Shadow Knight

The antithesis of a Paladin, a Shadow Knight derives power from the evil gods he serves.
 He's part Warrior, part Necromancer and has the innate ability to Harm Touch. 
- EverQuest manual

Description

File:C shadowknight.gif

Shadow Knights are unholy warriors who use fear, pain and disease to attack all that is good in the world. Shadow Knights are primarily a melee class, able to wear plate armor and wield many kinds of weapons.

The Shadow Knight is considered by many as the opposite to a Paladin, while in some ways this is true, on Norrath they aren't the traditional evil Black Knight to the Good White Knight. The races that are capable of producing Shadow Knights are not all innately evil, even Humans are known to become them. In a similar fashion to a Paladin, Shadow Knights have to be dedicated to their deity, whether this dedication is because of a desire to serve or to gain in power and wealth is debatable. What is true for certain is none of the deities Shadow Knights follow could be thought of as good and will usually be classed as evil.

Shadow Knights have many of the skills and undertake similar training to that of a Warrior, complemented with an impressive spell casting ability in Necromantic magic. They are one of most respected and feared professions and as individuals are formidable opponents, even inexperienced Shadow Knights have completed tough and painful tasks, proving their worth enough to be trained. The Iksar especially give difficult tasks to their young apprentices, many of whom will never make it beyond their apprentice status. They are taught to fight without fear or mercy and not to question their masters, at least not until they can defeat them and give commands of their own.

Shadow Knights have no qualms about their method of defeating an opponent, including leaching their health and strength to enhance their own. Among the dark spells available to them, Shadow Knights can cause an enemy to run in fear and then slow their movement, catching up and striking them repeatedly where their armor is most vulnerable. This isn't to say Shadow Knights avoid direct combat as they are very powerful duelists, often using weapons of a cruel and damaging shape (and resulting effect). They are among the most dangerous enemies that an adventurer could encounter and as an ally need to be respected and dealt with carefully, Shadow Knights have a reputation for being quick to anger and easy to annoy and not always making their distaste known until it maybe fatal for the party responsible.

Roleplaying Tips
You are your dark god's tool for the destruction of good. Your god has chosen you, and made you more than what you were before. His dark gifts flow through you. You can feel that power pulsing in your veins, and you can share that feeling with others, making them writhe in the grip of agony. Your life is lived to see others die. The weak, the foolish, and any who oppose the will of your god will be struck down by the force of your dark powers, and the bite of your steel. Corruption, tyranny, death, and war, these are your watchwords. Strife follows you wherever you go, and you are usually the source of it. You feel no pity or remorse for those you trod under your steel-shod feet, for they are inferior, and know not the beauty of the dark visions your god has granted of you, of the power they oppose. Your god is great and terrible, and you are the walking proof of this, every day.

Class Titles

Level 1-50	Level 51-54	Level 55-59	Level 60
Shadow Knight	Reaver	Revenant	Grave Lord

Creation Guide

Picking the Right Race

The first thing you have to pick then is your race. Which race you pick will determine the foundation of your character for the rest of your life on Norrath so it is rather important that you pick one you like. There are a number of differences between Shadow Knight races which can influence your decision.

Firstly, different Shadow Knight races level at different speeds. Dark Elves, Humans, and Erudites level the fastest. Ogres level quite a bit slower than these races. Trolls and Iksar level even slower than Ogres. It will take an Iksar or Troll Shadow Knight more than twice the experience to reach Level 60 compared to a Halfling warrior. So be prepared for a long haul if you choose one of these races.

Humans and Erudites have no night vision, which could be a problem if you do not know the geography well. Erudites also have a naturally high magical resistance. These two, being neutral races, have good faction compared to all other Shadow Knights, and have the advantage of being allowed into many cities restricted to other Shadow Knights, often (but not always) without any extra faction work. Also human Shadow Knights are the only race that can have a moustache, so do consider that.

Iksars and Trolls have one key advantage over the other races. They both regenerate their health much faster. This is especially important when feigning death as it allows you to heal much faster whilst you are immobilized.

Ogres have an advantage in that they cannot be stunned from melee attacks when hit from the front. This can be very helpful throughout your characters life, and is an ability that cannot be duplicated by any gear in the game. They also have the highest strength and the most hitpoints of any race choice.

Ogres and Trolls have the racial Slam ability that can be used rather than Bash. This skill is available at level 1 and does not require a shield to be equip to use.

Faction wise, most Shadow Knights are not liked very much. Iksars can only trade in Cabilis. Erudites and Humans have more choices, but religion can sometimes be problematic for them, as they can easily trash what good faction they have if they choose their battles without thinking of faction consequences. Choosing Rallos Zek, if that option is available, will give you some mobility in neutral races' cities as well as most of Kael Drakkel. In the end however, your choice will not matter too much as you are fairly restricted no matter which race you pick.

Racial Experience Statistics

Note: Class experience penalties are no longer in effect on P99 as of 9/21/15. Racial penalties of 20% for Trolls and Iksar and 15% for Ogres are still applicable.

Starting Statistics

Race	Str	Sta	Agi	Dex	Wis	Int	Cha	Bonus
Dark Elf	70	70	90	75	83	109	65	20
Erudite	70	75	70	70	83	117	75	20
Froglok	80	85	100	100	75	85	55	20
Gnome	70	75	85	85	67	108	65	20
Half Elf	80	80	85	90	70	85	75	20
Human	85	80	75	75	75	85	80	20
Iksar	80	75	90	85	80	85	60	20
Ogre	140	127	70	70	67	70	42	20
Troll	118	114	83	75	60	62	45	20

=

Religion

Religion is not of a huge concern to Shadow Knights as they are already hated. Most choose to worship Innoruuk the Prince of Hate, as it ties in well their role. The other choices are Cazic-Thule, or rarely Bertoxxulous or Rallos Zek. Shadow Knights cannot be agnostic, as their dark powers are directly linked to their study or worship of their deity and the dead.

Spells

Spell Name	Level	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Spike of Disease	1	9	Conjuration	Single target
Sense the Dead	2	5	Divination	Self only
Locate Corpse	3	5	Divination	Self only
Invisibility versus Undead	4	40	Divination	Single target
Disease Cloud	5	10	Conjuration	Single target
Siphon Strength	6	5	Alteration	Single target
Leering Corpse	7	40	Conjuration	Self only
Lifetap	8	8	Alteration	Tap
Despair	9	12	Alteration	Single target
Numb the Dead	9	20	Abjuration	Undead only
Endure Cold	10	20	Abjuration	Single target
Clinging Darkness	11	20	Alteration	Single target
Fear	12	40	Alteration	Single target
Lesser Summon Corpse	12	100	Conjuration	Self only
Shadow Step	13	10	Alteration	Self only
Bone Walk	14	80	Conjuration	Self only
Lifespike	15	13	Alteration	Tap
Scream of Hate	15	85	Alteration	Single target
Grim Aura	16	25	Alteration	Self only
Deadeye	17	35	Divination	Self only
Ward Undead	18	5	Evocation	Undead only
Cure Disease	19	20	Alteration	Single target
Tiny Companion	19	50	Alteration	Caster's pet
Engulfing Darkness	20	60	Conjuration	Single target
Spook the Dead	20	10	Alteration	Undead only
Dark Empathy	21	20	Alteration	Single target
Convoke Shadow	22	120	Conjuration	Self only
Vampiric Embrace	22	30	Alteration	Self only
Scream of Pain	23	100	Alteration	Single target
Feign Death	24	60	Abjuration	Self only
Endure Disease	26	20	Abjuration	Single target
Wave of Enfeeblement	27	40	Alteration	Area of effect around the caster
Heat Blood	28	88	Alteration	Single target
Lifedraw	29	86	Alteration	Tap
Strengthen Death	29	50	Alteration	Caster's pet
Gather Shadows	30	35	Divination	Self only
Restless Bones	30	160	Conjuration	Self only
Shieldskin	31	41	Abjuration	Self only
Dark Temptation	32	100	Alteration	Self only
Terror of Darkness	33	20	Alteration	Single target
Spear of Disease	34	118	Conjuration	Single target
Resist Cold	35	50	Abjuration	Single target
Shroud of Hate	35	60	Alteration	Single target
Summon Corpse	35	700	Conjuration	Self only
Cancel Magic	36	30	Abjuration	Single target
Heart Flutter	36	41	Alteration	Single target
Scream of Death	37	50	Alteration	Self only
Shadow Vortex	37	40	Alteration	Single target
Animate Dead	38	200	Conjuration	Self only
Expulse Undead	39	36	Evocation	Undead only
Voice of Darkness	39	50	Conjuration	Single target
Shadow Sight	40	50	Divination	Self only
Blood of Pain	41	172	Alteration	Single target
Terror of Shadows	42	40	Alteration	Single target
Invoke Fear	43	100	Alteration	Single target
Dooming Darkness	44	120	Conjuration	Single target
Breath of the Dead	45	45	Alteration	Self only
Word of Spirit	45	133	Evocation	Area of effect around the caster
Summon Dead	46	290	Conjuration	Self only
Voice of Shadows	46	100	Conjuration	Single target
Life Leech	47	181	Alteration	Tap
Scythe of Darkness	47	112	Conjuration	Undead only
Spear of Pain	48	138	Conjuration	Single target
Dismiss Undead	49	63	Evocation	Undead only
Harmshield	50	85	Abjuration	Self only
Shroud of Pain	50	75	Alteration	Single target
Resistant Discipline	51	0	Defense	Self only
Siphon Life	51	115	Alteration	Tap
Abduction of Strength	52	5	Alteration	Single target
Comatose	52	80	Abjuration	Self only
Malignant Dead	52	390	Conjuration	Self only
Mental Corruption	52	100	Alteration	Self only
Rest the Dead	52	75	Abjuration	Undead only
Summon Companion	52	50	Conjuration	Self only
Boil Blood	53	136	Alteration	Single target
Terror of Death	53	45	Alteration	Single target
Banshee Aura	54	60	Abjuration	Self only
Call of Darkness	54	200	Alteration	Self only
Fearless Discipline	54	0	Defense	Self only
Panic the Dead	54	50	Alteration	Undead only
Scythe of Death	54	140	Conjuration	Undead only
Spear of Plague	54	172	Conjuration	Single target
Torrent of Hate	54	60	Alteration	Single target
Bobbing Corpse	55	100	Abjuration	Self only
Expel Undead	55	93	Evocation	Undead only
Shroud of Death	55	100	Alteration	Self only
Shroud of Undeath	55	100	Alteration	Self only
Spirit Tap	55	152	Alteration	Tap
Unholy Aura Discipline	55	0	Offense	Self only
Voice of Death	55	150	Conjuration	Single target
Ichor Guard	56	0	Alteration	Self only
Soulless Fear	56	75	Alteration	Undead only
Steelskin	56	149	Abjuration	Self only
Torrent of Pain	56	75	Alteration	Single target
Conjure Corpse	57	700	Conjuration	Self only
Drain Spirit	57	213	Alteration	Tap
Shadow Voice	57	150	Alteration	Single target
Vampiric Curse	57	144	Alteration	Single target
Cackling Bones	58	450	Conjuration	Self only
Deathly Temptation	58	5	Alteration	Self only
Nullify Magic	58	50	Abjuration	Single target
Torrent of Fatigue	58	120	Alteration	Single target
Cascading Darkness	59	300	Conjuration	Single target
Deflection Discipline	59	0	Blockskill	Self only
Diamondskin	59	236	Abjuration	Self only
Terror of Terris	59	51	Alteration	Single target
Asystole	60	98	Alteration	Single target
Augment Death	60	200	Alteration	Caster's pet
Battlemaster's Advantage	60	0	Abjuration	Self only
Cloak of the Akheva	60	250	Conjuration	Self only
Death Peace	60	120	Abjuration	Self only
Drain Soul	60	248	Alteration	Tap
Leechcurse Discipline	60	0	Offense	Self only
One Handed Expertise	60	0	Conjuration	Self only
Shield Expertise	60	0	Conjuration	Self only
Two Handed Expertise	60	0	Conjuration	Self only
VIcious Defense	60	250	Conjuration	Self only
Voice of Terris	60	200	Conjuration	Single target