Shapeshifter, Variant 2 (5e Class)

Shapeshifter variant

Whether evil or good, shapeshifters harness the powers of the creatures around them. Remarkably dangerous, shapeshifters are feared far and wide by all because of the power they possess.

Apex predators

In any case, shapeshifters quickly reach the top of the food chain, as they are able to adapt to any situation. No matter what prey or target they are pursuing, the shapeshifter will always have a form ready for what they need. Not only are they able to assert their dominance over wildlife, but they are able to infiltrate the kingdom, as they are able to take the form of guards, lords, or even a king. A single shapeshifter is capable of making his way through the kingdom in a single night, assassinating the rulers and disappearing before anyone realizes it. If the shapeshifter were discovered, it would have to take on a different form, probably one with claws and proper teeth. That's why shapeshifters are so feared.

Guardians of lost

For shapeshifters, life is mostly lonely due to fear and mystery surrounding the nature of their powers. When a shapeshifter discovers someone who is lost and looking for themselves, it is very common for the shapeshifter to take them under their wing and help them on their journey of self-discovery. Shapeshifters know that the world is a cruel place, and they have learned to live in it. Spreading one's knowledge and gifts to those who do not yet understand it is one of the greatest honors a shapeshifter can achieve. Being guided by a shapeshifter means that they see something in you that you dont.

Creating a Shapeshifter

When you're creating shapeshifters, think about how your abilities have impacted your life. Talk to your DM about a suitable background for your shapeshifter. Were you born with these abilities and slowly learned to control them? Or was they given to you by a powerful entity? Perhaps shapeshifters are hunted for their abilities and the danger they pose to the kingdom. Perhaps the world is controlled by shapeshifters because they were not afraid to take their place at the top of the food chain. What led you to become an adventurer? Are you running away from your old life wishing to start a new and better life? Do you want to become stronger? Does your character prefer the form of various creatures to their own – does it feel out of place in its true form?

Quick Build

You can make a Shapeshifter quickly by following these suggestions. First, Constitution should be your highest ability score, followed by Strenght or Dexterity. Second, choose the Outlander background.

Class Features

As a you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d6 per level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + Constitution modifier per level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: none
Weapons: dagger, whip, short sword, short bow, blowgun
Tools: Choose either one type of tool or one musical instrument
Saving Throws: Constitution, Dexterity
Skills: Choose three of these: acrobatics, stealth, Investigation, nature, survival, perception, intimidation, animal handling

Equipment

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

• (a) a whip or (b) a short sword
• (a) dungeoneer´s pack or (b) explorer´s pack
• special leather pouch
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 2d4*10 in funds.

Table: The

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Shapeshifting, Shapeshifter´s origin, Improved body
2nd	+2	Adrenalin
3rd	+2	Lower shapeshifting
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement, Blending of forms
5th	+3	Bestial senses
6th	+3	Ancient power, Shapeshifter´s origin ability
7th	+3	—
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	—
10th	+4	Shapeshifter´s origin ability
11th	+4	Battle shapeshifting
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	—
14th	+5	Doppelganger, Shapeshifter´s origin ability
15th	+5	—
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	—
18th	+6	Roar of life, Shapeshifter´s origin ability
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	Monstrous Transformation

Shapeshifting

At level 1, you can use your bonus action to take shape of one of your known transformations. A known transformation is a creature that is an animal or a monster. At level 1, you know three with a maximum CR of 1/2 according to the Shapeshifter chart. On each level, you'll get another known transformation with maximum danger according to the shapeshifter table, and you can change one already known one according to the same rules. You can transform once. At level 5, 10, and 17, you'll get one more transformation. All transformations will be restored to you with a short or long rest. You can stay transformed for number of hours equal to your constitution modifier +1 hours (for a minimum of 1 hour). As a bonus action, you can transform back. During the transformation, the following rules apply:

• When you transform, all of your belongings fall off of you except for your special bag. It is made of your skin and can absorb into you at any time with the things in it (even outside of transformation), if you lose it, you can make it again. Someone has to cut a suitable piece of skin out of your back and make it from it. After being cut, you have disadvantaged on all saving rolls for 3 days, and your maximum hit points are reduced for this period by the number of hit points equal to your level.

• All game stats will change to creature stats, with the exception of Intelligence and Wisdom. You'll also keep your skills and saving throws, and you'll get the creature's on top of that. If a creature's bonus is greater than yours in the same skills, you can use the creature's.

• Your ability to speak and perform actions that require hands depends on the capability of your transformation.

• When you transform, you gain the creature's hit points. If these hit points drop to zero, you will automatically transform back. Excess damage will carry over to your lives. Example

transformed you have 5 lives. You take damage for 10 hit points. You transform back, and you subtract the extra 5 lives.

• You can't use a creature's Legendary and Lair actions, if it has any.

Shapeshifter´s origin

At 1st level, you chose a shapeshifter´s origin. Choose between: Celestial Origin, Elemental Origin, Demon Origin or Animal Origin, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 1st and again at 6th, 10th and 18th level.

Improved body

From the 1st level, thanks to the primordial power that flows through you, you cannot die of old age, after a certain age you stop aging. You also get night vision out to a range of 60 feet.

Adrenalin

Starting at level 2, combat will get you so energized that you can transform right away when you roll for initiative. You can't transform in this way if you don't have any transformations left.

Lower shapeshifting

At level 3, you choose 2 animals or monsters with a maximum danger of 1/2. You can transform into these creatures as an action without spending the transformation and without a time limit. At level 5 and level 10, you can choose one additional creature with max CR 1/2. At level 15, you choose one creature with CR 1. After a long rest, you can swap out one creature. Otherwise, all other rules apply to this transformation.

Blending of forms

Your transformed form will receive the essence of your humanoid form at level 4. From now on, you will be able to speak all the languages you know while shapeshfted.

Ability Score Improvement

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.

Bestial senses

At level 5, you'll become an incredible hunter. You will gain blindsight with a range of 10 feet, thermal vision with range of 60feet, you will gain proficiency in one of the following skills, and your proficiency bonus is doubled for all of these abilities if you are proficient in them: investigation, nature, animal handling, survival, perception.

Ancient strenght

From level 6 onwards, all of your melee attacks count as magic in order to overcome resistance and immunity to non-magical damage. Your unarmed attacks now deal 1d8 damage as you can transform your nails into claws.

Save-shifting

Starting at level 11, you'll learn to re-transform instead of returning to your true form. If you get to 0 hit points when you're shapeshifted and have a transformation available, you can roll a DC 10 saving throw. When you succeed, instead of transforming into your true form, you can shapeshift as a free action. After each use, the DC is increased by 5. After a long rest, the DC returns to 10.

Douplegenger

At level 14, you've become so adept at shapeshifting that you can transform into any humanoid you've ever seen for a short period of time. You will imitate his appearance, size and voice. You can stay transformed for number of hours equal to your constitution modifier (minimal of 1 hour). You can use this ability number of times equal to your constitution modifier. After a long rest, you regain all your uses.

The roar of life

Starting at level 18, your voice resonates with the power of nature. You can cast the power word kill or the power word heal. When you use this ability, you can't use it again until you've completed a long rest.

Ancient transformation

At level 20, you've become a Shapeshifter master. Once during a long rest, you can transform into a monster with a max CR of 30. You can stay in this form as long as you want, but otherwise the same rules apply to it as in normal transformation.

Shapeshifter´s origin

All shapeshifters have the ability to transform, but the way they use their abilities can be as varied and unique as fingerprints. Ancient blood from creatures long forgotten circulates through the lineage of each shapeshifter, blessing their bloodline with the gift of transformation. Your origins as a shapeshifter allow you to take on special stronger forms.

Celestial Origin

Shapeshifters with celestial origins derive their powers from celestials. Long ago, celestials shared their magic with humanoids in an attempt to spread their god. You can follow the same path as the celestials and proclaim the faith of the gods - spreading your message and power throughout the realm, helping allies in battle, and bringing hatred down on all unholy. Most of them with a heavenly origin find themselves in possession of a power they do not understand, the power of life and death. It is written in the stars that those of heavenly origin will be powerful. But not all celestial shapeshifters want to follow the sacred path, some choose to use their celestial abilities to spread evil. It is up to the shapeshifter which path to take.

Holy Blood

Starting at level 1, when you choose this origin, you will gain the ability to transform into a Celestial. As a result of the blood of strong Celestial Warriors flowing through your veins, you will gain proficienci with military weapons and medium armor. You will learn to speak, read, and write Celestial.

Holy Healing

Starting at level 6, when you are transformed into a celestial, you can heal a wounded teammate. As a bonus action, you choose one creature within 14 feets of you. This creature heals for 1d8 hit points. This number increases to 2d8 at level 5, 3d8 at level 11, and 4d8 at level 17. You can use this ability as many times as your constitution modifire beforu you need a long rest.

Protective Blessing

At level 10, when you're in Celestial form, creatures of your choice within 14 feets of you have a +2 bonus to all saving throws.

Power of the Gods

Once per round from level 14, when you are in Celestial form, you can deal additional radiation damage to a creature you hit with a melee attack. Radiation damage dealt is equal to the level of the Shapeshifter/2 rounded up.

Indemnity

At level 18, if you are in Celestial form and the creature fails a saving throw, you can arrange for it to succeed. You can use this ability once. When you finish short or long rest you can use it again.

Elemental origin

Shapeshifters born with elementary ancestry have a special attachment to the natural world. Descended from the original creatures of the main elements, shapeshifters of elemental origin are able to perfect the forces of air, earth, fire and water to their needs – both good and bad. In their blood is the primordial energy of the elemental planes. He may be born from only one element, but that doesn't limit him. Due to the unstable nature of the primal forces, these shapeshifters are able to unleash the elements and unleash hell on those who threaten them.

Elemental Blood

Starting at level 1, when you choose this origin, you will be able to transform into elementals. You will learn to speak, read and write in either the language of water, fire, earth or air elementals

Elemental Strike

From level 6 onwards, when you're in elemental form and when your teammate makes an attack within 14 feets of you, you can select poison, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder – increasing damage by 1d8 of the selected type as a reaction. You can use this ability as many times as your proficiency bonus per long rest.

Fury of the Elements

From level 10, when you are in elemental form, you can cast the spell summon elemental without material components. You can use this spell once per short or long rest.

Primal wounds

Due to the nature of your elemental origin, the damage of your attacks will hurt even the toughest creatures. From level 14 onwards, when you're in elemental form, your attacks treat immunity to poison, cold, fire, lightning, and thunder damage only as resistance.

Born with nature

The call to return to one's home persists in the blood of every creature – especially the blood of the elemental shapeshifter. From level 18, when you are in elemental form, you can cast Plane Shift spell on yourself and up to 8 other creatures who agree to it, and transport yourself to the elemental plane of water, fire, earth, or air without any spell components. You can use this ability again after a long rest.

Hellish Origin

While shapeshifters can choose a form that fits their daily needs, some have found themselves connected with hell. While they can take the form of both a demon and a devil, what the shapeshifter does with their powers defines who they are. Shapeshifters with hellish origin are at war between law and chaos.

Hellish Blood

Starting at level 1, when you choose this origin, you will gain the ability to change into demons. Your belief determine your further development in this origin. You will learn to read, speak, and write demonic.

The tide of war

At level 6, your beliefs affect how you can influence the battlefield around you. If you're of lawful belief, you can gain an advantage on attack rolls in demon form. This will give an advantage for the next attack against you. If you have chaotic belief, you can give your enemy a disadvantage to attack in the form of a demon. It also randomly gives disadvantage to attack roll to one of your teammates. You can use this abilitynumber of times equal to your constitution modifire. After a long rest, all uses will be restored.

Unholy Flames

From level 10 onwards, when you're in demon form, you can cast flames on someone you can see within 50 feet of you as an action. Target must make a Dexterity saving throw DC 8 + your level. Gets 8d6 fire damage or half on success. On failure, the target will also burn for 1 minute. The burning target shines for 5 feet around it. At the end of each of his turns, he rolls the saving throw again. Gets 4d6 Fire damage on failure, stops burning on success. These magical flames cannot be extinguished by non-magical means. If you kill someone with this ability, they will turn to ash.

Souls to the master

From level 14, when a creature dies within 25 feet of you, you gain temporaly hit points equal to the damage that killed it.

Infernal Legacy

At level 18, you will gain one of these abilities according to your beliefs. Lawful belief the first, chaotic belief the second. Lord's Command: Once in a long rest, when you are in demon form and have less than half your hit points, you can fully heal yourself. One of your comrades of your choice within 14 feet of you will immediately lose the same amount of hit points you have healed. If he doesn't have enough hit points to carry out your order, you'll heal yourself by his number of hit points minus 1. This will leave him with one life. Causing Chaos: Once during a long rest while in demon form, you can roll a d20. Rolling 1-10 summons a demon that's up to 1/2 of your maximum CR. The demon will spawn in an open space within 14 feets of you and is your ally. This demon cannot summon other demons. This demon stays there for 1 minute or until it or its summoner dies, or until the summoner calls it back as an action.

Wild Origin

While many shapeshifters have the power to take on bizarre forms, there are those among them who have gained mastery in animal forms. Often thought of as ferocious druids, shapeshifters born into the wild augment their abilities in their animal forms. They strengthen these forms to make them much stronger than anyone can find in the woods. The shapeshifters of the wilderness may not be able to transform into flying angels or menacing demons, but they have perfect animal form. These shapeshifters rely on the form of creatures of the wilderness rather than transforming into much stranger creatures. Shapeshifters of the wilderness walk through the forgotten wilderness of the world, adapting quickly and surviving even in the harshest conditions.

Wild Blood

Starting at level 1, when you choose this origin, you gain the ability to talk to animals, which works like the talk to animals spell.

Bestial Fury

At level 2, when you're in the form of an animal or monster, you have a +1 bonus to your AC and damage. At level 5, the bonus increases to +2, at level 8 +3, at level 12 +4, at level 15 +5, and at level 18 +6.

Mark of the Beast

After spending time in the bodies of animals and monsters, you have learned to strengthen their skin. At level 6, when you're in the form of an animal or monster, you're resistant to stabbing and slashing damage.

Natural pedigree

At level 10, you gain another use of transformation, which is restored after a short or long rest.

Wild Form

Through the training of transformation into lower forms, you have gained the ability to do so much faster and easier. From level 14 onwards, when you transform into an animal with a CR of 3 or lower, you will not consume the use of transformation. But you only gain 1/5 of the animal´s hit points.

Empowered animals

Once you've mastered the transformation into animals and monsters, you've learned to empower them beyond nature's limits. From level 18 onwards, when you transform into an animal or monster with a CR of 8 or less, you can increase their hit points by 50.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Shapeshifter class, you must meet these prerequisites: Constitution: 16 and a you must gain the ability to shapeshift by being bitten by shapeshifter or some other way.

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Shapeshifter class, you gain the following proficiencies: nature and animal handling

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