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I really, really love the idea of the Oozemorph shifter...but I play PFS, and Paizo seems completely unwilling to fix the glaring errors with the archetype...so I am left trying to figure out a way to make one that isn't going to be a complete hindrance to any group stuck playing with one.
The first hindrance is not being able to speak while in your base form...pretty easy to work around, either through pure RP or...
The Expressive Pantomime character trait allows you to basically become a master of charades, letting you use Bluff to communicate. This is a fun and flavorful way around that, without having to worry about the questionable gold nodule ioun stone method. The Cunning Liar trait allows you to use your Wisdom instead of Charisma for Bluff, which could help boost will saves at the same time.
Once you get past that, the real hindrances hit...the errata to the Shifter Wildshape does not apply to Fluidic Body...so until level 4 you only get 1 use per day of your ability to turn into something other than a useless pile of goop.
Also because of the fact that it replaces Wildshape instead of altering it, you do not qualify for any feats related to Wildshape.
Once you hit level 4 and get 2 uses per day, at 4 hours per use, things get a bit easier, then at level 6 you get 3 uses at 6 hours each and it is basically an all day thing...those early levels are going to REALLY suck though.
While in your useless goop form 21+ hours a day for those first 3 levels, you cannot use any items that require an item slot, wield any weapons, cast any spells, or speak...you can still use your morphic weapons, and benefit from your DR/slashing, immunity to flanking and crits...but your weapons do not count as magic, or anything that bypasses any materials related DR...
It feels like this almost mandates a Dex focused build, since your AC in goop form cannot benefit from armor, rings of protection, etc. You could potentially get someone in the party to cast Mage Armor and Shield on you, and I think you can still use potions (they don't count as an item that requires activation do they?)...potentially you could dip into Monk/UMonk to gain Wisdom to AC (Doubles up with Cunning Liar above)
Another limitation is the low (and non-scaling) damage from Morphic Weapons, they are 1d6 weapons, and stay that way forever...with a Dex focused build that means you need Weapon Finesse and an Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists...or a 3 level dip into URogue...which seems like a solid option...but will come online really late...like probably level 7+ (want to get to level 4+ shifter for duration on your shape shifting ASAP) The potential extra damage from sneak attack could help offset the low damage of Morphic Weapons...but again, very late in the game for PFS play...
Anyone got any experience successfully playing an Oozemorph in PFS? Or any suggestions for a way to build one that won't just drag a party down around it? Any level dips that might benefit one that I missed? Any help at all?
Thanks
P.S. Devs...if you read this, pretty please update the FAQ/Errata to at least make Fluidic Body use the same duration that you fixed the base shifter to use (level+Wis hours/day instead of level/2 uses per day of hour/level would solve the biggest and most glaring problem the Oozemorph faces)
There's mid-game feats to beat DR. Eldritch claws (requires a Str build) and/or improved planar mentor perhaps. I do suspect you are going to be a weak beatstick though, and the nature of PFS will make it hard to coordinate with your party to improve your value.
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It makes me sad that the most interesting character option they have made in years is so horribly written that even after the first round of FAQ/errata it is still basically unplayable...and they don't care about fixing it.
So frustrating...why should I continue to support a company that can't even support it's own products?
Wouldn't the optimal strategy for a PFS Oozemorph is "acquire 4 or 6 levels worth of credits, then multiclass into somehing else"?
The roleplaying blob form is the easiest and most fun "problem" of the archetype. I wouldn't worry about that.
Potions are use-activated.
The way things have been going, I wouldn't be surprised if they never do another FAQ or Errata for PF1.
As-is, the archetype is unplayable (in a less-literal sense than before the FAQ, but still).