Shifter
Whether your transformation begun from the raw chaos of the far realms, the constant change of the Feywild, or at the whim of some capricious spirit or deity, you are now a shifter; an agent of chaos. Your body is in constant flux, evolving and mutating, growing less and less you for each day that passes, but you are instead becoming something else.
The shifter will often be seen by others as a monster, with clawed hands and glowing eyes, that prowl the dark of night. While this can be true, no two shifters are ever necessarily the same. The physical changes a shifter goes through does make life in regular society difficult though, and many do live alone, whether this mean in the sewers of a large city or far out in the forests or mountains of the wild. Some do try to blend in, and often become very adept at disguises instead, but do instead have to face a constant worry of discovery, and of what that discovery might mean.
Shifters are also normally untrained, and while some did intentionally seek out the transformation, most stumble onto it by accident. Because of this the backgrounds of shifters are often just as varied as their specific abilities, but what drives success, and keeps them alive, is fortitude, and ingenuity. Adapting to one morning waking up with a giant crab pincer for a hand, or large ears that can hear for hundreds of meters, can be daunting tasks, and many shifters don’t cope well, or survive long…
More so than just staying alive though, a common pursuit for most shifters is a search for self-knowledge and understanding. To understand the changes they are going through, and to learn to cope with their new abilities, and often even body parts. Over time this also turn those who are successful at staying alive and learning about themselves to often seek out further evolution, and to pursue their own view of self-perfection. This self-perfection is often twisted though, strange, and ever changing.
As adventurers however shifters thrive, with their strange abilities making them versatile additions to any party. They tend to serve as robust skirmishers and natural hunters, and make a valuable member of any team, assuming their companions can put up with their, let’s say, eccentricities.
Roleplaying a Shifter
When first playing a shifter, do consider their views on their own mutations. Is it something which they are happy with, proud of, or still confused or afraid of?
Also consider what reactions they have faced from others for them, as this will likely shape their view on the rest of the world.
Do you hide your mutations, or proudly display them to instill fear in people you meet?
Shifter Quirks
To help create a bit of the odd personality or apperance that tends to come from going through the changes of being a Shifter, this table can help spark some ideas for your character. They are optional, but can help flesh out what makes you stand out.
| d12 | Quirk |
|---|---|
| 1 | Your eyes are of mismatched colors. |
| 2 | Your hair grows at an extreme rate. |
| 3 | Your thoughts are as fluid as your physical form, leaving you aloof and easily distracted. |
| 4 | As you turn into more of a predator, so does your appetites change. You crave raw meat above all else. |
| 5 | You, literally, sleep with one eye open. |
| 6 | Your mouth is full of different kinds of teeth, mixed from various races and monsters that you have encountered in your travels. |
| 7 | To better hunt, your natural body rhythm starts to change to nocturnal, leaving you tired and cranky during the day. |
| 8 | You grow very protective of the rest of your pack, ie your party. |
| 9 | Your jawline widens, resembling that of a snake, and your tongue becomes forked. |
| 10 | Your hair color and growth rate changes with the seasons. |
| 11 | Each morning when you wake up your eyes are a different color than when you went to sleep the night before. |
| 12 | The pupils of your eyes has changed to resemble those of a cat, a goat, or some other animal or beast. |
Shifter Class Table
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | 1st level | 2nd level | 3rd level | 4th level | 5th level | Mutations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Catalyst, Natural Weapon, Unarmored Defense | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2nd | +2 | Mutations, Catalyst Magic | 1 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 3rd | +2 | Evolved Offense, Ranged Weaponry | 1 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 5th | +3 | Rapid Attacks | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | 4 |
| 6th | +3 | Catalyst feature, Primal Strikes | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | 4 |
| 7th | +3 | Always In Motion | 2 | 6 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | 5 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 6 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | 6 |
| 9th | +4 | - | 2 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - | 6 |
| 10th | +4 | Catalyst feature | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - | 7 |
| 11th | +4 | - | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 7 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 8 |
| 13th | +5 | Evasion | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | 8 |
| 14th | +5 | Catalyst feature | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | 9 |
| 15th | +5 | - | 4 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | 9 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | 9 |
| 17th | +6 | - | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
| 18th | +6 | - | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 |
| 20th | +6 | Endless Evolution | 4 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 11 |
Creating a Shifter
As you create a Shifter, consider how you will fit in with your party. Your wide range of natural weapon and mutation options gives you a lot of flexibility in how you can tackle the problems you’ll face, and making good choices with these abilities will greatly influence what you can do.
Also consider how your Shifter fits into their surroundings. Shifters are by nature not very well received, and how you dealt with persecution, suspicion, and fear will play a big part in the journey your have taken before becoming an adventurer. How do you hide your more alien features, and how do you get by with routine tasks involving social interactions?
While these things often make Shifters natural loners, most are in that position not by their own choosing, so the acceptance of your party will likely be a very meaningful thing to you. As you shift and become less and less yourself over time, it can really help to have a friend handy to keep you sane, and to remember who you are…
Quick Build
You can make a shifter quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Hermit background.
Class Features
As a shifter, you have the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Shifter level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per Shifter level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons
Tools: none
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose two Skills from Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, and Stealth
Starting Equipment
You start with the following items, plus anything provided by your Background.
- (a) a Light Crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a Scholar's Pack, (b) an Explorer’s Pack, or (c) a Dungoneer’s Pack
- Leather Armor, a Component pouch, and a dagger
Alternatively, you can ignore the equipment listed above and in your background, and buy 4d4 x 10 gp worth of equipment from Chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook.
Catalyst
At 1st level, you have been changed somehow, and continue to shift and change as you level up. The source of this change, its Catalyst, help define the flavor of your abilities. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level, and affects the Spell list used for your Catalyst Magic.
Natural Weapon
When first manifesting the powers granted by this class, a shifter’s hands mutate to manifest a set of natural weapons of some kind. The weapons appearance varies greatly from user to user, and based on the chosen Catalyst. Whether they are a set of razor-sharp claws instead of nails, a pair of long and sharp wrist-blades, or just hardened bone and skin to allow for a powerful slam attack, they deal 1d6 physical damage of an appropriate type (piercing, slashing, or bludgeoning). You can use either Dexterity or Strength for the Attack and Damage Rolls of your unarmed strikes with these natural weapons.
Unarmored Defense
As one of your first changes when you become a Shifter you manifest a form of natural defense. You gain one of the following features of your choice.
Unnatural Toughness
Your bones harden, and muscles grow thick and wiry, making you harder to harm. While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier.
Thick Hide
Your skin thickens, grows fur, or shifts into a scaly hide. While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your Armor Class equals 13 + your Constitution modifier.
Catalyst Magic
At 2nd level, the constantly shifting and evolving nature of your form has changed you and allowed you access to the casting of some Spells. See chapter 10 of the Player’s Handbook for the general rules of Spellcasting.
Cantrips
You know two Cantrips of your choice from the Shifter spell list. You learn additional Shifter Cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Shifter table.
Spell Slots
The Shifter table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your shifter spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
For example, if you know the 1st-level spell fog cloud and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast fog cloud using either slot.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
At 2nd level, you know two 1st-level Spells of your choice. These are selected from the Shifter spell list, or from the expanded spell lists for your chosen Catalyst.
You learn a new Shifter spell when you gain a level. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what's shown in the table's Slot Level column for your level. When you reach 9th level, for example, you learn a new Shifter spell, which can be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Shifter Spells you know and replace it with another spell from the appropriate spell list for your Catalyst, which also must be of a level for which you have Spell Slots.
Spellcasting Ability
Constitution is your Spellcasting ability for your Shifter Spells, so you use your Constitution whenever a spell refers to your Spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Constitution modifier when Setting the saving throw DC for a Shifter spell you cast and when Making an Attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Constitution modifier
Spell Attack modifier = Proficiency bonus + Constitution modifier
Spellcasting Focus
As your catalyst changes your body, and is the source of your magic, all of your mutations and evolved features act as a Spellcasting Focus for your Shifter spells.
Mutations
The evolution of your form causes it to alter in various natural or unnatural ways, allowing you to perform feats which would be impossible for normal individuals.
At 2nd level, you gain two Mutations of your choice. Your mutation options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain Shifter levels, you gain additional mutations of your choice.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the mutations you know and replace it with another mutation that you could learn at that level. A level prerequisite in a mutation refers to Shifter level, not character level.
On Shifters and Magic
As a shifter, you do not cast spells in the traditional sense, but rather you are able to shift and mutate your body to produce temporary spell-like effects. When describing your spellcasting, think about how your body shifts and adapts to create the effect of the spell. The effect of the spell is the same as for a spellcaster of any other class, but your method of spellcasting is special.
As an example, casting Shield spell would cause your natural armor to reactively harden, when you cast Stinking Cloud you might take a deep breath and exhale the cloud in question, and when you cast Sleep you might release pheromones to cause nearby enemies to drift off to sleep.
Such details don’t limit you in any way or provide you with any benefit. You don’t have to justify how you’re using mutations to cast a spell. But describing your spellcasting creatively is a fun way to distinguish yourself from other spellcasters.
The exception to this are your cantrips, which is the extent to which their innate magic allows a Shifter to directly affect their surroundings with magic alone.
Evolved Offense
Upon reaching 3rd level, the Shifter manifests a secondary natural weapon, which it can use on each of its turns as a Bonus Action, as long as the Attack action is not being performed to attack with any regular weapons. These natural weapons also all count as unarmed attacks, and have the Finesse and Light properties (unless explicitly saying otherwise). Exactly how, or where on your body, these things manifest is up to you. Functionally though, you gain one of the following features of your choice.
At 11th level you manifest a second natural weapon from the list below. You cannot pick the same one a second time. Whenever you qualify to attack with these natural weapons as a Bonus Action, you can attack with both of them.
Tentacle
One or several long tentacles protrude from your body. You can make a melee attack against a creature, and your reach increases by 10 feet for this attack. On a hit, the target takes 1d4 bludgeoning damage, and if it's Large or smaller, you pull it up to 10 feet closer to you.
Tail Swipe
You have grown a tail, which you can use to perform a melee attack against a creature, and your reach increases by 5 feet for this attack. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage.
Pincer
One of your hands (or tail, if you have one) grow into a large crab-like pincer. Make a melee attack against a target, dealing 1d6 bludgeoning damage on a hit.
Additionally, upon hitting an attack against a creature with this natural weapon, you can also attempt to grapple them. This secondary attack lacks the Finesse property.
Poisoned Spike
Make a melee attack against a target within reach, dealing 1d4 piercing damage, and the target must make a Constitution saving throw against your Spell save DC, taking 1d6 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Bite
You have grown sharp fangs, large tusks, strong mandibles, or other large teeth that allows for dangerous bites. Make a melee attack against a target, dealing 1d8 piercing damage on a hit.
Horns
Make a melee attack against a target within range, dealing 1d6 piercing damage on a hit. If the target is size Large or smaller, you can choose to push the target up to 10 feet away. This secondary attack lacks the Finesse property.
Ranged Weaponry
At 3rd level you manifest an additional natural weapon for attacking your prey at range. These natural weapons all require an Action to use, but they also leave you eligible to use the weaponry from Evolved Offense as a bonus action, if you have targets in range.
Just as with all of your other natural weapons, the exact form these manifest into will vary from shifter to shifter, and often depend on the catalyst of that shifter.
Poisoned Quills
You grow poisonous quills somewhere on your body, which can easily detach when you so wish them to. As an action, you can make a ranged weapon attack to launch the quills against a creature within 60 feet. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 poison damage, plus your Constitution modifier, and it can’t take reactions until the end of your next turn.
The damage of these quills increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).
Acid Spit
Your stomach produces an unusually strong acid, allowing you to digest many things which would be inedible to others. You can also spit large globs of this acid a creature within 30 feet. Make a ranged spell attack, and on a hit the target takes 1d10 acid damage, plus your Constitution modifier.
The damage of this acid increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).
Eyebeam
One of your eyes is abnormally large and bulbous, and have a faint glow to it. As an action, you can focus your gaze on a creature, and make a ranged weapon attack, as you create a bright beam from this eye. On a hit, it takes 1d8 necrotic damage, plus your Constitution modifier, and its speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of your next turn.
The damage of this beam increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two Ability Scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Rapid Attacks
Beginning at 5th level, you can Attack twice with your natural melee weapon, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on Your Turn.
Primal Strikes
At 6th level, your attacks with all of your natural weapons manifested from this class count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Always In Motion
At 7th level you start to grow a greater degree of control of the chaotic forces at work within yourself. At the end of each Long Rest you can choose one of your Mutations to replace with another one. You must meet all prerequisites for the newly selected Mutation as well.
Evasion
At 13th level, your instincts and natural reactions continue to evolve and improve, letting you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon’s lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Endless Evolution
At 20th level, you truly become a creature of endlessly shifting chaos. Your form changes day by day, so much so that you sometimes don’t even recognize yourself anymore. Whenever you finish a short or long rest you can replace one of your Mutations, or a natural weapon gained from this class with a different one of your choice.
Catalysts
The exact origin of a Shifter can be very varied, and to truly try to categorize them is a tricky affair. Each of the Catalysts are in themselves fairly broad categories, although with similar base themes.
The Catalyst of a Shifter’s powers also affect the visual nature of the various natural weapons and mutations they develop. No two sets of claws or fangs are necessarily the same.
Nature
There are many specific catalysts that can be considered to stem from nature, but a few of the more common ones can be when a creature from the material plane gets lost in the wilderness of the Feywild for so long that they start to forget their own form, as either a reward or punishment from a nature deity or powerful spirit, or as a part of great druidic rituals to create guardians for their sacred groves.
There are many paths through the forest, but whatever your path has been, it has led you to become a nature catalyst shifter. Your form shifts towards a hybrid animal, as you mutate to manifest the various features of the beasts of the wild. Your claws will likely be like those of a great cat, your horns like those of a great elk, or your hide like the thick fur of a bear. Regardless of the exact mutations you might manifest, and while they each individually come from nature itself, you yourself shift step by step towards becoming something brand new; a perfect predator, and the top of the food chain.
Nature Expanded Spells
Your nature catalyst lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a shifter spell. The following spells are added to the shifter spell list for you.
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | Animal Friendship, Longstrider |
| 2nd | Locate Object, Pass Without Trace |
| 3rd | Meld Into Stone, Call Lightning |
| 4th | Greater Invisibility, Locate Creature |
| 5th | Awaken, Commune with Nature |
Born of Nature
At 1st level, you learn the Guidance cantrip, and gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Nature, or Survival. You also learn the Sylvan language.
Light on Your Feet
Starting at 6th level your step quickens, and your reflexes improve. You become proficient with Dexterity saving throws, and your movement speed increases by 10 feet.
Wild Empathy
By 10th level, you learn to speak with animals as per the Speak with Animals spell. You also gain a kinship with the beasts of the wild, and gain advantage on all Charisma (Persuasion), Charisma (Intimidation), or Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks to interact with beasts, monstrosities, or fey creatures.
Apex Predator
Starting at 14th level, you can use your Bonus Action to become a form of a perfect predator for 1 minute. While in this form your appearance changes to be a bestial version of yourself, and you can attack enemies up to 15 feet away with your natural weapons, and when you do so you teleport to an empty space adjacent to them.
Your natural armor also thickens, and you gain resistance to Piercing, Slashing, and Bludgeoning damage, but you also gain vulnerability to damage from Silvered weapons for the duration. Once you have used this ability you can not do so again until you have completed a long rest.
Otherworldly
For a shifter with an otherworldly catalyst, life is a slow descent into the very strange, and often terrifying. Whether your catalyst was a reality-changing contagion from the Far Realms, a horrible curse, a deal with the devil gone wrong, or just having drunk an alchemical concoction that you probably shouldn’t have, your body is mutating towards something not of this world.
While, just as with any shifter, the exact nature of one’s mutations are inherently random, and hugely varied, the general commonality for those with an otherworldly catalysts is that their mutations tend to lean towards the demonic, chaotic, or downright cthulhian. Over time an otherworldly shifter becomes a horrifying creature to behold, a nightmare made flesh.
Otherworldly Expanded Spells
Your otherworldly catalyst lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a shifter spell. The following spells are added to the shifter spell list for you.
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | Armor of Agathys, Arms of Hadar |
| 2nd | Darkness, Silence |
| 3rd | Fear, Vampiric Touch |
| 4th | Shadow of Moil, Evard's Black Tentacles |
| 5th | Contagion, Dream |
From Beyond
At 1st level, you learn the Minor Illusion cantrip, and gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Arcana, Deception, or Religion. You also learn either Deep Speech, Infernal, or Abyssal language, depending on the exact nature of your mutations.
Alien Mind
Starting at 6th level, your mind has changed enough that most mind-influencing abilities have a harder time affecting you, making you Proficient with Wisdom saving throws. If you roll a natural 20 on such a saving throw, the effect is instead reflected back at its source. It is best not to look too closely at the deeper recesses of your mind.
Sight Beyond
At 10th level, the magic that is changing your body starts to become visible to your naked eye. You can cast detect magic at will, without expending a spell slot. You also gain advantage on Intelligence (Arcana) checks to identify spells, either ones that are already in place or ones just being cast.
Stuff of Nightmares
Starting at 14th level, you can use your Bonus Action to change into a shadowy monster for 1 minute. While in this form you turn into a demonic or generally monstrous version of yourself, hidden in darkness that seems to move with you and extends 10 feet in every direction around you. The first time any creature starts its turn within this darkness it must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save DC or become frightened of you until this ability ends. The frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Any creature outside of this darkness also has disadvantage on any ranged attacks made against you. Once you have used this ability you can not do so again until you have completed a long rest.
Mutations
If a mutation has Prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the mutation at the same time that you meet its Prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.
What each individual mutation looks like is unique to each Shifter. When deciding how exactly each mutation manifests, do consider the character’s origin, and the cohesive theme across all of the mutations. Most importantly though, be creative and have fun with it, as this is a big part in what makes your Shifter your own.
Eyes of the Night
You can see normally in Darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet.
Aquatic Adaptation
You manifest gills and grow webbing between your toes and fingers, and can now breathe underwater, and you gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.
Cricket’s Step
Your long jump is 30 feet and your high jump is up to 15 feet, without a running start. With a running start, both of these distances increase by 10 feet. Additionally, your speed increases by 5 feet while you aren’t wearing any armor.
Spider’s Grip
You gain climb speed equal to your normal movement speed, and can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, your speed increases by 5 feet while you aren’t wearing any armor.
Skittish
Prerequisite: 5th level
You start to adopt a more animal-like movement style in combat, staying light on your feet and quick to move, which allows you to take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action.
Chameleon’s Cloak
Prerequisite: 9th level
Your skin can shift and change in color to mimic your surroundings, giving you advantage on all Dexterity (Stealth) checks. You can also attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.
Cloak of Flies
As a bonus action, you can surround yourself with a cloud of buzzing flies. The cloud extends 5 feet from you in every direction, but not through total cover. It lasts until you're incapacitated or you dismiss it as a bonus action. The flies grants you advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks but disadvantage on all other Charisma checks. Any other creature that starts its turn in the cloud takes poison damage equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 0 damage).
Once you use this mutation, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Pounce
Prerequisite: 7th level
You can take the Dash action as a bonus action. If you move at least 10 feet in a straight line during this Dash action before taking the Attack action with your natural weapons you gain a +5 bonus to each attacks’ damage roll.
Feeding Frenzy
Prerequisite: 5th level
As you grow closer to the beast within you, it’s appetites grow stronger. As an action on your turn you can feast on the corpse of a fallen creature to gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your Constitution modifier + your Shifter level (minimum of 1).
Once you use this mutation, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Large Ears
You gain the Keen Hearing trait, giving you advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Wisdom (Insight) checks that rely on hearing. Additionally, you gain a basic form of sonar, in the form of Blindsense with a range of 15 feet.
Scent
You gain the Keen Scent trait, giving you advantage on Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) checks that rely on smell. Additionally, as you can smell danger looming, you have advantage on Initiative rolls.
Hunter’s Eye
Your visions grow sharp and focused, or you grow a third eye somewhere on your face. Gain the Keen Vision trait, giving you advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks that rely on sight. If you have Darkvision the range of this is also extended by +30 feet.
Wings
Prerequisite: 14th level
You grow large wings on your back, giving you a Fly speed equal to your normal movement speed.
Elemental Infusion
Prerequisite: 9th level
Your catalyst source infuses your mutations with elemental powers, and you gain Resistance to either Fire, Cold, Lightning, Acid, or Poison damage. Each of your melee natural weapon attacks also add +1 damage of this elemental type, as your claws crackle with lightning, teeth drip with acid, or tail hangs heavy with icicles.
Manta Glide
You have ray-like fins that you can use as wings to slow your fall or allow you to glide. When you fall and aren't incapacitated, you can subtract up to 100 feet from the fall when calculating falling damage, and you can move up to 2 feet horizontally for every 1 foot you descend.
Rapid Regeneration
Prerequisite: 5th level
Your flesh knits back together at an incredible speed. At the start of each of your turns, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 0) if you have at least 1 hit point.
Barbed Hide
At the start of your turn, deal 1d10 piercing damage to any creature grappling you, or which you are grappling.
Frightful Presence
Prerequisite: Otherworldly Catalyst
When successfully attacking an opponent with one of your natural weapons you can use your Reaction to force each opponent within 30 feet to make a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell save DC or be Frightened until the end of your next turn.
You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.
Acid Blood
Upon taking damage from an attack you can use your Reaction to have acid blood splash from your wounds at the attacker. The attacker is forced to make a Dexterity saving throw, against your Spell save DC. They take 2d8 damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d8 at 6th level, 4d8 at 11th level, and 5d8 at 16th level.
You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.
Lacerating Slash
Prerequisite: Slashing Natural Weapon, 5th level
Your claws grow sharper, and leaves victims of successive attacks bleeding. If you land both of your slashing Natural Weapon attacks against the same target on the same turn you can cause it to bleed, causing them to take 1d8 extra damage from bleeding, and another 1d8 of damage at the start of your next turn.
You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.
Stunning Impact
Prerequisite: Bludgeoning Natural Weapon, 5th level
You learn to land an especially powerful slam, staggering your opponent and leaving them stunned. When you hit an enemy with a Strength-based attack with a bludgeoning natural weapon on your turn you can also force them to make a Constitution saving throw against your Spell Save DC, and if they fail this roll they are stunned until the start of your next turn.
You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.
Poison Sacs
Prerequisite: Claw, Bite, Poisoned Quills or Poisoned Spike natural attacks, 5th level
You are able to produce a potent poison, which you can inject your foes with from an appropriate natural weapon attack. When you land a hit with such a natural weapon attack you can force the target to make a Constitution saving throw, against your Spell Save DC, and on a failed roll the target is Poisoned. This poison lasts 1 minute, but the target can attempt a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns.
You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.
Soulgazer
Prerequisite: Otherworldly Catalyst
You turn your gaze to one creature you can see within 30 feet. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save DC. On a failed save, the target succumbs to a magical slumber, falling unconscious for 1 minute or until someone uses an action to shake the target awake. Undead and creatures immune to being charmed aren't affected by it.
Relentless Hunter
Prerequisites: Nature Catalyst, 7th level
When you set your mind on the pursuit of your prey, as a bonus action, you can ignore difficult terrain, and magical effects can't reduce your speed or cause you to be paralyzed or restrained. You can spend 5 feet of movement to escape from nonmagical restraints or being grappled. This lasts for 10 minutes.
Once you have used this ability you need to take a short or long rest to regain the use of it.
Flexible Joints
Your bones can bend, and your limbs twist and contort in ways which would normally cause significant injury. You can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing, and you have advantage on attempts to escape being grappled.
Additionally, upon taking damage from a spell or an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce this damage by half, as your body bends with the blow, rather than breaking from it.
You can use this part of the mutation a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.
Magic Resistance
Prerequisite: 12th level
Your mind starts shifting and mutating just like your physical form. You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Enhanced Adrenal Glands
Prerequisite: Strength 15
As a bonus action you can send your adrenal glands into overdrive, giving you advantage on all Strength checks for 1 minute. Additionally, for the duration of this ability your attacks deal 1d4 extra damage.
You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.
Electric Organ
Prerequisite: 3rd level
Just like an electric eel, you build up an internal electrical current which you can discharge against an unsuspecting attacker. When a creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to deliver an electric shock to them, dealing lightning damage equal to your Constitution modifier.
Bloodthirsty
Prerequisite: 14th level
As you become more beast than man you start to crave the thrill of the hunt, and of the kill. The first time each turn when you deal damage with one of your natural weapons to a creature which is missing any of its hit points, this damage is increased by 1d8.
Out of Phase
Prerequisite: 7th level, Otherworldly Catalyst
You start to grow less a part of the material plane, and for brief moments you can turn partially incorporeal. After you are hit with an attack and take damage, you can use your reaction to move up to half your speed away from the attacker. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.
Pack Hunter
Prerequisite: 7th level, Nature Catalyst
Your natural instincts change to approach combat like one of the many pack hunting predators of the wild. When a creature within 5 feet of you makes an attack against a target other than you, you can use your reaction to make a single melee weapon attack with one of your natural weapons against the attacking creature.
Bone Plating
One or both of your arms are covered in hard bone plating, dull spikes, or a general calcite growth. This increases your Armor Class by +2, while you are not wearing armor or using a shield.
Absorb Magic
Prerequisite: 9th level
The volatile and chaotic magic that is at work within you can have unusual effects on nearby magic. You have learned to exert a moderate amount of control over this. When a creature within 5 feet of you casts a spell, you can use your reaction to absorb the spell, and suffer 3 points of damage per level of the spell, but negating the intended effect of the spell. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.
Breath Weapon
Prerequisite: 3rd level
You can use your action to exhale a 20 ft cone of an elemental type (fire, frost, lightning, or acid) as chosen when you first manifest this ability. When you use your breath weapon, each creature in the area of the exhalation must make a Dexterity saving throw, against your Spell save DC. A creature takes 1d8 damage on a failed save, plus your Constitution modifier, or half as much on a successful save.
The damage of the breath weapon increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).
You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.
Versatile Ranged Offense
Prerequisite: 5th level
Select a second natural ranged weapon from the Ranged Weaponry class feature, which you manifest. You can also attack with both of your two ranged natural weapons in a single attack action, but when you do so the number of damage dice are divided between the two attacks. At 5th level this means that you do two attacks dealing one damage dice each, rather than them doing two dice each.
Shifter Spell List
Cantrips
- Control Flames
- Dancing Lights
- Friends
- Gust
- Light
- Mage Hand
- Mending
- Message
- Mold Earth
- Prestidigitation
- Shape Water
1st Level
- Absorb Elements
- Cause Fear
- Chaos Bolt
- Command
- Detect Magic
- Disguise Self
- Earth Tremor
- Expeditious Retreat
- Faerie Fire
- Feather Fall
- Fog Cloud
- Jump
- Shield
- Sleep
- Speak With Animals
2nd Level
- Alter Self
- Blur
- Darkvision
- Detect Thoughts
- Dragon’s Breath
- Enhance Ability
- Enlarge/Reduce
- Gust of Wind
- Invisibility
- Mirror Images
- Misty Step
- See Invisibility
- Silence
- Spider Climb
- Suggestion
- Warding Bond
- Web
3rd Level
- Blink
- Feign Death
- Fly
- Gaseous Form
- Haste
- Nondetection
- Stinking Cloud
- Water Breathing
- Water Walk
4th Level
- Dimension Door
- Freedom of Movement
- Polymorph
- Stoneshape
- Stoneskin
5th Level
- Cloudkill
- Far Step
- Skill Empowerment
- Steel Wind Strike
- Telekinesis
Magical Items
Much in the same way that a chaotic catalyst turn a creature into a Shifter, so there are many wondrous objects around the world. These items, due to their similar nature and origin, can often have very special effects on a shifter who carries or use them.
Changestone
Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement by a Shifter)
These stones, found deep in the feywild or in the outer reaches of the far realms, are palm-sized rocks of very varied nature. Their exact shape, texture, and colors change and shift whenever they are not observed. To ordinary people this can make the stones very hard to differentiate from normal stones, but to a shifter they have an almost magnetic pull. As a shifter, while carrying a Changestone on your person, any mutations you have manifested that can be used a number of times per day equal to your Constitution modifier can be used an additional time.
Flitterwhiff
Wonderous Item, uncommon
Originally harvested from a semi-sentient and rather aggressive mold in the Feywild, Flitterwiff was given its name to sound more appealing to its audience. Distributed and sold as a fine powder it acts as a colorful hallucinogenic when inhaled in small doses. If too much is taken however it can cause a creature to start to unravel, bones turn soft, and facial features turn almost blurry, causing 3d6 points of magic damage. If the person ingesting the powder in such quantities is a Shifter however, it would instead trigger one of their mutations to unravel, and for them to instead manifest a new mutation of their choice.
Optional Rule: Multiclassing
Ability Score Requirements: You must have at least a Constitution score of 13 and Strength or Dexterity score of 13 to take a level in this class or multiclass into another class as a Shifter. Proficiencies: If Shifter is not your first class, you gain no additional proficiencies when taking your first level in the class, aside from what is given for the Level 1 Catalyst features.
Credits
The Shifter class was created and written by Appleheart (u/Appleheart). It was greatly assisted by many great individuals on r/UnearthedArcana and its official discord, Discord of Many Things, as well as the Mage Hand Press community discord. It also received great support and assistance from a certain Waterdeep Heist campaign group, known only as the Backstreet Boys.
This class took inspiration from a variety of sources, but most notably:
- Shifter class for Pathfinder
- Synthesist class for Pathfinder
- Jurassic Park
The Shifter is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy and created under the D&D Open Game License. Not approved or endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
Art Credits
The following art credits are in order of appearance.
- Corrupted, by Josh Corpuz
- Shapeshifter, by Aaron J Riley
- Blight Transformation, by damie-m
- Gnome Druid, by el-grimlock
- "excessive body hair? gilette has a solution!", by nebezial
Version History
- This is version 1.0.3 of the Shifter class
- Release Date: August 10th, 2020
