Wizard Tradition

Shadow
Adept
Wizard Tradition
A 5th edition conversion of the Shadow Adept from Players Guide to Faerun (3.5e)

Shadow Adept - Wizard Archetype

hadow adepts are wizards who fearlessly reach

out to the Shadow Weave and grab for power and
knowledge that takes others years longer to
achieve. Typical shadow adepts are solely
concerned with becoming more powerful, which
means those of good alignments, tend to be
absent from the ranks of these dark individuals.
Shadow adepts make great sacrifices in their
ability to tap the Weave in order to gain great power from the
Shadow Weave.

Shadow Weave
At 2nd level, the Shadow Adept gains the following benefits
and penalties, as they begin fully utilizing the Shadow Weave
instead of the regular Weave.
The saving throw for every spell you cast from the schools
of enchantment, illusion, and necromancy increases by +1.
You effective caster level for evocation and transmutation
spells is reduced by 1. If this would lower your caster level
below that which could cast the spell, you cannot cast it. For
example, a level 5 Shadow Adept would be unable to cast
Fireball, as they would effectively be level 4, not high enough
to cast it.
You can no longer cast spells that directly create light. No
matter what school they are from, such spells fail
automatically. You are also unable to invoke a magic item's
light power, if it is essentially triggering a spell. For example,
you could use an oil that applies a light effect to something,
but would be unable to cast Light from a wand or scroll.
After each short or long rest, select one of the following
shadow weave benefits. The benefit lasts until you are
incapacitated, or you take a short or long rest.

Insidious Magic

Any non-shadow magic user who uses a divination spell to

attempt to detect or reveal the effects of one of your spells
must succeed on a DC 10 + spell level check using their spell
casting ability in order to do so.
This benefit does not extend to your Transmutation or
Evocation spells.

Pernicious Magic

Non-shadow magic users are one step less resistant to your

spells. Someone immune would become resistant, someone
resistant would become non-resistant. This benefit does not
extend to Transmutation or Evocation spells.

Tenacious Magic

Your spells resist dispelling attempts made by Weave users.

Weave users have disadvantage to dispel checks made
against your spells. This benefit does not extend to your
Transmutation or Evocation spells.

Shadow Vision
At 2nd level, a shadow adept gains 60ft darkvision if they
don't already have it. At 10th level they also gain the ability to
see in magical darkness.

Shadow Defence
At 6th level, the shadow adept gains resistance to the kinds of
spells favoured by the Shadow Weave. You gain advantage on
a saving throw against a spell from the enchantment, illusion,
or necromancy schools. You can also use this on any spell
that directly reduces or negates light (for example, the
Darkness spell).
You gain one additional use of this ability at 10th and 14th
levels, for a total of 3 before resting. This feature recharges
on a short or long rest.

Shadow Walk
At 6th level, the shadow adept gains the ability to step
between shadows. When you are in dim light or darkness,
you may teleport up to 60ft as a bonus action to another
space also in dim light or darkness. This ability recharges on
a short or long rest.

Shield of Shadows
At 10th level, the shadow adept can surround himself with a
globe of purple-black force as an action. This shield of
shadows functions as a Shield spell. In addition, it grants halfconcealment to attackers. The shadow adept can see and
reach through the shield as though it isn't there, so it does not
provide cover or concealment to opponents.
The shadow adept may use a shield of shadows for up to 1
round per caster level per long rest. The duration need not be
consecutive - the shadow adept may break it up into
increments as small as 1 round if they so desire. Creating the
shield of shadows is an action.
At 14th level, the shield also grants the shadow adept
resistance to magic damage, as well as advantage on saving
throws vs spells.

Legal
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All other original material in this work is copyright 2016 by
Erik Heinze-Milne and published under the Community
Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.