Shapechanger Skill PEACH

[clearstream]

Shapechange (CON)


Shapechange

Shapechange: Standard action in an encounter or part of a skill challenge.
Ø DC: See the table.
Ø Success: You reshape your body into that of a creature that has the natural origin (a creature of the natural world).
Ø Failure: You don’t change shape and lose one healing surge.

No other actions: When you change shape you cannot take opportunity, immediate, or interrupt actions until the start of your next turn.
Provokes opportunity attacks: You provoke opportunity attacks in the action you changed with.
No further actions: You can’t take further actions until the start of your next turn.
Equipment doesn’t change: Any equipment on you is dropped when you change form. You can have equipment fitted to your new shape; if magical, at the cost of the enchant magic item ritual needed to refit it, or if mundane, at twice the normal equipment cost. Such equipment must be set aside using a minor action before changing, and then takes 1 minute to put on requiring the aid of another character if you are no longer humanoid. Irrespective of equipment being refitted to your new form, you are limited to wielding only what the creature you change into can wield according to its statistics block. Deduct the creature’s magic threshold from any enhancements on equipment you have refitted. You don’t gain any equipment listed in the statistics block of the creature you change to.
Become the creature: While changed your alignment, languages, and action points are retained from your original shape, but all your other attributes and abilities are replaced by those from the creature’s statistics block; including your ability scores, hit points, healing surges, saving throws, speed, senses, initiative, racial and class features, weapon proficiencies, powers, feats, skills, and defence scores. You can’t apply templates to a form you change into, nor change into a form that includes a template.
Retain your character level: Your new form has whatever level is shown on the creature’s statistics block: don’t make any adjustments due to your character level being higher or lower. Disregard the XP value of the creature.
Return to your usual shape: You return to your usual shape involuntarily when you fall to 0 hit points or lower, or after a short rest. You can choose to return to your usual shape earlier with a standard action, which will allow no other actions, provoke opportunity attacks, and prevent further actions just as when you first changed form. Any equipment on your changed form is dropped when you change back. After changing back you cannot change shape again until after your next short rest.

Level of Creature
DC
More than 4 levels below yours 15
3-4 levels below yours 20
1-2 levels below yours 25
Your level 30
1 level above yours 35
2 levels above yours (maximum) 40
Name, type, and keywords not known +5
Powers not known +5
Resistances and vulnerabilities not known +5
Paragon tier creature +5
Epic tier creature +10
Never encountered +5
Never changed into before +5

Modifiers stack.

-vk

 

[77IM]

I like the idea of this but feel that allowing the PC to change their traits all around is way too complicated and will slow down your game. I'd use the guidelines of Change Shape in the MM; so your shape changes, but not your attacks, defenses, HP, etc. However, you might get new movement modes, senses, and natural attacks. The DC would be based on how good these are.

You should also include rules for people to notice that you are shapechanged (I'd use an opposed Insight check). Also mention that this use of the skill is Trained Only.

-- 77IM

 

[Clawhound]

Very awkward.

I think for combat shapechanging that you are better off creating a shapechanger pseudo-class. You then multi-class into shapechanger and get a distinct shape as a level-appropriate encounter power.

Shapechanging also works as a ritual, although such uses should be more utility based than combat based.

Flying is a big problem with all shapechanging. Flying is POWERFUL. No flying before paragon.

 

[clearstream]

I like the idea of this but feel that allowing the PC to change their traits all around is way too complicated and will slow down your game. I'd use the guidelines of Change Shape in the MM; so your shape changes, but not your attacks, defenses, HP, etc. However, you might get new movement modes, senses, and natural attacks. The DC would be based on how good these are.

You should also include rules for people to notice that you are shapechanged (I'd use an opposed Insight check). Also mention that this use of the skill is Trained Only.

-- 77IM

Nice point about using Insight to spot changers. I should also mention that changing is Trained Only!

About complicated; I find adjusting statistics and so on, part from one place part from another, complicated to do. Especially on the fly. The idea here is you retain alignment, languages, and action points, but everything else uses the MM stat block directly.

Clawhound mentioned this looked awkward, but I haven't seen a less awkward scheme work yet. You just use the stat block and you're done. It's about as fast as could be. Once you start mixing and chaning, then I believe you add complication.

In a way, this is a sneaky circumvention of economy of actions: you get an animal on your side, and you leave play. Hmm... would it be better if it worked like that?

-vk