Shifter
A shifter has no form they call their own. Instead, they clothe themselves in whatever shape is most expedient at the time. While others base their identities largely on their external forms, the shifter actually comes closer to their true self through all of their transformations. Of necessity, their sense of self is based not on their outward form, but on their soul, which is truly the only constant about them. It is the inner strength of that soul that enables them to take on any shape and remain themselves within.
Requirements
Feats: Alertness
Special: The Shifter must possess an alternate form. This may be through a spell like Polymorph self, or they may have a natural alternate form, alter self, polymorph self, shapechange, or wild shape racial or class ability.
DM Unlock: This Prestige Class is locked by default. DMs can unlock it for characters who meet all of the requirements. A DM may ask you a few questions before granting this PrC to you.
Hit Die: d8
Proficiencies: Shifters gain no additional proficiencies
Skill Points: 4 + INT
Class Skills: Animal Empathy, Concentration, Craft, Disguise, Heal, Hide, Knowledge (all), Listen, Lore, Persuade, Profession, Spot, Wilderness Lore
Level progression
| Lvl | BAB | Saves | Feats | HP range | Forms becoming available | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | ||||||
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +2 | +0 | greater wildshape I | 4-8 | wyrmling | |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +3 | +0 | 8-16 | |||
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +1 | greater wildshape II | 12-24 | harpy, gargoyle, minotaur | |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +1 | infinite greater wildshape I | 16-32 | ||
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +1 | greater wildshape III | 20-40 | basilisk, drider, manticore | |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +5 | +2 | 24-48 | |||
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +5 | +2 | humanoid shape, infinite greater wildshape II | 28-56 | drow warrior, lizardfolk whipmaster, kobold commando | |
| 8th | +6 | +6 | +6 | +2 | 32-64 | |||
| 9th | +6 | +6 | +6 | +3 | 36-72 | |||
| 10th | +7 | +7 | +7 | +3 | greater wildshape IV, infinite greater wildshape III | 40-80 | dire tiger, medusa, mindflayer | |
Epic shifter
The epic shifter is a true master of shapeshifting and is able to become virtually any creature imaginable by choosing epic bonus feats.
Hit die: d8
Skill points: 4 + int modifier
Bonus feats: The epic shifter gains a bonus feat every three levels. In other words, at levels 13, 16, and 19.
Available Epic bonus feats: automatic quicken spell, automatic silent spell, automatic still spell, construct shape, dragon shape, epic energy resistance, epic spell focus, epic spell penetration, great wisdom, improved combat casting, outsider shape, undead shape
Epic shifter level progression
| Lvl | Feats | HP range | Forms becoming available | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11th | 44-88 | epic harpy, epic gargoyle, epic minotaur | ||
| 12th | 48-96 | |||
| 13th | bonus feat, infinite humanoid shape | 52-104 | ||
| 14th | 56-112 | |||
| 15th | 60-120 | epic basilisk, epic drider, epic manticore | ||
| 16th | bonus feat, infinite greater wildshape IV | 64-128 | ||
| 17th | 68-136 | epic drow warrior, epic lizardfolk whipmaster, epic kobold commando | ||
| 18th | 72-144 | |||
| 19th | bonus feat | 76-152 | ||
| 20th | 80-160 |
Shifter forms
When in another form, some of the benefits of the shifter's weapons, armor and other items may still apply, merging with the new form. The below table lists the shifter shapes, which item properties merge, and which feat provides the shape.
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Item merge
- Weapon is any melee weapon in the main hand slot.
- Items are those in the ring slots, amulet slot, cloak slot, boots slot, or belt slot.
- Armor is the item in the armor slot, plus a shield if in the off-hand slot and anything in the helmet slot.
- The gloves or bracers slot and the ammunition slots never merge.
- Rules of thumb:
- Has a weapon? Merges all.
- Unarmed, stands on two legs? Merges items & armor.
- Unarmed, four or more legs? Merges armor only.
- Exceptions to the rule are epic manticore, spectre, death slaad lord, stone golem, and demonflesh golem.
- Because only the properties of the items are taken, and the item is "removed" and unavailable in the shifted form, any penalties from armor, such as penalties on skills, do not apply when shifted. This also means that a druid/shifter/monk who had been wearing armor or using a shield prior to shifting will have their special abilities reinstated because they will no longer be wearing armor or using a shield.
- All AC bonuses become deflection bonuses, and only the highest applies.
- If there are multiple bonuses to an ability score, only the highest applies. For example, if the shifter was wearing elven boots (+2 dexterity), a belt of agility +2 (+2 dexterity), and bracers of agility +3 (+3 dexterity), the final dexterity bonus on the shifted form is +2: the elven boots and belt of agility do not stack, and the bracers in the glove slot do not merge at all.
- It is possible to save a game while in shifted form, but on reloading, any item merges are not applied (and some items that cannot be used while shifted are removed from the quickbar). To reinstate them, re-shift.