Shadow Fury (Barbarian/Rogue)

Unquenchable fury; wrath incarnate; berserkers–these words often describe the barbarian when enraged. However, there are those who hold a propensity for stealth and agility over the brutality of raging combat, a technique which is in complete conflict with the primal rage that burns within them. These warriors, called shadow furies, find themselves more at home in the dark places of the world than on the open range of the battlefield. Through sheer force of will, the shadow fury learns to harness his furious energy, focusing it into powerful attacks of devastating precision or to disguise his rage as nothing more than a wild glint in his eyes. He also draws power from the Shadow Plane itself, enabling him to utilize the dark places around him to improve his defense, or jump from shadow to shadow in an attempt to flank his enemies. While facing a barbarian in combat can cause even the most hardened veteran to pale before his furious rage, the shadow fury can cause even the most brave to be fearful of the quiet shadows that may erupt at a moments notice into a deadly barrage of deadly wrath. (Original Concept by Elghinn Lightbringer)

Primary Class: Barbarian.

Secondary Class: Rogue.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d10.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The shadow fury may select six rogue skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal barbarian class skills. The shadow fury gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 6 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The shadow fury is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light armor, and shields (except tower shields).

Rage (Ex): This is exactly like the barbarian ability of the same name, except that the shadow fury can use any Dexterity-based skill whenever he uses silent rage, but receives a –2 penalty on the skill checks.

Silent Rage (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, whenever a shadow fury is in an area of dim light, he can spend 3 rounds of concentration to focus his fury internally. While within this dim light, the shadow fury can conceal any audio or visual signs of the rage (such as shaking, a grimace, bulging eyes, etc.). Focusing his rage requires a standard action each round. Once the shadow fury has completed the 3 rounds of focusing, he must enter a rage within the next 3 rounds. Upon entering his rage, the shadow fury makes a DC 20 Will save check as an immediate action. If the check fails, the silent fury rages normally. If the check succeeds, the shadow fury rages without alerting anyone, including allies. A silent rage can be maintained until the rage has ended. If a silent rage is attempted and fails (he fails his Will save) or if the silent fury does not enter a rage within 3 rounds of completing his internal focus, 3 new rounds of focusing are required before he can attempt another silent fury. A shadow fury may not take 10 when using silent rage. This ability replaces rage power at 2nd level.

Primal Sense (Ex): At 3rd level, a shadow fury’s senses become especially sharp while in rage. He gains a +1 competence bonus on Perception skill checks while raging. This bonus increases by +1 every three levels after (6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th level). This ability replacestrap sense.

Furious Strike (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a shadow fury gains the rogue’s sneak attack ability. This extra damage is 1d6 at 4th level, and increases by 1d6 every five shadow fury levels thereafter, to a maximum of +4d6 at 19th level. If the shadow fury has successfully entered a silent rage, he can make sneak attacks while raging, and adds any attack and damage bonuses from his rage to his furious strike. This ability replaces rage power at 6th, 10th, and 18th level.

Rage Power (Ex): This is exactly like the barbarian ability of the same name, except that the shadow fury can select a rage power at 4th level and at every four levels thereafter. Alternatively, each time a shadow fury could choose a rage power, he can choose a rogue talent for which he qualifies. At 12th level, the shadow fury can choose advanced rogue talents whenever he could choose a rogue talent, or when he selects the Extra Rogue Talent feat. The shadow fury adds Evasion to the list of advanced talents he may select. In the case of the Improved Evasion talent, the shadow fury must have evasion to select it. A shadow fury treats his level as his rogue level for the purpose of qualifying for talents with level-dependent requirements and calculating the effects of any talent or rogue ability he's chosen.

Damage Reduction (Ex): This is exactly like the barbarian ability of the same name, except that the shadow fury gains damage reduction 1/— at 7th level and increases by 1 every six levels thereafter.

Shadow Skin (Su): At 10th level, whenever a shadow fury is in an area of dim light he gains a +2 circumstance bonus to his AC. This bonus increases to +4 at 16th level. This ability replaces DR 2/— and DR 4/—.

Shadow Jump (Su): Starting at 14th level, a shadow fury may expend 1 round of rage to travel between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell. The limitation is that the magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some dim light. The total distance a shadow fury can jump is 10 feet at 14th level. Every two levels higher than 14th, the distance a shadow fury can jump each day doubles (20 feet at 16th, 40 feet at 18th, and 80 feet at 20th). A shadow fury can make single or multiple jumps of any combination of 10-foot increments up to his maximum total per day. Thus, a 16th level shadow fury can make a single jump of 40 feet, four jumps of 10 feet, or two jumps of 10 feet and one jump of 20 feet in a day. A jump of less than 10 feet can be made, but no matter how small, counts as a 10-foot increment. Using shadow jump does not provoke attacks of opportunity. This ability replaces rage power at 14th level.

Swift Silent Rage (Su): At 14th level, whenever a shadow fury is within an area of dim light, he can spend a standard action to focus his fury internally. He can then enter a silent rage if he makes a successful Will save, as an immediate action. If successful, he enters a silent rage. He cannot, however, use his own shadow to activate this ability. The shadow fury also gains a +2 bonus to his Stealth checks while silent rage is in effect. This ability replaces indomitable will.

Hidden Rage (Su): At 17th level, as long as a shadow fury is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, he can conceal any audio or visual signs of his rage while being observed. He cannot, however, use his own shadow to activate this ability. The shadow fury’s bonus to his Stealth checks while silent rage is in effect increases to +4. This ability replaces tireless rage.

Rage Powers: The following rage powers complement the shadow fury multiclass archetype: bestial climber†, bleeding blow†, clear mind, ghost rager†, guarded stance, low-light vision, moment of clarity, night vision, perfect clarity†, quick reflexes, raging climber, reflexive dodge†, rolling dodge, swift foot, and unexpected strike. (*Advanced Player’s Guide, †Ultimate Combat)

Rogue Talents: The following rogue talents complement the shadow fury multiclass archetype: camouflage*, combat trick, distracting attack*, fast stealth, iron guts†, nimble climber*, offensive defense*, positioning attack*, snap shot*, and surprise attack. (*Advanced Player’s Guide, †Ultimate Combat)

Advanced Talents: The following advanced talents complement the shadow fury multiclass archetype: another day*, crippling strike, defensive roll, fast tumble*, hide in plain sight†, improved evasion, and opportunist. (*Advanced Player’s Guide, †Ultimate Combat)

Table: Shadow Fury