3.5 Shapeshifter Druid - Please Help!!


Homebrew and House Rules


So this is the third time I have posted this and have yet to receive any help.

So I am currently GMing a game where one of my characters is using a shapeshifter druid archetype, and while at the start I was happy because it was her first time playing and I was relieved that she wouldn't have to search in the Bestiary every time she tried to use wild shape, I am now worried that her character just won't quite measure up in a lot of ways compared to the rest of the party and a regular druid in general. To try and help her out I suggested the following changes to try and help her out. Suggestions and criticism please, this is her first time playing Pathfinder and I would prefer she enjoy it!

-Predator Form: This form, such as that of a wolf, panther, or barrucuda, is the first one a shapeshifting druid learns. While in predator form, you gain a primary bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage. You have the reach of a long creature of your size (5 feet for Small or Medium). You gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength, and your natural armor bonus improves by 4. Your base speed becomes 50 feet. Aquatic foms lose the ability to breath air but gain water breathing.
At 4th level, you gain Mobility as a bonus feat whenever you are in predator form (even if you don’t meet the prerequisites) and land forms gain 2 claws dealing 1d4 damage each, aquatic forms gain an appropriate secondary attack. Also at 4th level, whenever you shapeshift into predator form you gain the benefit of two of the following abilities appropriate to your new form until you shapeshift again or return to your natural form: darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, or scent. Everytime you shapeshift into Predator Form you may select different abilities each time. At 6th level you instead gain the benefit of three of the following abilities appropriate to your new form: climb 20 feet, darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, grab, pounce, and trip. And finally at 9th level you gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Dexterity and instead gain the benefit of four of the following abilities appropriate to your new form: burrow 20 feet, climb 20ft, blindsense 30 feet, darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, ferocity, grab, jet, poison, pounce, rake, trample, or trip.

-Aerial Form: At 6th level, you can shapeshift into a flying creature. Traditionally resembling an eagle, vulture, or bat, the aerial form enables fast travel and the ability to soar out of harm’s way. While in aerial form, you gain a primary talon attack that deals 1d6 points of damage. You have the reach of a long creature of your size (5 feet for Small or Medium). You gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength and a +2 enhancement bonus on Reflex saves, and your natural armor bonus improves by 2. You gain a fly speed of 40 feet (good maneuverability) and the benefit of two of the following abilities appropriate to your new form until you shapeshift again or return to your natural form: darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, or scent. Everytime you shapeshift into Aerial Form you may select different abilities each time.
At 9th level, you gain Flyby Attack and Hover as bonus feats whenever you are in aerial form and you instead gain the benefit of three of the following abilities appropriate to your new form: darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, grab, and pounce. And finally at 12th level you gain +2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity and instead gain the benefit of four of the following abilities appropriate to your new form: blindsense 30 feet, darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, ferocity, grab, poison, poison, pounce, or rake.

-Ferocious Slayer Form: At 9th level, you can shapeshift into a large and fierce predatory form, such as a tiger, brown bear, dire wolf or shark. Land forms gain a primary bite attack that deals 1d8 points of damage and two secondary claw attacks that each deal 1d6 points of damage. Aquatic forms recieve a bite attack and a tail attack. Your size increases by one category (to a maximum of Colossal), and you have the reach of a long creature of your size (5 feet for Medium or Large). You gain a +8 enhancement bonus to Strength and a +4 enhancement bonus on Fortitude saves, and your natural armor bonus improves by 8. Your base speed changes to 40 feet. Aquatic foms lose the ability to breath air but gain water breathing. You also gain the benefit of two of the following abilities appropriate to your new form until you shapeshift again or return to your natural form: darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, or scent. Everytime you shapeshift into Ferocious Slayer Form you may select different abilities each time.
At 12th level, you gain Improved Critical (bite) and Improved Critical (claw) as bonus feats whenever you are in ferocious slayer form and instead gain the benefit of three of the following abilities appropriate to your new form: climb 20 feet, darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, grab, pounce, and trip. And finally at 15th level you gain +4 enhancement bonus to Constitution and instead gain the benefit of four of the following abilities appropriate to your new form: burrow 20 feet, climb 20ft, blindsense 30 feet, darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, constrict, ferocity, grab, jet, poison, pounce, rake, +5ft reach, trample, or trip.

-Forest Avenger Form: At 12th level, you can take the form of a massive plantlike creature, similar to a shambling mound or a treant. (Druids not native to forest terrains typically rename this form to fit their environment.) While in forest avenger form, you gain a pair of primary slam attacks that deal 1d8 points of damage each. Your size increases by one category (to a maximum of Colossal) and you have the reach of a tall creature of your size (5 feet for Medium, 10 feet for Large). You gain a +12 enhancement bonus to Strength and a +4 enhancement bonus on Fortitude and Will saves, and your natural armor bonus improves by 12. Your base land speed becomes 20 feet. You gain damage reduction 5/slashing while in forest avenger form and you also gain the benefit of three of the following abilities appropriate to your new form until you shapeshift again or return to your natural form: darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, constrict, grab, or poison. Everytime you shapeshift into Forest Avenger Form you may select different abilities each time.
At 14th level, you gain Improved Overrun as a bonus feat while in forest avenger form (even if you don’t meet the normal prerequisites).
And finally at 16th level you gain +6 enhancement bonus to Constitution, your slams now deal 2d6 damage and you instead gain the benefit of four of the following abilities appropriate to your new form: darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, constrict, grab, poison, +5ft reach, regeneration 5, or trample.

-Elemental Fury Form: At 16th level, you can shapeshift into a giant form of air, earth, fire, or water (your choice each time you shapeshift). While in elemental fury form, you gain a pair of primary slam attacks that deal 2d6 points of damage each +1d6 of the associated energy below. Your size increases by two categories (to a maximum of Colossal), and you have the reach of a tall creature of your size (10 feet for Large, 15 feet for Huge). You gain a +16 enhancement bonus to Strength and a +4 enhancement bonus on Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves, and your natural armor bonus improves by 16. You do not gain any new modes of movement in elemental fury form, nor does your base land speed change. You gain immunity to critical hits and stun while in elemental form. You also gain immunity to an energy type related to the element chosen (air = electricity, earth = acid, fire = fire, water = cold). You don’t need to breathe while in elemental fury form.
Finally at 18th level, you gain Great Cleave as a bonus feat while in elemental fury form (even if you don’t meet the normal prerequisites). You gain a +6 Enhancement bonus to your Wisdom and now use your Wisdom modifier to determine your HP and Fortitude Saves. Your slam attacks now deal +2d6 of their associated energy types and you gain special abilities depending on the element chosen:
Air elemental- You gain fly 60 feet (perfect), darkvision 60 feet, and the ability to create a whirlwind.
Earth elemental- You gain darkvision 60 feet and the ability to earth glide equal to your base landspeed.
Fire elemental- You gain darkvision 60 feet and the burn ability.
Water elemental- You gain swim 60 feet, darkvision 60 feet, the ability to create a vortex, and the ability to breathe water.

My main focus was to give her some Aquatic options for the Predator and Ferocious Slayer forms (the original Shapeshifter alternate feature had no aquatic options period!) and some variance to her forms to add some flavor and keep all of the forms viable. I am also dropping her to 0-6 levels of spells instead of 0-9


I'm not at all familiar with what you're asking, but two things of note:
Firstly, you're asking for advice in the rules forum, but there is an advice firm that may be better suited to help you.
Secondly, according to your topic title, the class you are discussing is from 3.5. While later you mention you are, in fact, playing Pathfinder, importing 3.5 content is basically homebrewing, and something there are only loose guidelines for.

And, this is unrelated, but I feel usage of spoiler tags for blocks of text, as well as not counting how many times the wrong forum has failed to help you, may more readily endear you to others.


For starters I would not make the stat bonus enhancement, it tends to ruin your chances of getting any other kind of buff, which you will need. (If I remember correctly it's one of the things that made the shifter druid useless compared to a normal one)

Also, consider adding the ability to cast spells with the Natural Spell feat, which (always if memory doesen't fail me) you couldn't do.


To Saethori: I had posted this in both the Advice and Homebrew areas in hope of help and received None.

I actually kept the bonuses as Enhancement bonuses for a reason. The Shifter druid does not benefit from any equipment while shifted (not even Wild armor) and thus using Enhancement is preferred as Inherent and other bonuses can still be applied. I do agree giving the Natural spell feat (which the Shifter could not use) probably a certain number of times per day.

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