Ideas for a "Shapechanger" Base Class

[Dagredhel]

Soulshifter

A Soulshifter is a shapeshifter, able to alter his appearance and form either fully or in part. The Soulshifter may take a single other form or many. He may create powerful natural weapons or defenses, grow larger or smaller, develop new senses or modes of movement, or enhance his existing abilities. A Soulshifter's powers may be primarily combat focused or a means of subterfuge instead, and range from the spectacularly obvious to the cunningly subtle. A soulshifter has the potentially to be a powerful warrior or an undetectable spy. The Soulshifter may mimic actual creatures, combine the attributes of several, or become the embodiment of his wildest imagination, assuming shapes both wondrous and bizarre or mundane and familiar.

Soulshifters are incredibly diverse, often having in common only the ability to change their shapes. Esoteric scholars classify those who follow this path as "psychomorphs", because they seemingly possess the power to magically alter their physical bodies merely by adjusting their mental self-image. By reshaping their essential sense of who and what they are, their basic self-concept or "soul", Soulshifters actually resculpt their material forms to match. For some, the ability to change shape seems to come almost as naturally as breathing; for others, it is the result of rigorous training, intense spiritual devotion, or strict mental discipline.

This scholarly theory aside, Soulshifters individually find many different explanations for their morphic traits. The potential to become a Soulshifter sometimes seems to run in families, giving rise to the notion of hereditary gifts or curses. Soulshifters whose powers mimic those of a specific type of creature often feel a deep affinity and sense of kinship, hinting at an actual or mystical relationship. Some Soulshifters believe they are descendants of the the creature to whose form they aspire. Others believe that their powers come from a special connection to a particular spirit creature, or a spiritual archetype that mystically represents all creatures of that type or kind. The belief in spiritual totems is relatively common both among Soulshifters whose abilities are keyed to a single alternate form and those who take many shapes. Another explanation sometimes offered, perhaps with a touch of paranoia, is that Soulshifters may share descent from Dopplegangers or another race of natural shapeshifters.

Belying these explanations are those Soulshifters whose abilities are apparently derived from a different type of connection to divine or mystical forces. Many Soulshifters are not only drawn to the worship of a particular deity, they actually emulate their god's or godess' form and attributes and act as their deity's champion and avatar. If accepted by religious authorities and confirmed formally in this role, they may act as the strong arm or defenders of the faith or simply as exemplars of that qualities that they embody, much the same as Clerics. Other Soulshifters are similar to Monks, both in their ascetic discipline and pursuit of self-perfection. At the other extreme, there are Soulshifters who, for good or ill, see their abilities simply as a means to power, a magic different from any other only in its effects.

Starting Gold: 3d4 x 10 gp. (average 75 gp.)
Starting Age: as Barbarian.

Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
BAB: as Fighter.
Saves: Good Fortitude, Poor Reflex and Will.

Class Skills
The Soulshifter's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Knowledge (The Planes) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language, Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURES

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Soulshifter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. Soulshifters are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields).

Soulshifters seldom rely overmuch on their equipment. They generally favor the attack forms their powers grant them, and seldom find armor worth the bother. Armor suitable for one form is unlikely to be of any use for another. If they wear armor in their natural form, they may need to remove it to change shape. In order to don or remove armor when shapeshifted, they may need assistance.

Except for those Soulshifters who stick to forms of very nearly the same size and shape, wearing armor is seldom a very practical option. And many of those who appear to wear artificial armor or swing manufactured weapons are actually wielding weapons they have shaped from the stuff of their own psyches.

Natural Arsenal: <The original name I had in mind for this was "Somatic Weaponry".> A Soulshifter's body is his primary weapon. Depending on the forms he is able to assume, a Soulshifter may be capable of shaping his body into an amazing array of natural weaponry. Conversely, a Soulshifter may rely on a single potent form of attack. Options vary with the forms a Soulshifter has mastered, and increase with the diversity of his shapeshifting repetoire.

Even in their natural form, a humanoid Soulshifter is a potent combatant, capable of making a Slam attack which may represent a punch, kick, elbow or knee, straightarm, gouge, headbutt or any other sort of unarmed fighting manuever or combination of blows. The Soulshifter's body is a deadly weapon regardless of the shape it wears. The Soulshifter is always considered armed, and may threaten any squares within his reach.

While a Soulshifter's attacks take the form of natural weapons of one sort or another, they follow seperate mechanics. Regardless of the number or combination of natural weapons a particular form has, the Soulshifter's attacks are adjudicated by a single attack roll and damage. This damage may represent the sum effect of multiple natural weapons brought to bear or the result of a single, more powerful attack, but is treated a single attack for all mechanical purposes. A Soulshifter does not receive extra "iterative" attacks from a high BAB when attacking in this fashion, and cannot normally combine this type of attack with a manufactured weapon attack, unarmed strike, or natural weapon attack from some other source.

The Soulshifter's attack can be used as a standard action, full attack, or attack of opportunity, in a grapple (normally with a -4 penalty) or at the end of a charge. The Soulshifter's Natural Arsenal is considered a natural weapon for the purpose of adjudicating the effects of spells, feats, or class abilities that affect natural weapons.

Beginning at 1st level, a Soulshifter's attacks do 1d6 points of damage plus 1-1/2 times his Strength modifier (if any.) This damage increases by an additional 1d6 points at 6th, 11th, 16th, and 20th levels.

<Shapechanging Abilities>

[Dagredhel]

I've been thinking about creating a shapeshifting base class for some time. I hope to use this thread to organize my thoughts and work through some ideas I've had. (Chances are, I'll only find the time to work on it sporadically.) If anyone is interested, I would appreciate any thoughts and suggestions.


Design Goals

1. The class should be flexible enough to cover a variety of archetypes, without being mechanically unwieldy. I'd like it to provide options to represent diverse character concepts through the same basic mechanics.
   
2. The class should be reasonably balanced, a competitive option as compared to other classes without being overwhelming.
   
3. The class mechanics should be as simple and "elegant" as possible.

Here are some of the tropes I'd want the class to be flexible enough to accomodate.


Archetypes

• Infiltrator: takes on the appearance and form of other humanoids (either a species or particular individual) and pretends the part to spy or deceive, like a kind of doppleganger or changeling.
• Totem Warrior: emulates a specific type of animal, like a wolf or bear, lion or tiger, etc.
• Avatar: assumes the guise and physical attributes of the goddess she worships. (A variant of this theme would be a character who seeks self-perfection, much like a Monk.)
• Warshaper: shapes his body for atack and defense without necessarily trying to faithfully mimic some other particular creature.
• Wildshaper: learns to take a variety of animal forms, each with its own advantages.
• Emulator: aspires to the powers of a particular type of puissant creature, like a dragon or giant.

More musings when I get the chance...

Ideas on Mechanics

• Medium BAB--- but with a progressive class bonus to the attacks granted by the class... either a +1 to +5 competence bonus to maintain parity with a full BAB class, or up to +10 enhancement bonus to equal full BAB + buffs.
• A damage progression with the attacks provided by the class will be a standard class feature... either something like the Monk's, or maybe d6s for simplicity, scaled to the ToB:BoNS...
• The "somatic weaponry" offered by the class *will not* use the rules for Natural Weapons... it'll be one damage value that can reflect a variety of means of attack... sort of like a Monk's unarmed strike can be any combination of strikes with different body parts... Additional abilities (specific to a given form or requiring a "power") will *modify* the basic attack, adding more damage or special effects... and I guess it would make sense to differentiate between a standard and full round attack action... There will be no extra "iterative" attacks with this class feature.
• Good Hp: somewhere between d8 and d12. This *is* a melee class. It'll be some combination of good Hit Die plus the option to increase Hp through "power" selection. (Not sure if added Hp should be regular or temporary? Don't want "powers" that add to ability scores, but do want powers that will simulate increased STR, DEX, and CON by adding specific static bonuses, like Hp and Fort Save bonus for CON.)
• Medium Skill Points: 4-6 points? Different archetypes (above post)demand different skills... Is it better to offer an all-inclusive class skill list, or let the character follow specific "paths" that offer customized skill lists, like the "flavors" of Psion (Egoist, Nomad, etc.?)

[StreamOfTheSky]

I don't know what powers you're planning, but why not keep it simple, such as with your whole attack bonus idea. I'd say... d8 HD, Full BAB, 6+ int skills (getting scouting, social, nature, and some knowledge skills among other things), either good fort or good fort and reflex saves (like an animal gets)... so basically similar framework a a ranger. Except instead of spells, combat styles, and animal companion, you're getting shapechanging and related stuff.

It can end up a bit more powerful than the ranger, since ranger's not a very strong class to begin with, and may have to, in order to compete with Druid for "best shapechanging class."

[Tiny Little Raven]

Dagredhel, it may not be exactly what you are looking for but feel free to modify or take inspiration from my Vardøger base class.

It is worth noting that in my campaign setting druids do not exist.

[Arkhandus]

Well, let's see. Shapeshifting will provide the class with skill bonuses, attack and damage bonuses, HP and save bonuses, initiative and AC bonuses, speed bonuses and alternate movement types, among other things.....so it doesn't need great basic stats in general, just enough to get by when they're caught in natural form or when borrowing another humanoid's form for infiltration/whatever.

d8 Hit Dice
Medium Base Attack Bonus (3/4 level, as per a Rogue)
4 + Int mod skill points per level (they need decent skills, but can boost a lot of them temporarily when the need arises, through shapeshifting; their concept covers so wide a range of things that any single shapeshifter shouldn't be great at every single thing, so they have to spend their skill points wisely)

Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Heal, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (arcana)Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (religion), Listen, Move Silently, Open Locks, Perform, Ride, Search, Sense Motive, Speak Language, Spot, Survival, and Swim.

I'd say high Fortitude saves, as they're good at controlling their own body and its functions. They might get a small bonus to Reflex and Will saves through some class feature, but these are definitely not major saves for their theme. So low base Reflex and Will saves.

Proficiencies: I'd say simple weapons, martial weapons, light armors, and all shields except tower shields. If they want to rely on more gear, they'll need to spend the feats for it to show greater than average training in such things than a more-typical wilderness hunter or savage.

Give them Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat at 1st-level, representing their skill at fighting with tooth and nail.


Give them a class feature at 4th-level called Natural Power or somesuch, that gives them a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls with unarmed strikes, natural weapons, and the somatic weapons they create through their class' shapeshifting abilities. This would be supernatural, and treat those attacks as magic weapons for purposes of overcoming Damage Reduction and having a 50% chance to harm incorporeal targets, as normal for magic weapons. The enhancement would improve by +1 per 4 additional levels in the class.

This ability might require activation though, instead of being always-on, so perhaps a standard action to activate for 1 minute of enhancement bonus, but useable at will. Also, it might also deserve a short cooldown time; say 10 minutes after each use before they can harness that offensive natural power again. So if they get surprised by monsters with DR X/magic, they'll need to at least spend a round or two drawing out their natural energy and shapeshifting talents before they're at full fighting power, like a cleric or druid would have to do. Only simple mundanes like the fighter and rogue should be at full effectiveness 24/7 without any need for preparation or powering up.


Lessee....basic attack benefits.... Say at 1st-level they get an ability called Attack Shift. Extraordinary or supernatural. Standard action to change one body part into a dangerous weapon of some sort, or to grow a temporary weapon like that, activateable at will. Each use lasts for something like 1 minute (and can be ended prematurely as a free action on their turn). These don't count as natural weapons, but as unarmed strikes instead, unless the shapeshifter duplicates a manufactured weapon in this manner.

The Attack Shift provides base damage of 1d6 points with the altered limb, new limb, or somatic weapon (which protrudes from their hand or hands as appropriate to its size), for a Medium-sized shapeshifter. Adjust this damage based on the shapeshifter's size category, as appropriate. They cannot duplicate a weapon with greater maximum base damage than this, but if duplicating a reach weapon that is within their allowed base damage for Attack Shift, that somatic weapon retains its reach.

The base damage of Attack Shift improves to 1d8 at 5th-level, then improves by one more step at every 4 shapeshifter levels beyond that, along a progression of: 1 to a d2, a d2 to a d3, a d3 to a d4, a d4 to a d6, a d6 to a d8, a d8 to a d10, a d10 to 2d6, or a d12 to 2d8. So a Medium-sized shapechanger deals 1d10 damage by 9th-level, 2d6 by 13th-level, and 2d8 by 17th-level.

Unarmed attacks affected by the Attack Shift deal damage as per one-handed weapons, regardless of what limb was used to make the unarmed attack, even an off-hand unarmed attack. Furthermore, the shapeshifter may deal lethal or nonlethal damage with unarmed attacks, even when grappling, at no penalty to the attack roll or grapple check (and if they have Sneak Attack from some source, they may use it for either lethal or nonlethal damage when making an unarmed attack affected by Attack Shift).

Each use of Attack Shift may emulate a type of natural weapon, such as a claw or bite, but is not treated as such. However, the damage type for such an Attack Shift copies that of the emulated natural weapon, such as piercing and slashing for a claw, piercing for a sting, bludgeoning for a slam, and so on. Extra limbs and altered limbs from Attack Shift do not allow extra attacks as per a creature with numerous natural limbs, since they are not so easily used as they would be for a creature born with them. So Attack Shift does not qualify the character for the Multidexterity or Multiattack feats.

When attacking, you may use any mix of limbs and somatic weapons from Attack Shift as desired, along with any actual weapons wielded or any other unarmed strikes or natural weapons you may already possess. However, this does not change the number of attacks allowed by your Base Attack Bonus. Multiple Attack Shifts for the same limb or somatic weapon do not stack; the most recent use ends all others on that limb or weapon.

If growing extra limbs through this ability, you may only grow up to 2 extra limbs with Attack Shifts (further attempts replace the oldest extra limb created in this manner). These extra limbs are not prehensile, so they cannot grasp and handle objects or creatures the same way human hands do, although they can loosely grasp something, holding it idly. They may be used for grapple attempts in this manner, at a -2 penalty to the grapple check.

These extra limbs cannot activate wands, wield weapons, or throw objects, nor execute the somatic or verbal components of spells, nor withdraw spell components from storage spaces, such as pockets or pouches; they lack the fine control needed, and have only a weak mystical connection to your true body. You do not benefit from magical or psionic items held or worn only on the extra limbs.

When duplicating a projectile weapon through Attack Shift, you spontaneously grow ammunition for it as needed, but must load the weapon normally, and this ammunition dissolves into inert dust after being launched or dropped (though if it hits a target, it deals damage before dissolving). When throwing a weapon formed through Attack Shift, that weapon dissolves likewise after hitting or missing the target, unless you spend a swift action to maintain it; you may do so once per round to maintain it as long as desired, but may only maintain a single such thrown weapon at a time. This may be necessary when trying to get the full effect out of harpoons or nets, for example.

Feats, abilities, and effects that apply to unarmed strikes, such as Weapon Focus (unarmed strike) or Stunning Fist, also apply with limbs affected by an Attack Shift, excluding any Attack Shifts that duplicate manufactured weapons (such somatic weaponry uses any appropriate feats for its duplicated weapon type). When duplicating a manufactured weapon through Attack Shift, you may only duplicate a simple weapon, unless you choose for that Attack Shift to use lower base damage than normal. If you do so, you may set the base damage one degree lower (such as 1d4 instead of 1d6) in exchange for duplicating an appropriate martial weapon, or may lower the base damage two degrees (such as 1d3 instead of 1d6) to duplicate an appropriate exotic weapon.

If duplicating a shield for shield bash attacks, you may use that shield for defense normally, as well (and it may be a spiked shield, if your base damage die selection is sufficient). You may duplicate a tower shield with Attack Shift, but tower shields cannot be used to attack, and it lasts only half as long (5 round maximum duration instead of 10 rounds).

When activating Attack Shift to alter or grow a limb (not for somatic weaponry), you may choose for that Attack Shift to use lower base damage than normal, in exchange for extra benefits with it. You cannot use this option if it would lower the base damage below 1 point. For each step along the damage die progression (listed above for this ability) that you lower the base damage, you may add 1 to the limb's threat range or critical damage multiplier, or add 5 feet to its natural reach. You cannot add more than 10 feet of extra reach, 2 points of threat range, or 2 points of critical multiplier to any given use of Attack Shift, and you cannot apply both a threat range increase and a critical multiplier increase to the same use of this ability. Each point you add to the threat range or critical multiplier with Attack Shift also grants +1 on threat confirmation rolls for those attacks.

So for instance, a 1st-level shapeshifter might create an extra limb with long claws that have a threat range of 18-20 but only deal 1d3 base damage, or might turn their jaws into a crocodilian maw with 1d4 base damage and a critical multiplier of x3, or might grow a tail that deals 1d3 base damage but has 10 feet of extra reach, or he might use some combination, such as a tail stinger that deals 1d2 damage with 10 feet of extra reach and a 19-20 threat range.

Lastly, at 5th-level onward, you can ignore one degree of lowered damage dice for any of these purposes (for instance, adding 5 feet of reach for free to an unarmed strike that deals 1d8 damage), and at 17th-level onward you can ignore up to two degrees of lowered damage dice for these purposes (in total, for each use of Attack Shift). Thus, for example, at 17th-level you might duplicate an exotic weapon with no reduction in base damage, or you might turn one arm into a crabclaw with 2d6 base damage, a critical multiplier of x3, and 10 feet of extra reach.


I'll add more suggestions later. Need sleep. But this addresses one of the most complicated things, anyway. You might just provide a few specific options instead, for the Attack Shift, like bite, claw, tail, hoof, slam, gore, tentacle, or wing for those resembling natural weapons, with each having a specific set of damage dice and whatnot appropraite to their form.

[Sylrae]

I dunno how useful this will be, but for BAB, you seem to be looking for something between medium and full. I added 2 new BAB types, med-low, and med-high. since a BAB is just a fraction, all you need to do is use the fraction in the middle

original
low: 1/2
med: 3/4
full: 1/1

new
med-low: 5/8
med-high: 7/8

That might be what youre looking for.
~Sylrae

[Tetsubo]

I've been playing with a Skinwalker type of class myself. Mostly because I like the idea of a werebear but hate how you have to build one in 3.5. I think the class should be based on the Druid alternative class ability Shapeshift from the PHB II. My idea was to also build it off of the barbarian class, replacing the Rage ability with the Shapeshift ability. Of course I had only thought about a full combat version of a bear Skinwalker as of yet. Mostly this is just an idea floating around in my head at the moment.

[Dagredhel]

Originally Posted by StreamOfTheSky

I don't know what powers you're planning, but why not keep it simple, such as with your whole attack bonus idea. I'd say... d8 HD, Full BAB, 6+ int skills (getting scouting, social, nature, and some knowledge skills among other things), either good fort or good fort and reflex saves (like an animal gets)... so basically similar framework a a ranger. Except instead of spells, combat styles, and animal companion, you're getting shapechanging and related stuff.

It can end up a bit more powerful than the ranger, since ranger's not a very strong class to begin with, and may have to, in order to compete with Druid for "best shapechanging class."

Hi StreamOfTheSky. Thanks for the response!

You make an excellent point about referencing the Ranger as a touchpoint. I'm surprised in retrospect that it hadn't occurred to me, since I've used Ranger in shapechanger builds based on published sources.

One "trick" I've used before has been to use the UA alternate class feature that gives a Ranger limited Wildshape, but replace *that* with the PHBII Shapeshift variant, limited to the basic Predator shape. It's obviously premised on a "loose" interpretation of the RAW, but seemed fair to me. One level of Warblade for Scent (from a stance), and then stir in Warshaper and Nature's Warrior levels to taste. (And yes, Nature's Warrior admittedly requires another nod from a permissive DM.)

I was shying away from full BAB only because I was thinking that the class' competence with armed combat should be secondary to attacks with its "natural arsenal". But when you prompted me to think about it, I realized my own prejudice in that respect isn't reflected at all in WOTC sources. Basically, if it was up to me, *only* Fighters would have full BAB. It's just a quirk of mine, I suppose. But since plenty of classes *do* have a full BAB, I think you're absolutely right. Full BAB would be fine.

I agree with the other suggestions as well; makes sense. I'm on the fence too about whether Reflex should be a Good Save.

My other class comparison is going to seem completely out of left field, I bet. When it comes to shapeshifting "powers", my initial thought is to go with a simple four-tiered approach--- ala the Warlock! And like the Warlock's Eldritch Blast, I've been imagining that this class' basic damage will potentially be modified by class "powers" just like certain invocations add to or modify a Warlock's attack.

[Dagredhel]

Originally Posted by Tiny Little Raven

Dagredhel, it may not be exactly what you are looking for but feel free to modify or take inspiration from my Vardøger base class.

It is worth noting that in my campaign setting druids do not exist.

Hi Tiny Little Raven. Thank you for sharing your work!

I'm intrigued by the backstory you envision for your Vardøger class. I googled the term, so have an inkling about the link to shapeshifting, but wonder about the bent towards investigation and detection. Would you mind elaborating? (Not here, necessarily; I think a "fluff" description of the class would add to your own thread.) I enjoyed the beginnings of the Wildling class as well--- looking forward to seeing the rest of it!

[Dagredhel]

Originally Posted by Arkhandus

Well, let's see. Shapeshifting will provide the class with skill bonuses, attack and damage bonuses, HP and save bonuses, initiative and AC bonuses, speed bonuses and alternate movement types, among other things.....so it doesn't need great basic stats in general, just enough to get by when they're caught in natural form or when borrowing another humanoid's form for infiltration/whatever.

I suspect you may be right on the mark, and I may end up needing to tone at least a few things down once I'm done, and figure out how things I've been thinking of in isolation will combine with each other.

d8 Hit Dice
Medium Base Attack Bonus (3/4 level, as per a Rogue)
4 + Int mod skill points per level (they need decent skills, but can boost a lot of them temporarily when the need arises, through shapeshifting; their concept covers so wide a range of things that any single shapeshifter shouldn't be great at every single thing, so they have to spend their skill points wisely)

Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Heal, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (arcana)Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (religion), Listen, Move Silently, Open Locks, Perform, Ride, Search, Sense Motive, Speak Language, Spot, Survival, and Swim.

I'd say high Fortitude saves, as they're good at controlling their own body and its functions. They might get a small bonus to Reflex and Will saves through some class feature, but these are definitely not major saves for their theme. So low base Reflex and Will saves.

Proficiencies: I'd say simple weapons, martial weapons, light armors, and all shields except tower shields. If they want to rely on more gear, they'll need to spend the feats for it to show greater than average training in such things than a more-typical wilderness hunter or savage.

You'll see that I followed most of your suggestions, with the exception of BAB, for the reasons already mentioned elsewhere. (I admit I may want to bring it down a notch after factoring in potential Strength bonuses and size increases, class-based enhancement bonuses, etc.)

Give them Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat at 1st-level, representing their skill at fighting with tooth and nail.

I didn't want to use the unarmed strike mechanic as such; like the rules for natural weapons, there are things that bug me about it. But you'll note that I tried to effectively roll the effects into the "Natural Arsenal" ability.

Give them a class feature at 4th-level called Natural Power or somesuch, that gives them a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls with unarmed strikes, natural weapons, and the somatic weapons they create through their class' shapeshifting abilities. This would be supernatural, and treat those attacks as magic weapons for purposes of overcoming Damage Reduction and having a 50% chance to harm incorporeal targets, as normal for magic weapons. The enhancement would improve by +1 per 4 additional levels in the class.

Much like the bonus granted by the Shapeshift alternate class feature for Druids in the PHBII, plus the 50% chance to hit incorporeal targets?

I'll almost certainly include a scaling enhancement bonus like this, applicable to the Natural Arsenal ability.

This ability might require activation though, instead of being always-on, so perhaps a standard action to activate for 1 minute of enhancement bonus, but useable at will. Also, it might also deserve a short cooldown time; say 10 minutes after each use before they can harness that offensive natural power again. So if they get surprised by monsters with DR X/magic, they'll need to at least spend a round or two drawing out their natural energy and shapeshifting talents before they're at full fighting power, like a cleric or druid would have to do. Only simple mundanes like the fighter and rogue should be at full effectiveness 24/7 without any need for preparation or powering up.

Eh, I'm willing to be more forgiving, to save the extra bookkeeping.

Lessee....basic attack benefits.... Say at 1st-level they get an ability called Attack Shift...

Okay... There was so much there!

I've attempted to cover some of that ground with "Natural Arsenal". Some of it I'd prefer to address through the class "powers", mostly in order to break it up into more manageable chunks. The duplication of manufactured weapons (plus armor, and shields) is a big one, and to be honest I'd never even considered thrown weapons or missiles. Additional limbs are another, as are things like reach, etc.

The basic concept I've had in the back of my head is that the class' attack will work alot like a Warlock's Eldritch Blast; a basic scaling progression enhanced by optional powers that can modify it. I'd like to simulate things like rend, improved grab, pounce, a minotaur's charge, or a bulldog's lockjaw bite, rather than differentiate primarily by the type of natural weapon (bite, claw, et al.) I plan to mine the maneuvers in TOB:BoNS for ideas.

[Dagredhel]

Originally Posted by Sylrae

I dunno how useful this will be, but for BAB, you seem to be looking for something between medium and full...

Hi Sylrae. Thanks for the reply!

I think I've decided to bit the bullet and go with full BAB, just to track with official material. But I *do* appreciate what you've done. As I mentioned above, a slew of full BAB classes aren't really to my taste... Its too much of an imposition on the Fighter's turf, IMHO.

[Dagredhel]

Originally Posted by Tetsubo

I've been playing with a Skinwalker type of class myself. Mostly because I like the idea of a werebear but hate how you have to build one in 3.5. I think the class should be based on the Druid alternative class ability Shapeshift from the PHB II. My idea was to also build it off of the barbarian class, replacing the Rage ability with the Shapeshift ability. Of course I had only thought about a full combat version of a bear Skinwalker as of yet. Mostly this is just an idea floating around in my head at the moment.

Hi Tetsubo. I love the name "Skinwalker". I've been keeping "skinchanger", which is close, in the back of my mind name as a possible name for the class I'd like to make. I prefer the PHB variant for the simplicity, too. I hope you end up statting up your concept.

In case you'd find it interesting, here is my Bear Warrior build:

(Barbarian levels are City Brawler (DR 349 p92) Bear Totem Barbarian (UA) variants.)

• 1st Barbarian 1:
  Illiteracy
  Rage, 1/day
  Feat: Toughness
  Feat: Improved Unarmed Strike
  Feat: Two-Weapon Fighting (with Unarmed Strike only)
  Only take a –2 penalty on Attack rolls with Improvised weapons
  Human Bonus Feat: Extra Rage (+2/day)
  Bonus Feat: Extend Rage (+5 rounds)
  Flaw: Shaky (-2 to ranged attack rolls)
  Bonus Feat: Endurance
  Flaw: Inattentive (-4 to Listen and Spot Checks)
  Bonus Feat: Steadfast Determination (use Con instead of
  Wis on Will Saves; 1 not auto-failure)
• 2nd Barbarian 2:
  Feat: Improved Grapple (+4 to grapple checks)
• 3rd Fighter 1:
  Fighter Bonus Feat: Versatile Unarmed Strike
  Bonus Feat: Superior Unarmed Strike (3rd - 1d4, 4th - 1d6,
  8th - 1d8, 12th - 1d10, 16th - 2d6)
• 4th Fighter 2:
  Fighter Bonus Feat: Power Attack
  +1 to Strength
• 5th Barbarian 3:
  Feat: Great Fortitude
• 6th Barbarian 4:
  Rage, 2/day
  Bonus Feat: Extra Rage
• 7th Barbarian 5:
  +4 bonus on Grapple checks when Raging
• 8th Bear Warrior 1:
  Bear Form (black, +8 Str, +2 Dex, +4 Con, Medium Animal,
  Speed 40 ft., +2 natural armor, Space/Reach: 5’/5’,
  Claw 1d4 or 2 Claws 1d4 + Bite 1d6)
  +1 to Strength
• 9th Bear Warrior 2
  Bonus Feat: Improved Natural Attack (Claw)
• 10th Bear Warrior 3:
  Scent
• 11th Bear Warrior 4
• 12th Bear Warrior 5:
  Bear Form (brown, +16 Str, +2 Dex, +8 Con, Large Animal,
  Speed 40 ft., +5 natural armor [-1 size], Space/Reach: 10’/5’,
  Claw1d8 or 2 Claws 1d8 + Bite 2d6, SA: Improved Grab with Claw attacks)
  Bonus Feat: Multiattack
  +1 to Strength
• 13th Warshaper 1:
  Morphic Immunities (immune to stunning & critical hits)
  Morphic Weapons
• 14th Warshaper 2:
  Morphic Body (+4 Str & +4 Con)
• 15th Warshaper 3
  Morphic Reach (+5’ with natural weapons)
  Bonus Feat: Combat Reflexes
• 16th Bear Warrior 6
  +1 to Strength
• 17th Bear Warrior 7
  Rage +1/day
• 18th Bear Warrior 8
  Bonus Feat: Improved Multiattack
• 19th Bear Warrior 9
• 20th Bear Warrior 10
  Bear Form (Dire, +20 Str, +2 Dex, +8 Con, Large Animal,
  Speed 40 ft., +7 natural armor [-1 size], Space/Reach: 10’/5’,
  Claw 2d4 or 2 Claws 2d4 + Bite 2d8, SA: Improved Grab with Claw attacks)
  +1 to Strength

[Arkhandus]

The Attack Shift or equivalent ability would be much simpler, of course, if you just set it to a specific list of options instead of being so open-ended and semi-freeform. It would also help to actually make the attacks resembling natural weapons simply BE natural weapons.

Then, if worried about how the characters' feats wouldn't apply with many of their attacks (Weapon Focus - Unarmed Strike not applying to all of them, frex), you could just give them a simple class feature that lets them change the natural weapon that any given feat applies to at any time, with a move action or something. Similar to the Warblade's class feature, but simpler. Like, say:

Natural Prowess (Ex): The shapeshifter is skilled in all kinds of unarmed combat, easily adapting their skills to work with different natural weapons while shapeshifted. Thus, as a move-equivalent action, the shapeshifter may change one or more feats that he has chosen the same natural weapon for (or unarmed strikes for, alternatively) to function with a different natural weapon of their choice (choose only a single type each time). This change lasts until the shapeshifter spends another move-equivalent action to undo the change, or to make a different change to the feat(s).


One possible, simplified version of Attack Shift could be:

Attack Shift (Ex): You can effect small changes to your external features, focusing on the combat instincts and prowess of other creatures like lions, elk, dragons, griffons, and minotaurs. By doing so, you develop temporary natural weapons similar to those other creatures. You can also focus on manufactured weapons and grow a temporary copy of them from your own flesh and bones, shapeshifting them into the right materials.

The shapeshifter may use Attack Shift at will, as a standard action or full-round action. You can make one change with a standard action, or two changes with a full-round action. Each change from one use of Attack Shift must be identical to the other change from it, though; forming claws on two hands, or forming two horns, forming two tentacles, or similar. To form multiple types of weapon or natural weapon, you must activate the ability more than once. You can deactivate the effects of an Attack Shift as a free action on your turn, otherwise they last for up to 1 minute (10 rounds).

If you use Attack Shift to gain more than one natural weapon (whether in a single use or multiple uses with overlapping durations), you do not gain extra attacks from these natural weapons. Use your Base Attack Bonus to determine your number of attacks per round. The *INSERT OPTIONAL CLASS FEATURE NAME HERE* shapeshifter power can grant you extra attacks with these natural weapons, however, as detailed in that power's description.

You cannot grow more than one extra limb through Attack Shifts, or up to two extra limbs at 5th-level onward, up to three at 9th-level onward, up to four at 13th-level onward, and up to five at 17th-level onward. Each use of Attack Shift has one of the following effects, your choice each time:

Bite: You grow fangs and larger jaws than normal, resembling those of another creature. You gain a bite attack as a natural weapon, dealing 1d6 damage for a Medium-size shapeshifter (adjust the base damage according to your size). This bite deals bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, and adds your full Strength bonus to damage. As normal, this bite uses your race's natural reach, threatens a critical hit on a natural attack roll of 20, and deals double damage on a successful critical hit. The base damage improves as you gain levels in the shapeshifter class. At 5th-level onward, the base damage is 1d8 points, at 9th-level it improves to 1d10, at 13th-level it becomes 2d6, and at 17th-level onward it is 2d8 points.

Claw: You grow a larger hand with sharp claws instead of nails, resembling those of another creature. You gain a claw attack as a natural weapon, dealing 1d6 damage for a Medium-size shapeshifter (adjust the base damage according to your size). This claw deals bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, and adds your full Strength bonus to damage. As normal, this claw uses your race's natural reach, threatens a critical hit on a natural attack roll of 20, and deals double damage on a successful critical hit. The base damage improves as you gain levels in the shapeshifter class. At 5th-level onward, the base damage is 1d8 points, at 9th-level it improves to 1d10, at 13th-level it becomes 2d6, and at 17th-level onward it is 2d8 points.

Pincer: You grow an extra arm ending in a sharp pincer, resembling that of another creature. You gain a pincer attack as a natural weapon, dealing 1d4 damage for a Medium-size shapeshifter (adjust the base damage according to your size). This pincer deals slashing damage, and adds your full Strength bonus to damage. This pincer uses your race's natural reach, threatens a critical hit on a natural attack roll of 19 or 20, and deals double damage on a successful critical hit. The base damage improves as you gain levels in the shapeshifter class. At 5th-level onward, the base damage is 1d6 points, at 9th-level it improves to 1d8, at 13th-level it becomes 1d10, and at 17th-level onward it is 1d12 points.

Stinger: You grow a short tail ending in a large stinger, resembling that of another creature. You gain a stinger attack as a natural weapon, dealing 1d4 damage for a Medium-size shapeshifter (adjust the base damage according to your size). This stinger deals piercing damage, and adds one-half your Strength bonus to damage. This stinger uses your race's natural reach, threatens a critical hit on a natural attack roll of 18, 19, or 20, and deals double damage on a successful critical hit. The base damage improves as you gain levels in the shapeshifter class. At 5th-level onward, the base damage is 1d6 points, at 9th-level it improves to 1d8, at 13th-level it becomes 1d10, and at 17th-level onward it is 1d12 points.

Tail: You grow a long, muscled tail, resembling that of another creature. You gain a tail attack as a natural weapon, dealing 1d3 damage for a Medium-size shapeshifter (adjust the base damage according to your size). This tail deals bludgeoning damage, and adds your full Strength bonus to damage. This tail is not prehensile, but it can help with some athletic activities, so it provides you with a +2 bonus on Balance, Climb, Jump, and Swim checks. This tail has a 5-foot greater natural reach than the norm for your race, threatens a critical hit on a natural attack roll of 20, and deals double damage on a successful critical hit. The base damage improves as you gain levels in the shapeshifter class. At 5th-level onward, the base damage is 1d4 points, at 9th-level it improves to 1d6, at 13th-level it becomes 1d8, and at 17th-level onward it is 1d10 points.

etc.

I'll add more later.

[Tiny Little Raven]

Originally Posted by Dagredhel

Hi Tiny Little Raven. Thank you for sharing your work!

I'm intrigued by the backstory you envision for your Vardøger class. I googled the term, so have an inkling about the link to shapeshifting, but wonder about the bent towards investigation and detection. Would you mind elaborating? (Not here, necessarily; I think a "fluff" description of the class would add to your own thread.) I enjoyed the beginnings of the Wildling class as well--- looking forward to seeing the rest of it!

Glad to be of help. I finished up my Wildling class.

I'll see if I can get some flavor text worked up for the Vardøger over the weekend.

[Dagredhel]

Originally Posted by Tiny Little Raven

Glad to be of help. I finished up my Wildling class.

I really enjoyed the way you split the classes to cover different ground.

I'll see if I can get some flavor text worked up for the Vardøger over the weekend.

I look forward to it!

Question, BTW... Are you looking for feedback in the thread itself, or were you looking to preserve it as an "uncluttered" archive of all your creations?

[Dagredhel]

Some progress to report!

I cleared out the first post to make room for the class write-up. (I moved the original text to the second post.)

I added several paragraphs of "fluff" description, and took a stab at tentatively detailing the basic class features like HD, BAB, Saves, Skills, and armor and weapon proficiencies.

I managed to reply to Arkhandus' *first* post, (I'm still a post behind,) and you'll note his influence.

My first attempt at actual mechanics is an ability with "Natural Arsenal" as the working title...

Natural Arsenal: <The original name I had in mind for this was "Somatic Weaponry".> A Soulshifter's body is his primary weapon. Depending on the forms he is able to assume, a Soulshifter may be capable of shaping his body into an amazing array of natural weaponry. Conversely, a Soulshifter may rely on a single potent form of attack. Options vary with the forms a Soulshifter has mastered, and increase with the diversity of his shapeshifting repetoire.

Even in their natural form, a humanoid Soulshifter is a potent combatant, capable of making a Slam attack which may represent a punch, kick, elbow or knee, straightarm, gouge, headbutt or any other sort of unarmed fighting manuever or combination of blows. The Soulshifter's body is a deadly weapon regardless of the shape it wears. The Soulshifter is always considered armed, and may threaten any squares within his reach.

While a Soulshifter's attacks take the form of natural weapons of one sort or another, they follow seperate mechanics. Regardless of the number or combination of natural weapons a particular form has, the Soulshifter's attacks are adjudicated by a single attack roll and damage. This damage may represent the sum effect of multiple natural weapons brought to bear or the result of a single, more powerful attack, but is treated a single attack for all mechanical purposes. A Soulshifter does not receive extra "iterative" attacks from a high BAB when attacking in this fashion, and cannot normally combine this type of attack with a manufactured weapon attack, unarmed strike, or natural weapon attack from some other source.

The Soulshifter's attack can be used as a standard action, full attack, or attack of opportunity, in a grapple (normally with a -4 penalty) or at the end of a charge. The Soulshifter's Natural Arsenal is considered a natural weapon for the purpose of adjudicating the effects of spells, feats, or class abilities that affect natural weapons.

Beginning at 1st level, a Soulshifter's attacks do 1d6 points of damage plus 1-1/2 times his Strength modifier (if any.) This damage increases by an additional 1d6 points at 6th, 11th, 16th, and 20th levels.

Take a look and let me know what you think?

[StreamOfTheSky]

I think that the class's natural attacks should be allowed to be made as secondary after using manufactured weapons, as basically every single creature has the option. Even wildshaped druids can do a full unarmed strike attack and then all natural attacks as secondary. It's just not often a good idea.

I think damage should be based on size, such as "1d6 for medium creatures," using damage tables to find values for other sizes, unless this class will decide what size the user becomes (as opposed to what I was envisioning, closer to the PH2 Druid variant, where you're mostly staying the same size barring a few feet or pounds either way but gaining claws, wings, etc...).

The slam attack should be just a natural attack always available for 1d6 (for medium), and should definitely not be talked about like an unarmed strike, because that way lies madness.

I don't know if I like the dice scaling damage. Again, my vision is more like a PH2 Druid or...better example: a Warshaper. Keeping the base, but altering and adding parts as you see fit. I think you should try and keep it simple as possible. Perhaps give a +1 enhancement bonus on all natural weapon attacks from the class every four levels, to offset a Druid's spell buffing. I don't know what to do for the "paths" you want, I guess you should just have a class feature every few levels that lets you pick a feature from a list. The warlike path might increase natural weapon size or let you add more natural weapons to your attack routine. A spy-type option might offer faster transformation, a Druid's Thousand Faces ability, etc... maybe another "fast healing" path to get similar benefits to Warshaper (and more, if you take most of those as features) to gain crit immunity from shifting vitals around, fast healing, immunity to injury poisons and disease by controlling your own blood flow, whatever. The benefits should probably be tiered like Warlock powers (something you mentioned as a basis for ideas), as some beenfits will obviously be more powerful than others.

As for proficiencies...I don't know if the class should even get martial weapons.

[Dagredhel]

Originally Posted by StreamOfTheSky

I think that the class's natural attacks should be allowed to be made as secondary after using manufactured weapons, as basically every single creature has the option. Even wildshaped druids can do a full unarmed strike attack and then all natural attacks as secondary. It's just not often a good idea.

Hi StreamOfTheSky. You may be right. Maybe going for a completely new mechanic that doesn't interact with other manufactured or natural weapon attacks is just too much to easily swallow. My primary intention was to avoid the reliance on multiple attacks per round. I liked the trend towards other options in the PHBII and in the Star Wars Saga Edition rules.

I think damage should be based on size, such as "1d6 for medium creatures," using damage tables to find values for other sizes, unless this class will decide what size the user becomes (as opposed to what I was envisioning, closer to the PH2 Druid variant, where you're mostly staying the same size barring a few feet or pounds either way but gaining claws, wings, etc...).

Doesn't it seem like Small characters get the shaft? The only reason to play a halfling or gnome Monk is to play against type and despite the inherent disadvantage. And Large characters get extra bennies--- like they need them.

I understand and even appreciate it from the standpoint of NPC design, but it always bugged ne from the PC perspective.

I did intend to include options for size changes, but based on increases or decreases from the normal Size of the character. (The PHBII Druid can gain two size increments from higher-level forms.)

All that said, I admit it might just be best to follow more closely the example of standard rule mechanics.

The slam attack should be just a natural attack always available for 1d6 (for medium), and should definitely not be talked about like an unarmed strike, because that way lies madness.

Yep.

I don't know if I like the dice scaling damage. Again, my vision is more like a PH2 Druid or...better example: a Warshaper. Keeping the base, but altering and adding parts as you see fit. I think you should try and keep it simple as possible.

Since I agree with all of this, maybe I was getting a bit carried away.

Perhaps give a +1 enhancement bonus on all natural weapon attacks from the class every four levels, to offset a Druid's spell buffing.

Definitely. (Soulblades were the trendsetters, btw.)

I don't know what to do for the "paths" you want, I guess you should just have a class feature every few levels that lets you pick a feature from a list. The warlike path might increase natural weapon size or let you add more natural weapons to your attack routine. A spy-type option might offer faster transformation, a Druid's Thousand Faces ability, etc... maybe another "fast healing" path to get similar benefits to Warshaper (and more, if you take most of those as features) to gain crit immunity from shifting vitals around, fast healing, immunity to injury poisons and disease by controlling your own blood flow, whatever. The benefits should probably be tiered like Warlock powers (something you mentioned as a basis for ideas), as some beenfits will obviously be more powerful than others.

You've convinced me to try scaling back some of the dramatic mechanical changes I've been considering, and try something less ambitious... at least to start.

I'll either end up with *two* shapechanger classes, or try to shoehorn more options into the new one below later.

As for proficiencies...I don't know if the class should even get martial weapons.

I wasn't completely sold on that one either, to be honest. I toned it down to simple weapons only for the "Skinchanger" class I'll post below.

[Dagredhel]

SKINCHANGER
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills
The skinchanger’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Table: The Skinchanger
					
Level	BAB	            Fort    Ref    Will Special
1st	+1	             +2     +2	    +2	Morphic arsenal, morphic aspect, morphic sight
2nd	+2	             +3     +3	    +3	Morphic armor +1, morphic combat I
3rd	+3	             +3     +3	    +3	Morphic aspect
4th	+4	             +4     +4	    +4	Morphic armor +2, morphic arsenal (+1)
5th	+5	             +4     +4	    +4	Morphic aspect
6th	+6/+1	             +5     +5	    +5	Morphic armor +3, morphic arsenal (extra attack or damage), morphic combat II
7th	+7/+2	             +5     +5	    +5	Morphic aspect
8th	+8/+3	             +6     +6	    +6	Morphic armor +4, morphic arsenal (+2), Scent
9th	+9/+4	             +6     +6	    +6	Morphic aspect
10th	+10/+5	             +7     +7	    +7	Morphic armor +5, morphic combat III
11th	+11/+6/+1            +7     +7	    +7	Morphic arsenal (extra attack or damage), morphic aspect 
12th	+12/+7/+2            +8     +8	    +8	Morphic armor +6, morphic arsenal (+3) , shapechanger
13th	+13/+8/+3            +8     +8      +8	Morphic aspect
14th	+14/+9/+4            +9     +9	    +9	Morphic armor +7, morphic combat IV
15th	+15/+10/+5           +9     +9      +9	Morphic aspect
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	     +10    +10	   +10	Morphic Senses, morphic armor +8, morphic arsenal (+4, extra attack or damage) 
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	     +10    +10	   +10	Morphic aspect
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	     +11    +11	   +11	Morphic armor +9, morphic combat V
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	     +11    +11	   +11	Morphic aspect
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	     +12    +12	   +12	Morphic armor +10, morphic arsenal (+5), morphic freedom

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the skinchanger.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A skinchanger is proficient with all simple weapons and with light armor and shields (except tower shields).

Morphic Armor (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, the natural armor a skinchanger gains when assuming a different form via the morphic aspect ability increases by one point. It increases by a further point at each even-numbered level gained, up to an additional 10 points at level 20.

Morphic Arsenal (Ex): Beginning at 1st level, the skinchanger has the power to shape a natural weapon or weapons when assuming another form using his morphic aspect ability. The skinchanger may change his selection of natural weapon or weapons each time he changes form. A form may also provide more than one attack form, but only one may be used at a time. For example, both bite and claw attacks would be available to a skinchanger in the shape of a bear, If more than one attack form is available in a given shape, the skinchanger can switch between attack forms as a free action. The skinchanger’s options are limited only by the forms he is capable of assuming and the attack forms available to those forms.

These attacks follow the normal rules for natural attacks. The character chooses one of the attack forms listed below.

Attack Form                      Damage	     Damage Type
1 Bite  (mandibles)                1d6	     Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
2 Claws (talons, pincers)	 1d4/1d4     Piercing and slashing
1 Gore  (sting)                    1d6	     Piercing
2 Slams (fists, hooves)          1d3/1d3     Bludgeoning
1 Slam  (body block, fist,         1d4	     Bludgeoning
            tail slap, tentacle,
            wing slam)

Listed damage is for a creature of Medium size. Damage should be adjusted upwards for larger creatures or downwards for characters of smaller size.

As the skinchanger grows in power, the magical nature of the skinchanger’s transformations empowers his natural attacks. At 4th level, he receives a +1 enhancement bonus to hit and damage with natural weapons. This bonus increases by another +1 per 4 additional skinchanger levels (at levels 8, 12, 16, and 20.) His natural weapons are treated as magical weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction or striking intangible foes.

With experience, the skinchanger’s prowess with these natural weapons increases. At levels 6, 11, and 16, the skinchanger may choose an additional attack form as a secondary natural attack. He may choose from any attack forms available to the form he has assumed. Only one attack may be made with a given appendage or body part. Alternately, the skinchanger may increase the damage dealt by an attack form by one size category. These options may be mixed. For example, an 11th level skinchanger may either make secondary attacks with two additional attack forms, choose one additional attack form as a secondary attack and increase the damage dealt by either his primary or secondary attack form by one size category, or increase the damage of his primary attack form by two size categories.

Morphic Aspect (Su): At 1st level, the skinchanger can assume powerful alternate form. As the skinchanger gains experience, more forms and special abilities become available.
Unless otherwise noted, alternate forms assumed through the use of this ability share the following traits:

• The character may determine the cosmetic details of the form assumed each time the ability is used, within the parameters defined for each particular form. The skinchanger is effectively disguised as a creature of the appropriate type selected, and receives a +10 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks to pose as a creature of that type.
• Assuming a different form is a swift action.
• If multiple forms are available, the skinchanger can switch between them without first returning to his original form.
• The power may be used at will, with no limit on the time spent in another form.
• All of the characteristics and abilities of the character’s base form are retained unless otherwise noted.
• Only those new abilities specifically noted are gained in the new form.
• Equipment worn, carried, or held blends into the new form and becomes nonfunctional.
• If the character assumes an appropriate form, he can ignore extremes of temperature as if dressed in clothing appropriate to the climate and environment. Likewise, the character can add an inherent bonus equal to 1/2 his class level to Survival checks when in a form native or suitably adapted to his present environment.
• The abilities to speak, wield a weapon, and perform skills requiring fine manipulation are lost when a different form is assumed.
• A character cannot cast spells or activate a magical item when in a different form.
• If rendered unconscious or killed, the character reverts to his original form.

<List forms and abilities here.>



Morphic Combat (Ex): Each form selected from morphic aspect list provides a chain of feats or special abilities that may be called upon if the skinchanger takes the appropriate form and uses the corresponding natural attack form. As the skinchanger advances in experience, more potent options become available. See the individual entries for each form under morphic aspect for details.

Morphic Freedom (Ex): The skinchanger's mastery of his physical form renders him immune to stunning and critical hits. His Damage Reduction increases to DR 10/Silver. Finally, his mutable anatomy makes it impossible to get him in a firm grip; the skinchanger is treated as if constantly under the effects of a Freedom of Movement spell.

Morphic Senses (Ex): At 16th level, the skinchanger gains blindsense with a range of 30 feet. Using non-visual senses the skinchanger notices things it cannot see. He usually does not need to make Spot or Listen checks to notice and pinpoint the location of creatures within range of his blindsense ability, provided that he has line of effect to that creature.
Any opponent the skinchanger cannot see still has total concealment against him, and the skinchanger still has the normal miss chance when attacking foes that have concealment. Visibility still affects the skinchanger’s movement, and the skinchanger is still denied its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class against attacks from creatures it cannot see.

Morphic Sight (Ex): When assuming a morphic aspect, the skinchanger can see twice as far as a normal in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination, and retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. If the skinchanger possesses this ability from another source, he instead can see four times farter than normal.

Scent (Ex): At 8th level, the skinchanger gains the ability to detect approaching enemies and sniff out hidden foes, and can track by sense of smell.
A skinchanger can detect opponents within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range is 60 feet. If it is downwind, the range is 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at three times these ranges.
The skinchanger detects another creature’s presence but not its specific location. Noting the direction of the scent is a move action. If it moves within 5 feet of the scent’s source, the creature can pinpoint that source.
The skinchanger can follow tracks by smell as if possessing the Track feat, making a Wisdom check to find or follow a track. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10. The DC increases or decreases depending on how strong the quarry’s odor is, the number of creatures, and the age of the trail. For each hour that the trail is cold, the DC increases by 2. The ability otherwise follows the rules for the Track feat. Creatures tracking by scent ignore the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility.
Creatures with the scent ability can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights.
Water, particularly running water, ruins a trail for air-breathing creatures. Water-breathing creatures that have the scent ability, however, can use it in the water easily.
False, powerful odors can easily mask other scents. The presence of such an odor completely spoils the ability to properly detect or identify creatures, and the base Survival DC to track becomes 20 rather than 10.

Shapechanger (Su): At 12th level, the skinchanger's control over his form has become so great that it cannot be altered for long against his will. If subjected unwillingly to a transformation effect that changes his shape, size, or material composition, the skinchanger can resume his natural form as a swift action. The skinchanger can make an Escape Artist check as a swift action to escape from a grapple, and adds a bonus equal to 1/2 his class levels to his roll. In addition, the skinchanger gains Damage Reduction 5/Silver and the Shapeshifter subtype.

[Dagredhel]

I was looking over some old threads, and noticed that I'd never posted some of the material I typed up for this. Here are some "forms" that were meant as a starting point to fill out the "Morphic Aspect" ability.

Quadrupedal (Form): The skinchanger takes the form of a four-footed creature, generally either a predatory animal or hoofed beast (though more unusual forms are possible.) While in the form, he gains the Stability special quality (+4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground) and can carry 1-1/2 times as much as normal. The character gains a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength, a base land speed of 40 ft., and his natural armor bonus improves by 4 points. Depending on the specific shape assumed, many attack forms are potentially available; a bite, claws, antlers or horns, hooves, or even a tail slap.

Serpentine (Form): The skinchanger takes the shape of a snake or similar legless creature (eel, worm, etc.) While in this form, he receives a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and his natural armor bonus improves by 4 points. His base land speed is 20 ft., but he also gains a climb speed and swim speed of the same rate. In addition, he benefits from a racial bonus of +4 to Hide and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus to Balance checks. Available forms of attack are limited to a bite or constriction (treat as a single Slam attack.)

Oversized (Form): The skinchanger may choose a larger, more massive shape when assuming a morphic aspect. The character’s space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size, but he gains many of the benefits of being one size larger.
Whenever the skinchanger is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the skinchanger is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A skinchanger is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. Unlike the Powerful Build special quality, the benefits of this form do not stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.
If the skinchanger can assume a form that can use manufactured weapons, then it can also use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty.
In addition, the enhancement bonus to Strength conferred by the assumed form is increased by 2.