Changeling / Shifter feats [Archive] - Wizards Community

Changeling / Shifter feats [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Soltares
05-24-07, 04:33 AM I was writing up a Changeling character and noticed a distinct shortage of 'racial feats' for them, compared to the number of Shifter and Warforged feats (and the plethora of psionic feats that become available to Kalashtar). There was a particular dearth of feats appropriate for a 'reality seeker' style Changeling who doesn't spend all of its time pretending to be other people, but openly embraces its mutable form.

So I set out to whip some up, but they tend to be usable by Shifters anyway (with much more limited utility, since Shifters are limited to a few changes a day, and for brief durations).

Versatile Change
Prereq: Shapechanger subtype.
You can expend a use of any natural shapechanging talent as a full-round action to make minor modifications to your body that provide an advantage in the use of a particular skill. For example, a Changeling could choose to change the size, positioning and angle of its ears to provide a +2 racial bonus to Listen checks, or cause its fingers to grow slender and subtle, providing a +2 racial bonus to Open Locks checks, or dislocate its joints to confer a +2 racial bonus to Escape Artist checks. The following skills can be so modified; Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Open Locks, Perform (singing, dancing, tumbling), Ride, Spot, Swim or Tumble. The change lasts for the normal duration for your shapechanging talent, and you can only have one such structural modification at a time.
Special: This counts as a Shifter feat, conferring the usual benefits (+1 round to Shifting durations, +1 use / day per two Shifter feats) to a member of that race.

Sizechanger
Prereq: Shapechanger subtype.
When you change your form, you can become effectively one size category larger or smaller. You have no Disguise penalty to impersonate a creature within one size category of your own size, but you do not gain many of the benefits (or drawbacks) of your apparent size. Treat the shapechanger as having the Powerful Build trait (similar to a Goliath, Races of Stone p 56) or the Slight Build trait (similar to a Kobold, Races of the Dragon Web Enhancement - http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a) for the duration of the change.
Special: This counts as a Shifter feat, conferring the usual benefits to a member of that race.

Ability Adjustment
Prereq: Shapechanger subtype.
You can expend a use of your shapechanging ability to restructure your body in two different ways;
First, you can sacrifice strength for dexterity, or vice versa. For every point of your Constitution modifier +1 (minimum 1), you can move up to two Ability points in this fashion. This change lasts for the normal duration of your racial shapechanging power. Example: A Shifter with Str 12, Dex 14 and Con 14 could choose to take up six points from Strength to put into Dexterity, or up to six points from Dexterity to put into Strength.
Second, you can sacrifice speed for toughness, or vice versa. For every point of your Constitution modifier +1 (minimum 1), you can take up to 10 ft. from your racial ground speed and increase your natural armor by 1, or vice-versa, subtracting 1 from your natural armor (if any) and adding +10 ft. to your ground move (or any other movement rate that you already possess). This ability cannot confer a movement type that does not already exist (such as a burrow, climb, fly or swim speed to a creature that does not already have such), nor can it reduce a trait below zero.
Note that both of these options work from the same ‘pool,’ and the example Shifter above is limited to a total of three ‘points’ worth of adjustments, allowing him to take 10 ft. from his ground move to add +1 natural armor, and 4 pts from his Dex to add +4 Str by expending one daily use of his Shifting talent.
Special: A Barbarian (or other class or race) with Damage Reduction / - can choose to add or subtract points of DR / - instead of Natural Armor. Note that the movement rate increase of a Barbarian (or Monk) does not count as a racial ability and cannot be ‘traded in for armor’ in this manner.
Special: This counts as a Shifter feat, conferring the usual benefits to a member of that race.
dunkeykong
05-24-07, 12:08 PM Sizechanger
Prereq: Shapechanger subtype.
When you change your form, you can become effectively one size category larger or smaller. You have no Disguise penalty to impersonate a creature within one size category of your own size, but you do not gain many of the benefits (or drawbacks) of your apparent size. Treat the shapechanger as having the Powerful Build trait (similar to a Goliath, Races of Stone p 56) or the Slight Build trait (similar to a Kobold, Races of the Dragon Web Enhancement - http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a) for the duration of the change.
Special: This counts as a Shifter feat, conferring the usual benefits to a member of that race.

I like this one, but that seems a bit overpowered. I think you need some adjustments to it, like using an extra wildshape/ day, or having some serious pre reqs.
Cifer
05-24-07, 04:25 PM Versatile Change
Prereq: Shapechanger subtype.
You can expend a use of any natural shapechanging talent as a full-round action to make minor modifications to your body that provide an advantage in the use of a particular skill. For example, a Changeling could choose to change the size, positioning and angle of its ears to provide a +2 racial bonus to Listen checks, or cause its fingers to grow slender and subtle, providing a +2 racial bonus to Open Locks checks, or dislocate its joints to confer a +2 racial bonus to Escape Artist checks. The following skills can be so modified; Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Open Locks, Perform (singing, dancing, tumbling), Ride, Spot, Swim or Tumble. The change lasts for the normal duration for your shapechanging talent, and you can only have one such structural modification at a time.
Special: This counts as a Shifter feat, conferring the usual benefits (+1 round to Shifting durations, +1 use / day per two Shifter feats) to a member of that race.
That is essentially about 7 times as practical as the alertness-like feats.
gelalshawr
05-24-07, 05:18 PM the problem i have is that the changelings minor change self ability is at will, and has no "uses per day" so therefore they can use these abilities as much as they want for as long as they want. as far as the sizechanger ability, the powerful build, and slight build abilities are actually better than having that size category, as they give you the benefits of that size without having the drawbacks.
Soltares
05-24-07, 06:51 PM dunkeykong - I like this one, but that seems a bit overpowered. I think you need some adjustments to it, like using an extra wildshape/ day, or having some serious pre reqs.

I could easily make it cost a Shifting use (or an extra Shifting use if combined with a traditional use of Shifting), but it would be harder to work up for a Changeling or Doppleganger with an at will power.

Cifer on Versatile Change - That is essentially about 7 times as practical as the alertness-like feats.

Definitely a plus, since the Alertness-like feats are about half as good as they should be. :) Perhaps an additional requirement that the user must have at least 1 or 2 ranks in the skill to be modified. He wouldn't know how to modify his fingers optimally to Open Locks if he doesn't already know how to Open Locks, etc.

gelalshawr - the problem i have is that the changelings minor change self ability is at will, and has no "uses per day" so therefore they can use these abilities as much as they want for as long as they want. as far as the sizechanger ability, the powerful build, and slight build abilities are actually better than having that size category, as they give you the benefits of that size without having the drawbacks.

The Changeling thing is a stumper, but the only limitations that can be put on the ability is to have it work like a dragons Metabreath feat, and increase the time required before one can change again, or like a Sorcerer adding Metamagic and having it increase the time required to make the changes. Even upping it to a minute would be a deal for a Changeling, since they can keep it active indefinitely after they make the change. Weakening it too much would defeat the point of making the feats worth taking for a Changeling in the first place...

I didn't want to go all the way up to full sizechange, since that would allow a medium-sized Shifter or Changeling to add Reach, which was more than I wanted for this feat. It's definitely a 'hole' right now that Changelings are listed in flavor text as assuming the forms of Gnomes and such, but being technically incapable of actually doing that with their racial ability!

Thanks for the replies, all! They've given me stuff to think about.
wolffman007
05-25-07, 10:42 AM i really like the sizechanger feat idea, as im playing a changeling & that is one of the biggest drawbacks their is to them, and i only know of 1 PRC that gives you the ability to change size & that is only to small.

i like how you applied powerful build to it, instead of giving them the full abilities of being large, however i dont know if that would balance it out or not, as im not very good at that

kewl, thanxs & keep up the good work

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Soltares 05-24-07, 04:33 AM	I was writing up a Changeling character and noticed a distinct shortage of 'racial feats' for them, compared to the number of Shifter and Warforged feats (and the plethora of psionic feats that become available to Kalashtar). There was a particular dearth of feats appropriate for a 'reality seeker' style Changeling who doesn't spend all of its time pretending to be other people, but openly embraces its mutable form. So I set out to whip some up, but they tend to be usable by Shifters anyway (with much more limited utility, since Shifters are limited to a few changes a day, and for brief durations). Versatile Change Prereq: Shapechanger subtype. You can expend a use of any natural shapechanging talent as a full-round action to make minor modifications to your body that provide an advantage in the use of a particular skill. For example, a Changeling could choose to change the size, positioning and angle of its ears to provide a +2 racial bonus to Listen checks, or cause its fingers to grow slender and subtle, providing a +2 racial bonus to Open Locks checks, or dislocate its joints to confer a +2 racial bonus to Escape Artist checks. The following skills can be so modified; Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Open Locks, Perform (singing, dancing, tumbling), Ride, Spot, Swim or Tumble. The change lasts for the normal duration for your shapechanging talent, and you can only have one such structural modification at a time. Special: This counts as a Shifter feat, conferring the usual benefits (+1 round to Shifting durations, +1 use / day per two Shifter feats) to a member of that race. Sizechanger Prereq: Shapechanger subtype. When you change your form, you can become effectively one size category larger or smaller. You have no Disguise penalty to impersonate a creature within one size category of your own size, but you do not gain many of the benefits (or drawbacks) of your apparent size. Treat the shapechanger as having the Powerful Build trait (similar to a Goliath, Races of Stone p 56) or the Slight Build trait (similar to a Kobold, Races of the Dragon Web Enhancement - http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a) for the duration of the change. Special: This counts as a Shifter feat, conferring the usual benefits to a member of that race. Ability Adjustment Prereq: Shapechanger subtype. You can expend a use of your shapechanging ability to restructure your body in two different ways; First, you can sacrifice strength for dexterity, or vice versa. For every point of your Constitution modifier +1 (minimum 1), you can move up to two Ability points in this fashion. This change lasts for the normal duration of your racial shapechanging power. Example: A Shifter with Str 12, Dex 14 and Con 14 could choose to take up six points from Strength to put into Dexterity, or up to six points from Dexterity to put into Strength. Second, you can sacrifice speed for toughness, or vice versa. For every point of your Constitution modifier +1 (minimum 1), you can take up to 10 ft. from your racial ground speed and increase your natural armor by 1, or vice-versa, subtracting 1 from your natural armor (if any) and adding +10 ft. to your ground move (or any other movement rate that you already possess). This ability cannot confer a movement type that does not already exist (such as a burrow, climb, fly or swim speed to a creature that does not already have such), nor can it reduce a trait below zero. Note that both of these options work from the same ‘pool,’ and the example Shifter above is limited to a total of three ‘points’ worth of adjustments, allowing him to take 10 ft. from his ground move to add +1 natural armor, and 4 pts from his Dex to add +4 Str by expending one daily use of his Shifting talent. Special: A Barbarian (or other class or race) with Damage Reduction / - can choose to add or subtract points of DR / - instead of Natural Armor. Note that the movement rate increase of a Barbarian (or Monk) does not count as a racial ability and cannot be ‘traded in for armor’ in this manner. Special: This counts as a Shifter feat, conferring the usual benefits to a member of that race.
dunkeykong 05-24-07, 12:08 PM	Sizechanger Prereq: Shapechanger subtype. When you change your form, you can become effectively one size category larger or smaller. You have no Disguise penalty to impersonate a creature within one size category of your own size, but you do not gain many of the benefits (or drawbacks) of your apparent size. Treat the shapechanger as having the Powerful Build trait (similar to a Goliath, Races of Stone p 56) or the Slight Build trait (similar to a Kobold, Races of the Dragon Web Enhancement - http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a) for the duration of the change. Special: This counts as a Shifter feat, conferring the usual benefits to a member of that race. I like this one, but that seems a bit overpowered. I think you need some adjustments to it, like using an extra wildshape/ day, or having some serious pre reqs.
Cifer 05-24-07, 04:25 PM	Versatile Change Prereq: Shapechanger subtype. You can expend a use of any natural shapechanging talent as a full-round action to make minor modifications to your body that provide an advantage in the use of a particular skill. For example, a Changeling could choose to change the size, positioning and angle of its ears to provide a +2 racial bonus to Listen checks, or cause its fingers to grow slender and subtle, providing a +2 racial bonus to Open Locks checks, or dislocate its joints to confer a +2 racial bonus to Escape Artist checks. The following skills can be so modified; Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Open Locks, Perform (singing, dancing, tumbling), Ride, Spot, Swim or Tumble. The change lasts for the normal duration for your shapechanging talent, and you can only have one such structural modification at a time. Special: This counts as a Shifter feat, conferring the usual benefits (+1 round to Shifting durations, +1 use / day per two Shifter feats) to a member of that race. That is essentially about 7 times as practical as the alertness-like feats.
gelalshawr 05-24-07, 05:18 PM	the problem i have is that the changelings minor change self ability is at will, and has no "uses per day" so therefore they can use these abilities as much as they want for as long as they want. as far as the sizechanger ability, the powerful build, and slight build abilities are actually better than having that size category, as they give you the benefits of that size without having the drawbacks.
Soltares 05-24-07, 06:51 PM	dunkeykong - I like this one, but that seems a bit overpowered. I think you need some adjustments to it, like using an extra wildshape/ day, or having some serious pre reqs. I could easily make it cost a Shifting use (or an extra Shifting use if combined with a traditional use of Shifting), but it would be harder to work up for a Changeling or Doppleganger with an at will power. Cifer on Versatile Change - That is essentially about 7 times as practical as the alertness-like feats. Definitely a plus, since the Alertness-like feats are about half as good as they should be. :) Perhaps an additional requirement that the user must have at least 1 or 2 ranks in the skill to be modified. He wouldn't know how to modify his fingers optimally to Open Locks if he doesn't already know how to Open Locks, etc. gelalshawr - the problem i have is that the changelings minor change self ability is at will, and has no "uses per day" so therefore they can use these abilities as much as they want for as long as they want. as far as the sizechanger ability, the powerful build, and slight build abilities are actually better than having that size category, as they give you the benefits of that size without having the drawbacks. The Changeling thing is a stumper, but the only limitations that can be put on the ability is to have it work like a dragons Metabreath feat, and increase the time required before one can change again, or like a Sorcerer adding Metamagic and having it increase the time required to make the changes. Even upping it to a minute would be a deal for a Changeling, since they can keep it active indefinitely after they make the change. Weakening it too much would defeat the point of making the feats worth taking for a Changeling in the first place... I didn't want to go all the way up to full sizechange, since that would allow a medium-sized Shifter or Changeling to add Reach, which was more than I wanted for this feat. It's definitely a 'hole' right now that Changelings are listed in flavor text as assuming the forms of Gnomes and such, but being technically incapable of actually doing that with their racial ability! Thanks for the replies, all! They've given me stuff to think about.
wolffman007 05-25-07, 10:42 AM	i really like the sizechanger feat idea, as im playing a changeling & that is one of the biggest drawbacks their is to them, and i only know of 1 PRC that gives you the ability to change size & that is only to small. i like how you applied powerful build to it, instead of giving them the full abilities of being large, however i dont know if that would balance it out or not, as im not very good at that kewl, thanxs & keep up the good work