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When the core rulebook came out I waited for the shapeshift class to be in the advanced rulebook. Then the ultimate magic and ultimate combat books. Still my patience was not rewarded. Paizo even made summoners, but no shapeshifters. And to make me even sadder, a Wizard is better at shapeshifting then a druid? WHY?
This is my take at making a shifter class. The concept is to remove the animal companion and 1 spell per level from the druid, and add a greatly increased bestiary of creatures to shapeshift into.
"But it will be too complicated in the mechanicssss"
Have you seen the druid? It is by far the most bloated class in the game. If anything, removing the animal companion makes it simpler. And all I did was add vermin shape, monstrous physique, and beast shape IV to the list of things a druid can shift into. Also added form of the dragon to the druids spell list. Its really simple. (Also, can someone explain to me why a druid can't spellcast to transform into a dragon until they get level 9 spells please.)
Shifter Alternate Class for Druid
ShapeShifting: The Shifter can wildshape into an animal as 'beast shape I', but can not select the medium animal, darkvision, or scent abilities. At level 1, a Shifter can do this once per day. The effect lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until they change back. Changing form is a standard action and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. The form chosen must be that of an animal the druid is familiar with. A druid loses their 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.)
At the 4th level you can transform as Beast Shape I. You can shapeshift 2/day.
At the 6th level you can transform as Beast Shape II, Vermin Shape I, Elemental Body I and Monstrous Physique II. You can shapeshift 3/day.
At the 8th level you can transform as Beast Shape III, Vermin Shape II, Elemental Body II Monstrous Physique III, and Plant Shape I. You can shapeshift 4/day.
At the 10th level you can transform as Beast Shape IV, Elemental Body III, Monstrous Physique IV, and Plant Shape II. You can shapeshift 5/day.
At the 12th level you can transform as Elemental Body IV, and Plant Shape II. A Shifter Druid adds Form of the Dragon I and Form of the Dragon II to their druid spell list. You can shapeshift 6/day.
14th: 7/day
16th: 8/day
18th: 9/day
20th: At will
This replaces Nature Bond and modifies Wildshape. The Shifter Druid casts one less spell per day at each level of spellcasting.