The Livery and Armory of Shadows (3.5e Invocation)
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Low - Moderate - High - | Warlock Least (see text); 2nd |
I really like the idea of Zhenra-Khal's Armory Of Darkest Shadow, but wanted to try making a cleaner, more clear version that was also a bit more to my personal tastes for warlocks
This invocation provides a host of benefits that grow in power with the warlock, but requires an investment of additional invocations to gain greater benefits as they level up.
Additionally, the warlock must already have access to some manner of darkness effect to learn this invocation, most commonly the invocations Cloak of the Abyss, Darkness, or knowing [Darkness] spells separately from their invocations.
Contents
The Livery of Shadows
The most basic benefit of this invocation is that the warlock can protect themselves and their equipment from sunlight and magical light effects that are equal or lower in level than the highest effective spell level of an invocation they know (eg, a warlock with this invocation and the Darkness invocation would be protected from any light effect with a spell level of 2 or less). The warlock can control the visual appearance of this protection, whether it be a covering of non-magical darkness, or simply appearing to be in the shade despite being in full sunlight. The warlock may also change the appearance of their clothing, similar to the Glamered armor ability.
All uses of this invocation are [Darkness] effects, and unless otherwise noted, activating a power is a Standard Action, though changing an active effect to another within the same tier is only a Swift Action.
The Armory of Least Shadows
A warlock who knows this invocation always has access to these powers, however, only one power of a given tier may be active at a time.
Claws of Darkness (Trans): You shape the shadows at your control into inky black claws that extend from your fingers, granting you 2 claw attacks which deal damage appropriate to your size. You may also manifest a larger set of claws, dealing damage as if you were one size larger, and adding 5' to your reach, but these larger claws interfere with your fine manipulation and prevent you from performing any tasks requiring such, including casting spells with somatic components, holding items, and even benefiting from any magical items on your hands (gloves, rings and the like are absorbed by the invocation's effects while active). You are also unable to use your eldritch blast while you are manifesting these extended claws, but if you have some ability to channel your blast into weapons, you may make use of it to channel the blast into these claws. The claws created by power may deal normal slashing damage or cold damage at your option when using it, and you may also apply Eldritch Essence invocations to the claws. Regardless of the size of the claws, you gain a +4 bonus to Grapple checks and the larger claws can be used against adjacent foes and within grapples.
Cloying Umbra (Necr): When you use this power, you designate one existing shadow or area of darkness of at least 5' within Close range. Beginning on the round in which you use this power, and each subsequent round on your initiative, the shadows in that area lash out with two attacks against adjacent creature you designate, making a melee touch attack with a bonus equal to your BAB plus your Charisma modifier and deals 1 point of strength damage on a hit. The Cloying Umbra can hit Incorporeal creatures, but not creatures on the Ethereal plane, and these attacks can be made against the same creature or two different creatures adjacent to the Cloying Umbra. Any creature which moves through the space takes damage as if it had been hit by the Cloying Umbra twice, and you can move the Cloying Umbra to another shadowy 5' square within Close range on your turn. The Cloying Umbra cannot be struck by mundane weapons, and is immune to all spells except for Light effects. A Light effect of equal or greater effective spell level to your highest Invocation's will immediately dispel the Cloying Umbra. If you are radiating Darkness (as the spell, though with any similar effect), you may instead choose to have the entire area of your darkness be affected by Cloying Umbra. In this case, it can still only make two attacks against adjacent targets, but its space is equal to your Darkness effect.
Interposing Gloom (Abj): Darkness seems to flow like ever shifting ink between yourself and your assailants, granting you a +2 Shield bonus to AC, and immunity to Magic Missile while active. Additionally, you gain SR 10+Warlock level against any targeted light spell and other missile spells.
Shroud of Shadows (Illu, [Sha]): You call shadows to yourself and shape them around your form. With this power you may duplicate the effects of the Disguise Self spell, a 20% miss chance from concealment, or gain a bonus on Hide checks equal to your charisma, at your option. You may change which benefit of this power you are using as a swift action.
Shade Servant (Conj): You animate your own shadow and sever it from your body to serve your bidding. This duplicates the effects of the Unseen Servant spell, except that the Shade Servant can be seen, and acts with a Str, Dex, and Int equal to your Charisma score. It has no weight, but can exert force appropriate to what it could lift with its Str score. Finally, unlike the Unseen Servant, it can perform tasks which require skill checks, but it is treated as having only a single rank in any skill you have ranks in, and uses your Charisma bonus for all skills. It can only perform skills you have no ranks in if those skills could be used untrained. You may only have a single Shade Servant in existence at a time. While the Shade Servant is active, you do not cast a shadow. If it is dissipated, your shadow immediately returns.
The Armory of Lesser Shadows
Upon gaining access to Lesser Invocations, you may invest a second invocation selection into this one. If you do so, all powers of this invocation have their effective spell level increased to 4, and the Least powers of this invocation are improved as follows:
- Claws of Darkness gain an enhancement bonus of 1/3 your character level
- Cloying Umbra's damage becomes 2 Str per hit
- Interposing Gloom's Shield bonus becomes +4
- Shroud of Shadows' Disguise Self option allows you to change your apparent body type and can alter the perceived tactile and auditory properties of yourself and your equipment
- Shade Servant is treated as having 6 ranks in any skill you possess at least that many ranks in.
Arming Darkness (Illu, [Sha], [Force]): When you use this option you create a single manufactured weapon out of darkness (or a full compliment of Light weapons if you have Two Weapon Fighting or Multi-weapon Fighting) in which you are proficient. This takes whatever action it would require for you to draw that kind of weapon. These weapons are an Illusion (Shadow) effect and so anyone struck by them may roll a Will save to realize they are not real as if they were the effect of Shadow Conjuration, except that they are 10% real per point of your Charisma modifier (ie, if your charisma is 18, they are 40% real). However, these weapons are magical, and so gain an enhancement bonus equal to 1/3 your character level, and overcome DR appropriately, and these weapons are treated as if they had the Ghost Touch property.
If you release your grip on the weapon, it dissipates in a puff of inky smoke at the end of the turn (allowing you to create and use throwing weapons). If you created a projectile weapon, you can conjure shadow ammunition appropriate to it as part of reloading the weapon.
If you have some other ability to conjure weaponry, such as the Soulknife's mind blade, the feat Eldritch Soulsword, or the like, you may combine this usage with that ability, conferring the benefits of Arming Darkness weapons on your mind blade et al. In this case, the weapon is as real as whatever external ability you are using (usually 100%) and becomes a Transmutation [Force] effect.
Entangling Shades (Necr): This usage turns your Eldritch Blast into an Entangling Shade Blast. A creature struck by the blast and those within 5 ft take 1d4 Strength damage, and the blast bursts upon striking to duplicate both the Entangle and Blacklight spells, occupying the same 20 ft radius space. You may also make this area a Cloying Umbra if you choose, requiring only a move action to do so.
Veil of Gloom (Abj): You create a veil of darkness covering your face, but not impairing your vision in the slightest. The veil can have any appearance form-wise, but is clearly made of inky darkness. While the veil does not impair your vision, it does protect it- you gain a bonus equal to the highest effective spell level of any invocation you know on saves against anything that depends on harming your through vision, such as bright flashes of light, gaze attacks, and effects which specifically target your eyes (Such as the spells Blindness/Deafness or Seething EyebaneBoVD), and have a 50% chance to avoid Gaze Attacks entirely as if you had successfully averted your eyes. Finally, you gain Darkvision 60' (or a 30' increase to existing Darkvision) which can even see through magical darkness, and the benefits of See Invisibility and Arcane Sight. When this effect ends, whether through being dismissed or dispelled, it fades over the course of 1d4 rounds, giving you time to cover your face through other means. You can also drop it immediately if you wish.
The Armory of Greater Shadows
Upon gaining access to Greater Invocations, you may invest a third invocation selection into this one. If you do so, all powers of this invocation have their effective spell level increased to 6, and the Least and Lesser powers of this invocation are improved as follows:
- Claws of Darkness and Arming Darkness deal damage as if you were one size larger
- Cloying Umbra's damage becomes 4 Str per hit
- Entangling Shades' area becomes a 40 ft radius
- Interposing Gloom's Shield bonus becomes +6
- Shroud of Shadows' allows you to duplicate the effect of Seeming
- Shade Servant is treated as having 11 ranks in any skill you possess at least that many ranks in
- Veil of Gloom grants the benefits of Nondetection
Animating Darkness (Nec): You may duplicate the effects of Animate Dead or Create Undead. Regardless of which spell you duplicate, its duration is 24 hours and you must re-invoke this power to extend it.
Armor of Shadows (Abj): You conjure any form of armor you are proficient in composed of inky blackness on a single touched target. The armor has the appropriate Armor Bonus and an enhancement bonus equal to 1/3 your level, but no Armor Check Penalty, Maximum Dexterity or Arcane Spell Failure. It also grants the subject a +4 bonus on Hide, Move Silently, Tumble and Escape Artist checks. Finally, it grants the wearer concealment (20% miss chance) and a +4 bonus on saving throw against any holy, [Good] or [Light] spells or effects cast at them. If the wearer of the armor is undead, it also gives them +4 Turn Resistance. The armor is made partially of force, thus the armor bonus applies even against attacks made by incorporeal creatures, unlike normal armor.
Midnight's Expanse: You may have a second Least effect of The Livery and Armory of Shadows active at a time. (This is a specific power. You do not have access to these while also using another Greater power of this invocation)
Nocturnal Essence: You gain access to all Least and Lesser Eldritch Essence Blasts
The Armory of Darkest Shadows
Upon gaining access to Dark Invocations, you may invest a fourth invocation selection into this one. If you do so, all powers of this invocation have their effective spell level increased to 8, and the Least, Lesser and Greater powers of this invocation are improved as follows:
- Animating Darkness can duplicate the effects of Create Greater Undead
- Armor of Shadows' skill, Save and Turn Resistance bonuses become +6 and it grants Total Concealment
- Cloying Umbra's damage becomes 6 Str per hit
- Entangling Shades' area is also Silenced as the spell
- Interposing Gloom's Shield bonus becomes +8
- Midnight's Expanse allows you to have a second Lesser and a third Least effect active
- Nocturnal Essence grants you access to all Greater Eldritch Essence Blasts
- Shroud of Shadows' allows you to duplicate the effect of Veil
- Shade Servant is treated as having 16 ranks in any skill you possess at least that many ranks in
- Veil of Gloom grants the benefits of Mind Blank
Reaving Bolt (Conj, Eldritch Essence): You turn your Eldritch Blast into a Reaving Bolt. Any target struck by it is immediately subject to a Trap the Soul effect. This is exactly like the Spell Completion trigger, and you may speak the target's name as part of the attack, however it does not trap their body, and it creates a pure black crystal instead of requiring a material component.
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Class Ability Components → Invocations → Warlock
| Article Balance | Very High + |
| Author | ValravenApocalypse + |
| Identifier | 3.5e Invocation + |
| Level | Warlock Least (see text) + |
| Rating | Undiscussed + |
| Summary | a set of abilities thematically tied to shadow and darkness + |
| Title | The Livery and Armory of Shadows + |
