Should I Allow this Druid Archetype? (Master of Many Forms)


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I don't know the source for this archetype, I considered the thought it was 3rd party but perhaps it is merely a homebrew but of any case I do find it interesting archetype. I admit to being uncertain if I should allow my player to take this archetype, as they like it and feel it would be fun to use.

If I do I may have it be a racial archetype for the doppelganger-style race I have for my campaign with revised fluff.
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Master of Many Shapes
Some individuals, blessed by the spirits of wild animals or cursed with a lack of affinity with the most mystical aspects of nature, are able to change shape with a gifted easiness. These druids usually hide in the wildest places of nature, sometimes living among other creatures acknowledging them as a member of the pack, even in their original shape. Others live closer to the cities, curious as they feel that their true home may have been among their own kind instead of the pack. These masters of many shapes are able to assume any form whenever needed, gaining an uncanny stealth and versatility against obstacles at the cost of reduced spellcasting abilities and a greater vulnerability to ailments of the wild life.
 
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Masters of many shapes are proficient only with the club, dagger, dart, shortspear, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume when shapeshifting (see below). Masters of many shapes are only proficient with light armors; they still are prohibited to wear metal armors.
 
Diminished Spellcasting
A master of many shapes may cast one spell less per level and per day. If this puts a number of spells per day to 0, a master of many shapes may only cast a spell of this level if she possesses a high enough Wisdom modifier to get bonus spells of this level.
This ability also replaces orisons, but the master of many shapes may prepare Read Magic and Detect Magic as 1st level spells.
 
Spontaneous Casting
A druid can channel stored spell energy into shapeshifting spells that she hasn’t prepared ahead of time. She can “lose” a prepared spell in order to cast any spell of the same level or lower through the following list :
- A level 1 spell or more can be used to cast Animal Aspect,
- A level 2 spell or more can be used to cast Greater Animal Aspect,
- A level 3 to 8 spell or more can be used to cast any spell including the words "Shape", "Form", "Physique", or "Elemental Body" of same level or lower from the wizard/sorcerer spell list,
- Finally, a level 9 spell can be used to cast Shapechange.
 
Nature Bond (Ex)
A master of many shapes druid must choose a domain as his nature bond. This domain does not provide the druid with any domain spell slot, instead adding the indicated domain spells to her druid spell list.
 
Shapeshifter (Su)
Beginning at 1st level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into any small or medium humanoid or animal and back again once per day. This ability functions like the alter self or the beast shape I spell, in which case her options for new forms include all creatures with the animal type; except for the following noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to humanoid/animal or back) is a standard action and does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The form chosen must be that of an humanoid or an animal the druid is familiar with.
A druid loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.)
A druid can use this ability an additional time per day at 4th level and every two levels thereafter, for a total of ten times at 18th level. At 20th level, a druid can use shapeshifter at will. As a druid gains in levels, this ability allows her to take on the form of larger and smaller animals, humanoids, elementals, plants, undeads, magical creatures... and even dragons. Each form expends one daily usage of this ability, regardless of the form taken.
At 6th level, a master of many shapes can use shapeshifter to reproduce the effects of a 4th level spell including the words "Shape", "Form", "Physique", "Elemental Body" or "Undead Anatomy" from the wizard/sorcerer spell list.
Each two levels later (8, 10, 12, 14, 16), a master of many shape can use his shapeshifter ability to reproduce the effects of a spell one level higher including the words "Shape", "Form", "Physique", or "Elemental Body" from the wizard/sorcerer spell list.
Like the ability gained at first level, the effect of all these spells lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to the appropriate creature or back) is a standard action and does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The form chosen must be that of a creature the druid is familiar with.
This ability replaces Wild Shape.
 
A Thousand Face (Su)
At 9th level, a master of many shapes gains A Thousand Face, as per the druid ability.
This ability replaces venom immunity.
 
Dual Shapeshifter
At 13th level, a master of many shapes may be affected by the effects of two polymorph spells at once. This allows a druid to take on a hybrid form of two different creatures with two consecutive uses of her wild shape, by casting a polymorph spell before using her wild shape, or by casting two polymorph spells. Any polymorph effect used this way lasts half the normal duration.
Size bonuses and natural armor bonuses provided by two polymorph effects do not stack. When you assume the shape of two creatures of same size (or two creatures both smaller or bigger than your base shape), only the highest bonuses and penalties are applied.
If you attempt to assume the form of two totally different creature sizes, like by assuming both the shape of a Large and a Tiny creature, you add together the size bonuses and penalties. To know your final size, consider your base size as 0, and add the size modifiers of both shapes (equal to base size : 0, one step smaller : -1, two steps smaller : -2, one step bigger : +1, two steps bigger : +2, etc.). Your final size is equal to this final modifier; for instance, a medium-sized level 14 master of many shapes assuming the shape of both a Huge (+2) dragon through Form of the Dragon III and a Small (-1) mandragora through Plant Shape I would have a modifier of +1, and become a Large creature, thus gaining the benefits and drawbacks of a dragon’s Large size category.
The shapeshifted druid cannot use more natural attacks per round than the higher amount provided by one of the shapes; but she may replace some of these natural attacks by those provided by her other shape. Any modified attack is still treated as a primary or secondary natural weapons according to the shape giving the most natural attacks per round, even if traded with a natural attack that is treated otherwise by the secondary shape.
This ability replaces the druid's ability a thousand face.


I know there is a 3.5 prestige class with this name. If the player is suggesting this then tell them to provide the source. I would never suggest allowing it if you don't know the source.

I did not see it on the prd or on d20pfsrd.com, so I am thinking it is the 3.5 PrC or someone made it up.

edit: I think the 3.5 PrC was in Complete Warrior, and it make not work in Pathfinder due to the changes made to Polymorph.

Dark Archive

This is a Pathfinder druid archetype though, it follows the revised rules on Polymorph so as such there is no concern on that front.

Maybe I can find the source online or on here but what I care about most at the moment is balance.


I knew I recognized this. That archetype came from Maxximilius and Cheapy on these boards. Thread

Anyway, concerning where or not you should allow it... it looks iffy simply because there are so many combinations that you really can't anticipate how it is going to be used. At the same time, do I think it's going to be more of a pain in the ass than the other designated shapeshifter, the Synthesist? No. God no. I'd say allow it provisionally and let the players know that in advance that if it doesn't work out they get a free retraining.


1st to 5th level, no possible issues. At 6th level the possibilities explode; for example the shapeshifter can use any weapon, wand or scroll via monstrous physique 2 and the mimicry ability of a doppleganger. I think it's still OK at this point though.

The dual shapeshifter may be good, overpowered, or just weird; there's no good way to parse all the possible combinations to tell.

Note that it will often be most effective to shapeshift into something more or less humanoid so as to use magical equipment effectively. Don't just look at the usual wild shape change into a tiger, pounce, rip face off idea to see where this is balanced.


I wouldn't allow it for the reasons that chaoseffect mentioned. I really don't like the way it is written. It is also overly complicated IMO.

Dark Archive

Any suggestions for revising it a bit, perhaps simplify or clarify some of the abilities?

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps Subscriber

Drop Dual Shapeshifter it is potentially too strong, too awkward and too confusing to use.

First, that ability makes total sense for a shapeshifter giving it an at will shape shifting ability. Second, I would allow it to be used to modify a form in one of the following ways:

Increase the size bonus of one attribute by 2
Increase the natural armor bonus of the creature by 2
Increase the damage dice of one natural weapon by one size category, stacking with other size enhancers.
Increase the reach of one attack.

At higher levels I might consider allowing them to apply the effects of Enlarge or Reduce Person on to their forms, allowing them to have Medium Rhinos or Gargantuan Elementals. This would use the effects of those spells but be allowed regardless of the character's race/form and on top of and stacking with polymorph effects.

At low levels the character is not really effectivenor a shapeshifter at 1 hour per day 1/day. I would consider something like:

At first level, you may assume the form of a small or medium animal as a polymorph effect. You gain a landspeed up to 40, one natural attack of the creature, low-light vision if the animal has that quality and if medium +2 size bonus to strength and +2 natural armor or if small +2 size bonus to dexterity and +1 natural armor. You may assume this form 3 + Wis mod times per day and lasts for 1 hour.

At 4th level you may use this ability normally or while wild shaped you can expend one use to assume another form available to you at your current level. The ability's duration does not change.

At 8th you may expend one use of this ability to wildshape as a move action.

At 14th level you may expend one use of this ability to wildshape as a swift action.

This replaces nature bond. Your current version of nature's bond might be strong as it puts spells onto your spell list that are normally only available in domain slots.

Grand Lodge

Well, there is this conversion.

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