Alter self for non-spellcasters

[petermcleod117]

Hello!
I am crafting a superhero setting for future use, and I want to be able to allow a totally-not-ben-10 character option for players. The trick is to give the player access to the Master of Many Forms prestige class from the Complete Adventurer as fast as possible without granting access to a spellcasting class, as this class essentially covers almost anything a totally-not-ben-10 character might want to turn into (you know, aside from undead and outsiders).

One of the prerequisites for that class is the ability to wildshape. fortunately, there is another prestige class which a player can gain access to that grants the ability to wildshape at first level: the Shapeshifter from Oriental Adventures. the player just needs to take a 1-level dip in shapeshifter to get access to wildshape, and then immediately multiclass into Master of Many Forms. the player can qualify for this class at 7th level, which is admittedly a bit late in the game, so to speak, but it's there.

A little hiccup in this, however, is that the Shapeshifter prestige class requires access to polymorph self, alter self, or shapechange in order to qualify. alter self is a second level spell, which makes it the easiest goal to shoot for. however, since the goal is to qualify without access to spellcasting, this is a bit of a hurdle.

ideally, this would be something achieved by a human character.

[Doctor Despair]

Take the Wildshape Ranger variant; it gets wildshape at level 5. Trade out the spellcasting for another ACF.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

The divine minion template (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20050209a) grants wild shape as an 11th level druid, albeit only into a small selection, but with MoMF on the table, that should expand quickly.

[Fouredged Sword]

Hello!
I am crafting a superhero setting for future use, and I want to be able to allow a totally-not-ben-10 character option for players. The trick is to give the player access to the Master of Many Forms prestige class from the Complete Adventurer as fast as possible without granting access to a spellcasting class, as this class essentially covers almost anything a totally-not-ben-10 character might want to turn into (you know, aside from undead and outsiders).

One of the prerequisites for that class is the ability to wildshape. fortunately, there is another prestige class which a player can gain access to that grants the ability to wildshape at first level: the Shapeshifter from Oriental Adventures. the player just needs to take a 1-level dip in shapeshifter to get access to wildshape, and then immediately multiclass into Master of Many Forms. the player can qualify for this class at 7th level, which is admittedly a bit late in the game, so to speak, but it's there.

A little hiccup in this, however, is that the Shapeshifter prestige class requires access to polymorph self, alter self, or shapechange in order to qualify. alter self is a second level spell, which makes it the easiest goal to shoot for. however, since the goal is to qualify without access to spellcasting, this is a bit of a hurdle.

ideally, this would be something achieved by a human character.
The traditional entry for no magic master of many forms is wildshape ranger, who gets wildshape at 5th level. You can take another ACF to trade your spellcasting away like the one in champion of the wild. This allows you to enter Master of Many forms with full bab and reasonable skills at level 6.

[Doctor Despair]

The divine minion template (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20050209a) grants wild shape as an 11th level druid, albeit only into a small selection, but with MoMF on the table, that should expand quickly.

Be aware that MoMF is poorly written. It allows the character to heal a NI amount by free-action wildshaping NI times each round. Additionally, it's controversial whether or not the "wildshape as an 11th level druid" satisfies the requirement to have the wild shape class feature, as it's from a template, even if it is as a druid.

[petermcleod117]

The traditional entry for no magic master of many forms is wildshape ranger, who gets wildshape at 5th level. You can take another ACF to trade your spellcasting away like the one in champion of the wild. This allows you to enter Master of Many forms with full bab and reasonable skills at level 6.

he might not even need to take the spell-less variant. the basic ranger class doesn't gain spellcasting until 6th level unless he has a high enough wisdom to qualify for bonus spells. given ben's notoriously bad judgement and rash behavior in most of the show, it would be fair to say that he would have a low wisdom by default.

but yeah, spell-less wildshape ranger might be the best choice here.

edit: perhaps an Urban Spell-less Wildshape Ranger, favored enemy Aberration. an animal companion would seem rather out-of-place.

[Fouredged Sword]

he might not even need to take the spell-less variant. the basic ranger class doesn't gain spellcasting until 6th level unless he has a high enough wisdom to qualify for bonus spells. given ben's notoriously bad judgement and rash behavior in most of the show, it would be fair to say that he would have a low wisdom by default.

but yeah, spell-less wildshape ranger might be the best choice here.

edit: perhaps an Urban Spell-less Wildshape Ranger, favored enemy Aberration. an animal companion would seem rather out-of-place.

Take the lone hunter ACF to trade away the animal companion to get your favored enemy bonus to your attack rolls as well as your damage rolls.

[Doctor Despair]

he might not even need to take the spell-less variant. the basic ranger class doesn't gain spellcasting until 6th level unless he has a high enough wisdom to qualify for bonus spells. given ben's notoriously bad judgement and rash behavior in most of the show, it would be fair to say that he would have a low wisdom by default.

but yeah, spell-less wildshape ranger might be the best choice here.

edit: perhaps an Urban Spell-less Wildshape Ranger, favored enemy Aberration. an animal companion would seem rather out-of-place.

The nice thing about taking the Urban Companion ACF is that it gives you Alertness, too (as familiars grant alertness when they're in arm's reach), so you can use that to save a feat

[ShurikVch]

Another option is the Wild Monk (Dragon #324): Wild Shape at 5th level

Excluding Dragon materials - the earliest is, probably, Thrall of Juiblex PrC (Book of Vile Darkness): you get Alter Self (Su) at 4th level, and can qualify from 4th level (via multiclassing with any 3 from the list: Barbarian, Dragon Shaman, Fighter, Hexblade, Marshal, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Samurai, Swashbuckler, and Warrior. Monk and Swashbuckler are better choices - because they have Escape Artist)

If you can agree for LA +2, then you can get Alternate Form from Slyth race (Underdark), Half-Doppelganger template (Dragon #313), or Entomanothropy (https://web.archive.org/web/20130531120213/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20040621a) with Small Monstrous Centipede (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/monstrousCentipede.htm) (to avoid extra racial HD)

[Thurbane]

In regards to non-caster Alter Self options:

Mountebank (base class) 4
Thrall of Juiblex 4
Tattooed Monk 1

[Rebel7284]

Momentary Alteration gives alter self to a non-caster. However, as others pointed out, there are easier ways of doing this.

[Doctor Despair]

Momentary Alteration gives alter self to a non-caster. However, as others pointed out, there are easier ways of doing this.

The wording on the feat seems like you have to have been the one to cast alter self, doesn't it? Not necessarily a good fit for a noncaster

[ShurikVch]

If you don't mind some Evil:

Mortal Hunter (Book of Vile Darkness) gets Mortal Skin CF, which works as Polymorph Self, except it required "bits of mortal flesh", up to 5th level is limited to Humanoid forms, and up to 8th - unable to take a form of Dragon

Mountebank (Dragon Compendium): 4th-level CF - Infernal Guise - works as Alter Self of your class level

Tainted Warrior (Dragon #302) - if your fiend is Ultroloth, you get the Alter Self (Sp) at the very 2nd level. The class isn't even literally Evil (required non-Evil alignment), but required a lot of Wis checks to resist the fiend's influence

[Thurbane]

The wording on the feat seems like you have to have been the one to cast alter self, doesn't it? Not necessarily a good fit for a noncaster

I mean, technically you could have activated your own Alter Self using a Skull Talisman...

[Rebel7284]

The wording on the feat seems like you have to have been the one to cast alter self, doesn't it? Not necessarily a good fit for a noncaster

It requires a little bit of back story and/or a few items, but there are a ton of ways in this game to be affected by Alter Self without the ability to cast it.

- One rank in UMD + one Charge from a Wand of Alter self + 10 NPC able to make Aid Another checks
- Skull Talismans have been mentioned
- Channel Spell from Ordained Champion or Spellsword
- Craft Continent Spell
- Runesmith + Share Rune

I am sure I am missing some, and I am also ignoring high level broken stuff (Fusion makes the question of "self" a little muddy)

Admittedly, not all DMs will let you write interacting with mid-level characters into your back story allowing you to take Momentary Alteration at first level, but if you make it a point to look for it, there should at least one of these ways available before you take your 6th level feat.

[Darg]

Shapeshifter requires 10 ranks in concentration. It's unlikely the class will be entered before level 7 at the earliest and level 8 if you don't some how get free ranks. So getting Momentary Alteration if spelltouched feats are allowed should be easy enough.

There is the Hengeyokai race in the same book. It's only LA +1. You can always become a lycanthrope.

Obviously, the best option would be to tailor your PRCs to your campaign and the characters you want to grant them to.