Night Shroud (Ninja/Cleric)

A staunch enemy of all that is evil, the path of the night shroud is one of secrecy. Outcasts by nature, night shrouds are misunderstood heroes who know do whatever it takes to defeat evil, even if they must fight darkness with darkness. Although their unorthodox tactics often brand them enemies of paladins and other like-minded individuals, the night shroud uses the powers of necromancy and shadows to combat the growing tide of evil and to protect the realms from malevolent influences. While some night shrouds follow the path of darkness in order to take revenge on evil cults and organizations, others are simply born to one of the legendary grand masters. Regardless of their origins, the night shrouds’ true purposes are misconstrued due to the seemingly contradictory methods they employ to fulfill their duty. Since night shrouds believe they can trust nobody but themselves, they tend to work alone, but will work with those outside their order when the situation absolutely requires it. (Original Concept by Dusty Boy)

Primary Class: Ninja.

Secondary Class: Cleric.

Alignment: Neutral good, chaotic good, neutral, or chaotic neutral.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The night shroud may select three cleric skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal ninja class skills, one of which must be Spellcraft. The night shroud gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 6 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The night shroud is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the kama, katana, kusarigama, nunchaku, sai, shortbow, short sword, shuriken, siangham, and wakizashi. The night shroud is also proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Spellcasting: A night shroud casts divine spells drawn from the night shroud spell list, and adds his domain spells at the indicated spell levels. Like other spellcasters a night shroud can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His daily allotment of spells is given on Table: Night Shroud. He also receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score. A night shroud otherwise prepares and casts spells as a cleric equal to his night shroud level.

Code of the Shroud: While night shrouds do not adhere to a strict set of rules, they endeavor to hold to the following tenets of the order. Foremost, a night shroud must weigh every action, ensuring that the ultimate goal of eliminating evil is achieved above all else. Do all within his power to defend the weak and helpless from unjust rule. Never bow to a king or worldly ruler–for kings do not have divine rule. Always strive to eliminate the worship of evil deities through whatever means necessary. Never turn from a great threat of evil or tyranny but seek to dispose of it. Do not allow personal dignity or self-respect to interfere with removal of a great threat. Never foolishly throw away his life, for a night shroud is far too valuable to the cause. Avoid slaying an agent of good, unless no alternative presents itself and the agent is of less value than himself in the ultimate cause in the fight against evil.

Orisons: A night shroud gains the cleric’s orisons ability and casts orisons as a cleric equal to his night shroud level.

Shrouded Aura (Su): A night shroud blurs the line between the powers of darkness and light, which comes at a cost. At 1st level, whenever a night shroud is subject to a detect evil to determine his aura’s power, he is considered to have no aura. Starting at 2nd level, a night shroud becomes tainted by the very dark magic he is striving to destroy and is considered to have a faint aura of evil, regardless of his true alignment. Thus, a night shroud often finds it difficult to be trusted by potential allies, such as paladins or inquisitors, but it allows him to remain hidden or incognito while in the presence of his enemies (at the GM discretion). This ability replaces poison use.

Sneak Attack (Ex): This is exactly like the ninja ability of the same name, except that a night shroud deals 1d6 extra damage at 1st level, and an additional 1d6 every three ninja levels thereafter, to a maxium of 7d6 at 19th level.

Domain: At 2nd level, a night shroud gains the cleric’s domain ability except that he can only choose one of the following domains (or subdomains): Darkness (Night), Death (Murder), Destruction (Torture), Fire (Arson), Luck (Curse), Trickery (Deception), and War (Blood). This ability replaces sneak attack +2d6, +5d6, +8d6, and ninja tricks gained at 4th, 8th, 12th, and 16th level.

Ninja Tricks: This is exactly like the ninja ability of the same name, except that whenever the night shroud could select a ninja trick, he can choose a channeling feat instead.

Ki Channeling (Su): At 5th level, a night shroud can spend 2 ki points to channel energy like the cleric’s ability of the same name, except that the night shroud uses 1/2 his night shroud level as his effective cleric level when channeling energy. A night shroud can channel positive energy or negative energy, but he must choose which energy type to channel at the beginning of each day, and is treated as a living being (if channeling positive energy) or an undead (if channeling negative energy) for the purpose of his channeling effects. Once the type of energy is chosen, it cannot be changed until the next time he rests to regain his daily spells. This ability replaces no trace and light steps.

Master Tricks (Ex): At 12th level, whenever a night shroud could select a ninja trick, he can choose a master trick instead.

Master of the Shroud (Ex): At 20th level, a night shroud’s capacity to deceive his enemies into think he is one of them is greatly enhanced. A night shroud’s personal sacrifices in carrying out the greater good grants his soul total protection from becoming truly corrupted. His alignment can never be changed to evil by any means, except through divine intervention or of his own choosing. In addition, he undergoes the following changes to his class features:

This ability replaces hidden master.

NIGHT SHROUD SPELL LIST

Night shrouds gain access to the following spells.

0-Level Night Shroud Spells—bleed, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, ghost sound, guidance, haunted fey aspect, light, read magic, resistance, stabilize, touch of fatigue, virtue.

1st-Level Night Shroud Spells—alarm, bless, bowstaff, bless water, create water, detect magic, cure light wounds, endure elements, inflict light wounds, lesser restoration, magic weapon, pass without trace, obscuring mist, read magic, stabilize, virtue.

2nd-Level Night Shroud Spells—aid, align weapon, cure moderate wounds, discern lies, find traps, flame blade, hold person, inflict moderate wounds, locate object, remove paralysis, resist energy, sanctuary, shatter, sound burst.

3rd-Level Night Shroud Spells—breath of life, chain of perdition, create food and water, cure serious wounds, darkvision, dispel magic, greater magic weapon, inflict serious wounds, meld into stone, prayer, remove blindness/deafness, remove curse, silence, speak with dead, spell resistance, water breathing.

4th-Level Night Shroud Spells—break enchantment, cure critical wounds, death ward, dismissal, dust form, find quarry, freedom of movement, inflict critical wounds, neutralize poison, restoration, scrying, sending.

Table: Night Shroud