Druid variant - no spells, just wildshape

[Zzyzx]

I'm trying to put together a very non-standard campaign based on Norse/Scandinavian mythology.

I had the idea to have a class called "skin-changer," based around the ability to change shape into animals.

How would you balance this? My initial ideas were to set size and type limits (as druid, but at different levels) to roughly balance combat effectiveness with other fighter-types.

Skin-changer class could initially use druid as "base" class, and simply give up spell use for better wildshape progression? That way, they would trade flexibility (otter to swim, eagle to fly, wolf to fight) for lower BAB, hp, AC and probably damage than fighter or barbarian.

Ideas for how to implement without making it a class everyone will want to dip into (i.e. "broken")?

Allternatively, any votes for making it a racial template instead, and just limit it by a hefty level-equivalence adjustment?

 

[Nyaricus]

I'm trying to put together a very non-standard campaign based on Norse/Scandinavian mythology.

okay, if you want to make this a straight Norse/Scandinavian Mythology class, check out my Berserker (a Barbarian replacement class, fell free to comment on it) and its two PrCs, the Bearsark and the Ulfhednar - both of which are shapechangers after the nordic sagas.

link: http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=144925

I had the idea to have a class called "skin-changer," based around the ability to change shape into animals.

How would you balance this? My initial ideas were to set size and type limits (as druid, but at different levels) to roughly balance combat effectiveness with other fighter-types.

Skin-changer class could initially use druid as "base" class, and simply give up spell use for better wildshape progression? That way, they would trade flexibility (otter to swim, eagle to fly, wolf to fight) for lower BAB, hp, AC and probably damage than fighter or barbarian.

Any Ideas for how to implement without making it a class everyone will want to dip into (i.e. "broken")?

Allternatively, any votes for making it a racial template instead, and just limit it by a hefty level-equivalence adjustment?

Cool idea, overall. I know that Odin was known to be a shapechanger, as were many wizards in scandinavian mythology and sagas, and so were berskerers at some points (and thus my berserker PrCs).

Don't make this a base class, whatever you do. also, id suggest you use an alternative druid class other than the standard shapeshifting one - the D&D druid class is a far enough stretch from the celtic druids that you need not butcher it up any more. Make your "skin-changer class a PrC. Shapeshifting is WAY too common in standard D&D - people shouldn't just be able to do that at will. This is one of my main problem with D&D is that it is too magical in general.

So, basically what i'd suggest for a PrC is one that strips away all of the druid shapeshifting abilitys, and can add in some new things - like changing a hand to get class attacks, wings for flying, some natural armour - those sorts of things. You can have different levels of this - -level one gives some minor abilities, two are improve versions, and newer and more powerful, and so on and so forth. The geomancer might be a good insipration for this - except these are partial, non-permanent bonuses.

just soem initial thoughts for you.

 

[Graf]

Limited shapechanging is already availible at lower levels so there is nothing that suggests its necessarily game unbalancing.

The hengeokai from OA can turn into small animals as a racial ability.

Alter-self is availible at 3rd level and provides a pretty significant boost in class power.

At 1st and second level a 1 or 2 a day use of shape shifting into a medium sized form like a wolf would probably be fine so long as the duration was limited.

 

[Drowbane]

Here are some things you can use without creating any new rules...

Unearthed Arcana ~ Variant Ranger: Loses Combat Styles (dual wield or bow...) and gains Bbn Speed, and Druidic Wildshape, however can only shift into Small and Med animals.

Complete Warrior ~ Variant Ranger: loses Spell casting for some other abilities

Complete Adventurer ~ Master of Many Forms PrC: Prestige Class that can Wild Shape far better than a normal Druid.

 

[runtime]

Maybe allow him to only wild shape into mammals. Call him Manimal!

 

[Nyaricus]

Maybe allow him to only wild shape into mammals. Call him Manimal!

HA thats awesome! Cool Race idea, I'll kep that in mind

 

[Nyaricus]

It should be noted that theres a new variant druid in the PHBII which has an animalshpe in lieu of wildshape and animal companion.