Shifter (base) Buff

[Flowerbud]

Shifting increases your Maximum and Current HP instead of Temp HP equal to the 2 x Prof Mod (so now Temp HP isnt redundant on you)

When you Shift and on your other turns while Shifted, if your missing any Hit Points, and you've been damaged (does not have to be from a Hostile Creature) since the last round or the current round, at the start of your turn or when you've activated Shifting, you regenerate HP as long as your conscious (basically think how Rage works and how that can end early, but in this case, if it triggers the Regen or not)
The HP regained is = to Prof Mod





EDIT: Made the ability exclusively usable only when damaged , so no short rest abusing
Using the Monsters of the Multiverse version as a base so Shifting uses are equal to Prof Mod per long rest


Shifting increases your Maximum HP instead of Temp HP equal to the 2 x Prof Mod (so now Temp HP isnt redundant on you)

You regenerate/regain HP at the start of every turn your conscious = to Prof Mod



ORIGINAL POST:

My main reason for the 2nd bullet point is Aasimar can do damage every round equal to Prof mod which I think is pretty nifty

With how common Temp HP and Bonus Action usage is becoming, something that competes for that should be something dramatic, but I feel Shifter lacks that, and they don't have nice passives to fall back on like Aasimar who get Radiant and Necrotic resistances, a damage type lots of monsters, especially big boss types, the higher up you go inflict, an Action use heal for short rests or reviving a downed ally, and a utility cantrip with Light

Once you Shifting as Shifter, that's it, you only have that much Temp HP for the fight, which I feel gets negligible the higher level you go

While Aasimar's can use their transformation only once per long rest, to me, since Shifter only HP boost to you it discounts some of the power budget you could say of the ability, so I think it's fine, and the healing isbe small enough to not make Shifting just broken, add to the fact that the higher level you go the more hard hitting things are

Buffing the subraces would be a whole other thing

But what do y'all think?

[Loek]

Let me start by agreeing that shifters really really need to boosted somewhat. They are nowhere near as fun/interesting as their flavour would suggest.

That said, both of your suggestions have some issues.
The first: Increasing max HP does very little, if it doesn't also raise your current HP by the same amount (else you'll go from 16/26 to 16/30, which doesn't do much). Secondly, assuming we fix that, what about when the shift ends, do you keep the HP you gained from shifting (would be on theme, healing a little by shapeshifting).
The second: Again, the healing thing for shapeshifters makes sense... but compare it to the "Ring of Regeneration" (Very rare item with attunement) which only heals 1d6 per 10 minutes. (Sure it does this 24/7 and with regeneration of limbs, but still). The fact that almost nothing, including full lycanthropes, have regeneration (and outside of spells PC's never get quick style regeneration), makes me think we'd be breaking some of 5e's design philosophies.

Personally I'd be more inclined to increase either their "non-shifted" utility (give them a scent like ability or some other lycanthropy/animal related boost) AND/OR boost the amount of time they can be in their shifted state.

My suggestion:

Do the "real HP" (both max and current) of your first bullet point.
Allow them to stay shifted for an amount of minutes equal to their level.
And give some minor permanent boost (Advantage on perception with their choice of smell/sight/hearing perhaps)



Then the types of shifters: (Because I couldn't help myself)

Beasthide - Increase the bonus HP with level (kind of like a cantrip?), probably leave the AC alone (Also, the question becomes, is this more "real HP" or should this remain temp HP?
Longtooth - This sucks and probably can't be saved unless you'll allow extra attacks/damage/whatever
Swiftstride - Fine as is, might be boosted a bit monk style (aka: increase speed at higher levels (If so, I'd do 5-10-15-20 at levels 1-5-9-14)/maybe some damage reduction to falling)
Wildhunt - Already great. Just make sure, that if you give one of those sense based perception bonusses above, that this doesn't give "double advantage" but instead some extra boost (min roll of 10 or proficiency/expertise or something)

[Flowerbud]

The first: Increasing max HP does very little, if it doesn't also raise your current HP by the same amount (else you'll go from 16/26 to 16/30, which doesn't do much). Secondly, assuming we fix that, what about when the shift ends, do you keep the HP you gained from shifting (would be on theme, healing a little by shapeshifting).

Oops yeah, I should;ve wrote that it also increases current HP

And yes, you keep the HP gained from Shifting to keep it consistent with the Temp HP ruling ("Unless a feature that grants you temporary hit points has a duration, they last until they're depleted or you finish a long rest.")

Also forgot to mention, base Shifter is basically worse Hill Dwarf because they have Dwarven Toughness which adds 1 HP per level, sure at the low levels Shifter is better, but Dwarven Toughness does have spots where its better than Shifter (level 3, 4,), and then pull out a head starting at 7th Level, and they have a defensive and tool niche because of Dwarven Resilience and Dwarven Combat Training + Tool Proficiency (floating Artisan Tool proficiency), and stonecunning which ok it is pretty circumstantial

Dwarves also get Darkvision so the only thing your missing is a single skill proficiency, which I think doesnt even make up for it because of Hill Dwarves aforementioned boatload of tool proficiencies


With the Max HP and Current HP buff, I think it balances them out, especially cuz hey, your playing shifter for the cool subraces as well



The second: Again, the healing thing for shapeshifters makes sense... but compare it to the "Ring of Regeneration" (Very rare item with attunement) which only heals 1d6 per 10 minutes. (Sure it does this 24/7 and with regeneration of limbs, but still). The fact that almost nothing, including full lycanthropes, have regeneration (and outside of spells PC's never get quick style regeneration), makes me think we'd be breaking some of 5e's design philosophies.


Now that you mention it, Ring of Regeneration on average would give you 21 HP on a short rest (pretty huge), but a measely Shifter with a prof mod of 2 can heal for 20 HP in a minute, that is a LOT of healing at that level, and it stays a LOT throughout the levels and it only goes higher

Small note, wile I think that design philosophy got a bit breached with the aforementioned Aasimar, to me its wild that they can add a +2 damage at level 3, thats basically a +2 weapon without the damage, which is like the Ring of Regeneration, a Major tier Very Rare item

But main disctiontion is Aasimar only lasts basically for a combat, you prolly dont whack more people after combat ends other than double tapping, where added damage rpolly doesnt help there, and Aasimar transform is not a recovery mechanic

Playing a Shifter would be KILLER for tables that follow the 2 short rest 6-8 encounters expectation, ESPECIALLY LIKELY in dungeon crawls

So uh yeah, it should be capped, I'm thinking

The regen lasts a number of rounds equal to either

Until the End of Combat/until you run of time for Shifting during combat or a 'deadly situation' (So it starts during the start of a dangerous situation or combat and ends when those end)
Prof Mod
half your level rounded down or up



Which one is better?
I think the End of Combat is the best, this would be consistent with Aasimar, an ability for Combat and just for that so no rest shenanigans or popping a Shifting to just shrug off damage 20-60 damage and heal after a fight, plus thematically I think it'd be thematic, a Shifter regen basically relies on Adrenaline mode to get fired up, if there's none, it's prolly a waste of energy, and would prolly make the shifter feel weak because the Shifter body would basically go through a full minute of hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling, and not stopping after it's not directly necessary would prolly be really, really bad evolutionary wise

I also added a deadly situation on the combat thing cuz uh, it might feel weird if your say trying to escape a burning building but you just dont regen HP there


Personally I'd be more inclined to increase either their "non-shifted" utility (give them a scent like ability or some other lycanthropy/animal related boost) AND/OR boost the amount of time they can be in their shifted state.

I think increasing the time would basically mean that you can always reliably use it before a combat, and that may just make the bonus action part of the ability moot if you have enough time to shift before combat

But I do REALLY agree that Shifter should have some goddamn passives and or unique abilities while not shifted

Wayfarers had them with Swiftstride and Wildhunt, Swiftstride had a 35 feet movement speed, increased to 40 when they shift, Wildhunt as a bonus action can basically mark a creature within 10 feet, it lasts until they long rest, but they would have expertise for any check they make to find the creature and you automatically know where they are if their within 60 feet of you

But yeah I spent a while writing my thoughts on shifters so my brain is cooked rn and I cant think of any cool passives for base and or subraces when not shifted lol


Also on the Types of Shifters and their effects when Shifted

Beasthide, I'm tempted to do someting like +2 AC on shift because Warforged passively get +1 AC at all times, but I think the overall changes i proposed is fine so I;'ll leave as is

Longtooth, hard agree, if you like a bonus action attack, you should;ve prolly taken Polearm Master or gone Two Weapon Fighting, or because Shifter is an Eberron race, maybe ask your DM for a Double Bladed Scimitar, I think the only fix is like wat you said, maybe just a rider effect of extra damage equal to like idk half your prof mod rounded down

Swiftstride, I'd defo give a reduction to falling for flavor purposes, but I'd prolly leave as is, their REALLY good imo for Ranged and Spellcaster PCs, basically a reaction disengage that just needs a bonus action to set up

Wildhunt, I honestly think their pretty meh, negating advantage is pretty circumstantial and advantage on wisdom checks dont apply to Saving Throws, a simpe, tweak I'd do is they also have advantage on wisdom saving throws

[Amechra]

Small note, wile I think that design philosophy got a bit breached with the aforementioned Aasimar, to me its wild that they can add a +2 damage at level 3, thats basically a +2 weapon without the damage, which is like the Ring of Regeneration, a Major tier Very Rare item

"They don't get the bonus to hit" is actually a massive difference if you crunch the numbers.

[Flowerbud]

They don't get the bonus to hit" is actually a massive difference if you crunch the numbers.

Damn I knew I was missing something, yeah I forgot to add this, speaking of that maybe another way to make the regen balanced and not make it out of combat stupid good is as long as you've taken damage before or during this round, at the start of your turn you regain HP