Roguish Archetype
Shadewalker
The shadewalker is a dangerous rogue, someone so at home in the darkness that it wraps around them like a cloak. They are more comfortable in gloom than light and able to use the night to their advantage. Some come into their powers independently, discovering a supernatural connection to the darkness that they can't explain; others become shadewalkers via explicit blessings or pacts with powers of the shadow.
Shadewalkers are viewed with great suspicion in most societies, though it is not always justified. Some surely come from criminal backgrounds, putting their talents to unsavory ends. But others may be righteous vigilantes, patriotic spies, or champions of the oppressed. Their shadowy powers are a mere method, not a moral code.
Shadewalker Features
| Rogue Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Dark Stalker, Shade Call |
| 9th | Shadow Strike |
| 13th | Mantle of Gloom |
| 17th | Shadow's Reach |
Dark Stalker
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain darkvision out to 30 feet. If you already have darkvision, its range increases by 15 feet. Additionally, you don't suffer any penalties when making Perception checks in dim light.
Shade Call
Also at 3rd level, you are able to conjure pools of shadow, overwhelming any light source that would ensnare you. As a bonus action, you can create a 5- or 10-foot radius (your choice) sphere of magical darkness centered on a point within 60 feet. A creature with darkvision can't see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it. You see normally within this darkness.
If it overlaps with magical light, it dispels the magical light unless the light was created by a spell cast at a level higher than your proficiency bonus. Dispel magic treats this darkness as if it is a spell cast at a level equal to your proficiency bonus.
This sphere of darkness lasts for 1 minute or until you create another one.
Shadow Strike
At 9th level, you can leap from shadow to shadow to make deadly strikes. On your turn, you can expend half of your movement to teleport to an area of darkness you can see within 60 feet. If you do so, the next weapon attack you make before the end of your next turn deals bonus damage on a hit equal to half your Sneak Attack damage.
You can teleport in this way a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses after finishing a long rest.
Mantle of Gloom
At 13th level, the shadow lies upon you like a protective cloak. When you are in darkness or dim light, you gain resistance to necrotic and psychic damage. Additionally, when you use your Shadow Strike feature, you gain temporary hit points equal to half your rogue level.
Shadow's Reach
At 17th level, you can command the shadow to lash out and seize your enemies. As an action, you can extend black tendrils in a 5-foot-wide line from any area of darkness within 60 feet to another space you can see within 60 feet. The tendrils leave darkness in their path as they travel and stop as soon as they encounter a creature. That creature must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC equals 8 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failure, it takes necrotic damage equal to one roll of your Sneak Attack damage and becomes frightened of you for 1 minute. On a success, it takes half as much damage and is not frightened. A frightened creature can reattempt the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. Once a creature succeeds on a saving throw against this feature, it is immune for 24 hours.
The darkness created by your tendrils lasts for 1 minute or until dispelled (using the same rules as your Shade Call feature).
Shadewalker quirks
The following are some optional quirks for a player of this archetype to choose from.
| d6 | Quirk |
|---|---|
| 1 | Your eyes gleam like diamonds in the darkness. |
| 2 | You dress exclusively in black and wear dark makeup. |
| 3 | Your weapons emanate a black mist. |
| 4 | You stay away from bright lights even when you're in a safe situation. |
| 5 | You actually love wearing bright colors. |
| 6 | Your shadow sometimes moves of its own accord. |
Magical Darkness
By default, the game underspecifies how magical light and magical darkness interact; the only real mention is that the darkness spell dispels magical light of 2nd level or lower. In general, I'd suggest treating any magical darkness or light effects as "highest level wins"; i.e. daylight (3rd level) cancels darkness (2nd), but darkness upcast at 4th level cancels daylight.
Appendix 1: 5e++
If you're playing with the 5e++ ruleset by KibblesTasty, it adds an additional subclass feature for rogues at 5th level. In order to make the Shadewalker compatible, you can break the 9th-level Shadow Strike feature into the following two.
Shadow Walk
At 5th level, you can leap from shadow to shadow to make deadly strikes. On your turn, you can expend half of your movement to teleport to an area of darkness you can see within 60 feet.
You can teleport in this way a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses after finishing a long rest.
Shadow Strike
At 9th level, when you teleport with your Shadow Walk feature, the next weapon attack you make before the end of your next turn deals bonus damage on a hit equal to half your Sneak Attack damage.
Change Log
v0.3
- Adjusted Shadow's Reach DC
- Clarified Shade Call's interactions
v0.2
- Properly specified line width for Shadow's Reach
v0.1
- Rough Draft
Credits & References:
- Shadewalker created by somanyrobots Discord | Patreon
Art
Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow, by Yongjae Choi © Wizards of the Coast LLC
Background Image Stains
License
© 2025 somanyrobots, CC BY-NC 4.0
Fan Content Policy
- This work is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
5E SRD Content
This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available here.
The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available here.