WARSHAPER too strong?

[Andor]

I don't think it's that bad if you're coming from druid. Where this class is completely broken is in eberron where you can go Changling fighter 4/Warshaper. As a fighter prestige class....

 

[Mekabar]

I think it's self-evident that the Warshaper isn't too appealing to spellcaster Druids. But for Druids who focus on combat and Wildshape, or 'real' Shifter classes it's powers are extremly potent. And don't forget the Druids A Thousand Faces ability which they get at 13th level, or the Master of many Forms Evershifting Form. From that time on all of the Warshapers abilities can be considered permanent, which is very nice even for spellcasters.

 

[Brother MacLaren]

I think it's self-evident that the Warshaper isn't too appealing to spellcaster Druids. But for Druids who focus on combat and Wildshape, or 'real' Shifter classes it's powers are extremly potent. And don't forget the Druids A Thousand Faces ability which they get at 13th level, or the Master of many Forms Evershifting Form. From that time on all of the Warshapers abilities can be considered permanent, which is very nice even for spellcasters.

It's okay once you've reached the maximum HD you need. So, switch over after 12th level if you are content with dire bear form and have no interest in elemental forms or Huge forms. But if you'd like to be able to eat your opponents--and really, who wouldn't?--either stay as druid or take Nature's Warrior until that tyrannosaurus option appears.
I assume that Master of Many Forms is supposed to have the wilding ability also.

 

[Chaldfont]

Don't forget that you only get the class's benefits when you are in a different shape.

So anything that forces you back into your natural shape (or being surprised while in your natural shape) negates all the benefits from the class.

Yeah, this is very important. In our campaign, the druid instantly wildshapes when they go into a dungeon. He learned his lesson when the party was attacked by mind flayers.

DM: Mind Blast!
DRUID: I'm immune to stunning now that I took warshaper!
DM: But you are in your normal, human form.
DRUID: But... but...
DM: That's excellent role playing--you are now stunned.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I disagree with Caliban here. I see nothing in the text of the Morphic Immunities and Morphic Body description that suggests the Warshaper does not get the benefit all the time. Nor do I see a problem with that. "Warshapers are immune to stunning and critical hits." Where is the ambiguity?

The big downside of the Warshaper is not only do you lose Druidic spellcasting, but your Wildshaping is impinged too. Yes, your allowed HD go up, but your forms are limited to Small and Medium. No Large (unless you pick up 8 Druid levels), etc. No extra Wildshaping per day either. The loss of wildshapes per day hurts your flexibility.

There are some troubling potential combos if you let the PC dip in between 2 or 3 or 4 PrCs. I would be very careful about allowing that kind of thing. PrCs are generally written to be reasonably balanced when viewed from the context of the Core books. They often break with hyperoptimized blendings of multiple PrCs.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

I disagree with Caliban here. I see nothing in the text of the Morphic Immunities and Morphic Body description that suggests the Warshaper does not get the benefit all the time. Nor do I see a problem with that. "Warshapers are immune to stunning and critical hits." Where is the ambiguity?

Look up on the page a bit.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the warshaper prestige class. The class features only function when the warshaper is in a form other than her own (which for doppelganger and phasm warshapers is most of the time).

See?

This would be problematic if it gave armor or weapon proficiencies, which would only be available when in another form (as those are class features, under the above), which would be silly, but since it doesn't, no harm, no foul.

I don't think it's overpowered; you don't get more wild shape, you don't get more spells, you have middle BAB and good Fort, and that's it. Now, if you can shapeshift/etc., two levels are a no-brainer. But anything more is eh.

Brad

 

[Caliban]

I disagree with Caliban here. I see nothing in the text of the Morphic Immunities and Morphic Body description that suggests the Warshaper does not get the benefit all the time. Nor do I see a problem with that. "Warshapers are immune to stunning and critical hits." Where is the ambiguity?

There is no ambiguity, the limitation is clearly stated. Just not in the text of those specific abilities. You need to read the two sentences just underneath Class Features on page 90 of the Complete Warrior:

"All of the following are class features of the warshaper prestige class. The class features function only when the warshaper is in a form other than her own (which for doppelganger and phasm warshapers is most of the time)."

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Actually, I think the PrC could be overpowered in a situation no one's mentioned -- if the character has the shapechanger subtype. In Eberron, both changelings and shifters qualify when they get BAB +4.

Normally, neither of them has terribly impressive shapechanging abilities, but as changelings are often in disguised form 24/7, all those abilities come into play. If you're concerned about the powers at all, I'd take this one off the table for Eberron campaigns. I know if I was playing a Changeling, this would be a no-brainer.

 

[Jdvn1]

Actually, I think the PrC could be overpowered in a situation no one's mentioned -- if the character has the shapechanger subtype.

Actually, Andor mentioned that.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Actually, Andor mentioned that.

Oops, sorry, Andor!

In that case, I agree.