[sblock=Selc]As I was puttng my sheet together, I thought it might be good to go over the Changeling race. The various races all got a few spiffs going from 3.5 to Pathfinder...I thought I'd see if I could beg at the table for some scraps as well. After all, Changelings were originally designed to be balanced with ordinary 3.5 races.
Here's their traits as they stand:
Shapechanger subtype
+2 to save vs sleep and charm effects
+2 to Bluff, Diplomacy, Sense Motive
Natural Linguist - Linguistics is always a class skill
Minor Shapechange (Su) - Change appearance as per Disguise Self, only
changes are real, and do not affect clothing.
I have a few notions...surprise surprise.
First, my sense of changelings is that they are creatures that have a varied, versatile outlook. Thus, I think they should get a 'floating' +2 attribute mod, like humans and half elves. That would let them prepare to fit whatever role they wished to assume.
The +2 vs Sleep and Charm could be rolled up into a simpler to manage +2 vs Enchantment, like elves.
Skill bonuses are probably ok...maybe drop one of them, since they're usually doled out in pairs...but I doubt it makes much difference.
Minor Shapechange is based on Disguise Self, not Alter Self. Important distinction since Alter Self allows size change and conveys abilities and stat bonuses. Despite the base effect, the shapechange is a transmutation (polymorph) effect, not an illusion. It offers no saving throw to see through (though it can be seen through as per the Disguise skill), and only affects the changeling's physical body and voice...not possessions. It has indefinite duration, and can be used at will as a standard action.
That's a good starting point, I'd think...what do you think?[/sblock]