D&Dtools1

The umbral disciple is a student of shadow in both a literal and a metaphysical sense.

Requirements

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain no new proficiencies with weapons, armor, or shields.

Essentia Pool: Your essentia pool increases in size as you progress in the umbral disciple prestige class, as given on Table 6—9: The Umbral Disciple. This essentia can be invested into your class features to increase their power, or in incarnum feats and soulmelds, as normal.

Sept Knowledge: If you belong to a sept, you can draw upon its collected knowledge. You gain a +2 bonus on any Knowledge or Gather Information checks made within 24 hours of speaking to another member of the same sept, or a +5 bonus if you visit the sept's citadel or stronghold.

Step of the Bodiless (Su): You can rely on the souls that grant you power to lighten your step and bear you up as you move. Beginning at 1st level, you gain a +2 enhancement bonus on Balance, Climb, Jump, and Tumble checks for every point of essentia you invest in this class feature.

Sneak Attack (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, you deal extra damage when you are flanking an opponent or at any time when the target would be denied its Dexterity bonus. This extra damage applies to ranged attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. See the rogue class feature, page 50 of the Player's Handbook.

Embrace of Shadow (Su): Starting at 3rd level, you can weave incarnum into an obscuring shadow that clings to you, providing you with a limited amount of concealment. While you are thus cloaked in shadow, each attack made against you has a 10% miss chance per point of essentia invested in this ability. This miss chance does not stack with miss chances provided by any other ability or effect.

If the miss chance granted by this ability is 20% or higher, you also gain the ability to hide in plain sight—that is, you can use the Hide skill even while being observed. See the ranger class feature, page 48 of the Player's Handbook. Embrace of shadow is usable at will.

Sight of the Eyeless (Su): At 7th level, you can tap into the piercing vision of pure, bodiless souls to perceive what would otherwise be hidden. Investing essentia in this ability grants you the blindsight ability (range 10 feet per point of essentia invested). Sight of the eyeless is usable at will.

Soulchilling Strike (Su): At 9th level, you can imbue your melee attacks with a soulchilling essence. For every point of essentia you invest in this ability, your attack deals 1 point of Strength damage to the target (Fortitude negates, DC 10 + invested essentia + your Con modifier) in addition to its normal damage. Only one attack per round conveys this soulchilling effect. If you are making a full attack, the effect is delivered by your first successful attack of the round, and the rest of your attacks are resolved normally. This effect applies to all types of melee attacks made while essentia is invested, regardless of whether natural or manufactured weapons are used.

Kiss of the Shadows (Su): At 10th level, you learn to wield the shadows themselves as your weapons. Tangible, incarnum-laced shadows of your weapons or fists follow your every strike, mirroring your attacks at range. Your reach increases by 5 feet for every point of essentia invested in this class feature, but only on your turn. While this ability is active, you are treated as if you were standing in the square adjacent to the target that is closest to your actual location for the purpose of flanking, attacking from higher ground, or similar situations. At the end of your turn, your reach (and thus the area you threaten) returns to normal.

Multiclass Note: Monks who take levels in umbral disciple can continue to advance as monks.

Advancement