Ok, I've been looking at the SD class, and the ONLY real issue issue is that the Summoned Shadow:

(1) Is very weak.

(2) Eats Xpo everytime it is put away.

So I'm proposing the following change:

Based on character level, the shadow gains power.  The Holy Liberator has a table that I feel should apply strait over.  The creature will still cost Xp to bve sent away or ghanked.  But at least it will have some staying power.

NOTE:  Max HD will be somthing like 11-13 based on that table.  I'll post the rest later.

Here are some of my issues with this class in PnP.

2nd level class ability: Evasion > This ability, if the base class is rogue (as I assume most SDs would be) already has evasion. Potential swap for a feat, or some other feature if the character already has it? See the uncanny dodge ability, which, if the character already has it, they are given improved uncanny dodge instead.

At the earliest, Shadow Dancer can be picked up at 8th level. That means evasion at 9th. Seeing as Rogue gains a special ability at ten. I would suggest that this evasion be swapped for imp. evasion (if the character already has evasion), and that the level 10 slot for imp evasion kicks a reflex save bonus (if the character already has imp evasion).

Summon Shadow > Should not cost exp to send away, if it dies, sure go for it. No other class suffers an XP loss for sending away their compainion or summoned creature. This ability (to me) fits into at least one of those categories, and thus should not penalize the SD for sending it away. Nor should this ability suffer a 30 day cooldown timer for sending the creature away.

The biggest reason for taking SD is still HiPS. It's not a well rounded PrC, it's not even balanced, coming in with one of the best abilities in the class right off the bat and then having almost nothing beyond that. It is underpowered on the whole. Rather than fixing a broken class, my suggestion is the following:

Adopt, and modify slightly, the homebrew version of SD found Here.

I have some ideas on fixing that homebrew version, such has keeping the existing SD requirements as well as the reqs. they have on the wiki page. The ability that likely needs the most work on that homebrew is the Mirrorshard Blade. To be fair, it would be rolling in at about level 17, so I'll take a look at other abilities that roll in that late. I'm a fan of this version of the SD class, and would -really- like to go over what changes the rest of you think might need to be made to it so that it can replace the crap the DMG gives.

just taking a real quick glance at the shadowdancer homebrew, it looks retardedly overpowered to me.  I'll look closer later though. 

-Z

My notion on the homebrew is that it is ridiculously overpowered.  At level 16, a character can get a weapon that has the following:

+5 Enhancement, 18-20 x 2 crit, CON DAMAGE (which is multiplied on crit), can be thrown and auto returns. 

A Level 8 character gets an at will/unlimited ranged touch attack (no attack of opportunity) for 4d6 dmg.  This increases 1d6 per 2 character levels.

A character can jump from their own shadow (normally a std. action) as a move action and then make a FULL ATTACK.

This all screams "broken past repairable" to me.

The original shadow-dancer is someone who has drawn a connection to the demi-plane of shadow.  The ONLY thing that keeps the original shadowdancer class from being generally viable IMO is the weakness of the familiar.  That is what I wish to change.  Sev and I discussed a change that will allow the familiar to gain a reasonable ammount of power, similar to a druid's companion, a familiar, or a paladin warhorse.  The end result is a class that is a lot more playable.  I think that dimissing a shadow needs to be separated from "having it take a time-out".  As I read it, dismissal is a rather permanent condition, hence the AC penalty.  "Stay in here, and don't be seen" is not the same thing.  This familiar is a part of the shadowdancer.  Not a typical summons, this is (IMO) a part of the shadowdancer's soul.  Hence the XP penalty for PERMANENT banishment.  For "Stay here until I return", no penalty.

Finally, with regard to the "high requirements", the perform skill is the only real issue I see, and that is fixed in a ton of ways.  From able learner, to human paragon, to bard, monk, or levels in a ton of other classes, it's just too easy to pick up.  A class doesn't have to be "game-breaking" powerful just because the entrance reqs. are high.  A bard can enter this class at level 8.  A Monk can do the same.  This really isn't even a rogue class, save that NWN made it so.  As a comparison, many powerful PrC's from other books cannot be entered until a "special" requirement is met, OR have even higher initial level requirements.

Shadowdancer Familiar advancement:

Char                    Bonus            Nat Armor               Dex
Level                    HD                      Adj                         Adj                      Int               Special

1st-12th               +2                        +1                          +1                       6                 Empathic Link

13th-15th             +4                       +3                           +2                        7                 Improve Speed +10ft

16th-18th             +6                        +5                          +3                       8                  Share Spells/Save

19th-20th            +8                         +7                          +4                       9                  Imp. Evasion/telepathic Link

Oni - As a PS, if you want to rename the homebrew class and rebalance it, I'm cool with that....I just don't want to toss what is (mostly) a viable class in the DMG.  Perhapse this class can be called "Shadowsinger" as a way to differentiate it, and change the perform req to "Perform (Song)"?

I think that the perform req is so easy 'cuz it wasn't meant to be a game bending/breaking class, so if you /do/ increase it's power, you should add a "special" requirement to it, such as

"The character wishing to become a shadow dancer must find a cave deep enough to be completely dark, and must live there for (insert x ammount of time), growing accustomed to the darkness and the creatures which reside in it. After meditating, if found worthy by the denizens of shadow, a shade will approach the character and transport it to the plane of shadow, forever forging a bond between them, and granting the character extraordinary talents."

just a thought. most of the "special" requirements are something roleplay intensive or backstory involving, depending on when the character rolls in.  other than that, idgaf what you do ^_^

Oni, I really like the idea of the homebrew class, but with so many of the abilities being at will, it really feels closer to being somewhere between a really high end prc, and an epic prc. Unlimited shadow jumping is CRAZY good. As for the 4d6 damage thing, it's good, but it's not absurd, but when you couple it with the ability to shadow jump to flank an unlimited number of times per day and make a full attack to rape them with sneak damage, things get out of hand rater quickly IMO. 

Personally, I really like the scaling of the current shadow dancer's shadow jump ability. Doubling the jumpable distance every couple levels works well because players are greatly rewarded for investing heavily into the PrC, something which i whole heartedly support in PrC design (while yes, lots of classes/builds involve 1-3 level dips into PrC's, I love seeing PrC's that really shine once you take more and more levels in them)

just some of my thoughts. I'd love to help rebalance if you'd like help with it, 'cuz i like the idea of the class, just the unlimited jumping scares me a bit. Shadow Cloth is not something that should exist pre-epic.

-Z

At will, as per the spell/ability it references. Makes all but one of the jumps STANDARD actions, the exception being Improved Shadow Slide flagging as a move action at class level 3. That move actions allows not a full attack, but an attack action which is only ONE hit. Later, class level 5, it can make a full attack following one of the shadow movement abilities. This attack ends the SD's turn imediately.

Addressing Shadow Strike. It is as an attack action, so you can only fire off one per round. Changing it from 1/2 character level to 1/2 class level would fix the damage issue. I don't see this being unbalancing with the damage fix put in, as it would be the only attack the character could make that round.

Mirror Shard Blade: This one needs a lot of work, as written it's way too good, even for an ability that rolls at the level it does. I'd prefer to sit down to talk about possible balances, rather than discuss them over forums, but that goes back to my dislike of forums.

Oni, I call bullshit on your dislike of forums. You LOVE tearing people apart on the Y!PP forums (or at least used to)

Overall, this is my opinion of the class: If you'd like help changing/rebalancing things, I'm more than willing to help. Honestly, I don't care what ends up getting rebalanced or not, as long as you end up having fun with the character and understand if something is unbalanced in either direction, it may be subject to buff/nerf without notice. ^_^ 

TL;DR. FUN.... MUST.... BE.... HAD..... LLAMA.... ZOO.... WALNUT.... MANGO.

Oni:

Are you willing to create a compromise on this class and have it NOT be called shadowdancer?  That way, we can keep the two classes separate, and work on fixing the original SD class first?

Can we call it the "DarknessPrancer"? *snickers*

-Z

Yeah, I'd be cool with that. I think you are trying to turn a non-combat ability into a combat one with the summon though. Give me a ring sometime, or chat with me over the weekend, and we can hammer some stuff out.

I hear from my secret spy network that you have successfully "undicked" the shadowdancer... can we possibly get a new page made that has said abilities/progression listed? i'm quite curious to see what you fellers have come up with

-Z