magic of his realm. Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Hellfire Tomes table. The spell counts as a shadow hunter spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of shadow hunter spells you know.

Hellfire Tomes

Vampiric Shadowflame

At 3rd level, the Bloodfiend teaches you the secret of how to replicate his crown achievement, shadowflame. Once per turn, when you deal fire damage with a shadow hunter spell, you can regain a number of hit points equal to half the amount of fire damage dealt to one creature.

In addition, when you create fire using a spell or cantrip, you can create black fire that emits no light.

The Hunger

At 7th level, the Bloodfiend has granted you a portion of his vampiric curse as a blessing. As part of the Attack action, you can grapple a creature within melee range, using a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check instead of the normal Strength (Athletics) check.

While you have a creature grappled, you can use a bonus action to sink vampiric teeth into their flesh and sap their life. The creature takes 3d4 + your Dexterity modifier piercing damage and 3d6 + your shadow hunter level + your Wisdom modifier necrotic damage. You regain a number of hit points equal to the amount of necrotic damage dealt by this feature. This has no effect on creatures that are immune to necrotic damage, undead, or constructs.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Bloodfiend's Essence

By 11th level, hellish essence from the Bloodfiend’s realm courses throughout your body. You gain resistance to fire damage, spells you cast ignore resistance to fire damage, and you gain a +5 bonus to Initiative rolls.

In addition, you gain proficiency in Acrobatics checks.

Shadowflame Lance

Starting at 15th level, you have become a master at experimenting with the Bloodfiend’s creation, shadowflame. You gain the scorching ray spell as a bonus spell, which you can cast at the lowest level without needing to expend a spell slot.

When you damage a creature within melee range with the scorching ray spell, you regain a number of hit points equal to the damage dealt to that creature.

Servant of the Bloodfiend

By 20th level, the Bloodfiend has entrusted you with the secret in using shadowflame to create dark elementals. As an action, you can expend a 5th-level spell slot to call forth a shadowflame elemental to an unoccupied space you can see within 90 feet. The elemental disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or after 1 hour.

The shadowflame elemental uses a variant of the fire elemental’s statistics, which your DM has. The shadowflame elemental deals necrotic or fire damage (your choice) and emits no light. You regain hit points equal to the damage dealt by the shadowflame elemental.

The elemental is friendly to you and your companions for the duration. Roll initiative for the elemental, which has its own turns. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any commands to the elemental, it defends itself from hostile creatures but otherwise takes no actions.

If your concentration is broken, the elemental doesn’t disappear. Instead, you lose control of the elemental, it becomes hostile toward you and your companions, and it might attack. An uncontrolled elemental can’t be dismissed by you, and it disappears 1 hour after you summoned it.

You are guided by the Spires of the North. In the center of a never-ending tundra lies Styigael, a group of mysterious and beguiling towers that trap its entrants within, slowly sapping their spirit for its greater amalgamation. The Spires of the North serves only itself and one purpose, to spread its icy influence across all of reality. This has attracted the attention of many elemental, fey, and fiendish lords who do not wish the Spires of the North to continue. Shadow hunters guided by the amalgamation of spirits, that is the Spires of the North, excel in controlling the battlefield and imposing their “icy” demeanor onto others. In contrast to those of the Night Predator, shadow hunters of the Spires of the North often paint themselves a snow-white color to represent their allegiance to Styigael.

Far Reach of the North

The Spires of the North reach far and wide, choking out all life of its strength and stamina. Starting at 1st level, you learn the ray of frost cantrip.

Greater Spirits of the Spire

The Spires of the North are inhabited by spirits of all kinds, however a certain few stand out as being extremely useful in spreading the Spire’s frozen reaches. The greater amalgamation, that is the Spires of the North, offers these spirits to you to assist in your silent task. Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Greater Spirits of the Spire table. The spell counts as a shadow hunter spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of shadow hunter spells you know.

Greater Spirits of the Spire

Merciless Rime

The spirits within the Spire charge you with unmatched ruthlessness to strike down the weak and frail. At 3rd level, when you hit a creature with a ranged attack, the creature takes an extra 1d6 cold damage if its speed is below its maximum. You can deal this extra damage only once per turn.

Frozen Influence

Magical winds from the Spires of the North help carry your words through conversation. Starting at 7th level, if you speak to a humanoid alone for at least 1 minute, you can attempt to lower their inhibitions toward you. At the end of the conversation, the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be charmed by you. The target is charmed in this way for 1 hour, until it is attacked or damaged, or until it witnesses its allies being attacked or damaged.

If the target succeeds on its saving throw, the target has no hint that you tried to charm it.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

In addition, you learn water walk as a bonus spell. This spell counts as a shadow hunter spell for you, but doesn’t count against the number of shadow hunter spells you know. If you only target yourself with this spell, you can cast it without expending a spell slot.

Creeping Hoarfrost

By 11th level, permafrost from the Spires of the North swirls within your body and soul. Your spells ignore resistance to cold damage, and you gain resistance to cold damage and environments.

Each time you deal cold damage to a creature, the creature’s speed is reduced by 5 feet until the start of your next turn.

Avalanche

At 15th level, the powers from the Spires of the North have become inescapable in your hands. When a creature must make a saving throw to avoid or halve cold damage from your shadow hunter spells, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on up to five creatures that you can see.

Zealot of the Spire

At 20th level, the Spires of the North has chosen you as a powerful conduit of its power and influence. As an action, you can imbue yourself or one creature within 60 feet with an icy aura for 1 minute. While imbued with the aura, the target receives 10 temporary hit points at the start of its turn. As a bonus action, the target can force one creature they see within 10ft to make a Strength saving throw, against your spell save DC. On a fail, that creature’s speed is reduced to 0 and they are vulnerable to cold damage until the end of your next turn.

In addition, when you cast ice knife, you can do so originating from your space or the location of the creature imbued with Zealot of the Spire.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

An ancient and powerful blue dragon queen who did not wish to see the afterlife, nor be raised as a dracolich. You are guided by the Spark of the Empress, forged by a blue dragon queen, and infused with the remains of her life, in hopes of preserving her life. The Xulmynnoth is a powerful relic, said to grant the bearer control over thunder, lightning, and even entire storms. Much of this, however, was hyperbolic, as the Spark of the Empress was found and cast aside often before being carried to the Feywilds. It was there that the Fey locked away the Xulmynnoth and experimented on it. Unknowingly, they awoke the vengeful blue dragon spirit, who would seek out many shadow hunters to wreak havoc upon all who disturbed her quiet repose. Shadow hunters guided by the Spark of the Empress are often volatile in personality, but fiercely determined in satisfying their demanding, sometimes irrational, Spirit Guide.

Blue Dragon's Gift

The Spark of the Empress has given you a powerful draconic blessing, that grows in strength as you do. Starting at 1st level, you can use your action to exhale destructive lightning in a 5’ by 30’ line. All creatures in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw. The DC of this saving throw is 8 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus.

A creature takes 2d6 lightning damage on a failed save, and half as much on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d6 at 7th level, 4d6 at 11th, and 5d6 at 17th level.

Once you use this feature, or any Breath Weapon feature, you can’t use either again until you finish a short or long rest.

Memories of the Empress

Although the Spark of the Empress houses the spirit of a powerful blue dragon queen, her memories are often lost by the hands of the Fey. However, some of her draconic spellcasting instinct is kept and taught to you as part of your gift. Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Memories of the Empress table. The spell counts as a shadow hunter spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of shadow hunter spells you know.

Memories of the Empress

Eye of the Storm

The Spark’s blessing has slowly begun to take over, attuning your senses to that of a dragon. Starting at 3rd level, you gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision from your race, its range increases by 30 feet. When you gain the Shadowsense feature, its vision through darkness extends an extra 60 feet.

In addition, when you are tracking a creature with your Shadow Hunting feature, you can sense whether creatures of those types are present within 1 mile of you.

Storm Body

By 7th level, the Spark of the Empress’ blessing travels throughout your entire body. Your speed increases by 5 feet, and your Blue Dragon’s Gift feature deals an extra 1d6 lightning damage.

In addition, opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage. When you are struck by an opportunity attack, the attacker takes lightning damage equal to 1d8 + your shadow hunter level in retaliation.

Overwhelming Fulmination

At 11th level, the amount of power you wield is overwhelming and volatile. Your spells ignore lightning resistance and you gain resistance to lightning and thunder damage. Your Blue Dragon’s Gift feature deals an extra 1d6 lightning damage.

In addition, whenever you deal lightning damage to a creature or object other than yourself, creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you take lightning damage equal to half your shadow hunter level (rounded up).

Lightning Walk

Like the blue dragons of legend, the Spark of the Empress’ blessing allows you to become a bolt of lightning as you maneuver through the battlefield. At 15th level, your speed increases by 10 feet, and your Blue Dragon’s Gift feature deals an extra 1d6 lightning damage.

While dashing, you do not provoke opportunity attacks and are able to move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. If you end your turn inside a creature or object, you take 10 lightning damage and are ejected to an unoccupied space within 5 feet. The target takes 10 thunder damage.

Piercing Bolt

By 20th level, you can charge your next weapon attack with the blessing of the blue dragon queen. The weapon’s damage type is replaced with lightning and ignores resistances and immunity. On a successful hit, treat the attack as if it were a critical hit. The target must then succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or be paralyzed for 1 hour. If a creature is immune to the paralyzed condition and fails the saving throw, they take double damage from this feature.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish short or long rest.