Getting Change Shape

[TalonOfAnathrax]

How could I go about getting Change Shape on a human character?
So far all I can think of is taking a level of Psion (impractical and fairly useless, as I won't be advancing as a psion and a psion dip doesn't seem very useful) or burning multiple feats and skill points to take Shaper of Form and turn into a Changeling.
Is this an otherwise impossible goal?

I'm looking for a low level, no magic mart solution. Otherwise I could just buy a magic item or wait until I can craft such an item myself.

EDIT : In case it matters, this character wants this ability out of pure vanity. Illusions spells and the Disguise skill will be used for actual infiltration work, but getting Change Shape for an improbably perfect appearance at all times seems IC for this character.

[Ramza00]

Not change shape but 3.5 and pathfinder both have items that give permanent Alter Self.

Greater Hat of Disguise (12k) for Pathfinder. Pathfinder's Alter Self is like Disguise Self but with a stat boost based off you choosing Small or Medium Size. You keep your ability scores besides the stat boost. You can also gain darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, and swim 30 feet.

That is not entirely all of 3.5's Change Shape abilities but it is most of them.

----

Fleshshifter Armor from Book of Vile Darkness is the 3.5 source of Alter Self at will. It is a +1 leather armor that costs 13,160 gp.

[Duke of Urrel]

Would it be possible to play a doppelganger (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/doppelganger.htm)? You wouldn't be human, but you could look human anytime you wanted to.

[Segev]

There are feats in Pathfinder that can give your familiar alternate forms.

What is it you're trying to achieve with this specific request?

[Darg]

Lycanthropy maybe? Wererat only costs 1 RHD.

[False God]

Druid 5/ Master of Many Forms 1?

It's technically wild shape, but that would accomplish more or less the same thing. It's got a duration of course and you lose a level of Druid casting, so I mean, it depends on what angle you're going for.

Druid5/MoMF1 would get you more versatility (since you could become animals in addition to humanoids), Psion5 would get you unlimited duration and times per day, but only humanoids with roughly the same dimensions and body part arrangements.

[Thurbane]

I'm assuming the OP means the Changeling racial trait Minor Change Shape?

Druid 13 gets A Thousand Faces, which is essentially the same, but certainly not low-level.

I would suggest the reserve feat Face-Changer, but from the OP, an illusory effect isn't what is desired.


What is it you're trying to achieve with this specific request?

Yeah, honestly, this is going to really define the answers.

[TalonOfAnathrax]

N
Fleshshifter Armor from Book of Vile Darkness is the 3.5 source of Alter Self at will. It is a +1 leather armor that costs 13,160 gp.
That seems very useful, thank you! It's even easy to craft!



What is it you're trying to achieve with this specific request?
This is a very vain character with access to magic. Getting the ability to magically stay in shape, magically fix your hair and magically change your appearance at will seems IC.
This ability might be used for infiltration and whatnot (Disguise and Bluff are already being maxed) but that isn't exactly essential for the build (Disguise Self is a thing).

Druid 5/ Master of Many Forms 1?

It's technically wild shape, but that would accomplish more or less the same thing. It's got a duration of course and you lose a level of Druid casting, so I mean, it depends on what angle you're going for.

Druid5/MoMF1 would get you more versatility (since you could become animals in addition to humanoids), Psion5 would get you unlimited duration and times per day, but only humanoids with roughly the same dimensions and body part arrangements.
Wait, how does Psion 5 qualify for MoMF ?

[Elrak]

Wildshape ranger inot a MoMF is a good way to go and can be access relatively low level.

If your cheese tolerance is very high then Mulhorandi Divine Minion (Template) (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20050209a) with an LA as low as +1 could also qualify you for MoMF albeit it is highly debatable whether or not the Fast Wild Shape ability actually works by RAW for this purposes. I have seen valid arguments in both directions.

[Maat Mons]

So you don't want to use the Egoist ACF that gives the Changeling racial trait? Too bad, that always seemed to me the perfect fit for these situations.

If you had a magic mart, a Skin of Proteus would do the job. If you were high-level, you could probably magic-mart your way into True Mindswitch, or use the Wish stuff in Savage Species to turn into a Changeling.

What's the build? Maybe there's a way to alter it to make the Psion dip a more useful part. A psionic PrC that also progressing your main schtick, say.

One problem with Fleshshifter armor or Greater Hat of Disguise is that the effect isn't continuous. It needs to periodically be reactivated. Every 3 minutes, actually. That would be very annoying throughout the course of the day. And there's no way you can keep your form through a night's sleep, which will be very awkward if you're sharing your bed.

Does the human limitation stem from theme or mechanics? If it's mechanics, the Human Heritage feat or the Racial Emulation feat should be able to satisfy whatever prerequisite you need to fulfill.

[Telonius]

Eternal Youth seems like it would be a pretty standard item for a Faustian Pact. If you don't value your immortal soul, it would be a quick summoning away.

I remember there was a reference to a "Gray Portrait" (or something like that) artifact in Champions of Ruin; your basic "Picture of Dorian Gray" in D&D terms.

[Khatoblepas]

What you need is two Ethereal Dopplegangers, a pebble, two scrolls of Ability Rip, and two scrolls of Polymorph Any Object. Not entirely sure if it works due to stacking rules, but:

1) PaO on the pebble, turning it into You But Perfect.
2) PaO on You But Perfect, turning it into You But Perfect.
3) Ability Rip on the first Ethereal Doppleganger and YBP, giving YBP *Assume Identity*.
4) You cast Ability Rip on yourself and the second Ethereal Doppleganger, giving yourself Assume Identity.
5) Assume Identity YBP, giving yourself your own looks and Assume Identity.
6) Assume Identity YBP using the Assume Identity you just got, and transform into YBP.
7) Ability Rip runs out, losing your first copy of Assume Identity, but since you are already under the influence of another Assume Identity, you keep the second copy of the ability. You will never be reverted to your natural form because the person you assumed the identity of is you. If you want to use Assume Identity, you can use the third copy.
8) Pay the Ethereal Dopplegangers for their time.
9) Dispel PaO on the pebble, because nobody can be as beautiful as you.

[Segev]

That seems very useful, thank you! It's even easy to craft!


This is a very vain character with access to magic. Getting the ability to magically stay in shape, magically fix your hair and magically change your appearance at will seems IC.
This ability might be used for infiltration and whatnot (Disguise and Bluff are already being maxed) but that isn't exactly essential for the build (Disguise Self is a thing).

Wait, how does Psion 5 qualify for MoMF ?

With psi/magic transparency set sufficient that spellcasting and manifesting are both sufficient, and Metamorphosis available as a 3rd level power, an Egoist meets the prereqs, I believe. AT the very least, rewriting it as a psionic PrC wouldn't be hard.

Is that the class that has you wanting to avoid psionics?


If you're using PF rules, you might like the Psychic Warrior at level 1, using the Infiltrator Path; they can expend their psi focus to manifest Lesser Metamorphosis at will. I'm less familiar with 3.5 psionic ACFs, but it sounds like the Egoist might be able to get something similar in 3.5.

The idea of playing a Warlock who has a perfect physique without working for it thanks to his pact is an interesting one you could explore, but doesn't handle the shapeshifting.


I think one of the Reserve Feats in Complete Mage that requires a Transmutation spell to be prepped/known-with-available-spell-slot to use might do something you're interested in. If not, you could still study them and maybe design one.

[JyP]

This is a very vain character with access to magic. Getting the ability to magically stay in shape, magically fix your hair and magically change your appearance at will seems IC. This ability might be used for infiltration and whatnot (Disguise and Bluff are already being maxed) but that isn't exactly essential for the build (Disguise Self is a thing).

As long as this is for roleplay and has no impact in game (as the PC already has other means to disguise), as a DM I would allow him to use 0-level Prestidigitation to do so. And even allow the PC to cast it at-will for this purpose, as his magic sigil, if you are using D&D 3.5 and not Pathfinder.

edit: Disguise Self is a bit more broad and grants a +10 bonus to Disguise checks, so using Prestidigitation creatively may also grants small bonus to Disguise checks.

[Darg]

Have a way to change into a medium sized monstrous humanoid.
Assume supernatural Ability.
Pick Consume Identity of a Greater Doppelganger.
Find a creature that has the ability you want and the alignment you have and eat their brains.
At will assume identity into the creature to at will change your form.

Of course, consume identity is extremely abuse-able and I only recommend using this option when you of a nongood alignment.

[False God]

Wait, how does Psion 5 qualify for MoMF ?

I thought you weren't set on the Psion thing, so I was providing alternate class options that got you Change-Shape-like features.