I'm preparing to run a short campaign this summer and one of my friends wants to play a shapeshifter. Aside from adjusting the the BAB and the available forms, how would you make this class suitable for play?
Adding 2 fast healing every three levels seems horrifically broken. If I keep the class feature at all, I would slow it down to every four levels and only give him +1 fast healing.
Additionally, I think the form mutations need to be reworked. Since giants and elementals are no longer their own type, I would move those bonuses around and also add an ooze mutation that made the shapeshifter immune to piercing damage. I don't see this campaign going past level 10, so we won't run into the problem of a character who can turn into a dragon that is immune to critical hits, flanking, mind-altering effects and has a +2 to strength besides.
In the interest of discussion, do you think the form mutations are a balanced class feature? I was thinking about making the mutations weaker, more frequent, and apply only to the non-shifted shapeshifter. These mutations would be similar to some alchemist discoveries, like the option to grow wings or new appendages.
All that said, this is my first time as a GM so I don't have all the mechanics of the game down. Am I on the right track or is this class unsalvageable?
How do the shift points work? I'm assuming they function something like: "you have 3 points, you shift into a CR 1 creature, now you have 2 point left." It only lasts for minutes at a time, which is weaker than the druid's wildshape (which is hours per level).
It looks like the point system is built to only allow maximum CR shifting ~3/day. I can't say I have any experience with anything other than wildshape at my table, so I can't speak for things like aberrations and dragons, but I don't know if this class has enough staying power.
My initial reaction to what I see is to up the duration of the shifting to hours/level and leave everything else as is, including the BAB. The class just seems weak, but again, I've never known anyone to shapeshift into a dragon or anything.
Edit: Also note that the max CR for shifting starts to taper off towards higher levels, which means that the shapeshifter is effectively lowering the APL. I figure this by noting that an NPC with no racial hit die and class levels is 1 CR lower than its class levels. A PC with class levels would be at CR equal to its class levels (by virtue of wealth and attribute scores). So while this shifter would be a CR 5 at 5th level, he can only shift into CR 4 creatures.
There may be flaws in that logic as well, however. Shapeshifting is as broad as spellcasting, with books dedicated to monsters and all.
I'd personally use a variation of Wild Shape where in addition to beast shape, elemental body, and plant shape, you also gain access to alter self, disguise self, polymorph, and shapechange (later on). Better to have an ability replicate already established spells if you can.
I'd probably give the class a whole redesign. I don't like the shift points and I'd probably scrap that and make it just a number of times per day equal to X + some stat. Maybe make it a 6-level caster with Medium BAB like the bard. I'd suggest looking at the Infiltrator and Shapeshifter archetypes for the Ranger for inspiration. The Infiltrator in particular seems to fit the bill with what the Shapeshifter 3.5 class wants to do.
I'd personally use a variation of Wild Shape where in addition to beast shape, elemental body, and plant shape, you also gain access to alter self, disguise self, polymorph, and shapechange (later on). Better to have an ability replicate already established spells if you can.
I'd probably give the class a whole redesign. I don't like the shift points and I'd probably scrap that and make it just a number of times per day equal to X + some stat. Maybe make it a 6-level caster with Medium BAB like the bard. I'd suggest looking at the Infiltrator and Shapeshifter archetypes for the Ranger for inspiration. The Infiltrator in particular seems to fit the bill with what the Shapeshifter 3.5 class wants to do.
Took your advice to heart. I know the Synthesist isn't terribly popular on this board, but I was thinking about giving the guy a small bonus based on his charisma to his eidolon pool per level and let him have a variety of weaker eidolons to summon/transform into. I'm not sure what the limit on summons/transformations per day would be.
I'd also give him the gradation of alter self/disguise self/polymorph etc. at the expense of the summon monster and spell casting class features.
The only part of the original Summoner class that remains is the Aspect feature, which is similar to the Infiltrator and the 3.5 Shapeshifter.
How does that sound?