Shapeshifter
Shapeshifter druids master their shapechanging powers at a lower experience
level than other druids. This ability takes a special gift (perhaps a taint of
lycanthropic or silver dragon blood in the druid's family tree) and intense
training. But, those who persevere, such as Rimi (pictured on the next page) gain
unusual metamorphic powers.
Role: Shapeshifters have mercurial personalities. Although by no means chaotic,
they are quick to anger, and easily moved to joy or tears. Rimi, like many
Shapeshifter druids, makes an excellent spy or messenger and stands a good chance of
being picked as a servant to a high-level druid, an archdruid, or a great druid.
Branch Restrictions: Only forest, plains, and mountain druids can take this kit, as druids in
other branches have limits on their shapechanging powers.
Weapon Proficiencies: Recommended-- staff.
Secondary Skills: Hunter, groom.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus-- animal lore. Recommended--(priest) spellcraft; (warrior) endurance, survival, tracking.
Equipment: The druid should spend her initial allotment of gold pieces entirely on
equipment, as she loses any unspent starting money in excess of 1 gp.
Special Benefits: As a Shapeshifter, Rimi gains her branch's shapechanging power at 1st level
rather than at 7th level. However, until she reaches 7th level, the druid can
assume only the form of natural creatures whose Hit Dice total no greater than
half her level. (A 1st-level Shapeshifter only assumes the form of a creature
with 1/2 HD or less.) Rimi can shapechange twice as often as her branch normally allows, which doubles the number of changes she can
make daily. (Forest Shapeshifters, then, can change to animal, reptile, and bird
form, each twice per day.) However, using this power more than the normal three
times per day may have dangerous consequences. (See "Special Hindrances.")
At 7th level, Rimi the Shapeshifter can transform a portion of her body.
Instead of turning into a reptile, she can give herself a snake's fangs, which she
can use in an attack to cause 1d2 bite damage plus poison. Rather than turning
into a bird, she can transform her arms into a bird's wings and fly at a
movement rate of 21. Short of transforming into a bear (or other mammal), she can
sprout a bear's claws from her fingers and make two attacks causing 1d3 points of
damage each, plus Strength bonus. Each of these actions counts as one change for
the day.
Special Hindrances: A Shapeshifter regains hit points only when resuming her human form, and then
recovers only 1d4 hp. If the druid has 0 hp or fewer, she regains none with
her human shape.
If Rimi uses her Shapeshifter power more than three times per day, she must
make a saving throw vs. spell after each extra use. A failure locks her into her
current form until the next day, when she can attempt a new saving throw.
However, for each failed save, the druid's next one bears a -1 penalty. If Rimi
fails three saving throws in succession, she keeps her current animal form
permanently, as if she had been reincarnated as that creature. Only a polymorph any object, limited wish, or wish can turn her back to human or another form.
Wealth Options: 3d6x5 gp. Shapeshifters spend too much time in animal form to concern
themselves with money.
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