▁foc using ▁on ▁shadow ▁them ed ▁classes , ▁races ▁and ▁other ▁options ▁for ▁players . ▁▁ ▁Sh annon ▁App el cl ine , ▁author ▁of ▁Design ers ▁& ▁Drag ons , ▁wrote : ▁" H ero es ▁of ▁Sh adow ▁introdu ces ▁a ▁few ▁classes ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁somewhat ▁missing ▁from ▁D & D ▁ 4 e . ▁The ▁assass in ▁went ▁M IA ▁starting ▁in ▁AD & D ▁second ▁edition ▁( 1 9 8 9 - 2 0 0 0 ) ▁[ ... ]. ▁It ▁had ▁returned ▁in ▁AD & D ▁ 3 e ▁( 2 0 0 0 ) ▁as ▁a ▁prest ige ▁class , ▁but ▁wasn ' t ▁in ▁the ▁core ▁for ▁ 4 e , ▁appearing ▁only ▁in ▁Dragon ▁# 3 7 9 ▁( Se ptember ▁ 2 0 0 9 ). ▁[...] ▁The ▁black guard ▁is ▁an ▁alternate ▁pal adin ▁that ' s ▁sort ▁of ▁evil . ▁The ▁idea ▁of ▁an ▁anti - pal adin ▁dates ▁back ▁to ▁an ▁article ▁called ▁" Good ▁Got ▁You ▁Down ? ▁Try ▁This ▁for ▁Ev il " ▁in ▁Dragon ▁# 3 9 ▁( J uly ▁ 1 9 8 0 ). ▁[...] ▁However , ▁anti - pal ad ins ▁had ▁never ▁before ▁got ten ▁official ▁notice , ▁and ▁P H BR 1 2 : ▁The ▁Complete ▁Pal adin ' s ▁Hand book ▁( 1 9 9 4 ) ▁even ▁said ▁' we ▁disc ou rage ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁anti - pal ad ins '. ▁Now , ▁Hero es ▁of ▁Sh adow ▁finally