I have been inspired by some shifter types lately, which lead to me constructing some rules for the shapechangers.
New abilities are welcome, as are feats and PrCs. I'm also thiking of creating an Improviser PrC that combines aspects of several forms.
True Shapechanger
To some shapechanging isn?t only the mean to get versatility and temporary power. It isn?t only the convenience to get to alter their shape to suit the environment. To the True Shapechangers it?s the way of life, and through their efforts to delve into the mysterious art of shapechanging, they harvest powers not known to many that exist: They search for the true power of wildshaping.
The individuals doing so are not only interested in the power of the shapes they take, but also the intricacies, so some of the True Shapechangers are the powers that take the place of a deceased king, some good ones are stand-ins when the true king is sick or busy attending some other matters.
Prerequisites
Abilities: Greater Wild Shape or ability to Wild Shape into an elemental. Ability to change into another type than only animals or elementals.
Feats: Fine Wild Shape, Colossal Wild Shape, any two wild feats
Skills: Disguise: 23 ranks, Bluff: 15 ranks, Knowledge: Monsters (or an appropriate skill associated to some specific creatures, such as Undead or Nature): 24 ranks, Concentration: 15 ranks
HD: D6
Class Skills: Animal Empathy (Cha), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intuid Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge: Monsters (Int), Knowledge (Choose One), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Wilderness Lore (Wis)
Class abilities:
1. Wild Shape Ability level 1
2. Wild Shape Ability level 1
3. Wild Shape Ability level 1
4. Wild Shape Ability level 2
5. Wild Shape Ability level 2
6. Wild Shape Ability level 2
7. Wild Shape Ability level 3
8. Wild Shape Ability level 3
9. Wild Shape Ability level 3
10. True Wild Shaping
Each time the True Shapechanger gains a level (except level 10), he gets to choose a Wild Shape Ability. He may choose one from the list presented for each level or a lower ability: That is, he may choose to take a level 1 Wild Shape Ability when he is level 4.
You may only take 10 levels of this class.
Level 1 Wild Shape Abilities:
Quicken Wild Shape:
Prerequisite: Supernatural Ease or its equivalent
This ability lets the shaper shift form as a free action. This free action counts against the number of free actions the character may take in a round.
This ability may be taken several times, and for each additional time the character takes it, he may change shape one additional time in a round.
Improved Accuracy
Prerequisites: None
This ability helps to increase the accuracy of the Wild Shape ability when you?re trying to disguise yourself as a specific individual of a specific species. You are adept at forming the face into one that resembles the actual face quite fluidly.
This ability grants you a bonus to your disguise check equal to two fifths of your ranks in the disguise skill.
The ability can be taken several times. Its effect stacks.
Powerful Wild Shape
This ability lets you transform into a more powerful creature. Choosing this ability lets you add one seventh of your character level to the total amount of hit dice you can transform into. I.e: A 28 level character choosing this ability may Wild Shape into a creature with 32 hit dice instead of just 28.
This ability can be taken several times. Its effect stacks.
Hide Magic
If the character chooses this ability, he perfectly covers the magic aura emanating from the magic items that he chooses to meld with his body. This is especially useful for hiding from divination spells.
Level 2 Wild Shape Abilities:
Spell-like Adaptation
You have grown more accustomed to the shape you are transforming into, allowing you to get a small amount of the powers the creature has.
This ability lets you choose one spell-like ability the creature has. This spell-like ability is now useable for you when in that shape.
(I am wondering whether you must choose one ability for each creature, and when transforming into that creature, you always get that ability).
This ability can be taken several times, and for each additional time you take it, you may choose one extra spell-like ability that you retain.
Uncanny Accuracy
This ability function exactly like Improved Accuracy except that you get two fourths your ranks in disguise as a bonus instead of one fourth.
Power of the Aeons
This ability functions exactly like the Powerful Wild Shape ability, except that you add one fifth of your character level instead of one seventh.
Specific Size
When the character changes into another creature, he may now choose the size of that creature. The size varies by one. This means that if a character changes into a human, he may be a large, medium or small human.
Object Wild Shape
With this ability, the character may choose to become an object instead of just creatures.
Level 3 Wild Shape Abilities:
Supernatural Adaptation
When you have used so many years as you developing and studying other species? abilities and powers, you get an innate understanding of these unique traits. They become as natural to you as to the creatures themselves, but due to your diverse studies, you may only choose one for each creature.
When transforming into another creature, the character chooses one supernatural ability that he gets from the creature when transforming into it. He may use the supernatural ability just as the original creature does.
This ability can be taken several times, each extra time, the character chooses one more supernatural ability which he can use.
Power of Types
When the character Wild Shapes into a creature, he may choose to either retain his own type or to get the type of the creature he transforms into.
Size Matters Not
The character now sees no difference between transforming into an amoeba or a blue whale. Size is but secondary.
Superb Accuracy
This ability function exactly like Improved Accuracy except that you get two thirds your ranks in disguise as a bonus instead of two fifths.
True Power
This ability functions exactly like the Powerful Wild Shape ability, except that you add one third of your character level instead of one seventh.
True Wild Shaping
Prerequisite: Supernatural Ease or its equivalent.
The Wild Shaping ability is now truly natural to the character. In fact, it?s as natural as breathing, eating and mating to him, and from now on, the Wild Shape ability is considered and Extraordinary ability.
Wild Shape Feats:
Individual Wild Shape (Wild)
Prerequisite: Wild Shaping ability, ability to change into a large animal.
The individual is now transferring some of his personal power into the form into which he is Wild Shaping.
Benefit: When Wild Shaping, the character subtracts 10 from all his physical attributes, and adds this to the average physical attributes of the creature into which he Wild Shapes.
Unconscious Wild Shape (Wild, Epic)
Prerequisites: True Wild Shaping Ability
The Shapechanger is now so accustomed to his unlimited forms that he shifts even when unconscious.
Benefit: The form you have when unconscious is always the most benevolent for the specified environment. For example, if someone has made you comatose and teleports you into a volcano, then you automatically changes into a Magma Elemental.
Wild Shape Speak
Prerequisite: Natural Spell
The character may now speak with his own voice, even when in a wildly different form.
New abilities are welcome, as are feats and PrCs. I'm also thiking of creating an Improviser PrC that combines aspects of several forms.
True Shapechanger
To some shapechanging isn?t only the mean to get versatility and temporary power. It isn?t only the convenience to get to alter their shape to suit the environment. To the True Shapechangers it?s the way of life, and through their efforts to delve into the mysterious art of shapechanging, they harvest powers not known to many that exist: They search for the true power of wildshaping.
The individuals doing so are not only interested in the power of the shapes they take, but also the intricacies, so some of the True Shapechangers are the powers that take the place of a deceased king, some good ones are stand-ins when the true king is sick or busy attending some other matters.
Prerequisites
Abilities: Greater Wild Shape or ability to Wild Shape into an elemental. Ability to change into another type than only animals or elementals.
Feats: Fine Wild Shape, Colossal Wild Shape, any two wild feats
Skills: Disguise: 23 ranks, Bluff: 15 ranks, Knowledge: Monsters (or an appropriate skill associated to some specific creatures, such as Undead or Nature): 24 ranks, Concentration: 15 ranks
HD: D6
Class Skills: Animal Empathy (Cha), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intuid Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge: Monsters (Int), Knowledge (Choose One), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Wilderness Lore (Wis)
Class abilities:
1. Wild Shape Ability level 1
2. Wild Shape Ability level 1
3. Wild Shape Ability level 1
4. Wild Shape Ability level 2
5. Wild Shape Ability level 2
6. Wild Shape Ability level 2
7. Wild Shape Ability level 3
8. Wild Shape Ability level 3
9. Wild Shape Ability level 3
10. True Wild Shaping
Each time the True Shapechanger gains a level (except level 10), he gets to choose a Wild Shape Ability. He may choose one from the list presented for each level or a lower ability: That is, he may choose to take a level 1 Wild Shape Ability when he is level 4.
You may only take 10 levels of this class.
Level 1 Wild Shape Abilities:
Quicken Wild Shape:
Prerequisite: Supernatural Ease or its equivalent
This ability lets the shaper shift form as a free action. This free action counts against the number of free actions the character may take in a round.
This ability may be taken several times, and for each additional time the character takes it, he may change shape one additional time in a round.
Improved Accuracy
Prerequisites: None
This ability helps to increase the accuracy of the Wild Shape ability when you?re trying to disguise yourself as a specific individual of a specific species. You are adept at forming the face into one that resembles the actual face quite fluidly.
This ability grants you a bonus to your disguise check equal to two fifths of your ranks in the disguise skill.
The ability can be taken several times. Its effect stacks.
Powerful Wild Shape
This ability lets you transform into a more powerful creature. Choosing this ability lets you add one seventh of your character level to the total amount of hit dice you can transform into. I.e: A 28 level character choosing this ability may Wild Shape into a creature with 32 hit dice instead of just 28.
This ability can be taken several times. Its effect stacks.
Hide Magic
If the character chooses this ability, he perfectly covers the magic aura emanating from the magic items that he chooses to meld with his body. This is especially useful for hiding from divination spells.
Level 2 Wild Shape Abilities:
Spell-like Adaptation
You have grown more accustomed to the shape you are transforming into, allowing you to get a small amount of the powers the creature has.
This ability lets you choose one spell-like ability the creature has. This spell-like ability is now useable for you when in that shape.
(I am wondering whether you must choose one ability for each creature, and when transforming into that creature, you always get that ability).
This ability can be taken several times, and for each additional time you take it, you may choose one extra spell-like ability that you retain.
Uncanny Accuracy
This ability function exactly like Improved Accuracy except that you get two fourths your ranks in disguise as a bonus instead of one fourth.
Power of the Aeons
This ability functions exactly like the Powerful Wild Shape ability, except that you add one fifth of your character level instead of one seventh.
Specific Size
When the character changes into another creature, he may now choose the size of that creature. The size varies by one. This means that if a character changes into a human, he may be a large, medium or small human.
Object Wild Shape
With this ability, the character may choose to become an object instead of just creatures.
Level 3 Wild Shape Abilities:
Supernatural Adaptation
When you have used so many years as you developing and studying other species? abilities and powers, you get an innate understanding of these unique traits. They become as natural to you as to the creatures themselves, but due to your diverse studies, you may only choose one for each creature.
When transforming into another creature, the character chooses one supernatural ability that he gets from the creature when transforming into it. He may use the supernatural ability just as the original creature does.
This ability can be taken several times, each extra time, the character chooses one more supernatural ability which he can use.
Power of Types
When the character Wild Shapes into a creature, he may choose to either retain his own type or to get the type of the creature he transforms into.
Size Matters Not
The character now sees no difference between transforming into an amoeba or a blue whale. Size is but secondary.
Superb Accuracy
This ability function exactly like Improved Accuracy except that you get two thirds your ranks in disguise as a bonus instead of two fifths.
True Power
This ability functions exactly like the Powerful Wild Shape ability, except that you add one third of your character level instead of one seventh.
True Wild Shaping
Prerequisite: Supernatural Ease or its equivalent.
The Wild Shaping ability is now truly natural to the character. In fact, it?s as natural as breathing, eating and mating to him, and from now on, the Wild Shape ability is considered and Extraordinary ability.
Wild Shape Feats:
Individual Wild Shape (Wild)
Prerequisite: Wild Shaping ability, ability to change into a large animal.
The individual is now transferring some of his personal power into the form into which he is Wild Shaping.
Benefit: When Wild Shaping, the character subtracts 10 from all his physical attributes, and adds this to the average physical attributes of the creature into which he Wild Shapes.
Unconscious Wild Shape (Wild, Epic)
Prerequisites: True Wild Shaping Ability
The Shapechanger is now so accustomed to his unlimited forms that he shifts even when unconscious.
Benefit: The form you have when unconscious is always the most benevolent for the specified environment. For example, if someone has made you comatose and teleports you into a volcano, then you automatically changes into a Magma Elemental.
Wild Shape Speak
Prerequisite: Natural Spell
The character may now speak with his own voice, even when in a wildly different form.
Last edited:
