Just taking notes really. A few questions involving shapeshifting classes.
1) - In your opinion, which class is best to fit the role of shapeshifter overall and why?
2) - Which shapeshifting class can get it's shape-changing "online" the fastest?
3) - How strong are its attacks / abilities?
My current thoughts -
I feel like the synth summoner will come up and while I'm certainly not against the archetype and will probably play it eventually, it doesn't quite fit a shapeshifter in that you don't really morph, an eidolon envelops you (granted flavoring could change that).
Druid also automatically comes to mind, but it seems one has to wait quite a while before being able to shape-change well. Of course this is through reading. I haven't had a chance to get play time with such a character.
Skinwalker. More focusing on race than a class and it seems like it could be good if you invest a decent amount to their traits and feats.
Beastmorph Alchemist is a definite option, but one can't really get get real shapeshifting until 6th, which I suppose isn't all that bad.
Polymorph wizard. Offers a lot of side options (namely full arcane casting), but for some reason it just doesn't feel right.
So what are your thoughts? What is your advice for the best shapeshifter as early as possible?
I don't know if anyone has considered the magus:
He can use shapeshifting spells, turn into a humanoid creature with the ability to speak for spellcasting purposes and start spell combatting in a different form.
A Fighter of course. you hack and slash things with your big ol' sword, why would you shapeshift anyways, if you can cut them out :D
In my opinion, the druid is the best. You don't have to burn spells to shift, the duration on wildshape is 24/7 with 3 changes by level 8, wildshape has a few great feats that let you cast and speak even when you're a dire tiger or allosaurus, and the Druid gets tons of spells that let you ramp up your natural weapons to do even more damage. You get pounce at 6, which is 4 levels before a barbarian, and you get rake at 8. It's pretty great.
There's also an incredibly useful feat available to the druid called shapeshifting hunter. If you take one level of Ranger you get full favored enemy progression based on your druid level which is pretty solid.
Finally, if you really want a shapeshifting fighter, the best way to do it is multiclassing Druid(4)/Invulnerable Rager Archetype Barbarian (16). The wildshape and rage bonuses are different types so they stack, your rage powers ramp up your wildhsape's ferocity, and you get full BAB (except for the first level of druid you take). You'll want to take the feat Shaping Focus so that you're eventually treated as a level 8 Druid for wildshape purposes. In our campaign we have a guy running this setup. At level 7 he has the grab and pounce abilities while wildshaped as a dire tiger, so he can charge 100 feet and make 3 attacks at a +16 attack bonus, each doing a solid amount of damage, and letting him make grapple checks for free with no AoOs. It's pretty strong. Next level he gets rake.
If you want to/can use 3rd party material, the Skin-Changer is a Ranger archetype that gets shapeshifting at level 1(!) but gives up spells.
1) for role, I'd have to say Druid. Animal, Plant, and Elemental forms for hours?! Yes please.
2) Skin-Changer, as explained above.
3) the SC has full BaB, but loses Favored Enemy and Combat Style, which sounds really bad until you keep reading. At level 2 they get a +2 bonus to attacks and damage when using natural weapons, and it gets bigger, and they get free Critical feats for natural weapons. It. Is. Awesome. Plus, at level 10 they heal when the shapeshift, and gain damage reduction while shift at 12.
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If your goal is to turn into one thing and stay that way for the majority of the day then Druid is really good. Natural Spell, Wild Armor and druids have access to the spells that buff natural attacks inherently.
Dark Tapestry oracles on the other hand are better if you want to shapeshift for shorter duration but have more flexibility. The benefit is that with 1 min increments you can shapeshift to overcome an obstacle and then return or use the abilities of a creature for a minute then do something else. The difficulty with this build is the reliance on race, Aasimar or Elf, to push it beyond its listed level limits (but which also gives you more minutes to use it with), the chasis on which it is built (oracles are not as good as druids for this), the spell choices (not a lot of good natural weapon buffing options, I wish lunar had included GMF) and the action economy of losing a standard to shapeshift each fight.
Interesting. It seems Druid comes out on top. Not having played a druid before, would it be best to go with an archetype when focusing on shapeshifting? Or straight druid?
I'd be down for a shapeshifting focused druid myself, even if it were lowered spell casting.
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I'd be down for a shapeshifting focused druid myself, even if it were lowered spell casting.
All Druids are shapeshifter focused, whether they want to be or not. Wild Shape is the best shapeshifting ability in the game. A thousand faces is at will alter self for the best disguise shifting in the game, or extra combat forms. Natural spell is so good that it makes caster be shapeshift focused as well as full ninth level casters.
If a new class was written with a shapeshifting ability as powerful as wild shape, it would be a 6th level casting class, or even a 4th level one.
But Druids still have full ninth level casting AND an animal companion.
Fair enough. Looks like I'll study up on Druids some and I might just have to make myself another backup character option. Thanks everyone!
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One of the class niches I'd still really like to see is a non-casting full BAB martial shapeshifter.I'd be down for a shapeshifting focused druid myself, even if it were lowered spell casting.All Druids are shapeshifter focused, whether they want to be or not. Wild Shape is the best shapeshifting ability in the game. A thousand faces is at will alter self for the best disguise shifting in the game, or extra combat forms. Natural spell is so good that it makes caster be shapeshift focused as well as full ninth level casters.
If a new class was written with a shapeshifting ability as powerful as wild shape, it would be a 6th level casting class, or even a 4th level one.
But Druids still have full ninth level casting AND an animal companion.
This is requested everytime a "what class do you want" thread comes up.
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As others have said, I'd suggest you check out the Skin Changer class in the New Paths Compendium from Kobold Press!
I humbly suggest the Skin-changer might be the best shifter class of all! :)
Druid is good for longevity.
If you want versatility (change into anything), then wizard/eldritch knight can work quite well ([fighter or ranger] 1/wizard 6/eldritch knight 2/arcane archer 3/eldritch knight +8 or [fighter or ranger] 1/wizard 1/eldritch knight 5/arcane archer 3/eldritch knight +5/wizard +5 with SLA early entry; arcane archer is mostly for keeping BAB as high as possible without a major hit to spell progression, although being good at ranged combat and then shifting into "beast mode" to rip the enemies that get close to pieces is nice). If you can stand missing out on 9th-level spells and a +16 BAB instead of +17, then barbarian 2/bard 1/wizard 2/dragon disciple 4/eldritch knight 10/wizard +1 can provide some nice Str boosts for melee (Extra Rage Power for Moment of Clarity is recommended).
Definitely pick up the Multimorph arcane discovery (Ultimate Magic) if going the wizard/eldritch knight route.