Path of the Ravaging Void

Nightblades that follow the Path of the Ravaging Void create powerful evocations out of shadowstuff. Nightblades of this path can replicate many forms of destructive power, from searing flames to raw force, and can manipulate and twist energy effects with ease.

Path Power: A nightblade that follows the Path of the Ravaging Void gains the following path power.

Elemental Shade (Su)

You create an area of unstable shadow magic, forcibly replacing energy effects with shadowstuff. As a standard action, you designate a point of space within 50 feet for your elemental shade to surround. The shade emits out from that point in a 20-ft.-radius spread. Upon creating the elemental shade, you choose an energy type from acid, cold, electricity, or fire. Any magical source of energy that deals one of these types of damage with a caster level equal to or less than your nightblade level is altered to the chosen energy type. This includes supernatural effects from creatures with Hit Dice no greater than your nightblade level that deal one of these types of energy damage.

You cannot change the energy type of an extraordinary ability or a mundane energy effect (such as a torch) using elemental shade. If an effect lies only partially within the elemental shade, only the portions within the shade are transformed. Elemental shade lasts a number of rounds equal to 3 + 1/4 your nightblade level and can be dismissed as a standard action. You can only have one elemental shade in effect a time. If you use this ability again, any currently existing elemental shade immediately ends. At 7th level, you can use elemental shade as a move action. At 13th level, you can use it as a swift action.

Surge Ability: A nightblade of 2nd level that follows the Path of the Ravaging Void gains the following ability to use with her shadow surge class feature.

Umbral Blast (Sp)

You can spend a shadow surge as a standard action to unleash a chilling ray of darkness on a creature within 30 feet. You must make a ranged touch attack to strike with your umbral blast. On a hit, the shadowy ray deals cold damage equal to 1d6 per two nightblade levels obtained (max 10d6) plus your Charisma modifier.

Path Techniques: Your shadow magic grants you incredible destructive power.

Warding Shadows (Su)

At 1st level, you gain a shadowy aura that protects you from energy attacks, which you can eventually grant to your allies. Choose either acid, cold, electricity, or fire. Your warding shadows grant you resistance 5 against that energy type. This increases to resistance 10 at 6th level, to resistance 20 at 11th level, and to resistance 30 at 16th level. Once per day when you regain your spells, you may change the energy type that warding shadows protects against. Starting at 6th level, allies within 10 feet of you gain energy resistance to the same energy type equal to half the resistance that you gain. The ability to share your resistance with allies only functions while you are conscious, not if you are unconscious or dead.

Twisted Elements (Su)

At 5th level, you can infuse your elemental spells with shadowstuff, causing the spell to gain additional effects typical of a different energy type. When you cast a spell that deals acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage, you can combine the spell with shadow magic as a swift action. This allows it to have an additional effect based on a different element, chosen from the following list. You must choose an effect based on an energy type that is different from the type of energy damage the spell inflicts:

  • Acid – The spell is accompanied by noxious fumes and pain, sickening a creature for 1d4 rounds.
  • Cold – The spell creates an abnormal chill, slowing a creature (as the slow spell) for 1 round.
  • Electricity – The spell creates a brilliant flash, blinding a target for 1d4 rounds.
  • Fire – The spell generates intense flames, setting a creature on fire.
  • Sonic – The spell causes a mighty thunderclap, deafening a target for 1d4 rounds.

A creature that is immune to the type of energy the chosen effect is based on is immune to the added effect (for example, a creature immune to electricity cannot be blinded by this ability). Each of these effects only applies to a single target that is affected by the spell, and is negated if the creature succeeds on its saving throw against the spell. If the spell has no saving throw, the creature gets to a Fortitude save to negate this effect, the DC being equal to the DC the spell would have if it had a saving throw. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.

Shadow Energy (Sp)

At 10th level, you can combine unused spell slots with shadow energy to replicate evocation spells. By using this ability, you can cast any evocation spell on the sorcerer/wizard or nightblade spell list that deals acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage, as if using shadow evocation. To do so, you must give up a number of spell slots whose total spell levels is greater than or equal to the value shown in Table: Shadow Energy for the spell level you wish to replicate. For example, if you want to replicate fireball (a 3rd level spell), you would have to give up a number of spell slots whose total levels is at least four or more. This can be any combination of spell slots, such as two 2nd level spell slots, one 4th level spell slot, or a 1st level spell slot and a 3rd level spell slot.

Table: Shadow Energy
Level Total Spell Levels Needed to Cast
0 1
1 2
2 3
3 4
4 5
5 7
6 9
7 12
8 15
9 18

The created effects are only 20% real (as with shadow evocation). Any saving throws for the replicated spell (and the Will save to disbelieve it) use the normal DC for the replicated spell’s level, as opposed to the DC of shadow evocation. The replicated spell gains the shadow descriptor, in addition to its normal descriptors. Casting a spell with this ability takes a full-round action, as opposed to the spell’s normal casting time; if the spell has a longer casting time than this, the spell requires its normal casting time.

At 10th level, you can replicate spells up to 4th level. At 12th level, and every two levels thereafter, you can replicate spells of a level higher, up to 9th level spells at 20th level. At 16th level, the spells become 60% real, as if cast with greater shadow evocation.

Shadow Avatar (Sp)

At 15th level, you can temporarily replace your entire being with roiling shadow energy as a standard action. This functions as the spell fiery body, using your nightblade level as your caster level, except as noted below.

You and your equipment are immune to cold damage and you are healed by cold instead of by fire. The other resistances and immunities apply as normal. While you do not take additional damage from cold effects (as with fiery body), you are affected by light-based spells such as sunburst as if you were an undead shadow.

Your unarmed attack deals cold damage instead of fire damage. You do not burn brightly or dazzle creatures as with fiery body; instead, your shadowy form gives you a +10 competence bonus on Stealth checks made in dim light or darkness. Shadow and darkness spells you cast have their save DCs increased by +1, including spells cast with your shadow energy ability, instead of fire spells. You do not take damage nor gain concealment when in water, but are staggered when in an area of bright light. You can use shadow avatar once per day.

Inevitable Darkness (Su)

At 20th level, your magic can pierce even the toughest defenses. Whenever you cast an evocation spell or a shadow spell that replicates an evocation spell, such as shadow evocation or your shadow energy technique, you can roll twice to penetrate a creature’s spell resistance and take the better result. Abilities that reduce the effects a spell has on a successful save, such as evasion, improved evasion, or stalwart do not function and provide no benefit against such spells.

Nightblade Arts: A nightblade that follows the Path of the Ravaging Void can select from the following nightblade arts.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Path of Shadows, © 2015, Ascension Games, LLC; Author Christopher Moore

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