Shifter [Pathfinder Base Class] Shifting/Prototype-esque

[damerdar]

NOTE: This class is still under construction, since I'm not sure whether the change form/natural transformation are balanced and I am still working on more quasi shifts. Any comments or ideas regarding any part of this class will be greatly welcomed.


Shifter Base Class

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort	Ref	Will	Special
1st	+1	+2	+0	+0	Warped Weapon, Quasi Shift
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+0	Change Form
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+1	Quasi Shift
4th	+4	+4	+1	+1	Surge
5th	+5	+4	+1	+1	Quasi Shift
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+2
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+2	Quasi Shift
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+2	Natural Transformation
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+3	Quasi Shift
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+3	A thousand faces
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+3	Quasi Shift
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+4
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+4	Quasi Shift
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+4
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+5	Quasi Shift
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+5
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+5	Quasi Shift
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+6
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+6	Quasi Shift
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+6	Evershifter

Hit Die: d10

Skills: 4 + Int / level

Class Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str).

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Shifters are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, scythe, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with shift form or natural shift (see below) and with light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields).

Warped Weapon (Ex): The shifter is capable of transforming their arms into deadly weapons. As a swift action, the shifter can transform one of their arms into a natural weapon that deals slashing, bludgeoning, or piercing damage (the shifters choice upon transforming the arm). A warped weapon has a critical range of 20 and a critical multiplier of x2, and deals 1d6 + Str modifier damage.
In addition, the damage that the shifter deals with natural weapons (including warped weapon and any natural attacks in a shifted form) is increased by one die step at level 10 and again at level 20.

Quasi Shift (Ex): The shifter can enhance his body with a variety of effects, no matter what form his body is in. The shifter gains a quasi shift at level 1 and every odd level thereafter.
Unless noted otherwise, the save DC of any quasi shift effects is equal to the 10 + ½ the shifter’s class level + the shifter’s Con modifier.

Change Form (Su): At shifter is able to transform their bodies into completely different forms for a short amount of time each day. At 2nd level, this ability functions like beast shape I, except as noted here. Reverting back to the shifter’s normal form is an immediate action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The effect lasts a number of minutes equal to the shifter’s class level + Con modifier, multiplied by 2 (minimum 2 minutes). These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1 minute increments.
At 4th level, this ability can also function as beast shape II or elemental body I.
At 6th level, this ability can also function as beast shape III, elemental body II, or plant shape I.
At 8th level, this ability can also function as beast shape IV, elemental body III, plant shape II, or form of the dragon I.
At 10th level, this ability can also function as elemental body IV, plant shape III, form of the dragon II, or giant form I.
At 12th level, this ability can also function as form of the dragon III, or giant form II.

Surge (Ex): The shifter is able to bring forth enormous amounts of power in a short amount of time. At 3rd level, the shifter gains the ability to activate the surges that come with each of his known quasi shifts. The shifter can activate a number of surges per encounter equal to his Con modifier (minimum 1).

Natural Transformation (Ex): The shifter has been changing forms for so long that this power has become a natural function of his body. At 8th level, the shifter can shift using beast shape I as an extraordinary ability rather than a supernatural one (allowing the shifter to use the ability in an anti-magic field). He also increases the time to be spent in that form to a number of hours equal to the shifter’s class level + Con modifier (minimum 1 hour). The hours must be spent in 1 hour increments, but do not need to be consecutive.
At 10th level, this ability can also function as beast shape II or elemental body I.
At 12th level, this ability can also function as beast shape III, elemental body II, or plant shape I.
At 14th level, this ability can also function as beast shape IV, elemental body III, plant shape II, or form of the dragon I.
At 16th level, this ability can also function as elemental body IV, plant shape III, form of the dragon II, or giant form I.
At 18th level, this ability can also function as form of the dragon III, or giant form II.


A thousand faces (Ex): At 10th level, a shifter gains the ability to change his appearance at will, as if using the alter self spell, but only while in his normal form.

Evershifter (Ex): The shifter is a master of changing forms. The shifter can use their natural shift ability for any number of hours per day, and can use the ability as a swift action rather than a standard action. The shifter also gains the shape changer subtype, is immune to transformation effects unless they are willing to receive them, and doubles the amount of surges he can activate per encounter.

Quasi Shifts:

Tendril Arms

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The shifter is able to stretch his arms into long tendrils. The shifter increases his reach with natural weapons by 5 ft.

Surge: Tendril Field – As a standard action, the shifter can thrust his arms into the ground, filling the area around him with small lashing tendrils. For a number of rounds equal to the shifters Con modifier (minimum 1), all ground within 20 ft (+5 ft/ 5 levels) is treated as difficult terrain, and any creatures beginning its turn inside the area or moving into the area immediately takes piercing damage equal to the shifter’s lvl + Con modifier. The shifter cannot take any actions while this effect persists, except to cancel the effect as a free action.

Stone Skin

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The shifter’s skin has become extremely tough. The shifter gains a +3 armor bonus. This armor bonus increases at level 4 and every 4 class levels (+5 at 8, +6 at 12, etc). This tough skin is hard to bend and twist, and the shifter receives an -1 armor check penalty and a 5% arcane spell failure chance. The armor check penalty and arcane spell failure chance increase by -1 and 5% every 6 class levels (-2, 10% at 6, -3, 15 % at 12).

Surge: Diamond Hide – As a standard action, the shifter can harden his skin even further. For a number of rounds equal to the shifter’s Con modifier, the shifter gains DR/- equal to his level and his movement speed is halved.

Burning Core

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The shifter is capable of withstanding intense heat and flames, and gains an amount of fire resistance equal to his class level.

Surge: The shifter momentarily bursts into flame, dealing damage to those around him. All creatures adjacent to the shifter take 1d6/level fire damage, with a Reflex save for half damage.