Hengeyokai Shapechanger Roleplay? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Hengeyokai Shapechanger Roleplay? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
BarbeChenue
09-21-06, 12:51 AM One of my favourite archetypes is the shapechanging master. I have a build in mind that I would like to play some day, but I when I tried to think of a good way to roleplay it, I found mky imagination failing. I know how to roleplay psionics or spellcasting undeads, barbarians, shamans and the like, but how can you efficiently roleplay a character who's very physical identity keeps changing all the time. A real shapeshifter will most likely never be in its true form after a point!

Here the build (sources in parenthesis):

Race: Hengeyokai - a shapechanging PC race found in Oriental Adventure, in 3.5 it has no LA; can take the form of a single weak animal or a hybrid form, very small bonuses to stats, but fits perfectly with Shapeshifter (see below) and is completely fluffy.

Classes:
Warblade 4 (Tome of Battle)
Warshaper 3 (Complete Warrior)
Shapeshifter 1 (Oriental Adventure, undated to 3.5 by James Wyatt in Dragon #318)
Master of Many Forms 7 (Complete Adventurer)
Warshaper +2 (see above)
Warblade +3 (see above)

The selection of classes makes this character a very melee-focused character. With his ability to morph a great deal of different weapons, his excellent stats, his combat maneuvers and many extraordinary abilities when shapechanged, he can take a lot of beating and give it back.

Of course, this concept is shallow if there is no flesh around the bones!

How could this character play out? He has a great deal of versatility in the forms he can take, although he would rather stay in Cave/Wartroll form in most battles. What would justify his choices? How will his personality be influenced by his constant morphing?

Please share your input, I'm very open to suggestions! :)
Need_A_Life
09-22-06, 02:35 AM It's hard to get into the mindset of someone who voluntarily chooses to ignore his natural powers and mimic those of a troll.

However, I do not think that a Hengeyokai would be confused about shapeshifting, seeing as how they are natural shapeshifters (by the way, what did they remove to make it +0 LA?).

I am tempted to go with the 'a wizard did it' concept, seeing as how a master of transmutation [and/or Conjuration (Creation)] would desire to make something that was what they'd be remembered for. Making the ultimate shapeshifter seems up that alley.

Lemme see what I get along those lines.
1) Captured during a bandit raid along with other Hengeyokai.
2) Sold to a slave-dealer.
3) Sold to a wizard who had no qualms about using an innocent child to perform his experiements on.
4) Chained to the floor of the wizards tower and subject to thousands of arcane tests and rituals.
5) Eventually, the wizard succeeded and you shifted your body straight of the chains.
6) Satisfied, the wizard winked and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
7) In a rage, you destroyed most of the wizard's tower and then went on a rampage lasting almost a month, until you finally realised that you had been given a new beginning.
BarbeChenue
09-22-06, 01:20 PM (by the way, what did they remove to make it +0 LA?)

All they did was change type to Humanoid (Shapechanger).

Hengeyokais were not strong for LA +1, and when they made the race a humanoid (the old Shapechanger type no longer exists, it's now a subtype), the immunities related to being of another type also disappeared. I think it's fair they made it a LA +0, was really way too weak at LA +1 otherwise.

Thanks for your input!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
BarbeChenue 09-21-06, 12:51 AM	One of my favourite archetypes is the shapechanging master. I have a build in mind that I would like to play some day, but I when I tried to think of a good way to roleplay it, I found mky imagination failing. I know how to roleplay psionics or spellcasting undeads, barbarians, shamans and the like, but how can you efficiently roleplay a character who's very physical identity keeps changing all the time. A real shapeshifter will most likely never be in its true form after a point! Here the build (sources in parenthesis): Race: Hengeyokai - a shapechanging PC race found in Oriental Adventure, in 3.5 it has no LA; can take the form of a single weak animal or a hybrid form, very small bonuses to stats, but fits perfectly with Shapeshifter (see below) and is completely fluffy. Classes: Warblade 4 (Tome of Battle) Warshaper 3 (Complete Warrior) Shapeshifter 1 (Oriental Adventure, undated to 3.5 by James Wyatt in Dragon #318) Master of Many Forms 7 (Complete Adventurer) Warshaper +2 (see above) Warblade +3 (see above) The selection of classes makes this character a very melee-focused character. With his ability to morph a great deal of different weapons, his excellent stats, his combat maneuvers and many extraordinary abilities when shapechanged, he can take a lot of beating and give it back. Of course, this concept is shallow if there is no flesh around the bones! How could this character play out? He has a great deal of versatility in the forms he can take, although he would rather stay in Cave/Wartroll form in most battles. What would justify his choices? How will his personality be influenced by his constant morphing? Please share your input, I'm very open to suggestions! :)
Need_A_Life 09-22-06, 02:35 AM	It's hard to get into the mindset of someone who voluntarily chooses to ignore his natural powers and mimic those of a troll. However, I do not think that a Hengeyokai would be confused about shapeshifting, seeing as how they are natural shapeshifters (by the way, what did they remove to make it +0 LA?). I am tempted to go with the 'a wizard did it' concept, seeing as how a master of transmutation [and/or Conjuration (Creation)] would desire to make something that was what they'd be remembered for. Making the ultimate shapeshifter seems up that alley. Lemme see what I get along those lines. 1) Captured during a bandit raid along with other Hengeyokai. 2) Sold to a slave-dealer. 3) Sold to a wizard who had no qualms about using an innocent child to perform his experiements on. 4) Chained to the floor of the wizards tower and subject to thousands of arcane tests and rituals. 5) Eventually, the wizard succeeded and you shifted your body straight of the chains. 6) Satisfied, the wizard winked and disappeared in a puff of smoke. 7) In a rage, you destroyed most of the wizard's tower and then went on a rampage lasting almost a month, until you finally realised that you had been given a new beginning.
BarbeChenue 09-22-06, 01:20 PM	(by the way, what did they remove to make it +0 LA?) All they did was change type to Humanoid (Shapechanger). Hengeyokais were not strong for LA +1, and when they made the race a humanoid (the old Shapechanger type no longer exists, it's now a subtype), the immunities related to being of another type also disappeared. I think it's fair they made it a LA +0, was really way too weak at LA +1 otherwise. Thanks for your input!