Beast Shifter (5e Feat)
Beast Shifter
Prerequisites: Seen at least one beast
You attune yourself with a specific beast in nature and gain the ability to magically transform into that beast yourself as if it were a secondary real form. Choose a beast you've seen before. When you gain a level, you may replace the beast you chose in this way with a different one which you've seen before. Your level determines which beasts you may choose in this way, as shown in the Beast Shapes table.
| Level | Max CR | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | No flying or swimming speed |
| 2 | 1/8 | No flying or swimming speed |
| 4 | 1/4 | No flying speed |
| 8 | 1/2 | N/A |
| 16 | 1 | N/A |
As an action while in your normal form, you can magically assume the shape of the beast you chose in this way. As a bonus action while in your beast shape, you can revert to your normal form. You automatically revert in this way if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. If you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, you can't transform into your beast shape again until you finish a long rest. While you are in your beast shape, the following rules apply:
- Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the beast. However, if the beast has any legendary or lair actions, you can't use them.
- You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the beast is physically capable of doing so. However, you can't benefit from any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless the beast also has that sense.
- You can't cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of the beast. However, transforming into your beast shape doesn't break your concentration on a spell you've already cast or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell.
- When you transform, you assume the beast's hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had immediately before transforming into your beast shape unless you have since finished a long rest. If you transform into your beast shape again, you return to the number of hit points you had immediately before reverting to your normal form unless you have since finished a long rest. If you revert to your normal form as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. As long as the excess damage doesn't also reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren't knocked unconscious.
- When you transform, you choose whether your equipment falls to the ground, merges into the beast, or is worn by the beast. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the beast to wear a piece of equipment based on its shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change shape or size to match the beast, and any equipment that the beast can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge into it. Equipment that merges into the beast has no effect until you revert to your normal form.
Finally, if you have the Wild Shape feature, features which modify your capabilities while you're in a beast shape granted by your Wild Shape feature, such as Beast Spells, also modify your capabilities while you're in the beast shape granted by this feature. Features which modify what beasts you can transform into using your Wild Shape feature don't modify which beasts you can choose with this feature.
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