Wereunicorn?

[SparksMcGee]

One of my players wants to play a shapeshifting unicorn. Is there any way (other than Synthesist) to do it or something similar to it?

[Tvtyrant]

Depends on what Unicorn trope you are going for, and what level you are going to be. A Unicorn had 4 racial HD, and 4 level adjustment. So you cannot begin playing as one until level 9. At level 9 you could take Dragonfire Adept (From Dragon Magic), and progress it until you get Humanoid Shape at the 6th level of DFA (which would be level 15 here.) DFA's primary ability is actually unassociated from level (use slow breath to automatically remove half of an opponent's actions, next turn auto-entangle them with entangling breath. Repeat forever.)

So at level 15 you would have a decent, but not great, control unicorn that has a humanoid form.

If you don't want to do that (really, don't do that) sit down with your player and ask them what makes something a Unicorn and then find or make a stand in. If it is a horse with a horn that turns into a person just make them a were-horse and stick a horn attack on it. If it requires some special snowflake abilities just make a racial class with those abilities and compare it with a tier 3 class of the given level.

[Abd al-Azrad]

I'd recommend "refluffed druid." PF doesn't really have a Savage Species equivalent, so taking a bunch of monster class levels is pretty much all going to be homebrew.

Have him check out the Skinwalker (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/more-races/standard-races-1-10-rp/skinwalkers-10-rp) races (on the SRD if he doesn't have the books) to pick up the early shapeshifter type. The Ragebred (Wereboar-kin) actually starts with a Gore and two Hoof attacks when in Bestial Form, making it a pretty solid base for a Unicorn, and it gets a Wisdom bonus, making it a decent Druid.

[ImaDeadMan]

I would look at D&D 3.5 rules for lycanthropes and try to port them into pathfinder. A way for it to spread could be when one stabs someone with their horn

[Sayt]

Depends on what Unicorn trope you are going for, and what level you are going to be. A Unicorn had 4 racial HD, and 4 level adjustment. So you cannot begin playing as one until level 9. At level 9 you could take Dragonfire Adept (From Dragon Magic), and progress it until you get Humanoid Shape at the 6th level of DFA (which would be level 15 here.) DFA's primary ability is actually unassociated from level (use slow breath to automatically remove half of an opponent's actions, next turn auto-entangle them with entangling breath. Repeat forever.)

So at level 15 you would have a decent, but not great, control unicorn that has a humanoid form.

If you don't want to do that (really, don't do that) sit down with your player and ask them what makes something a Unicorn and then find or make a stand in. If it is a horse with a horn that turns into a person just make them a were-horse and stick a horn attack on it. If it requires some special snowflake abilities just make a racial class with those abilities and compare it with a tier 3 class of the given level.

This is completely inaccurate, and references rules for 3.5 which are defunct in Pathfinder.

Unicorn's are CR 3, you can play a Unicorn Fighter 1 (Or whatever class they'd rather play) as an effective character level 4 character. The rules for monsters as PC's can be found here (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races).

As for shapeshifting, Druid is good for that, and Wizards and Alchemists can also do that.

[Coidzor]

One of my players wants to play a shapeshifting unicorn. Is there any way (other than Synthesist) to do it or something similar to it?

There's a 3rd party way to make lycanthropes out of anything if the DM is willing to play ball that gets occasional mention, I think it's called Monstrous Lycanthrope.

Or you could run with a standard lycanthropic were-horse and just have 'em RP it as getting really racist and sexist when they transform, seeing as how unicorns are terrible people.

[MirddinEmris]

Can't resist posting this

http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/hungryghoast/233553478/1/tumblr_ksmbpudX291qz9wf9

[Tvtyrant]

This is completely inaccurate, and references rules for 3.5 which are defunct in Pathfinder.

Unicorn's are CR 3, you can play a Unicorn Fighter 1 (Or whatever class they'd rather play) as an effective character level 4 character. The rules for monsters as PC's can be found here (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races).

As for shapeshifting, Druid is good for that, and Wizards and Alchemists can also do that.

Oh my apologies, the OP did not indicate which system they were using.

[animewatcha]

He did. The tag, or prefixid or whatever one calls it, before the title was pathfinder. You will not always find a ' [3.x] ' and the like.

[Madbranch]

I'd go with lycanthrope template and adjust hybrid and animal forms so that the player wouldn't be over or underpowered.

The bonuses in hybrid and animal form should probably be +4 str, +4 dex, +6 wis and +6 charisma.

The player should note, that (s)he would be transforming into a large creature, and as such wouldn't be able to wear his/her armor, unless (s)he'd be playing some large base creature.

[Milo v3]

What about just a Natural Lycanthrope of a horse with the celestial template?

[SparksMcGee]

Thanks everyone for their suggestions, but I don't want to use many 3.5 rules, so I'm sticking as close to PF as I can. I think a skinwalker Hunter, Ranger or Druid works best.

[Abd al-Azrad]

Thanks everyone for their suggestions, but I don't want to use many 3.5 rules, so I'm sticking as close to PF as I can. I think a skinwalker Hunter, Ranger or Druid works best.

Victory is mine! Bwahahahahaha!

To be honest, thinking about this build on a car ride, I decided I quite like it and want to run one myself. The idea is just ridiculous enough to entertain, while still being fairly high-powered. I can't quite figure out how to get both Magic Circle vs. Evil and Greater Magic Fang on one spell list, but I'm sure it's workable somehow. The best option I've found is the rather crazy Dreamed Secrets (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/dreamed-secrets) feat, but the flavour is awfully wrong.

[SparksMcGee]

Victory is mine! Bwahahahahaha!

To be honest, thinking about this build on a car ride, I decided I quite like it and want to run one myself. The idea is just ridiculous enough to entertain, while still being fairly high-powered. I can't quite figure out how to get both Magic Circle vs. Evil and Greater Magic Fang on one spell list, but I'm sure it's workable somehow. The best option I've found is the rather crazy Dreamed Secrets (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/dreamed-secrets) feat, but the flavour is awfully wrong.

Well, I'm thinking of this more and more as a unicorn who was cursed into being a human. Worshipping something wicked sounds like a good reason for that... or maybe he did something small, but later finds out that the only way to get all his previous powers back is by doing this. I don't know. Gotta ask the player. I think she's gonna like it. Thanks. ^^