"Pacifist shadowdancer"

Rigel

Shadowdancers are great. Of course great backstabbers. I made two playthroughs with shadowdancers, one Half-orc and one halfling, and it was amazing. As well, if you start directly TOB with SCS and you get Illasera's gang of black reapers who nuke you with all the 9th Necromancy spells, a shadowdancer is able to overcome them (slowly but surely).
But I wanted to try a different way of playing shadowdancers, without backstabbing obsessively. I thought of using it as some kind of scout, who would advance, check the enemies, perhaps disarm a trap or two, open locks and even pickpocket. Or detect illusion, and come back to the shadows (useful in SCS...).
I have a question about the HiS trick ? I mean you are hidden, you activated FInd Traps, do you have time to detect a trap and come back to the shadows without being detected? Usually, I do this and wait for the HiS to be on again, backstab and come back to shadow. But do I have for example enough time to pick a lock and come back to shadow afterwards?
Regarding pickpockets - is it possible to pickpocket enemies that do not see you ?

ANy other ideas of how to use a shadowdancer and not backstabbing?

Thanks for you help.

Selerel

I can't help with the technical questions unfortunately, I haven't played a shadowdancer in any depth...

But, as far as random ideas, if you are just want to focus on using the shadowdancer for the thief utilities with added bonus of HIPS/shadowstep...you can always think about dualling, too. Now you miss out on the HLAs which is most of what makes Shadowdancer unique, but you can add high level mage and cleric abilities.

I've even heard Shadowdancer>Fighter is a viable build, since HIPS during battles, even with a modest backstab multiplier, is pretty deadly. However, that one is backstabbing so really just Shadowdancer>Cleric and Shadowdancer>Mage to consider.

Grond0

Yes there is time to do something else before you come out of stealth. For instance, as long as you don't go too far, it is possible to hide, move forward a bit (into sight of enemies), detect traps to find a trap and then disarm it before moving away again. The actual detection of the trap varies a bit depending on where in the round you are, so you might feel safer by nipping back into the shadows and hiding again before disarming the trap.

Note that while disarming traps does not bring you immediately out of stealth, other things will - so you can't do something like pickpocketing and remain in the shadows.

Rigel

@Selerel Thanks for your ideas
@Grondo Thanks for the explanations. I guess I can use it as well to detect illusions. I have started playing with SCS for a couple of months and discovered how this skill is hugely important to deal with mages.
I will try a new playthrough with a Halfling shadowdancer and try to boost DI early on.

Hafir

Even if you dont have to go streigt to shadow you can use special ability shadow plane its work immiadetly and then wait that few seconds and use his or simple walk away from danger, there will be soon on my youtube channel "TheHafir" how my shadowdancer searching tomb in luremaster fortress, feel invite to subscribe.

DavePeters

The kit really lends itself well to backstabbing, but the other thing it lends itself well to is running away or avoiding damage or getting out of bad situations.