Rambling about my experience:
I'd just like to say the little updates shadowdancer has gotten are really cool, and it's made me want to roll up another and try them out again. I'm having a lot more fun with my abilities on cooldown. There's just a few things I think still need improvement.
My own build will be using 17 levels of SD so that I can get maximum SD bonuses. I've done it before on a character and I know it isn't 'pvp optimal' but it works quite well as an RP build and in PvE. The build I'm using has pretty poor AB compared to the current powerbuilds, has essentially no AC and terrible saves/hp.. but it has the toys I want so I'm pretty happy. It's a happy accident that the new shadowdaze DC is based off of my int! Neat
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)
There's still the problem of permanently losing your summon shadow ability until you rest, every time you go across a server to server transition. I think this might be fixed by adding a second/third charge to summon shadow as a backup? Or- Maybe not. I don't know. The CD timer just doesn't seem to begin. This means sometimes I need to unsummon my shadow and wait a few minutes before transitioning, or I need to guzzle alcohol to make myself tired and rest on the other side of the transition. This isn't always possible because of PvE/PvP.
Unfortunately sometimes I still get the bug where my shadow does not grant me sneak attack damage, but it is very rare. More commonly though the shadow does not grant me sneak attacks, even though the enemy is not attacking me. Weird! Summons still ignore the shadow and destroy my poor SD too.
Overall I think shadowdancer is definitely improving, but it could still use a bit more love until it's caught up to how awesome rogue and assassin are. Currently I feel like assassin is just better in every way and I sort of regret not making one, but my character is chaotic good so it wasn't ever really an option. Maybe next time on another character.
Some ideas:
To me the class fantasy of a shadowdancer is very appealing. They are mysterious and sneaky. Vanishing before your very eyes and controlling the shadows. I think this could be improved by granting +1 ms to SDs for each level in SD in addition to hide. I think they should also be allowed to move much more quickly in the shadows. It feels strange to me that a rogue can move quicker using mundane stealth (physically sneaking) than a shadowdancer using a supernatural ability. I feel like it should be the other way around, and shadowdancers should be the ones who can move quickly while stealthed.
I love my shadow summon, but for the shadow of a Hide/MS focused character it sure is bad at stealth. I'd like if it copied the hide/MS of the player so that we both could go undetected. I'd also like it if the sneak attack bonus was baked into my own character rather than relying on proximity of the shadow. I already need the shadow near me if I want to survive (because of the AWESOME -guard mechanic that I love and is a lot of fun) but if the shadow isn't present, I don't like being unable to fight at all. I think it isn't unreasonable to want my character to be able to sneak attack without having a summon out. Maybe additional AB when near the shadow would help.
Additional abilities could help add some flavor. Darkness+Ultravision. Shadow stepping. A built in ability to take you to the plane of shadow without needing to find a door. Not leaving tracks when stealthed. Being able to run while stealthed.
Do other people have any thoughts and ideas on what could be done to make dedicated shadowdancers more shadowy?