fireinthedust
2007-04-08, 04:48 AM
In myth, in literature are a number of famous shapechanger heroes and anti-heroes. Loki, Zeus, Puck, Raven, all famous heroes whose main ability was to change their form. However, in Dungeons and Dragons there is no direct parallel in a Core class without some side-tracking in Druid or Wizard, something that inhibits the idea to a great degree.
This is my attempt at a solution.
Wildshaper
HD: d8 or d6
Skill ranks: 4+int x 4 at 1st, 4+int per level.Skills: Bluff, hide, move silently, jump, climb, diplomacy, disguise, escape artist, perform.
LevelMaximum sizeForm schoolWildshapes per daySpecial Spell-like abilities
NAME OF CLASS
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|+0|+x|+x|+x|Wildshape 1/day; max size (tiny); Lesser formschool; Shapechanger subtype; Monster Feats.
2nd|+1|+x|+x|+x|Lesser Formschool
3rd|+1|+x|+x|+x|Wildshape 2/day; Max size (small)
4th|+2|+x|+x|+x|Lesser Formschool
5th|+2|+x|+x|+x|Max Size (medium); Wildshape 3/day
6th|+3|+x|+x|+x|Subtype
7th|+3|+x|+x|+x|Greater Formschool; wildshape 4/day
8th|+4|+x|+x|+x|Max Size (large)
9th|+4|+x|+x|+x|Subtype; Wildshape 5/day
10th|+5|+x|+x|+x|Greater Formschool; Spell-like abilities (o-level)
11th|+5|+x|+x|+x|Subtype; Wildshape 6/day
12th|+6|+x|+x|+x|Unlimited duration Wildshape; Spell-like abilities (1st-level)
13th|+6|+x|+x|+x|Greater Formschool; wildshape 7/day
14th|+7|+x|+x|+x|Subtype; Spell-like abilities (2nd level)
15th|+7|+x|+x|+x|Max Size (Huge); Wildshape 8/day
16th|+8|+x|+x|+x|Greater Formschool; spell-like abilities (3rd level)
17th|+8|+x|+x|+x|Subtype; Wildshape 9/day
18th|+9|+x|+x|+x|Max Size (Gargantuan); Spell-like abilities (4th level)
19th|+9|+x|+x|+x|Greater Formschool; Wildshape 10/day
20th|+10|+x|+x|+x|Subtype; spell-like abilities (5th level)[/table]
Shapechanger subtype: At first level a Wild Shaper gains the Shapechanger subtype, and is considered a shapechanger as well as whatever other creature types they may have.
Monster skills and feats: A wildshaper can choose monster feats and skills from the monster manual and other monster-specific feats, such as Wingover and Snatch. They can use these feats in any form that would allow it and meets all pre-requisites, such as Wingover in any form that has wings. If a feat requires a particular creature type or subtype, the Wildshaper must have it and be in the form at the time of use.
Wildshape: Wildshapers learn how to take the forms of other creatures, to the exclusion of other class features like spell casting or skills. This works exactly like the druid ability of the same name, except for the following. A Wildshaper changes their creature type, becoming their new form as far as divinations or spellcasting are concerned. They gain all the forms special weaknesses, and most of its strengths and abilities. They take on a form’s physical attributes (strength, dexterity, constitution). A wildshaper retains their own mental ability scores (intelligence, wisdom, charisma), and skill ranks and feats, as well as base attack bonus, and any class features they may have in addition to Wild Shaper abilities. They do not gain any class abilities of their new form, only those traits and abilities specific to the race or creature itself. They are proficient in the new form’s natural attacks, but not weapon proficiencies.
For example, Jude the Wildshaper is 10th level and takes the form of an orc. His natural strength is 16, but he uses the score for a standard orc from the Monster Manual; he does not adjust his stats, but uses the physical body of a standard 1HD orc. If he enters combat, he is not proficient with any of the orc’s weapons, he does not gain any of it’s equipment, and he uses his own hp and attacks adjusted by the orc’s physical ability scores.
When in Wildshape, a Wildshaper cannot speak or cast spells unless the creature they Wildshape into has the ability to speak. They can communicate with other creatures of their type, such as birds when in bird form, and can understand common, but are limited in their ability to communicate using language.
Spellcasting: a Wildshaper can cast sorcerer spells or use psionics they may have from other class levels without restriction when in forms that cast spells or use psionics as if they had class levels. Example: a Rakshasa casts as an 8th level sorcerer, so while in Rakshasa form a Wildshaper may use any of their sorcerer levels as normal. However, they do not gain spellcasting levels or class levels while in a given form, so would not gain 8 sorcerer levels in the form of a Rakshasa, or older dragons, etc.
Energy Resistance and Damage Reduction: When in a form that has Damage Reduction or Energy Resistance, the Wildshaper gains it up to a certain point. A wildshaper gains one point of DR or ER per Wildshaper level, or the creature's own DR or ER, whichever is lower.
Items and Equipment: When a Wildshaper takes a given form, all equipment carried or worn becomes part of the new form. Magical items worn, such as rings, amulets and clothing, still grant their magical bonuses. However, the items themselves no longer appear on the new form: a Wild Shaper wearing +1 Platemail of Etherealness would not gain the +8 from the plate mail, but would still gain the +1 magical enhancement as well as the Etherealness special ability.
Maximum Size: This is the largest size the Wildshaper may take in any given form, regardless of their hit dice or Form Schools known.
Spell-like abilities and creature abilities
Wildshapers can take any form they wish, but certain monster special abilities and spell-like abilities are impossible to mimick until they reach a particular level. Any spell-like ability or special quality a creature has can only be used if the wildshaper can access spell-like abilities of that level. Examples include drow Faerie Fire (0-level), or a beholder's charm person eye ray (1st level). If a special ability is beyond the Wildshaper's ability, that power does not function, such as the petrifying gaze of a medusa which, at 7th level, cannot be used by a non-epic Wildshaper
Form Schools: Wild Shapers are limited in the types of creatures they may Wildshape into. A Wild Shaper must have the Form School for each type and subtype that a particular creature has: to become a Gold Dragon, they must have the Dragon advanced form school, as well as the Fire subtype. Each time a Wild Shaper gains a Type or Subtype, they have access to any creature with that type or subtype they have encountered or know of.
The different Form Schools are:
Lesser: Animal, Object, vermin, humanoid
Greater: giant, magical beast, fey, ooze, Outsider, Undead, Construct, Dragon, Aberration
Subtype: fire, cold, earth, air, water, aquatic, swarm, good, evil, chaotic, lawful.
Special rules for Creature Forms:
Lesser:
Animal: includes natural animals of all sorts, including dire and legendary types.
Object: the wildshaper becomes inert material, including stools, rocks, swords and other inanimate objects. They are conscious of their environment but can take no action other than to end their wildshape or take another form. They gain hardness appropriate to their form, maximum their level or the object’s hardness, whichever is lower. They are immune to disease, critical hits, and any saves requiring a Fortitude save, unless it also affects an object.
Vermin: The Wildshaper gains all vermin traits, except they are not mindless.
Humanoid: this includes Monstrous humanoids, as well as other races. When taking a form that is a player character race, do not adjust stats (such as -2 con +2 dex for elves), but rather use the standard ability scores presented in whatever source that particular race or creature is from. In addition, the Wildshaper appears how they would look were they a member of the given race, rather than mimicking a particular member of the race.
Greater:
Ooze: the Wildshaper is not considered mindless.
Outsiders: This includes elementals, celestials and fiends, and excepting Native outsiders, it requires at least on subtype. If slain, the Wildshaper reverts to their original form, and so can be raised, unlike an Outsider.
Undead: The Wildshaper gains all undead traits, except is not considered mindless and cannot be automatically destroyed by turning (although they can be damaged until they die).
Construct: The Wildshaper does not gain spell immunity, and is not mindless, but does gain all other construct traits.
Dragon: The Wildshaper can become a dragon of an age category up to his maximum for size, hit dice and whatever Types or Subtypes are also required.
Aberration
Subtypes:
Swarm: the Wildshaper can take on the swarm form of any creature type and subtype he has, such as Vermin swarms. He is limited to his Maximum size, such as large at 8th level, Huge at 15th, etc.
Aquatic: the Wildshaper can become fish and other aquatic creatures.
Alignments (Good, Evil, Chaotic, Lawful): the Wildshaper becomes the alignment of the Outsider in question. This may have an effect on class abilities from other classes the Wildshaper may have, such as monk or paladin special abilities. As well, simply being a creature with that powerful an alignment can have an effect on the Wildshaper’s own alignment. As such, Wildshapers often focus on one alignment area, such as Good and Lawful.
Energy Types (fire, cold, earth, water, air): When in a form using one of these subtypes, the Wildshaper is immune to that energy type, but becomes vulnerable to it’s opposite, taking double damage.
Example Wildshaper: (forthcoming)
Wildshaper Feats
Colossal Size (Epic):
Pre-requisites: Wildshaper Level 24+
Benefits: the wildshaper’s Maximum size becomes Colossal, although they must still meet all other pre-requisites for the given creature.
Wild Spell Resistance (Epic):
Pre-requisites: Epic Wildshaper
Benefit: the wildshaper gains spell resistance while in shapes that have it. They gain either the creature’s spell resistance, or 10+1/2 wildshaper level+cha, whichever is lower.
Fast Wildshape:
Benefit: the Wildshaper can change forms as a move action.
Normal: Wildshape is a standard action.
Quicken Wildshape:
Pre-requisitie: Fast Wildshape
Benefit: Wildshape as a free action
Normal: wild shape is a standard action.
Wildspeak:
Pre-requisit: ability to wildshape
Benefit: The Wildshaper can speak while in the form of a creature without speech, such as animals or vermin. They can cast spells with verbal components, although they are still limited to whatever movements their form can make for somatic and material components.
Extra Wildshape:
Pre-requisite: ability to Wildshape
Benefit: the Wildshaper can change shape one extra time each day.
special: this feat can be taken multiple times, it's effects stack
This is my attempt at a solution.
Wildshaper
HD: d8 or d6
Skill ranks: 4+int x 4 at 1st, 4+int per level.Skills: Bluff, hide, move silently, jump, climb, diplomacy, disguise, escape artist, perform.
LevelMaximum sizeForm schoolWildshapes per daySpecial Spell-like abilities
NAME OF CLASS
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|+0|+x|+x|+x|Wildshape 1/day; max size (tiny); Lesser formschool; Shapechanger subtype; Monster Feats.
2nd|+1|+x|+x|+x|Lesser Formschool
3rd|+1|+x|+x|+x|Wildshape 2/day; Max size (small)
4th|+2|+x|+x|+x|Lesser Formschool
5th|+2|+x|+x|+x|Max Size (medium); Wildshape 3/day
6th|+3|+x|+x|+x|Subtype
7th|+3|+x|+x|+x|Greater Formschool; wildshape 4/day
8th|+4|+x|+x|+x|Max Size (large)
9th|+4|+x|+x|+x|Subtype; Wildshape 5/day
10th|+5|+x|+x|+x|Greater Formschool; Spell-like abilities (o-level)
11th|+5|+x|+x|+x|Subtype; Wildshape 6/day
12th|+6|+x|+x|+x|Unlimited duration Wildshape; Spell-like abilities (1st-level)
13th|+6|+x|+x|+x|Greater Formschool; wildshape 7/day
14th|+7|+x|+x|+x|Subtype; Spell-like abilities (2nd level)
15th|+7|+x|+x|+x|Max Size (Huge); Wildshape 8/day
16th|+8|+x|+x|+x|Greater Formschool; spell-like abilities (3rd level)
17th|+8|+x|+x|+x|Subtype; Wildshape 9/day
18th|+9|+x|+x|+x|Max Size (Gargantuan); Spell-like abilities (4th level)
19th|+9|+x|+x|+x|Greater Formschool; Wildshape 10/day
20th|+10|+x|+x|+x|Subtype; spell-like abilities (5th level)[/table]
Shapechanger subtype: At first level a Wild Shaper gains the Shapechanger subtype, and is considered a shapechanger as well as whatever other creature types they may have.
Monster skills and feats: A wildshaper can choose monster feats and skills from the monster manual and other monster-specific feats, such as Wingover and Snatch. They can use these feats in any form that would allow it and meets all pre-requisites, such as Wingover in any form that has wings. If a feat requires a particular creature type or subtype, the Wildshaper must have it and be in the form at the time of use.
Wildshape: Wildshapers learn how to take the forms of other creatures, to the exclusion of other class features like spell casting or skills. This works exactly like the druid ability of the same name, except for the following. A Wildshaper changes their creature type, becoming their new form as far as divinations or spellcasting are concerned. They gain all the forms special weaknesses, and most of its strengths and abilities. They take on a form’s physical attributes (strength, dexterity, constitution). A wildshaper retains their own mental ability scores (intelligence, wisdom, charisma), and skill ranks and feats, as well as base attack bonus, and any class features they may have in addition to Wild Shaper abilities. They do not gain any class abilities of their new form, only those traits and abilities specific to the race or creature itself. They are proficient in the new form’s natural attacks, but not weapon proficiencies.
For example, Jude the Wildshaper is 10th level and takes the form of an orc. His natural strength is 16, but he uses the score for a standard orc from the Monster Manual; he does not adjust his stats, but uses the physical body of a standard 1HD orc. If he enters combat, he is not proficient with any of the orc’s weapons, he does not gain any of it’s equipment, and he uses his own hp and attacks adjusted by the orc’s physical ability scores.
When in Wildshape, a Wildshaper cannot speak or cast spells unless the creature they Wildshape into has the ability to speak. They can communicate with other creatures of their type, such as birds when in bird form, and can understand common, but are limited in their ability to communicate using language.
Spellcasting: a Wildshaper can cast sorcerer spells or use psionics they may have from other class levels without restriction when in forms that cast spells or use psionics as if they had class levels. Example: a Rakshasa casts as an 8th level sorcerer, so while in Rakshasa form a Wildshaper may use any of their sorcerer levels as normal. However, they do not gain spellcasting levels or class levels while in a given form, so would not gain 8 sorcerer levels in the form of a Rakshasa, or older dragons, etc.
Energy Resistance and Damage Reduction: When in a form that has Damage Reduction or Energy Resistance, the Wildshaper gains it up to a certain point. A wildshaper gains one point of DR or ER per Wildshaper level, or the creature's own DR or ER, whichever is lower.
Items and Equipment: When a Wildshaper takes a given form, all equipment carried or worn becomes part of the new form. Magical items worn, such as rings, amulets and clothing, still grant their magical bonuses. However, the items themselves no longer appear on the new form: a Wild Shaper wearing +1 Platemail of Etherealness would not gain the +8 from the plate mail, but would still gain the +1 magical enhancement as well as the Etherealness special ability.
Maximum Size: This is the largest size the Wildshaper may take in any given form, regardless of their hit dice or Form Schools known.
Spell-like abilities and creature abilities
Wildshapers can take any form they wish, but certain monster special abilities and spell-like abilities are impossible to mimick until they reach a particular level. Any spell-like ability or special quality a creature has can only be used if the wildshaper can access spell-like abilities of that level. Examples include drow Faerie Fire (0-level), or a beholder's charm person eye ray (1st level). If a special ability is beyond the Wildshaper's ability, that power does not function, such as the petrifying gaze of a medusa which, at 7th level, cannot be used by a non-epic Wildshaper
Form Schools: Wild Shapers are limited in the types of creatures they may Wildshape into. A Wild Shaper must have the Form School for each type and subtype that a particular creature has: to become a Gold Dragon, they must have the Dragon advanced form school, as well as the Fire subtype. Each time a Wild Shaper gains a Type or Subtype, they have access to any creature with that type or subtype they have encountered or know of.
The different Form Schools are:
Lesser: Animal, Object, vermin, humanoid
Greater: giant, magical beast, fey, ooze, Outsider, Undead, Construct, Dragon, Aberration
Subtype: fire, cold, earth, air, water, aquatic, swarm, good, evil, chaotic, lawful.
Special rules for Creature Forms:
Lesser:
Animal: includes natural animals of all sorts, including dire and legendary types.
Object: the wildshaper becomes inert material, including stools, rocks, swords and other inanimate objects. They are conscious of their environment but can take no action other than to end their wildshape or take another form. They gain hardness appropriate to their form, maximum their level or the object’s hardness, whichever is lower. They are immune to disease, critical hits, and any saves requiring a Fortitude save, unless it also affects an object.
Vermin: The Wildshaper gains all vermin traits, except they are not mindless.
Humanoid: this includes Monstrous humanoids, as well as other races. When taking a form that is a player character race, do not adjust stats (such as -2 con +2 dex for elves), but rather use the standard ability scores presented in whatever source that particular race or creature is from. In addition, the Wildshaper appears how they would look were they a member of the given race, rather than mimicking a particular member of the race.
Greater:
Ooze: the Wildshaper is not considered mindless.
Outsiders: This includes elementals, celestials and fiends, and excepting Native outsiders, it requires at least on subtype. If slain, the Wildshaper reverts to their original form, and so can be raised, unlike an Outsider.
Undead: The Wildshaper gains all undead traits, except is not considered mindless and cannot be automatically destroyed by turning (although they can be damaged until they die).
Construct: The Wildshaper does not gain spell immunity, and is not mindless, but does gain all other construct traits.
Dragon: The Wildshaper can become a dragon of an age category up to his maximum for size, hit dice and whatever Types or Subtypes are also required.
Aberration
Subtypes:
Swarm: the Wildshaper can take on the swarm form of any creature type and subtype he has, such as Vermin swarms. He is limited to his Maximum size, such as large at 8th level, Huge at 15th, etc.
Aquatic: the Wildshaper can become fish and other aquatic creatures.
Alignments (Good, Evil, Chaotic, Lawful): the Wildshaper becomes the alignment of the Outsider in question. This may have an effect on class abilities from other classes the Wildshaper may have, such as monk or paladin special abilities. As well, simply being a creature with that powerful an alignment can have an effect on the Wildshaper’s own alignment. As such, Wildshapers often focus on one alignment area, such as Good and Lawful.
Energy Types (fire, cold, earth, water, air): When in a form using one of these subtypes, the Wildshaper is immune to that energy type, but becomes vulnerable to it’s opposite, taking double damage.
Example Wildshaper: (forthcoming)
Wildshaper Feats
Colossal Size (Epic):
Pre-requisites: Wildshaper Level 24+
Benefits: the wildshaper’s Maximum size becomes Colossal, although they must still meet all other pre-requisites for the given creature.
Wild Spell Resistance (Epic):
Pre-requisites: Epic Wildshaper
Benefit: the wildshaper gains spell resistance while in shapes that have it. They gain either the creature’s spell resistance, or 10+1/2 wildshaper level+cha, whichever is lower.
Fast Wildshape:
Benefit: the Wildshaper can change forms as a move action.
Normal: Wildshape is a standard action.
Quicken Wildshape:
Pre-requisitie: Fast Wildshape
Benefit: Wildshape as a free action
Normal: wild shape is a standard action.
Wildspeak:
Pre-requisit: ability to wildshape
Benefit: The Wildshaper can speak while in the form of a creature without speech, such as animals or vermin. They can cast spells with verbal components, although they are still limited to whatever movements their form can make for somatic and material components.
Extra Wildshape:
Pre-requisite: ability to Wildshape
Benefit: the Wildshaper can change shape one extra time each day.
special: this feat can be taken multiple times, it's effects stack