Ideas for a "Shapechanger" Base Class

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>

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.?)

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."

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.

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.

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

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.

StreamOfTheSky said:

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."

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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.

Tiny Little Raven said:

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.

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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!

Arkhandus said:

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.

Click to expand...

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.

Click to expand...

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.

Click to expand...

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.

Click to expand...

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.

Click to expand...

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...

Click to expand...

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.