Cleon
Legend
I'll take a shot at a proposal for the Bird Maiden Working Draft...
Bird Shape (Su): A bird maiden can use her enchanted feather garment (see below) to shapechange into a bird. This ability functions like the Alternate Form special ability, except as noted here. The bird forms have the abilities given in the Bird Shape Table (see below) instead of the normal abilities granted by Alternate Form.
A novice bird maiden can only assume the form of a tiny songbird, but more experienced bird maidens can take on many bird forms. The maiden chooses a bird form to change into at character level 2, based on the example forms in the Bird Shape Table, then an additional bird form at each subsequent level up to level 8. A bird maiden's chosen forms often reflect aspects of her character in some fashion. For example, a secretive bird maiden might have a nightjar as her 3rd level form, while a garrulous one may become a raven or mynah bird.
At 9th level she can change from one bird form to another bird form without having to return to humanoid form in-between.
At 10th level, she is no longer limited to the seven bird forms she selected previously, but can assume the form of any bird from Tiny size to Large size.
1 A bird maiden with this many character levels can assume a bird form of this class. Higher level bird maidens can still assume the smaller forms.
2 A bird maiden's natural armor bonus increases by this amount when it is in this class of bird form.
3 The 2nd and 3rd level bird forms have a single bite attack; the 4th level form has a single claws attack and a secondary bite attack; the 5th level form has a bite attack and two secondary claw attacks; the 6th to 8th level forms have two claw attacks and a secondary bite attack.
† A bird maiden's ability scores are adjusted by these values when in bird form. These modifiers are in addition to the bird maiden's normal ability adjustments and include size adjustments based on the assumption the base creature is Medium sized.
— If the bird maiden's base creature is of a smaller size, adjust the Strength modifier according to the Changes to Statistics by Size table in Improving Monsters (e.g. add +4 Str for a Small base creature), but do not adjust the Dexterity or natural armor modifiers.
— If the base creature is larger than Medium, increase the sizes of the bird forms and their natural weapon damage by the same degree (e.g. a Large bird maiden's 5th level form is Medium instead of Small, with a 1d8 bite and two 1d3 secondary claws), but do not modify any of the other stats.
A bird maiden can assume any of her bird forms at will as a standard action. The effect lasts for 1 hour per character level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to bird or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity.
When a bird maiden uses Bird Shape, she can regain lost hit points as if she had rested for a night. A bird maiden can heal herself in this fashion once a day for every 3 character levels she possesses.
Any gear worn or carried by the bird maiden melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When the maiden reverts to her true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on her body that they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items worn in the assumed form fall off and land at the maiden's feet.
A bird maiden can speak normally while in bird form, which allows her to cast spells with verbal components. Bird Maidens can select the Natural Spell feat as if their Bird Shape ability were the druid's Wild Shape ability.
Bird Shape (Su): A bird maiden can use her enchanted feather garment (see below) to shapechange into a bird. This ability functions like the Alternate Form special ability, except as noted here. The bird forms have the abilities given in the Bird Shape Table (see below) instead of the normal abilities granted by Alternate Form.
A novice bird maiden can only assume the form of a tiny songbird, but more experienced bird maidens can take on many bird forms. The maiden chooses a bird form to change into at character level 2, based on the example forms in the Bird Shape Table, then an additional bird form at each subsequent level up to level 8. A bird maiden's chosen forms often reflect aspects of her character in some fashion. For example, a secretive bird maiden might have a nightjar as her 3rd level form, while a garrulous one may become a raven or mynah bird.
At 9th level she can change from one bird form to another bird form without having to return to humanoid form in-between.
At 10th level, she is no longer limited to the seven bird forms she selected previously, but can assume the form of any bird from Tiny size to Large size.
| Level¹ | Example Form | Size | Fly Speed | NA² | Attacks³ | Abilities† |
| 2 | Nightingale, Sparrow | Tiny | 40 ft. (average) | — | Bite 1d3 | -6 Str, +2 Dex |
| 3 | Dove, Ibis, Parrot | Tiny | 40 ft. (good) | +1 | Bite 1d4 | -4 Str, +2 Dex |
| 4 | Hawk, Owl, Kite | Tiny | 60 ft. (good) | +1 | Claws 1d4 and bite 1d3 | -2 Str, +2 Dex |
| 5 | Hornbill, Stork, Giant Parrot | Small | 60 ft. (average) | +2 | Bite 1d6 and 2 claws 1d2 | +0 Str, +2 Dex |
| 6 | Bloodhawk, Eagle | Small | 80 ft. (average) | +2 | 2 claws 1d3 and bite 1d4 | +2 Str, +2 Dex |
| 7 | Dire Hawk, Boobrie | Medium | 80 ft. (average) | +3 | 2 claws 1d4 and bite 1d6 | +4 Str, +2 Dex |
| 8 | Giant Owl, Giant Eagle | Large | 80 ft. (average) | +4 | 2 claws 1d6 and bite 1d8 | +8 Str, +2 Dex |
2 A bird maiden's natural armor bonus increases by this amount when it is in this class of bird form.
3 The 2nd and 3rd level bird forms have a single bite attack; the 4th level form has a single claws attack and a secondary bite attack; the 5th level form has a bite attack and two secondary claw attacks; the 6th to 8th level forms have two claw attacks and a secondary bite attack.
† A bird maiden's ability scores are adjusted by these values when in bird form. These modifiers are in addition to the bird maiden's normal ability adjustments and include size adjustments based on the assumption the base creature is Medium sized.
— If the bird maiden's base creature is of a smaller size, adjust the Strength modifier according to the Changes to Statistics by Size table in Improving Monsters (e.g. add +4 Str for a Small base creature), but do not adjust the Dexterity or natural armor modifiers.
— If the base creature is larger than Medium, increase the sizes of the bird forms and their natural weapon damage by the same degree (e.g. a Large bird maiden's 5th level form is Medium instead of Small, with a 1d8 bite and two 1d3 secondary claws), but do not modify any of the other stats.
A bird maiden can assume any of her bird forms at will as a standard action. The effect lasts for 1 hour per character level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to bird or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity.
When a bird maiden uses Bird Shape, she can regain lost hit points as if she had rested for a night. A bird maiden can heal herself in this fashion once a day for every 3 character levels she possesses.
Any gear worn or carried by the bird maiden melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When the maiden reverts to her true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on her body that they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items worn in the assumed form fall off and land at the maiden's feet.
A bird maiden can speak normally while in bird form, which allows her to cast spells with verbal components. Bird Maidens can select the Natural Spell feat as if their Bird Shape ability were the druid's Wild Shape ability.
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