Cursed Shadowblade
Medium Undead (Cursed Thief), Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class: 14 (Leather)
Hit Points: 58 (9d8 + 18)
Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
Challenge Rating: 3 (700xp)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 20 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 15 |
Saving Throws: Dexterity +7, Intelligence +3, Charisma +4
Skills: Acrobatics +7, Stealth +9, Sleight of Hand +7, Insight +3
Damage Vulnerabilities: Radiant damage
Damage Resistances: Necrotic damage, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks
Damage Immunities: Poison damage; being poisoned
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned, Unconscious
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 12, Echolocation (special): While in darkness, the Cursed Shadowblade can sense the presence of creatures within 60 ft., even if they are invisible.
Languages: Understands Common and Thieves’ Cant but cannot speak.
Spellcasting
Spellcasting. The Cursed Shadowblade is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The Cursed Shadowblade has the following spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): *Chill Touch*, *Minor Illusion*, *Thaumaturgy*
1st level (3 slots): *Disguise Self*, *Dissonant Whispers*, *Shield*
2nd level (3 slots): *Mirror Image*, *Misty Step*
3rd level (2 slots): *Fear*, *Shadow Blade*
**Special notes about the spellcaster’s spellcasting abilities or actions:**
The Cursed Shadowblade prefers to use his spells to create confusion and gain advantage during combat. He may cast *Disguise Self* to blend into surroundings before initiating an attack or use *Misty Step* to escape once engaged. Additionally, he often opens combat with *Shadow Blade*, crafting a weapon of solidified darkness that plays into his theme of manipulation and stealth. The *Fear* spell can create disarray among the party, allowing him to pick off targets one by one and heightening his advantage in shadowy environments.
Actions & Abilities
Multiattack: The Cursed Shadowblade can take two actions on his turn: one Shadow Dagger attack and one Spectral Tendril attack.
Shadow Dagger: – Attack Type: Melee Weapon Attack
– Attack Bonus: +6 to hit
– Reach: 5 ft.
– Targets: One creature
– Damage: 9 (1d8 + 5) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) necrotic damage.
– Description: The Cursed Shadowblade swiftly lunges, using his expertly crafted dagger to stab at his target. The dagger slices through flesh, leaving behind a lingering decay that saps the life essence from the target.
Spectral Tendril (Recharge 5-6): – Action Type: Special Ability
– Range: 30 ft.
– Targets: One creature
– Saving Throw: DC 14 Dexterity
– Damage: 14 (4d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success.
– Additional Effect: The target is pulled 10 feet closer to the Cursed Shadowblade on a failed save, and the Cursed Shadowblade can follow up with an immediate Shadow Dagger attack as a reaction if the target is within melee range.
– Description: The Cursed Shadowblade extends a shadowy tendril, which lashes out at a nearby foe. The essence of darkness strikes, dealing necrotic damage and drawing the victim closer, readying the Shadowblade for a follow-up attack.
Evasive Maneuver: – Action Type: Bonus Action
– Description: The Cursed Shadowblade dashes up to his speed, utilizing the dim light or shadows around him. Upon entering an area of dim light or darkness, he immediately becomes invisible until he makes an attack or casts a spell.
– Tactical Use: This ability allows the Shadowblade to escape danger or reposition himself for a sneak attack, emphasizing his style of hit-and-run tactics.
Shadow Step (Recharge 4-6): – Action Type: Special Ability
– Targets: Two locations within 30 feet of each other that are in dim light or darkness
– Description: The Cursed Shadowblade can teleport from one shadow to another. After he teleports to a shadow, he becomes invisible until the start of his next turn.
– Tactical Use: This allows the Shadowblade to quickly evade in combat, reposition to a more advantageous spot, or escape when cornered.
Dark Whispers (Recharge 5-6): – Action Type: Special Ability
– Range: 60 ft.
– Targets: All creatures of the Shadowblade’s choice within range
– Saving Throw: DC 14 Wisdom
– Additional Effect: On a failed save, creatures are frightened until the end of their next turn.
– Description: The Cursed Shadowblade calls upon the essence of his curse to unleash haunting whispers that fill the minds of his foes with dread. Those who succumb find themselves momentarily impaired, doubting their actions and potentially making rash decisions.
Final Heist (1/Day): – Action Type: Special Ability
– Description: As a last-ditch effort to escape peril in battle, the Cursed Shadowblade can vanish into shadows, leaving behind a cloud of illusory duplicates of himself until the end of his next turn. Each duplicate can confuse the target by making single attacks on the target, causing disadvantage on perception checks to identify the Shadowblade from his duplicates.
– Tactical Use: This ability allows the Cursed Shadowblade to divert attention and increase his chances of escaping or repositioning without taking damage.
Appearance
No data available
Tactical Information
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Size and Shape: The Cursed Shadowblade stands at a height of approximately 5 feet 8 inches, with a lean and wiry build that belies his strength and agility. His form is considerably gaunt, accentuated by the shadows that cling to him, giving him an almost ethereal presence that hovers between the physical and the spectral.
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Coloration: His skin is a pallid gray, almost like ash, with undertones of muted black swirling like smoke when he moves. This particular coloration helps him blend seamlessly into the shadows, enhancing his stealthy nature and enabling him to evoke a sense of dread and unease in those who see him.
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Texture and Surface Features: The surface of the Cursed Shadowblade’s skin appears almost slick, resembling polished leather that seems cool to the touch. It’s marked with faint, shifting tattoos reminiscent of arcane symbols and old thieves’ guild marks, which glow softly when he performs dark magic.
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Facial Features: His face is skeletal, with pronounced cheekbones and a narrow jaw that enhances his ghostly appearance. The most striking feature are his eyes—cold silver orbs that glimmer like distant stars, conveying a haunting beauty. His mouth, often twisted into a sardonic smile, reveals sharp, elongated canines, remnants of his life as a master thief now turned sinister specter.
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Limbs and Appendages: The Cursed Shadowblade possesses long, slender arms with elongated fingers that end in nails resembling blackened talons, perfect for deftly handling tools of his trade. His hands are often obscured by shadows, giving them a spectral quality. His legs are proportional yet slightly longer, allowing him to execute graceful movements and bolster his agility.
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Special Features: Dark, smoky tendrils flow from his back, trailing behind him like liquid shadows that constantly shift and sway in response to his movements. In moments of tension or when invoking his spectral abilities, these tendrils can extend, creeping toward enemies to grasp and pull them, enhancing his abilities while striking fear into those who witness them.
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Posture and Movement: The Cursed Shadowblade often adopts a hunched posture, as if he is perpetually ready to slip into the shadows or dodge an attack. When he moves, it is with an eerie, silent grace; he glides rather than walks, with his body seemingly merging into and out of the darkness around him, making him appear like a whisper of the night itself.
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Additional Notable Traits: A perpetual aura of dim light surrounds him, like the last vestiges of a dying candle, casting flickering shadows that seem to deceive the eye. This emanation serves both to enhance his ghostly appearance and to evoke an unsettling atmosphere—those in proximity feel a chill that lingers in the air. As he prepares for an attack, shadows wrap further around him, thickening like an old cloak of despair.
