Shifter
original concept by Lance Flitter [email protected]
and Mark Thomas [email protected]
original editing & layout by Steven A. Maske <[email protected]>

Shifters are characters who have the ability to change their physical forms at will. They are generally nature oriented. Shifters have a certain magical nature, and to become one, a person must be initiated by a high level shifter. This makes shifters uncommon.

Constitution is the prime requisite of a shifter, since changing one’s basic, physical structure is strenuous. Wisdom is also important, as shifters must have a certain spiritual equilibrium to be able to change their shapes. A shifter with a Constitution of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience he earns. A shifter also gains bonus hit points based upon Constitution just as a fighter does (+3 for 17, + 4 for 18). Constitution also gives a bonus to the number of forms a shifter can assume and to the number of shift points one has.

Shifters are fairly hardy fighters, though they are limited to common types of weapons (basic swords, staves, daggers, etc.). They generally prefer to shift into a form in a fight. They also generally avoid using metallic implements, preferring natural materials, since these are easier to transform. For this reason, shifters almost never wear metallic armor. They will, however, frequently wear leather armor, and they can use shields. Shifters make saving throws and determine their THAC0s as a priest does.

Weapon Proficiencies: Shifters start with two weapon proficiencies and gain one for every five levels of experience.

Nonweapon Proficiencies: Shifters cannot use nonweapon proficiencies because of the time and effort required for learning, practicing, and maintaining different forms. (Note: A creative player can imitate most nonweapon proficiencies by shifting.)

Table 1: Shifter Experience Levels

Special Benefits/Abilities: Shifters possess an innate ability to change their forms. This ability is called "shifting," hence their name. In addition to this transformation ability, which is described in detail below under Shifting, shifters have the following abilities:

(1) Animal empathy, just as the Ranger ability (See the Players Handbook, p. 29)

(2) Can always recognize another shifter, no matter what form is being assumed.

(3) Has a 5% per level (95% max.) chance of recognizing any polymorphed entity.

(4) Has a +2 save (+4 with Constitution 16 or higher) against being polymorphed, petrified, or physically transformed in some other way.

(5) At 8th-level, a shifter can imitate another individual (Cost: 12 ShP).

(6) At 10th-level, a shifter can initiate another person to make him a shifter.

Wealth Options: 3d6x10 gp to start.

Shifting

There are two types of transformations a shifter can perform: fixed-form shifts and free-form shifts. In a fixed-form shift, the shifter changes into a "memorized" form and takes on all the non-magical attributes of that form. This transformation is complete, with the exceptions of the character’s mind and hit points. He can use all of the natural abilities of the new form. For example, if a shifter becomes a red dragon, he would not get its breath weapon, but he would get its natural attacks (bite, claws, etc.).

Shifters start out with the ability to shift into two distinct forms, not counting Constitution bonuses (see Table 3: Constitution Bonuses). They must first "bond" with those forms before they can shift into them. To bond with a being, the shifter must be in contact with it for 1 turn minus one round for every level above first. Once the time required reaches one round, one segment of time per level is subtracted. The bonding never takes less than one segment. See Table 2: Shifting Allotted for the number of shift points and bonded forms a shifter has at each level.

During the time the shifter is in contact with the being, he is in a state of meditation, busily "memorizing" the being's basic nature. The creature, if unwilling to be touched, receives a saving throw vs. polymorph.

It is possible to bond with a creature that has only recently died. The creature must have been dead less than one half of an hour (30 minutes). If it has been dead longer than that, there is no chance of bonding. If the shifter attempts to bond with a dead creature, there is a chance the bonding will not work properly. There is also a chance that a shifter attempting this will die. The chance of a successful bonding is 70% minus 2% for every minute the creature has been dead. Whether the bonding is successful or not, the shifter must make a system shock check to survive the attempt. Failure results in the character’s death. The shifter also loses that bonding "slot" whether the attempt was successful or not.

A bonding costs the same number of points it would cost to shift into the creature being bonded. Once transformed, a shifter can maintain the new form indefinitely, until another transformation is performed. All transformations have a cost, including reverting to the shifter’s natural form, although reverting to the natural form costs only half the points of the original shift. They have a limited number of fixed forms they can shift into, based on level and constitution bonus.

A shifter does not have to return to his or her true form before changing into another shape. The cost of shifting is, however, calculated from whatever form the character is in at the time of the transformation.

A free-form shift is very different than a fixed-form shift. There is no "memorized" model on which the shift is based, although parts of the shift may be based on a bonded model. Free-form shifting is actually more strenuous than fixed-form, since there is no specific model for the change. A free form shift is limited only by the character’s imagination and his or her shift point limit. A shifter could turn his hands into tiger claws and grow giant eagle wings, turn his arms into bone swords, harden his skin, or transform into a squishy pancake to slither under a door. A shifter could also change into the semblance of another humanoid or more bizarre creature. Free form shifts do not last for an indefinite time and require a cost to maintain. If not maintained, the shifter will revert to his or her natural form.

The maintenance cost of a free-form shift is one half of the shifting cost per turn maintained. There is no maintenance cost for the first turn, nor is there any cost to revert to natural form when performing a free-form shift. Shifting from a fixed-form costs half as many points as it would cost to change into that form from the character’s natural form.

Table 2: Shifting Allotted

Table 3: Constitution Bonuses

Cost of Shifting: The most important factors in the cost of a transformation are the amount and type of mass to be shifted. Both the quantity and type of mass have an affect on the cost. The base cost is for a change of mass of no less than 50% and no more than 200% of the character’s total mass. For every decrease in mass of 50%, there is an additional 1 ShP (Shift Point) cost for fixed-form and 2 ShP for free-form transformations. For example, if a shifter wanted to change to something between 1/8th and 1/16th his mass, it would cost an additional 3 ShP. The reverse is true for every 100% increase in total mass.

When performing a free-form shift, the severity of the change, as well as the mass involved, has an impact on the cost of the transformation. A minor change, such as changing pigmentation, hardening the skin, or slightly altering facial features (smaller ears, bigger nose, etc.) costs 1 ShP per change. Minor changes are primarily cosmetic. If there are more than two minor changes, the shift is considered a major one. Changing from one humanoid form to another would cost a maximum total of 6 or 7 shift points (not counting shifting items on the character’s person).

A major change involves a change in the character’s basic nature. For instance, growing wings or changing his or her arms to bone swords or tiger claws would be major changes. If there are more than two major changes, it is considered a drastic change.

A drastic change would be a change to something really bizarre. For instance, turning into a squishy pancake to slither under a door or growing huge bat wings, tiger claws, and a lizard tail would be a drastic change.

If part of a free-form shift is into a shape that is part of a bonded form for the shifter, subtract 1 ShP from the cost of the change. For instance, if the shifter has a bonded form of a tiger and shifts his hands to tiger claws, the additional cost would be only 4 ShP (2 ShP for the base cost plus 3 ShP for major change minus 1 ShP for the bonded form).

Shifting Other Materials: If the shifter is carrying any organic material that he wishes to shift into the new form, then he must spend 1 ShP if the weight is under 10 pounds, and 2 ShP for every 10 pounds thereafter. The costs are doubled for free-form shifts.

The cost for shifting inorganic material is high, which explains why shifters generally avoid carrying minerals and metals. If the shifter is carrying less than 1 lb. of mineral matter, he must pay 1 extra ShP for a fixed-form shift and 2 extra for a free-form shift. If he is carrying 1 or more pounds, the cost is 2 extra ShP per pound for a free-form shift and 4 extra ShP per pound for fixed-form.

Shifting magic items is possible but incurs an extra cost. The shifter must pay 2 ShP per magic item possessed for a free-form shift, and 3 ShP per item for fixed-form. Whether a shifted magic item can be used while in the new form is entirely up to the DM.

Table 4: Shift Costs

Recovering Shift Points: The process of recovering shift points is similar to the way mages and priests recover their spells, but instead of memorizing or praying for spells, a shifter must spend the time resting. Shifting is very strenuous and thus requires sleep and rest. (See Table 5: Shift Point Recovery below)

Time Required to Shift: Shifting requires concentration and takes a certain amount of time. At first-level, it takes a full round to make a shift. It takes one segment less per level over the first. At 10th-level, it takes only 1 segment to make a shift.

In combat, a shift counts as the players action, just as casting a spell counts as a mage’s action. When transforming, a shifter does not gain his Dexterity bonus for armor class. Regardless of how quickly a shifter can change, he can shift no more than once per round while engaged in combat.

Table 5: Shift Point Recovery