New Core Class: Changeling (long)

[Jeph]

Yeah, more people would be nice, but in the meantime the remake of the special abilities progression. BTW, why spend more than one nature's child on a natural weapon? what's the point? Isn't one good enough, or two if you plan on getting multiattack? (by the way, a Changeling could qualify for multiattack, if they got Claw and Bite as natural weapons, then made two claws and the bight at the same time.)

Lv SP Other
01 03 Nature's Child
02 06
03 09
04 11 Nature's Child
05 14
06 17
07 19 Nature's Child, Nature's Strike +1
08 22
09 25
10 27 Nature's Child
11 30 Nature's Strike +2
12 33
13 35 Nature's Child
14 38
15 41 Nature's Strike +3
16 43 Nature's Child
17 46
18 49
19 51 Nature's Child, Nature's Strike +4
20 54

OK, that's better..... reallydoes anyone other than lemur boy and I read this thing instead of clicking on it while blindfolded? a simple yes or no would be appreciated (or is it just that our ideas are so perfect that you can't criticeze them or find words fit to describe them? )

-Jeph

 

[Jeph]

How bout addin your wis modifier to Sp? I think this is a good idea, to make the abilities more important.v As it is, they take a back seat, as half change whenever you morph.

-Jeph

 

[Corlon]

yeah, it should add to SP, but wis should also add something else... mabye you have to have Wisdom for morphin into certain things or something...

And, you should have to see a creature before you can morph into it (great wyrms would be pretty hard now wouldn't they!!)

and you have to see each age level of dragons.

I'm still thinking about the sub feats for nature's gifts...

 

[chip079]

i think that this class is a very cool idea. i agre with the adding of wisdom to the SP, and think that there should be something else based on it. there should also be some sort of restriction on what you can actually morph into, like a wilderness lore check to see if you know enough about the desired form. it seems kinda weird that you could take a form that you knoe nothing about besides what it looks like. and for forms with spell like abilites what about a knowledge arcana check to "tap" into the new abilities, or atleast understand them. these are just ideas, and when this class is good to go i would love to test play it.

 

[Happiest_Sadist]

I whipped this class up a couple of months back. Its similar to what you want. It is based upon the psion, and metapsionic feats. It has great versitility, however it has not been tested.

The Shapeshifter

HD: d8

Class Skills: Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Stabilize Self (Str), Swim (Str), and Wilderness Lore (Wis)
Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int modifier

BAB: as Cleric Saves: Will and Fort Good
Shifts known: As psion powers known (all shifts are in discipline)
SP per day: As psion in PsiHB w/o bonuses for ability score.

The shifter is proficient in all simple weapons and light and medium armor. If he wears any metallic armor, he may not use any shift powers.
Shifting: Shapeshifters manifest shifts in the same manner that psionicists manifest psionic powers. However, shapeshifters are not psionic, and have no access to psionic feats or attack and defense modes. To manifest a shift, the shapeshifter must have a wisdom score of at least 10 + the power level. Shapeshifters gain no bonus shifting points for high wisdom. At 20th level, the shapeshifter gains the type shapechanger and 60 foot darkvision in any appropriate form.
Shift Points: These are the shapeshifter’s daily allotment of points with which to manifest his powers. They come back after 8 hours of rest and 1 hour of meditation.
Talents: The shapeshifter can manifest a number of talents per day equal to his class level + 1 for free. Any beyond that cost the shapeshifter 1 shift point.

Metashifting Feats

Except Extend Shift, Persistent Shift, and Quicken Shift, these feats may only be applied to shifts in the shape chain. The maximum number of points that a shapeshifter can spend on a single shift is their class level.

Extend Shift
Doubles duration of a shift. Cost: 2 SP.

Master of Size
You may assume forms with sizes larger or smaller than those normally allowed by a shift at the cost of 2 SP/Size Category.

Persistent Shift
Prerequisite: Extend Shift
A persistent shift has a duration of 24 hours. Cost: +8 SP.

Power Shift
You may assume forms higher than your class level in HD at a cost of 1 SP/2 HD.

Quicken Shift
You may manifest any shift as a free action. Cost: +8 SP.

Self-referential Shift
You may use your own physical ability scores (before racial modifiers) as a base to which you apply the scores of whatever creature you are shifting into at a cost of 2 SP.

Template
Select a template that your character has encountered and has the appropriate shape shift for (see table below). You may add this template to any shape shift you manifest at the listed cost.
Template Required ShiftCost
Celestial (Good) Magical Beast 2
Fiendish (Evil) Magical Beast 2
Half-Celestial Outsider 4
Half-Dragon Dragon 4
Half-Fiend Outsider 4
Vampire Undead 4
Special: You may select this feat multiple times. Each time you select it, it grants access to a new template.
The celestial and fiendish templates grant damage reduction, all templates add the appropriate resistances and immunities. When an ability depends on HD use the shapeshifter’s class level.

Shifts
Note: all shifts have a range of self only, regardless of the original spell description.

All powers come from the psionics handbook unless noted otherwise.

Talents
Burst
Catfall
Elfsight
Float
Lesser Natural Armor
Talon
Verve

1st Level 1 SP
Biofeedback
Bite of the Wolf
Compression
Lesser Body Adjustment
Lesser Shape In this document. As alter self, but no significant physical changes.
Spider Climb As per PHB. Target of self only.
Vigor
2nd Level 3 SPs
Animal Affinity
Animal Shape In this document.
Body Adjustment
Body Equilibrium
Chameleon
Claws of the Bear
Darkvision
Expansion
Extra Shape In this document.
Humanoid and Monstrous Humanoid Shape In this document.

3rd Level 5 SPs
Beast, Dire, and Vermin Shape In this document.
Bite of the Tiger
Ectoplasmic Form
Improved Biofeedback
Rejuvenation
Water Breathing As per PHB, range of self only.

4th Level 7 SPs
Abberation and Magical Beast Shape In this document.
Immovability
Natural Armor
Ooze and Plant Shape In this document.
Psychofeedback
Stoneskin As per PHB. Range of self only.
Inanimate Object Shape In this document.


5th Level 9 SPs
Adapt Body
Dragon Shape In this document.
Emulate Gaze Attack In this document.
Legendary Animal Shape In this document.

6th Level 11SPs
Construct Shape In this document.
Emulate Breath Weapon In this document.
Improved Vigor
Suspend Life
Undead Shape In this document.

7th Level 13 SPs
Elemental and Outsider Shape In this document.
Fission
Oak Body

8th Level 15 SPs
Emulate Spell Resistance In this document.
Iron Body
Shadow Body

9th Level 17 SPs
Emulate Spell-like Ability In this document.
Shapechange In this document, revised.
True Metabolism


Shifts

Lesser Shape
Level/Cost: Shifter 1/1SP
As Alter Self except any organs created are vestigial (i.e. No flying, water breathing, or functional extra limbs.).

Animal Shape
Level/Cost: Shifter 2/3SPs
Duration: 10 min/lvl.
Manifestation Time: 1 action
This shift allows the shapeshifter to assume a single form of any Small or Medium size animal (not dire or legendary animals) of up to their class level in hit dice. This is in all other ways the same as Wild Shape. It ends immediately if you use any other shape shift.

Extra Shift
Level/Cost: Shifter 2/3 SPs
Duration: Instantaneous
Manifestation Time: Free action
This shift allows a shapeshifter that has already manifested a shape shift to switch to another form appropriate to the power he manifested (including any metashifting feats applied to the power). For example, a shapeshifter with animal shape manifested such that he can take large shapes may use this power to change shape into another animal of size Small to Medium with the appropriate number of hit dice. The duration of the original shift remains unchanged, so if the shapeshifter had 30 minutes left he would gain 30 minutes of his new form. If the same shapeshifter knew humanoid shape, he would not be able to assume a humanoid form with this shift, as he only had animal shape manifested.

Humanoid Shape
Level/Cost: Shifter 2/3SPs
As Animal Shape, except the shapeshifter can assume the form of a Small or Medium humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or giant shape.

Beast Shape
Level/Cost: Shifter 3/5 SPs
As Animal Shape, except the shapeshifter can assume the form of any Small or Medium beast, vermin, or dire animal.

Plant Shape
Level/Cost: Shifter 4/7 SPs
As Animal Shape except the shapeshifter can assume the form of any Small or Medium plant or ooze.

Aberration Shape
Level/Cost: Shifter 4/7 SPs
As Animal Shape except the shapeshifter can assume the form of any Small or Medium magical beast or aberration.

Inanimate Object Shape
Level/Cost: Shifter 4/7 SPs
As Animal Shape except the shapeshifter can assume the form of any Small or Medium object. They can still hear, and gain blindsight 10’. They get the hardness of the form they assume up to 1 pt per class level.

Legendary Animal Shape
Level/Cost: Shifter 5/9 SPs
As Animal Shape except the shapeshifter can assume the form of any Small or Medium legendary animal.

Dragon Shape
Level/Cost: Shifter 5/9 SPs
As Animal Shape except the shapeshifter can assume the form of any Small or Medium Dragon. Also, the limit is 1.5 times their class level in HD, rather than their class level.

Construct Shape
Level/Cost: Shifter 6/11 SPs
As Animal Shape except the shapeshifter can assume the form of any Small or Medium construct. If they assume a Animated Object form, then their hardness is limited to 1 pt per class level.

Undead Shape
Level/Cost: Shifter 6/11 SPs
As Animal Shape except the shapeshifter can assume the form of any Small or Medium undead.

Extraplanar Shape
Level/Cost: Shifter 7/13 SPs
As Animal Shape except the shapeshifter can assume the form of any Small or Medium elemental or outsider.

Emulate Gaze Attack
Level/Cost: Shifter 5/9 SPs
Manifestation time: 1 action
Duration: 1 round (see text)
When the shapeshifter is in a form possessing a gaze attack, the shifter may make a gaze attack & gains the gaze attack for 1 round. This gaze is identical to that possessed by the creature in all ways (ex. Range, effect, save DCs, etc.)

Emulate Breath Weapon
Level/Cost: Shifter 6/ 11 SPs
Manifestation time: 1 action
Duration: Instantaneous
The shapeshifter can use the breath weapon of their form. The effects are completely determined by form (Damage, save DCs, range etc.) The shapeshifter cannot manifest this power again until either their form could breathe again, or they have switched forms.

Emulate Spell Resistance
Level/Cost: Shifter 8/15 SPs
Manifestation time: 1 action
Duration: 1 minute per level
The shapeshifter gains the spell resistance of his form.

Shapechange
Level/Cost: Shifter 9/17 SPs
As Animal Shape, except there is no limit to the size or type of creature that can be assumed. (The HD limit still applies.)

Emulate Spell-Like Ability
Level/Cost: Shifter 9/17SPs
This shift allows the shapeshifter to use a spell like ability of 8th level or less of any form he has assumed. He may not use this power to use a spell-like ability more times than the given form could use it in a day.

 

[Jeph]

Hmmmm adaptive, but not *as* adaptable as the Changeling

Oh, and both the names Shapeshifter and Shifter have been taken up by prestige classes, in Oriental Adventures and Masters of the Wild, repectively. Onoe of those *would* have been my first choice for a class name, but hey, take what you can get.

BY the way, the stats block of your shapeshifter is illegible. That happens, the posts will ignore the tab key or multiple spaces in a row, it took me a while to figure that out.

Correction to Spike Volley:

Duration: 1 round
SP cost: 1
Prerequisites: Con 13+

For 1 SP, you gain the ability to launch up to your class level in spikes in the round. Each spike deals 1d4 + your strength modifer in damage, and threatens a critical on a natural 20. They count as thrown weapons, and have a range increment of 100 feet.
Launching a spike counts as an attack.
If multiple spikes are launched at the same attack bonus, (for instance, a levle 3 character shooting all three spikes), each spike past the first incurs a -2 penalty on all attacks in the round. If more than one spike is launched in the round, the character must take a full attack action.


And something that I somehow forgot until now: Activating a Nature's Gift is a free action. Just in case you were wondering.

-Jeph

 

[Corlon]

yes, yes, I think we've pretty much got it... a few things to change, but hey! we can do that later. Yeah, the thing about wilderness lore, I was gonna start him knowing about a couple animals (and since hes starting at level 1 I can then give him any forms that then sees later).

This is bound to be a cool class, probably a bit unbalanced if used correctly but still, pretty cool.

another natural weapon.

Tongue: 1 SP normally (10 ft. long) one extra for each 10 ft., 10ft. increment, max 40 ft.
with a hit (ranged touch attack) may make a grapple check as a free action, to yank the person into their square.
not powerful in damage, but good in its own way.

mabye usable as a grappling hook or somehtin!

 

[Happiest_Sadist]

Sorry about that.

Less adaptive, hah. Can the changeling become a fiendish, half-dragon, dire bear? (13th level)

Or a Vampire-Annis

Or a Planetar

Or a Stone Golem

Or a Half-Dragon (White) Fire Giant.

 

[Jeph]

Ummmmmm......

No,
No,
No,
No,
and, No.

But, can the Shapeshifter morph into a cockroach at 1st level?

Or anything at first level?

nope, it all comes at higher levels.

But I'm not here to argue "which is better," if we've both done the work and created the classes correctly, they should be balanced. If one class is blatantly better than the other, one or both of us must do some major reworking.


I would like to see the stats for the shapeshifter thought, If you could make it in a format similar to my original Changeling post, that would be helpful.

and corlon! Gosh, that tongue idea seems even less cool on paper than when you told me in person! NO!

 

[Corlon]

Hey, shut up Jeph

The tongue can be used for cool things (not that curran would think of them but...)
hey, ranged "yank thewizard into your claws"
and impromtu grapping hook for you only, why not!

There are millions of cheep ways I could use this idea (if in the right time), mabye not you, but I can.
It might sound stupid, but if you're going to get three weapons, why get 3 almost the same, instead get one fairly normal one, one special all powerful one, and one USEFUL one (keyword: usefull)

Thats my idea about it anyway!