Penumbra Stalker [Creature]

[The Demented One]

Penumbra Stalker
Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 8d12+8 (60 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 23 (+4 Dex, +5 natural, +4 chain shirt) touch 14, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+7
Attack: Longsword +7 melee (1d8+3) or Shortbow +8 ranged (1d6) or Claw +2 melee (1d4+1)
Full Attack: Longsword +7 melee (1d8+3) or Shortbow +8 ranged (1d6) or 2 Claws +2 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Death attack, shadowcasting, sneak attack +4d6
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/bludgeoning and magic, darkvision 60 ft., inhuman speed, spider climb, undead traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +5
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 18, Con –, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 14
Skills: Bluff +13, Concentration +13, Hide +15 (+23 in darkness), Intimidate +13, Move Silently +15, Tumble +15
Feats: Lightning Reflexes^B, Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, Improved Toughness
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, pair, or strike force (3-5)
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always Evil
Advancement: By class level (Favored Class: Rogue)
Level Adjustment: +6

Penumbra Stalkers are intelligent undead skilled in the ways of both shadow magic and merciless assassination. They are similar in appearance to skeletons, but are wrapped in an ephemeral aura of shadowstuff, and their hollowed eye-sockets gleam with icy-cold intelligence. Shadowcasters and necromancers alike use them as assassins or guards, valuing their dark magic and ruthless ferocity.

Death Attack (Ex)
If a Penumbra Stalker studies a creature for 3 rounds and then successfully damages it with a melee sneak attack, then that creature must make a DC 16 Fortitude save or die. The save is Intelligence-based. While studying the creature, the stalker can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect the stalker. Once the stalker has completed the 3 rounds of study, it must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds. If a death attack is attempted and fails, or if the stalker does not make the death attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before it can attempt another death attack.

Shadowcasting
A Penumbra Stalker casts mysteries as a 8th level Shadowcaster. A Penumbra Stalker can use apprentice mysteries twice a day, and the function as spell-like abilities. It can cast initiate mysteries once per day, and they function as spells. The DC of any mystery cast by a Penumbra Stalker is equal to 12 + the mystery’s level.

Typical Mysteries Known
2/day–bend perspective, dusk and dawn, flesh fails, life fades, steel shadows, umbral touch; 1/day–aura of shade, shadow evocation.

Inhuman Speed (Ex)
A Penumbra Stalker can move in quick bursts of superhuman speed. As a swift action, a Penumbra Stalker may move up to 10 ft. in any direction. Once it has used this ability, it must wait 5 rounds before it can use it again.

Spider Climb (Ex)
A Penumbra Stalker can climb shear surfaces, as the spider climb spell.

Skills
A Penumbra Stalker gains a +8 bonus on Hide checks made in areas of shadowy illumination or darkness.

Creating a Penumbra Stalker
A Penumbra Stalker can be created by either a spellcaster or a shadowcaster. For a spellcaster, he must have a caster level of 19th or higher, and cast create greater undead on the corpse of a humanoid or monstrous humanoid of Medium size. For a shadowcaster, he must cast the shadows beyond the veil mystery on a humanoid corpse and expend 160 xp.

[adanedhel9]

I know nothing about the shadowcasting stuff, but I'll give it a shot:

You seem to have applied Improved Toughness twice to its HP. Should be 8d12+8 (60 hp).

Hmm, I think this thing needs a level adjustment; I don't see any reason why it shouldn't be a PC-capable character. Without understanding the shadowcasting... I'd say +4 might be a good place to start?

[The Demented One]

I know nothing about the shadowcasting stuff, but I'll give it a shot:

You seem to have applied Improved Toughness twice to its HP. Should be 8d12+8 (60 hp).

Yeah, I'd thought it was +2 per HD. Nice catch.

Hmm, I think this thing needs a level adjustment; I don't see any reason why it shouldn't be a PC-capable character. Without understanding the shadowcasting... I'd say +4 might be a good place to start?

I'll add one on.

[Abbott]

Where can one find rules on Shadowcasting? Is it from the Faerun and using the shadow veave or is it some alternative magic system?

[The Demented One]

Where can one find rules on Shadowcasting? Is it from the Faerun and using the shadow veave or is it some alternative magic system?

It's in Tome of Magic.

[Matthew]

Good stuff. If this qualifies for the MitP, then I'd vote:

MitP: Yes

The only quibble I have is over the mechanics of the Sneak Attack/Death Attack Ability (I think it could be cleaner), but it's just a minor thing.