D&D 5E D&D's official twitter feed is giving previews of art and contents from Monsters of the Multiverse
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doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
Eh, I'd rather make lycanthropes a separate thing, and push shifters further away from the idea of theriomorphism. I'm vastly more interested in a humanoid shapeshifting animalistic race that is an expression of nature, than a race of controlled werewolves.
Give them all increased speed, and give each a different special movement like being able to climb at normal speed and cling to most vertical surfaces, or a charge attack with increased movement, etc, plus improved senses and at level 5 they each get some special move. Use races that get a suite of spells as a balancing comparison.
Then, give them the ability to speak to animals, maybe with a limited scope of some kind, and a few feats for extra fun that really take their whole deal up to 11.
That, or put out some more animal races and collectivelycall them shifters in Eberron.
AcererakTriple6
Autistic DM (he/him)
Yeah. Shifters are probably the worst race from Eberron. Changelings are awesome, Warforged are amazing, and Kalashtar are cool. Shifters are cool in concept . . . but the concept isn't super clear.
I like the idea of them as lycanthrope-people, but they are so vague and strangely designed (asthetically and mechanically) that it doesn't really fit all that well. I like the idea of them just being a group of animal-folk, but that kind of negates the need for all the other types (Aarakocra, Kenku, Owlin, Harengon, etc).
I love Eberron, but Shifters are probably my least favorite part of it.
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Enevhar Aldarion
Hero
Yeah, if I want to play a game as a Shifter of some kind, I will go with the old Werewolf: the Apocalypse Changing Breeds sourcebook and all the different Were-races that it had. I still fondly remember playing Bastet, with my were-lynx and a friend's were-tiger in a campaign from about 15 years ago.
CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing
I don't want to be That GuyTM but I also think it's worth mentioning that Tasha's Cauldron of Everything has a rules framework for creating your own were-race.
LuisCarlos17f
Hero
The idea for the shifters as "theriantouched" is interesting, but the design could need more work. They can't be only kemonomimi ("animal ears"). The 3PPs can create lots of new animal-folk as PC races. My suggestion is to add racial feats, and the return of the racial parangon classes, and the alternate class features. They can't be only the furry cousins of the orcs (from Warcraft). A trait I would add would be thanks their theriantrope blood the effect of the zombie bite is different, becoming berseker for a short time, and like this become natural enemies of the undeads (and a really bad relation with the dhampirs, bad vibes among both lineages). Maybe the right character in a Ravenloft story and these become enoughly popular.
cbwjm
Legend
That's actually a cool take on shifters.
Another thing is that there's never been a definite "before and after" image that shows the difference between a shifter using shifting and one not. So for any given image of a shifter, you have to take a guess as to whether that's what they usually look like.
Kobold Avenger
Legend
I'm fine with Shifters being subtly bestial humanoids, who only get slightly more bestial when shifting. Like it's an actor in some light prosthetic makeup, that's maybe 1 to 2 hours of work and shifted form is the same actor with some CG post-production enhancements.
It's too bare bones though.
CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing
It really is, but I think that was the intent. It's supposed to be more of a tool, something that you and your DM could use to build something that you both like.
Honestly, I prefer that over a list of dozens and dozens of prefabricated races that are mostly identical. A good design framework and a handful of examples are all I really need.
Enevhar Aldarion
Hero
Yep, 5E is less crunchy than the previous two editions and is deceptively not for people who don't want to do the extra work and would rather have it all done for them in an official book. "Rulings, not Rules" and just giving us the outlines on how to create our own stuff, this is the 5E Way.
LuisCarlos17f
Hero
If you want crunch, the Pathfinder2 is your game.
There is potential for the shifters/weretouched, but these can't be only the same Stacey Malibu doll but with now with a new and different hat. Each PC race is like an urban tribe, with their own marks of identity. And the subraces haven't explored enoughly. We need ideas, as an alternate origin, for example a shifter was created when a primal spellcaster (druid, shaman or ranger) used her animal companion as an emergency plan B if a reincarnation spell was necessary, or caused by a not-totally-succesful exorcism to heal a theriantrope curse. Or the curse was intentional to avoid be infected by ghoul bites. Why not a racial feat like the "second skin" dark gift from Ravenloft 5th Ed? Do you remember the huargen, the playable race from World of Warcraft?
The shifters could be a common race in the armies of Vodoni empire (a Spelljammer faction).
If the shifters have lived in their own tribes...how could they be hidden in the same forests than elves, orcs, gnolls, bugbears and other savage humanoids? If they are born among the members of other race, how would be a shifter born among elves or orcs?
Are shifters with werefox ancestors be possible? These could be interesting tricker characters. The Wildhunt Shifting Feature could be useful for spellcasters shifters (let's imagine a player who loves monster girls-kemonomimi waifus + maho shojo/magical girls). (I mean the design of the new PC races should to avoid the typecasting)
Vicent, played by Ron Pelman from 90's TV show "Beauty and Beast" can be a good example of shifters as an interesting character.
What is the link between shifters and hengeyokai as PC races? They share some common points.
Could thi-keen become weremantis?
There is potential for the shifters/weretouched, but these can't be only the same Stacey Malibu doll but with now with a new and different hat. Each PC race is like an urban tribe, with their own marks of identity. And the subraces haven't explored enoughly. We need ideas, as an alternate origin, for example a shifter was created when a primal spellcaster (druid, shaman or ranger) used her animal companion as an emergency plan B if a reincarnation spell was necessary, or caused by a not-totally-succesful exorcism to heal a theriantrope curse. Or the curse was intentional to avoid be infected by ghoul bites. Why not a racial feat like the "second skin" dark gift from Ravenloft 5th Ed? Do you remember the huargen, the playable race from World of Warcraft?
The shifters could be a common race in the armies of Vodoni empire (a Spelljammer faction).
If the shifters have lived in their own tribes...how could they be hidden in the same forests than elves, orcs, gnolls, bugbears and other savage humanoids? If they are born among the members of other race, how would be a shifter born among elves or orcs?
Are shifters with werefox ancestors be possible? These could be interesting tricker characters. The Wildhunt Shifting Feature could be useful for spellcasters shifters (let's imagine a player who loves monster girls-kemonomimi waifus + maho shojo/magical girls). (I mean the design of the new PC races should to avoid the typecasting)
Vicent, played by Ron Pelman from 90's TV show "Beauty and Beast" can be a good example of shifters as an interesting character.
What is the link between shifters and hengeyokai as PC races? They share some common points.
Could thi-keen become weremantis?
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Parmandur
Book-Friend
I think the main thing missing from the Tasha's framework is an appropriate selection of Feats. Like, "Great Weapon Master" or "Ritual Caster" are a bit sparse to hang a Lineage narrative upon. The Theros or Ravnica first Level Feats ("Supernatural Gifts" and "Dark Gifts" being balanced as Feats per the respective books) are more useful.
CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing
Now I want to write a were-race for 5E. Maybe I'll do that this weekend, if I get a free moment?
Modified Strixhaven Backgrounds with the Feat swapped out also works too.
Parmandur
Book-Friend
One gets the feeling that this sort of thing will be built into a future PHB...
AcererakTriple6
Autistic DM (he/him)
There's new Drow art:
(Which both keep the same pattern of post-Tasha's Drow having silvery-light-grey skin.)
There's also this art of an (wood?) elf wizard casting Magic Missile.
(Which both keep the same pattern of post-Tasha's Drow having silvery-light-grey skin.)
There's also this art of an (wood?) elf wizard casting Magic Missile.
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