Shifter (Psion)

Shifters excel in adapting their/others bodies to overcome obstacles, they are often naturally gifted with weapons but lack strong offensive powers which most psioncs can manifest. Shifters are partial casters who can access level 9 powers but may manifest far fewer powers per day as traditional psions.

Advantages:

* Enhanced shapeshifting
* Bonus combat feats
* Can use a winder range of weapons
* Ability to manifest some psychometabolsm powers at close range

Disadvantages

* Less known powers
* Less access to damaging spells
* Delayed spell progression for many standard psion powers
* Lower manifester level for powers outside the Psychometbolism discipline
* Less knowledge class skills

**Hit Dice**: D8

**Alignment**: Any

**Class Skills**: Autophypnosis (WIs), Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (str), Escape Artist (Dex), Knowledge (Psionics), Knowledge (nature), Intimidate (Str), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str)

**Skill ranks at each level**: 2 + Int modifier

**Starting Wealth**: 5d6 × 10 (average 175 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

## Class Features

### Weapon and Armour Proficiency

Light armour, shields and light/martial weapons.

### Powers Points/Day

A psion’s ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points he has available. His base daily allotment of power points is given on Table: The Psion. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high Intelligence score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points). His race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items.

### Cantrips/Orisons/Talents

All shifters know the detect psionics/magic cantrip along with 3 other cantrips from the shifter list (cantrips do not count towards your total powers known).

### Powers Known

A shifter begins play knowing three psion powers of your choice. Each time they achieves a new level, you unlock the knowledge of new powers. Choose the powers known from the shifter power list. A shifter can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than their manifester level. The number of times a psion can manifest powers in a day is limited only by your daily power points. A shifter simply knows their powers; they are ingrained in his mind. He does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though he must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all his spent power points. The Difficulty Class for saving throws against shifter powers is 10 + the power’s level + the shifters Intelligence modifier.

Damaging psychokinetic powers such as energy bolt, wall, burst, energy ray are learned later than normal psioncs and can not be augmented until the psion is two levels higher than the minimum level required to manifest the power.

A 1st level shifter also adds 2 powers from hammer, synesthete, or thicken skin to add to their list of known powers. As long as you maintain psionic focus, you may manifest either of your chosen powers without paying a power point cost, but the power may not be augmented or affected by metapsionic feats. Add half your shifter levels to the temporary hit points gained from vigor. Synesthete, thicken skin, and vigor last for a number of rounds equal to your shifter level. The damage of hammer is reduced to 1d4.

### Maximum Power Level Known

A shifter begins play with the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As they attain higher levels, a shifter may gain the ability to master more complex powers. To learn or manifest a power, a shifter must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the power’s level. Powers which you manifest outside of the psychometabolism discipline are manifested 1 level lower than your actual manifester level (minimum manifester level of 1).

### Swift shapeshifter

At 1st level a Shifter psion can manifest any metamorphosis spell they know with a casting time of 1 action, at 5th level a shifter can manifest any metamorphosis spell they know as a swift action (If cast outside of your combat turn then it costs double the power points to manifest, and you may not spend more power points than your total manifester level).

### Natural Shifter

You manifest any metamorphosis/psychometabolism power you know with a manifester level 1 above your current total manifester level. At 4th level this increase to +2 manifester levels. Any power you manifest outside of the psychometabolism school are manifested with a level equal to your manifester level minus 1 (minimum caster level of 1).

### Supernatural shifter (Su)

Along with the standard menu options available when using metamorphosis, you can select some supernatural abilities.

#### Abilities menu A

* **Dark vision (60-ft)**:
* **Breathe underwater**:

#### Abilities menu B

* **Natural attacks**: Your natural attacks cause 2 points of ability damage to either Strength or Dexterity (chosen at time of manifesting). A successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + primary ability modifier) negates this damage.
* **Fear Aura**: You gain a fear aura. All creatures within a 30-foot radius that see you must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + primary ability modifier) or be paralyzed by fear for 1d4 rounds. Whether or not the save is successful, that creature cannot be affected again by your aura again for 24 hours. This is a paralysis and a mind-affecting fear affect.

#### Abilities menu C

* **Breath attack**: You gain a breath attack of your active energy type. This attack is a 30 ft. cone that deals 6d8 points of damage of your active damage type. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + primary ability modifier) halves the damage.
* **Immunity**: You gain immunity against your active energy type.
* **Natural attacks (paralysis)**: Your natural attacks cause paralysis unless the target creature makes a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + primary ability modifier). A target need only make one save per round, even if you hit with multiple natural attacks. The paralysis lasts 1d4 rounds.

### Improved Metamorphosis

At 2nd level you gain Improved Metamorphosis as a bonus feat.

**Benefit:** Any time you manifest *minor metamorphosis*, *metamorphosis*, *major metamorphosis*, or *true metamorphosis*, you gain one additional menu option from either the Ability Menu or Enhancement Menu of the relevant power.

### Free shift

You can manifest any metamorphosis power you know with out spending the PP cost, the power is manifested with fill augment power points up to the power point cap of standard power point costs.

### Alter Metamorphosis

You can alter your metamorphosis choices as a standard action.

At level 3rd you can alter your choices as a swift action

At level 9th you can alter all your choices as a standard action.

### Minor metamorphosis

At 1st level you add the minor metamorphosis power to your list of powers known (this does not count against your total number of powers known). You may manifest this power with out spending power points so long as you maintain psionic focus, you do not get the benefits of the improved metamorphosis talent unless you manifest by spending power points.

### Metamorphosis

At 3rd level you add the metamorphosis power to your list of powers known as a 2nd level power. This does not count against the total number of powers which you know.

### Major metamorphosis

At 9th level, shapers add major metamorphosis to their list of powers known as a 5th level power. This power does not count against their limit of powers known, but may not be changed by effects such as psychic reformation.

### Extended shift

Any time a metamorph of 7th level or higher manifests a metamorphosis power, he may expend his psionic focus to double the duration.

### Shift type

At specified levels you can also change your creature type while using any metamorphosis spell. You gain all the traits of the specified creature, but do not gain any special attacks or qualities (such as breath weapons).

* 10th level: Aberration, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, fey
* 14th level: Construct, Elemental, Dragon

### Permanent Shift

Upon reaching 10th level, a metamorph is able to permanently change his form. When manifesting one of the metamorphosis powers, the power’s duration becomes “Permanent (D)”.

### True metamorhosis

At 13th level, shifters add true metamorphosis to their list of powers known as a 8th level power. This power does not count against their limit of powers known, but may not be changed by effects such as psychic reformation. If a shaper already knows true metamorphosis, she may instead choose any psychometabolism power of up to 9th level.

## Metamorphosis

The meatamorphosis powers work as the standard Psychometabolism powers with the following exceptions.

### Minor Metamorphosis

**Discipline** psychometabolism, **Level** Shifter 1

**Display** Material, **Manifesting Time** 1 standard action

**Range** Touch
**Target** You or 1 willing target
**Duration** 1 min/level
**Power Points** 1

**Description**: You channel your psionic power, snapping bones and twisting flesh, transforming yourself into a new shape or form. You can take the form of any creature of the same size as yourself, but this is a purely cosmetic change, your abilities, powers or stats do not change beyond the options selected below. This grants you a +10 bonus on Disguise skill checks.

If you choose to imitate an existing person, you gain an additional +2 circumstance bonus to Disguise checks to convince people that you are that person. If you choose to take on an intimidating, horrifying, or otherwise imposing form, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Intimidate checks.

In addition, you get one choice from either the **Enhancement Menu A** or **Abilities Menu A**.

**Enhancement Menu A**

* +2 enhancement bonus to Strength
* +2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity
* +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution
* Increase your size by one size category (+2 size bonus to Strength, -2 size penalty to Dexterity, appropriate size modifiers to AC, CMB, attack rolls, etc). This effect does not stack with other effects that increase your size.
* Decrease your size by one size category (+2 size bonus to Dexterity, -2 size penalty to Strength, appropriate size modifiers to AC, CMB, attack rolls, etc). This effect does not stack with other effects that decrease your size.
* Increase your base land speed by 10 feet.

**Abilities Menu A**

* You gain 5 temporary hit points.
* You gain the Cleave feat.
* You gain the Improved Trip feat.
* You gain a +1 natural armor bonus.
* You gain a natural slam/claw/bite (pick one) attack that deals 1d8 damage if Medium (1d10 if Large).
* You gain Resistance 5 against one of these energy types: Cold, Acid, Fire, Electricity.
* You gain a swim speed of 20 feet.
* You gain a climb speed of 20 feet.
* You gain a burrow speed of 15 feet.

**Augment** For every 2 power points you spend, you gain one choice from **Enhancement Menu A** and one choice from **Abilities Menu A**. You may not choose the same option twice.

## Power(s) List

A Shifter can choose powers from the following list. Some powers have their range/level changed for the shifter.

### Cantrips

* Conceal thoughts
* Create sound
* Crystal light
* Distract
* Ectoplasmic trinket
* Empathy
* Far hand
* Float
* Missive
* Psionic repair
* Telekinetic punch
* Vim

### 1st level

* Absorb weapon
* Bite of the wolf
* Burst
* Catfall
* Chameleon
* Claws of the beast
* Compression
* Corrosive Aura
* Control flames
* Control light
* Crystal shard
* Deceleration
* Demoralize
* Energy ray (can not learn until 2nd level)
* Expansion
* Fortify
* Foxhole
* Grip of iron
* Hammer
* Inertial Armor
* Know direction and location
* Matter agitation
* Metaphysical claw
* Metaphysical weapon
* Sense link
* Synesthete
* Stomp
* Skate
* Thicken skin
* Vigor

### 2nd level

* Animal affinity
* Biofeedback
* Body equilibrium
* Body purification
* Breach
* Cleanse body
* Cloud mind
* Control sound
* Deflect
* Dimension swap
* Levitate
* Energy Adaptation (Specified)
* Inflict pain
* Mental disruption
* Missive, mass
* Psionic lock
* Psyhic bodyguard
* Sustenance
* Shocking strike
* Wall walker

### 3rd level

* Body adjustment
* Body purification
* Claws of the vampire
* Concealing amorpha (Greater)
* Danger sense
* Dispel psionics/magic
* Dimension slide
* Ectoplasmic form
* Empathic feedback
* Empathic transfer, hostile
* Exhalation of the black dragon
* Expose weakness
* Graft armour
* Graft weapon
* Heightened vision
* Mental barrier
* Mindhunter
* Physical acceleration
* Psionic blast
* Share pain (forced)
* Solicit psicrystal
* Telekinetic force
* Vampiric blade

### 4th level

* Claw of energy
* Energy adaptation
* Fold space
* Immovability
* Inertial barrier
* Shrapnel burst
* Slip the bonds
* Thundering step
* Truevenom
* Truevenom weapon
* Vanishing strike
* Weapon of energy
* Zealous Fury

### 5th level

* Metamorphosis, major
* Barrage
* Biting cold
* Psionic revify
* Psychofeedback
* Restore extremity
* Adapt body
* Dream message
* Incarnate
* Pierce the veil
* Planar travel
* Shrapnel burst
* Summoning strike
* Unheavel
* Metaconcert

### 6th level

* Cleanse spirit
* Breath of the black dragon
* Brutalize wounds
* Defer fatality
* Disintegration
* Form of doom
* Retrieve
* Sustained flight
* Trigger power

### 7th level

* Bend reality
* Energy conservation
* Energy wave
* Ethereal passage
* Fission
* Evade burst
* Oak body
* Psychosis
* Ultrablast

### 8th level

* Fusion
* Body of iron
* Matter manipulation
* Shadow body
* True metabolism

### 9th level

* Etheral form, greater
* Reality revision
* Timeless body
* Unravel psionics
* Regeneration aura
* Metamorphosis, true

## Powers

Bellow are the descriptions of powers with shifter feats baked in for easy reading.

### Natural healing

**Discipline** Psychometabolism (Healing), **Level** Egoist 1, Vitalist 1

**Display** Auditory and visual, **Manifesting Time** 1 standard action

**Range** Touch, **Target** You or 1 willing creature, **Duration** Instantaneous, **Power Points** 1

Description: You rapidly accelerate the targets natural healing ability. You heal your target for 1d4 + half your int modifier or 1d6 + your int modifier if this power is used on yourself.

**Augment** For every additional power point you spend, this power heals an additional 1d4 or 1d6 hit points.