#shifter stuff

[weareshifter]

3/3.5 style!

This one’s actually a fairly easy get. For proper shifting, let’s establish a couple of rules:

*Must be an actual change of form

*Cannot be just wildshape

*Dragon-shapes preferred!

*As little reliance on spells as possible

There’s two fairly simple options for this:

The ‘Shapeshifter’ class, and the ever-favorable ‘Master of Many Forms.’ So, which? The shapeshifter breaks down like so:

One needs 10 concentration, 3 base attack bonus, and an alternate form- wildshape, alter self (changeling, natch), etc. Alright. That’s not hard to get, and if you drop it on a race like changeling, or hengeyokai, all you need is 3 base attack bonus by level 7. Very easy. Very easy indeed. You get 7 levels to spice your character as you like. So what does this small investment get you?

Less than one might like!

Wildshape: you know what this is Extra uses of their natural shifting: useful for... someone, surely. Spellcaster levels: Again, good if you're making some sort shifter-gish. Thousand Faces: Alter self, so kind of redundant on a changeling. Natural Shapechanger: See above, but for hengeyokai and other qualifying races.

So, not great. It hits two out of four of the prerequisites listed, those being changing shapes and little reliance on spells. Well, put a pin in that, I suppose. But for quick-and-dirty 'I get wildshape without having to be a druid,' this is a simple one.

The Master of Many Forms breaks down thusly-

It requires the Endurance and Alterness feats which aren't great, and the wild shape class feature. Not the worst set of prereqs I've ever seen.

Before we get into how to become one, let's look at what it gets, and make a decision.

Shifter's Speech: You can speak in your shifted forms, including cast spells. Improved Wild Shape: Wild shape, but hugely extended Fast Wild Shape: Action economy is always good! Extraordinary Wild Shape: Your shapes aren't just stat boosts now Evershifting Form: Natural Shapechanger +1

Oh, woof, look at that:

It hits, basically, 3 out of 4 of our requirements: Change form, not (technically!) just wildshape, and access to dragon-shapes! Requiring wildshape seemingly locks one into druid but surely there are ways around that- which we'll get into in part two!

[weareshifter]

WIP - Shifter Class

First things first, not going to say the changeling race from this UA article is necessary, but it sure isn't a bad idea.

Second things second, this is only the first five levels. This project might take a bit to put together, since most of my homebrew knowledge is PF-based among other secret reasons.

Class Basics: 1d8 HP, Light (medium?) armor prof, simple (martial?) weapon prof. If simple, give it a couple swords or something. Saves in charisma and dexterity. Skills TBD.

Level one - Proficiency bonus: +2 Features: Shifter's Speech, Shifting

Shifter's Speech: A shifter can speak normally regardless of the form they take. This includes verbal spell components for infiltrators. As well, they can communicate with other creatures of the same kind while shifted, as long as those creatures are normally capable of communication.

Shifting: At first level, you can use your action to assume the shape of a creature you have seen before. You can use this feature twice, and regain expended uses after a short or long rest. Your shifter level determines the creatures you can transform into, similar to wild shape. At first level, you can transform into any creature that has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower that doesn't have a flying or swim speed.

Creature Shapes progress TBD.

Level two - Features: Shifter Tricks (Two Uses) Shifter Tricks: At second level, you gain a handful of useful abilities. As these abilities are tied to your protean nature, they are useable regardless of your current form. You have two uses of these tricks per short rest. Shifter tricks with a DC use the formula 8+proficiency bonus+charisma modifier.

Actual tricks TBD

Level three - Features: Shifter School (Formless or Infiltrator) Formless: The formless shifter possesses an ever-shifting and protean soul. Their ability to transform is nearly unmatched, and they glide from shape to shape with unfettered ease. At third level, a formless shifter gains the Morphic Healing shifter trick, allowing them to heal 1d8 hit points per shifter trick expended. As well, their Shifting can now be activated as a reaction to incoming danger.

Infiltrator: Called Cabinet Tricksters by the changelings who perfected the art, and simply infiltrators by those who followed, these shifters are supernatural spies. With no identity, no past, and an uncanny ability to know the hearts of others, the infiltrator is anyone they need to be. At third level, an infiltrator gains the Detect Thoughts shifter trick, allowing them to expend a use of their tricks to cast Detect Thoughts as the spell. As well, an infiltrator may add one of Deception, Persuasion, Intimidation, or Stealth to their skill list.

Level four - Ability Score Improvement

Level five -Extra Attack, Profiency Bonus +3

So, it’s a little sparse and needs some math, some suggestions (Please!) for just about everything, but those are the low level bones of the class. Inspirations are moon druid, obviously, cabinet trickster from eberron, and the old master of many forms class. First thing I’ve really made for 5E, so it’ll be messy for a good long while, I’m afraid.

[sunflower-gamerguy]

On shifting

I shift, it doesn’t matter to me. Sometimes I’ve got red hair, sometimes long, sometimes short, sometimes I’m soft, sometimes not as much.

It doesn’t bother me, it just happens and I’m good with whatever.

I shift, but it’s confusing. It’s not really appearance, it’s more what I’m connected to. There’s days I don’t know where I’m from. If I’m not connected, I’m not whole. Like a genderfluid person who can’t figure out what gender they are and feel dysphoria no matter what they do. I’m floating in the empty between worlds and I hate it.

Shifting is fine, but I hate the in-between.

[momtaku]

Mom help I really want titan!erwin to happen but does that mean he'll suffer the amnesia side effect & be incapacitated (instead of helping the battle he's an unconscious burden instead) and/or forgot what is the mission in the first place? [c]

[c] (Eren only forgot about the night he ate Grisha or also some other memories? How destructive was the amnesia effect?) Pls hold my hand I'm building walls around my fragile heart to brace against next week's ch 82 ;__;

I really want Titan!Erwin to happen as well! 

Here’s how it will go. When Levi injects Erwin, he’ll immediately become a fully functional mindless titan. Think about Rod. He was able to start moving and acting on instinct.

When Erwin becomes a shifter, he’ll lose memories of the day. He won’t remember who he ate. I’m basing this on the experience of Eren, Bertholdt and Ymir. They all experienced memory loss limited to the day they became a shifter. 

The only other shifter side effect seem to be exhaustion. Uri, Frieda and Eren were all dazed, confused and worthless upon regaining their human form. So ideally Erwin should be in a safe place, away from the battle when he eats Reiner, the Cargo Titan another shifter.

[skidar]

"I'm a boy..." -Christine Ridgway/Skidar

Theo pouting since Lilah wants to go into the world and meet boooys. He's a boy!

[skidar]

Cory and Alan 15 Years Later... -Christine Ridgway/Skidar

Cory and Alan! Lookit dat hair Alan. You need a haircut, dude. Or a scrunchie...

[skidar]

Saved the best Kaigani for last. Kaigani bed snuggles, since Nzuri told Kaiser to keep Angani in bed

...which he did. ;) And now cuddles him to sleep.

[skidar]

.... So if Emery, Kitagan and Jones were born birds but shifted human... since they weren't born mammal... would they still have belly buttons???