Changeling Questions <3.5>

[Machiavellian]

Now that my group is considering allowing me back in (albeit with some caution) and I have recently fell in love with Changelings. However, having done only minor research, I have some questions:

1. I know that the Quick Change feat reduces the minor change shape down to a move action. However, can this time be reduced further?

2. Is it fair (through a DM's standpoint) to allow Chameleon PrC (RoDe) to be available to Changelings, since it's available to their "parent races?"

3. Is the feat Master Linguist worth it, since my character would rarely, if ever, take his "true appearance?"

4. Can minor shapechange imitate the appearance of NPCs, such as a Dwarf Noble or a Tavern Owner in order to achieve a desired effect, such as for "snooping for evidence" or getting the party into a Necromancer's Keep without having to fight their way to the top?

5. For more of Fluff than crunch, would the Jack of All Trades feat be worthwhile? Plan to do a Changeling Factotum 5/Chameleon 10/Cabinet Trickster 5

6. Persona Immersion and Racial Emulation seem to be better than I bet they are. Is this true?

7. Anyone have any tips for roleplaying/gameplay for such a build?

[Snake-Aes]

Now that my group is considering allowing me back in (albeit with some caution) and I have recently fell in love with Changelings. However, having done only minor research, I have some questions:

1. I know that the Quick Change feat reduces the minor change shape down to a move action. However, can this time be reduced further?

None that I know. Warshaper's flashmorph is also a change to Move Action.

2. Is it fair (through a DM's standpoint) to allow Chameleon PrC (RoDe) to be available to Changelings, since it's available to their "parent races?"

Sure, why not? mechanically wise I don't see why any race would be kept away from it, and changelings fit thematically.

3. Is the feat Master Linguist worth it, since my character would rarely, if ever, take his "true appearance?"

Only if you are starving for skill points. Even then I don't think I would take it unless I was expected to know dozens of languages.

4. Can minor shapechange imitate the appearance of NPCs, such as a Dwarf Noble or a Tavern Owner in order to achieve a desired effect, such as for "snooping for evidence" or getting the party into a Necromancer's Keep without having to fight their way to the top?

It is as the Disguise Self spell. You use the ability to boost your disguise check to impersonate others.

5. For more of Fluff than crunch, would the Jack of All Trades feat be worthwhile? Plan to do a Changeling Factotum 5/Chameleon 10/Cabinet Trickster 5

6. Persona Immersion and Racial Emulation seem to be better than I bet they are. Is this true?

It is mostly an aid to UMD, or if you want to control your babies' species. False Pretenses is better than Persona Immersion.

7. Anyone have any tips for roleplaying/gameplay for such a build?

The bits in the Races of Eberron book are excellent for that. They focus on the mutability of the changeling and how it affects their personalities...which is pretty much the only change between changelings and humans.

[FMArthur]

I don't have any answers for the rest but...

2. Is it fair (through a DM's standpoint) to allow Chameleon PrC (RoDe) to be available to Changelings, since it's available to their "parent races?"

...this is actually mentioned in the Adaptation section at the end of the class for Eberron players (as changelings weren't part of generic D&D until MMIII). You should be good for that.