Shifters from Eberron

[Rampant]

Traditionally secondary traits do not grant the plus to an ability score at all.

I like the Xorial format, but It is in need of some tweaking. Specifically the shifting is insufficient. (4+con mod + 2 per feat) vs. (3+con mod + 1 per feat * (1 + 1/2 feats)) means that the old school shifters are shifting more often and can do so longer than the Xorial models, because there's nothing preventing them from using their daily uses back-to-back.

In keeping with pathfinder style the round total vs. daily uses is a good idea. But it needs a line like the bard and the barb have so it can split its uses down into 1 round increments if need be. Maybe something like 4 + HD + Con Mod + 2 per feat.

Maybe some favored class benefits could involve an additional round or half-round of shifting.

 

[Xorial]

I know that secondary traits don't usually grant bonuses to attributes, but in the case of the shifter it is really more along the lines of sub-species. That is why different shifters have different bonuses to one physical attribute. Whe looked at on the whole, it gives them +2, +2, -2. That is just like most of the other Pathfinder races.

The rounds of use can be spent one round at a time. That is how all such abilities in Pathfinder work. I agree that maybe adding more rounds based on level would be good, but the normal in Pathfinder is 1/2 hd, rounded down, minimum of 1. In that case, I would only let shifter feats add 1 round per feat, because they already get another benefit from the feat, besides the extra rounds. There are feats that add extra rounds to Rage, as the sole benefit of the feat, so the same can be done for shifting. I didn't put it out before, mainly because I use the Hero Points system & I allow Hero Points to be spent to increase duration of those types of abilities.

 

[Rampant]

No I mean that additional shifter traits gained through feats or class abilities do not usually grant the ability boost. The first one totally does, and moving it to a constant benefit instead of part of the shift makes sense in the pathfinder format.

So a shifter with the extra trait feat only gets the ability bonus associated with his initial or primary trait.


As for the rounds per day issue

3.5 20th level shifter all shifter feats
10+ con mod rounds 4 times a day = 40 + 4 * con mod

Xorial 20th level pathfinder all shifter feats
4+con mod+22 = 26+ con mod

Xorial tweaked
4 + conmod + 22 + 20 = 46 + con mod



With half-level that's 36+

with 1 per that's 35+

with both that's 25+


Ok +1/2 HD and +2 per feat seems reasonable.

 

[Rampant]

No I mean that additional shifter traits gained through feats or class abilities do not usually grant the ability boost. The first one totally does, and moving it to a constant benefit instead of part of the shift makes sense in the pathfinder format.

So a shifter with the extra trait feat only gets the ability bonus associated with his initial or primary trait.


As for the rounds per day issue

3.5 20th level shifter all shifter feats
10+ con mod rounds 4 times a day = 40 + 4 * con mod

Xorial 20th level pathfinder all shifter feats
4+con mod+22 = 26+ con mod

Xorial tweaked
4 + conmod + 22 + 20 = 46 + con mod



With half-level that's 36+

with 1 per that's 35+

with both that's 25+


Ok +1/2 HD and +2 per feat seems reasonable.

 

[Xorial]

Another version

You can see another version of the Shifter at Eberron in Pathfinder.