My Homebrew SF2E Class: The Shifter / Evolutionist / Biohacker / Whatever!

[Justnobodyfqwl]

Hi, everyone! I see a lot of people asking why Paizo hasn't done a PF2E Shifter class yet. These designs are usually focused on the Druid, Battle Form spells, etc. Well, I have a sneaking suspicion that they would do a Shapeshifting-Focused Martial as an SF2E Class instead- probably using a lot of similar mechanics to existing PF2E Classes.

I wanted to sketch out what I thought it would look like, and I ended up making an entire Homebrew Class built around being a Shapeshifting, Transhumanist Utility Martial!

I call it "The Shifter" like the PF1E Class because it's a catchy name, but it's a whole new class that takes inspiration from The Shifter, the SF1E Evolutionist, and all sorts of Shapeshifting Pop Culture. (I'm not married to the name at all- should it be named after an existing class, or have a brand new name?) It's a class built around the mechanical space of Unarmed Strikes, both passive partial transformations & big flashy temporary transformations, and customizable Reactions. 

It's my first custom class for 2e, with 3 Subclasses, 10 "Forms" (with passive abilities, bespoke unarmed strikes, and "Greater Transformations"), and 50+ Feats from 1-20. 

I hope you guys enjoy this rough first draft, and would love to hear your notes!

[HolyFlamingo!]

Only just started reading it so I can't give any useful critical feedback yet, but I really love how much inspiration you took from both the PF1 shifter and SF1 evolutionist. The biomechanical perk of being able to install tools into yourself is so cool!

[Justnobodyfqwl]

HolyFlamingo! wrote:

Only just started reading it so I can't give any useful critical feedback yet, but I really love how much inspiration you took from both the PF1 shifter and SF1 evolutionist. The biomechanical perk of being able to install tools into yourself is so cool!

Thank you so much for giving it a shot! Even just little thoughts about the flavor and feel of the class help just as much big critical feedback.

I always really love when a PC has a Hammer and everything around them looks like a Nail. I love being able to always have a weird and fun little ability that lets you interact with the world differently. (My first PC had Mage Hand & Minor Illusion, so it felt almost like Portal- just infinite use of a weird puzzle-solving trick)

And most of all, I thought it was VITALLY important to be able to do that quintessential Cyborg trope- the "Inspector Gadget Special"! Their finger pops open to reveal a lockpick! Their arm pops open to reveal a hacking toolkit they plug into the computer! Their eyes zoom in and scan for fingerprints while they pull out a Fire Extinguisher from their chest!

I think these kind of resonant shapeshifting tropes and powers are a HUGE part to fulfilling the class fantasy. On my first draft like this, I'm a lot more concerned about "do you feel like you can do the fun things a Shapeshifter should be able to do" than pure numbers stuff like the saving throw progression.

[Teridax]

This is fantastic. I like how the brew presents itself and like this direction for the Shifter as well, as I think it puts a lot of emphasis on versatility and adaptability. I'm also a big fan of the touches of humor added into the document as well. I'd want to playtest this Shifter to get a better impression, but here's what criticism I have at the moment:

Though I understand the reason why, I'm not personally a huge fan of swapping attributes, in this case using Constitution for Strikes. I'd personally lean more in favor of giving the class meatier attacks or other abilities to compensate for their reduced accuracy.

Not a major criticism, but if every form is to have a sense, I'd perhaps create a separate sub-entry in each form to present that sense.

Neither of these are big criticisms; there's a lot of unknowns here but I love the general feel of this class, and my main interest in it right now would be in seeing it get fleshed out some more for playtesting. Well done on this!

[pauljathome]

Justnobodyfqwl wrote:

Hi, everyone! I see a lot of people asking why Paizo hasn't done a PF2E Shifter class yet. These designs are usually focused on the Druid, Battle Form spells, etc. Well, I have a sneaking suspicion that they would do a Shapeshifting-Focused Martial as an SF2E Class instead- probably using a lot of similar mechanics to existing PF2E Classes.

I wanted to sketch out what I thought it would look like, and I ended up making an entire Homebrew Class built around being a Shapeshifting, Transhumanist Utility Martial!

I call it "The Shifter" like the PF1E Class because it's a catchy name, but it's a whole new class that takes inspiration from The Shifter, the SF1E Evolutionist, and all sorts of Shapeshifting Pop Culture. (I'm not married to the name at all- should it be named after an existing class, or have a brand new name?) It's a class built around the mechanical space of Unarmed Strikes, both passive partial transformations & big flashy temporary transformations, and customizable Reactions. 

It's my first custom class for 2e, with 3 Subclasses, 10 "Forms" (with passive abilities, bespoke unarmed strikes, and "Greater Transformations"), and 50+ Feats from 1-20. 

I hope you guys enjoy this rough first draft, and would love to hear your notes!

I like the concept and base structure. But it is probably overpowered right now (for example, boost with a D12 weapon, being undetectable, D10 hit points with Con as your key attribute)

This is, unfortunately, the kind of thing that would take a LOT of playtesting to get balanced. The kind of playtesting that unfortunately only Paizo can really do.

But it's a good first step

[pauljathome]

I think that if a player asked for a shifter my first pass would be something like the following.

I did something kinda sorta like this in PF1 when the player and I decided the shifter class just sucked

Start with a massively reflavoured kineticist. Every element you choose is another set of forms you can assume. Once you are shifted ( same 1 action as gather elements) you can use any of your powers that you can justify by reflavouring (obviously takes significant trust between player and GM and the GM being very lenient allowing birds to shoot feathers etc). Powers can be tweaked.

Get versatile weapon for free (hopefully compensates for losing some of the options you can't manage to justify).

So, for example a shifter might have armor in earth (thick scaly hide) take the 1/2 action move as a leap or quick flight and dart through enemies as a quick moving hawk slashing at everybody in a line (lightning dash).

Some option for shrinking/growing to replace the kinesis stuff.

Uses normal runes for unarmed strikes.

It should ooze all the flavour a player wants and has the massive advantage of being mostly tested and viable (I think everybody agrees that the kineticist is at least a viable class)

Clearly this is NOT remotely something to just hand a player. It requires work from GM and player. Bur I like the potential end result

[Justnobodyfqwl]

pauljathome wrote:

I like the concept and base structure. But it is probably overpowered right now (for example, boost with a D12 weapon, being undetectable, D10 hit points with Con as your key attribute)

This is, unfortunately, the kind of thing that would take a LOT of playtesting to get balanced. The kind of playtesting that unfortunately only Paizo can really do.

But it's a good first step

I hope we get a chance to playtest the class and see if it's as busted as it seems! :D

I wanted to make the Greater Transformation of the most damage-focused Form be flashy and exciting, so the temporary Boost and Kickback traits are big sources of flat damage. I'm hoping they're balanced out by either the action cost of a Greater Transformation + Boost, or by the feat cost needed to bypass it.

But even then, without Strength as a KAS, a Shifter should be doing less melee damage than a Photon-Mode Solarian or a Melee Soldier- as intended!

Similarly, I originally had them at 8hp + Con, and I would do so if they were a Pathfinder class. But being at a disadvantage in a Ranged Meta means that I wanted them to be a little tougher in the face of a lot of gunfire trying to close the gap.

I see what you mean about reflavoring Kineticists, too- they were a big influence on the class, and you can really tell that my Shifter is a Kineticist/Monk/Exemplar hybrid. I was inspired by how Kineticists trade raw damage in exchange for a customizable attack that always works, and cool, reliable abilities.

Thank you for your feedback!