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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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Shade

When a mortal dies, their soul travels to the Boneyard in the Outer Planes where they're judged by Pharasma, the goddess of the dead. Once judged, their soul is sent on to their final reward or punishment and, in the process, transformed into a creature known as a shade. This transformation grants the soul a new body, one whose shape is determined by the prevailing philosophical forces of the plane to which they're sent. A shade's memories from their former life usually fade, reduced to a few hazy fragments akin to half-remembered dreams. Regardless of the shade's size, power, or nature in life, they're a Medium creature in their afterlife.

Existence as a shade can last for eons but isn't necessarily eternal. Deities, powerful denizens of the Great Beyond, or even the Outer Planes can further alter a shade's nature by either reducing them into raw quintessence, spiritual essence that's then used to expand a plane's physical manifestation, or by transforming them into a new form of supernatural life such as a celestial, monitor, or fiend. Should a shade die, their body breaks down in a process akin to decay, their form reverting to the elements that make up their plane. This represents the true end of a soul's journey—their life essence reuniting with the heart of the Great Beyond to be recycled into Creation's Forge, fueling the creation of new souls.

Recall Knowledge - Shade (Religion, Religion): DC 15
Unspecific Lore: DC 13
Specific Lore: DC 10

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Changes from being Weak are marked in red below.
NOTE: The -2 damage penalty to non-strike offensive abilities (-4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.

Weak ShadeCreature -1

Medium Shade 
Source Monster Core 2 pg. 282
Perception +5; darkvision
Languages see Planar Incarnation
Skills Athletics +5, Lore +5 (Planar (related to their plane)
Str +2, Dex +2, Con +2, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +2
AC 13; Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +5
HP 12
Speed 25 feet
Planar Incarnation All shades are formed from and personify the nature of the plane on which they manifest, and their statistics are adjusted as summarized below. They also gain any trait associated with creatures from their plane.
Abaddon (The Hunted) The hunted appear as Medium-sized versions of themselves from their prior lives, and they exist to be pursued and consumed by daemons; Sanctification unholy; Language Daemonic; Additional Ability fast healing 5; Melee [one-action] fist +7, Damage 1d8+2 bludgeoning
Astral Plane (The Untethered) These appear as astrally projected versions of their mortal forms, yet they lack a silver cord; Language any one spoken in life (such as Common); Additional Ability fly Speed 20 feet; Melee [one-action] fist +7, Damage 1d8+2 bludgeoning
Axis (The Remade) The remade appear as parchment-skinned humanoids covered in lines of close black script; Language Utopian; Additional Ability immune to emotion and fear; Melee [one-action] fist +7, Damage 1d8+2 bludgeoning
Boneyard (The Dead) The dead appear as animated skeletons of the type of creature they were when they were alive; Language Requian; Additional Ability resistance 3 to piercing and slashing; Melee [one-action] claw +7, Damage 1d8+2 slashing
Creation's Forge (The Enlightened) The enlightened appear as diaphanous, radiant versions of their mortal selves; Language Jyoti; Additional Ability fast healing 5; Melee [one-action] glowing touch +7, Damage 1d8+2 vitality
Dead Vault (The Caged) The caged are sent to Rovagug's prison plane, the Dead Vault, and appear as chained versions of their mortal bodies, save that their faces are hideous insectile visages; Sanctification unholy; Language Chthonian; Additional Ability Rend [one-action] bite (page 361); Melee [one-action] bite +7, Damage 1d8+2 piercing
Dreamlands (The Dreamers) The dreamers appear as their ideal appearance, age, and gender from their mortal bodies; Language Aklo; Additional Ability +1 circumstance bonus to all saving throws; Melee [one-action] fist +7, Damage 1d8+2 bludgeoning
Elysium (The Chosen) The chosen appear as idealized versions of their mortal selves with glowing eyes; Sanctification holy; Language Empyrean; Additional Ability immune to blindness and dazzled; Melee [one-action] fist +7, Damage 1d8+2 bludgeoning
Ethereal Plane (The Terrorized) The terrorized appear as sickly, haunted-looking versions of their mortal selves; Language any one spoken in life (such as Common); Additional Ability immune to bleed and death effects; Melee [one-action] fist +7, Damage 1d8+2 bludgeoning
Heaven (The Elect) The elect have golden halos and ghostly wings, but they otherwise appear as their mortal forms; Sanctification holy; Language Empyrean; Additional Ability fly Speed 20 feet; Melee [one-action] wing +7, Damage 1d8+2 bludgeoning
Hell (The Damned) The damned look like terribly scarred or mutilated versions of their mortal selves; Sanctification unholy; Language Diabolic; Additional Ability immune to fire; Melee [one-action] jaws +7, Damage 1d8+2 piercing
Maelstrom (The Shapeless) The shapeless appear as half-melted reflections of their former mortal selves; Language Protean; Additional Ability immune to critical hits and precision; Melee [one-action] fist +7, Damage 1d8+2 bludgeoning
Netherworld (The Mutilated) The mutilated appear as they did in their mortal lives yet are covered in wounds or partially adorned or wrapped in chains; Sanctification unholy; Language Shadowtongue; Additional Ability immune to bleed and fear; Melee [one-action] chain +7, Damage 1d8+2 bludgeoning
Nirvana (The Cleansed) The cleansed take on animal forms that match their personalities in life; Sanctification holy; Language Empyrean; Additional Ability speed 35 feet; Melee [one-action] claw +7, Damage 1d8+2 slashing
Outer Rifts (The Larvae) The larvae appear as maggot-like grubs with the face the shade had in life; Sanctification unholy; Language Chthonian; Additional Ability immune to disease and poison; Melee [one-action] jaws +7, Damage 1d8+2 piercing
Plane of Air (Air Pneuma) Air pneuma appear as versions of their mortal selves composed of air; Language Sussuran; Additional Ability fly Speed 20 feet; Melee [one-action] gust +7 (air), Damage 1d8+2 bludgeoning
Plane of Earth (Earth Pneuma) Earth pneuma appear as versions of their mortal selves built of earth or stone; Language Petran; Additional Ability burrow Speed 20 feet; Melee [one-action] fist +7 (earth), Damage 1d8+2 bludgeoning
Plane of Fire (Fire Pneuma) Fire pneuma appear as versions of their mortal selves shaped from flame; Language Pyric; Additional Ability immunity to fire; Melee [one-action] cinder +7 (fire), Damage 1d8+2 fire
Plane of Metal (Metal Pneuma) Metal pneuma appear as versions of their mortal selves made of various, often sharpened, metals; Language Talican; Additional Ability resistance 3 to electricity; Melee [one-action] claw +7 (metal, versatile P), Damage 1d8+2 slashing
Plane of Water (Water Pneuma) Water pneuma appear as versions of their mortal selves formed of flowing water; Language Thalassic; Additional Ability amphibious, swim Speed 20 feet; Melee [one-action] current +7 (water), Damage 1d8+2 bludgeoning
Plane of Wood (Wood Pneuma) Wood pneuma appear as versions of their mortal selves carved from wood; Language Muan; Additional Ability 8 additional Hit Points and weakness 2 to fire and axes; Melee [one-action] fist +7 (wood), Damage 1d8+2 bludgeoning
Universe (The Remnants) These are among the rarest of shades; appearing as plain, bland versions of their mortal selves; Language any one spoken in life (such as Common); Additional Ability ferocity; Melee [one-action] fist +7, Damage 1d8+2 bludgeoning

Sidebar - Additional Lore First World Shades

A soul sent to the First World doesn't become a shade. Rather, they immediately reincarnate into a fey creature whose temperament and role match their mortal personalities. This process tends to leave souls who incarnate into the First World with slightly more memories than most shades, yet still not enough that they remember who they once were.

Sidebar - Advice and Rules Other Shades

Each plane (save the Void) has its own category of shade, but not every plane present in the Pathfinder setting is listed here. Certainly, planes of your own design aren't represented! You can use the wide range of types and descriptions here as inspiration for creating new shades: each needs a name, appearance, language, additional ability, and attack. For instance, Desna maintains a demiplane called Cynosure that straddles the Universe and Elysium. Shades here are known as the chosen dreamers and appear as idealized, glowing versions of their mortal selves; they speak Empyrean, are immune to confusion and stupefied, and deal bludgeoning damage with their fists.