Shapeshifter

## The Shapeshifter

Perhaps you have a doppelganger in your family tree, perhaps some mad wizard gave you this strange body. Whatever the case may be you have the extraordinary ability to become other creatures, from a lowly rat to a mighty dragon. Your ability opens up a whole world of possibilities that others could only dream of. Soar through the sky, swim the deepest oceans, infiltrate the most secure of vaults as a harmless insect, or crush your foes with sheer brute strength. If some creature in this world can do it, so can you.

The shapeshifter is intended to be a very versatile class. Depending on which archetype you choose, you could become a high hit points tank, a spellcaster, a skilled thief, or you could become a powerful dragon.

### Creating a Shapeshifter

Why did you choose to become a shapeshifter if you were not born of a doppelganger? What was goal in obtaining these powers, is it to become strong, trick others, hide your identity, or some other reason? Shapeshifters usually try to blend into society and try not to show their powers, but will you openly show your powers or hide them? Finally, what you do with your powers is the question.

Quick Build

You can make a shapeshifter quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution then Dexterity. Second, choose the sage background.

## Class Features

As a Shapeshifter you gain the following class features.

#### Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Shapeshifter level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Shapeshifter level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: none

Weapons: Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, and light crossbows

Tools: One type of artisan's tools

Saving Throws: Charisma, Dexterity

Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, and Survival.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

* (a) Two daggers or (b) A quarterstaff
* A light crossbow and 20 bolts
* One artisan's tools
* (a) An explorer's pack or (b) An entertainer's pack
* If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4 × 10 gp in funds.

### Shapeshifter

When choosing this class at 1st level, choose two of the following types of shapeshift forms. Beasts, Fey, Humanoids, Monstrosities, Oozes, and Plants.

You may shapeshift into any creature of the types chosen as an action, so long as the CR is available for your level and the creature is Small, Medium or Large sized. Additionally, you can’t choose a form that has flying or swimming speed.

You must have seen the creature before to shapeshift into it.

You cannot shapeshift into any creature made up of multiple creatures, such as a swarm of bats.

Shapeshifting into your natural form does not expend any uses of your shapeshift feature.

You may shapeshift from your shapeshifted form into any other without needing to return to your natural form.

You may shapeshift a number of times equal to half of your shapeshifter level, rounded up. You regain all uses of this feature after you finish a long rest.

You may shapeshift into any form for a number of hours equal to your proficiency bonus.

You cannot take legendary actions, lair actions, or legendary resistances of any creature you shapeshift into.

#### Skills, Proficiencies, and Saving Throws

When you shapeshift into any creature, your Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution ability scores are replaced by the creatures, however your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma ability scores, as well as your personality, and alignment do not change. You also retain all of your skills and saving throws that are based off Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Skills that are based off Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution are inherited from your new forms stat block. You also retain Tool proficiencies, weapon proficiencies, and Languages in your new form.

#### Actions

You inherit all actions of your new form except for Legendary and Lair actions. You lose the ability to use these actions if you change into another form. If a form you are in requires a weapon for an attack that is not a natural weapon, you must have this weapon on you to use its action.

Abilities that require the use of ‘charges’ are able to be cast the amount of times equal to half your shapeshifter level, rounded up in total per long rest. This amount is the same between switching forms.

#### Passives

If a form you turn into has a non legendary passive, you inherit those passives while in that form. Legendary passives are to be ignored. You lose those passives if you change into another form.

#### Armor Class

If the form you choose to turn into has “Natural Armor” you will inherit that AC. If the form does not have “Natural Armor”, your new AC becomes 10 + Con + Dex while you are not wearing armor. You can still benefit from wearing a shield.

#### Equipment

You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature’s shape and size. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.

#### Spellcasting

You can’t cast spells (except when shapeshifted into humanoids who speak a language), and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your altered form. Transforming doesn’t break your concentration on a spell you’ve already cast or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you’ve already cast.

When shapeshifting into a form that knows spells, you are allowed to cast them based on the limits stated by the creature stat block except for ‘at will’ spells. You may cast a number of ‘at will’ spells across any form you turn into equal to your charisma modifier every long rest.

#### Damage Received When Shapeshifting

Your hit points stay the same between all forms and are equal to your natural forms hit points. If you were to become unconscious or your hit points reach 0, you revert back to your natural form. Any effects carry over from one form to another (example: poisoned).

When in your shapeshifted form, weapons or spells that deal additional damage to a specific type of creature, such as arrows of slaying, work as though you are that type of creature. However, you always count as a humanoid when being targeted by magical effects that do not cause damage such as the charm person spell.

### Anatomically Inaccurate

At 2nd level you gain the following effects if you have chosen the following shapeshift forms:

* Beasts: Your affinity with beasts heightens your senses. When outside of urban environments you gain proficiency in survival checks. If you have proficiency already, you gain double proficiency.
* Fey: Your attunement to the Fey give you advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
* Humanoids: You gain the knowledge of the many peoples you have been. Become proficient in one additional skill of your choice and learn one additional language.
* Monstrosities: Your monstrous nature gives you immunity to horrors and emit them. You and are immune to being Feared. In addition, if you shapeshift into a monstrosity while in the presence of creatures who do not know you can shapeshift must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turns ending the effect on itself on a success. A creature who succeeds on this check automatically succeeds all future checks in this fashion for 24 hours.
* Oozes: Your blood is corrosive to those who touch it. When a creature makes a melee weapon attack against you and deals damage, they are dealt 1d6 acid damage.
* Plants: Once per long rest you may cast Healing Word while in direct sunlight. Your spell casting modifier for this spell is your Charisma modifier. You may cast this spell at 1st level at level 2. At second level at level 6, at third level at level 10, fourth level at level 14, and fifth level at level 18.

### Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

### Natural Instinct

Starting at 5th level, If you have not moved your previous turn, you may expend this feature to perform a reaction to reduce damage from a non-magical weapon attack by half, rounded down. You may use this feature equal to your charisma modifier per long rest.

### Superior Vigor

Starting at 7th level, your body becomes more attuned with the forms you take, increasing your hit points by 1 for every shapeshifter level.

### Inner Strength

Starting at 9th level, you have become more attuned with your forms and may choose one saving throw proficiency to become proficient based on your known Shapeshifting Forms. At 14th level you can choose a second one:

* Beasts: Dexterity
* Fey: Wisdom
* Humanoids: Intelligence
* Monstrosities: Strength
* Oozes: Constitution
* Plants: Charisma

### Signature Form

Beginning at 11th level, choose one CR3 or lower form from the types of creatures that you can shapeshift into, you can shapeshift into this form without expending a use of your shapeshift feature, and you can maintain this form for an indefinite amount of time while you’re conscious. At 20th level, choose a CR5 or lower from the types of creatures you can shapeshift into to game the same effect.

### Adrenaline Rush

Beginning at 13th level, you may now to shift into a different form as a free action.

### Advanced Reflexes

Beginning at 15th level, you can use the disengage and dash actions as a bonus action instead.

### Unnatural Youth

By 17th level Your body has integrated the genes of numerous creatures, you age at half the rate of your race, and maintain a youthful body until your death. You are in control of every aspect of your body, giving you the ability to be immune to all disease and poisons. Additionally if you were to suffer a non fatal wound, such as losing an arm, the wound shall be healed in 1d12 days. If a limb or appendage is lost, it shall grow back in that time.

## Altered Form

You focus on improving your shapeshifted form to the point of perfection.

### Biological Marvel

When choosing this subclass at 3rd level, immediately take one additional type of creature from the lesser shapeshift list.

In addition, you can shapeshift a number of times equal to your shapeshifter level, and you regain all uses of this feature after you finish a long rest.

Shapeshifting is now a bonus action, instead of an action.

### Improved Shapeshift

Beginning at 6th level, the CR of your available shapeshifted forms increases by one and you can stay in your shapeshifted form for a number of hours equal to twice your proficiency modifier at a time. You also gain the ability to shapeshift into creatures with flying and swimming speed.

### Ascended Form

At 10th level, choose one of the following types of creatures to add to your shapeshift forms: Aberrations, Celestials, Dragons, Elementals, Fiends.

### Superior Shapeshift

At 14th level you gain the following effects if you have chosen the following shapeshift forms:

* Aberrations: Due to your innate magical adaptation from your aberration forms. You may use this feature to gain advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. As a side effect, the pupils of your eyes glow their color. Your skin turns to a blue or purple tint (your choice), in addition to being oily and slippery.
* Celestials: Imbued with radiant energy, all weapon attacks performed with weapons you are proficient with deal an additional 2d8 radiant damage. The weapons you wield will radiate with power. In addition your skin becomes a radiant white and you have angel wings in your natural form. This gives you flying speed equal to your speed.
* Dragons: Due to your natural state of being in the form of a Dragon, gain +1 AC in all forms. Your flesh is covered in a thick, scaley hide. Much like a Dragonborn. You also gain leathery dragon wings in your natural form. This gives you flying speed equal to your speed.
* Elementals: You radiate elemental protections to your allies. All allies within 30 ft and line of sight of you get advantage on saving throws against spells that deal damage of the element that your altered form is based on. Fire for Fire elementals, Cold for Water elementals, Lightning for air elementals, and Poison for Earth elementals.
* Fiends: Due to your time spent with devils, you gain Resistance to Fire. If you are in a form that has Resistance to Fire, you gain Immunity instead. Your skin gains a tint of red, in addition you grow horns which are visible in every form. In addition you gain telepathy within 60 ft.

### Ultimate Shapeshift

Beginning at 18th level, you push yourself to your limit to become an ultimate form. Once per long rest you may turn into an ultimate form based on your chosen Ascended form listed below. However, this form is difficult to maintain and only lasts up to 1 minute or until dismissed. Upon expiration, you can revert back to your original form or another shapeshift form if able.

* Aberration: Beholder
* Celestial: Solar
* Dragon: Ancient Red Dragon
* Elemental: Djinni
* Fiend: Balor