Morphing Magic

Every creature leaves an imprint in the weave, like a boat displacing water around it. Through study of the magic that makes up a creature's form and the will to reshape the body you've been born into, a shapeshifter can transform themselves into a variety of new forms.

Living Bestiary

Unlike druids, the other prolific humanoid shapechangers, who act for the preservation of nature, shapeshifters act almost entirely to their own whims and desires. They are conquering nature in their own way. Shapeshifters often set out on journeys to clash with beasts on their own terms and discover new creatures to emulate. This brings them into contact with adventurers frequently. Shapeshifters keep the company of heroes because of the new and interesting creatures they tend to encounter.

Creating a Shapeshifter

Shapeshfiters thrive on exploration. Your character may have experienced the majesty of a dragon firsthand or have been fascinated by how some plants can move like animals do. Some shapeshifters are former druid recruits that left their circle to pursue their own path in life. Did you study shapeshifting under a tutor or did you live in nature and come to understand the secret of shapeshifting for yourself?

Quick Build

You can make a shapeshifter quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the outlander background.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per shapeshifter level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per shapeshifter level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, Medium Armor
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose two skills from Animal Handling, Arcana, Deception, Perception, Intimidation, Nature, Persuasion, Survival, and Stealth.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background

• (a) Scale mail (b) Leather armor
• (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a spear or (b) any simple melee weapon
• An explorer's pack, and four javelins

Alternatively, you can purchase your own starting equipment. At 1st level, a shapeshifter begins with 4d4 x 10gp.

Creature Shapes

You can stay transformed for a number of hours equal to half your shapeshifter level (rounded down, minimum of 1 hour). You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.

While you are transformed, the following rules apply:

• Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the creature, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature's bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can't use them.
• When you transform, you assume the creature's hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. For example, if you take 10 damage in creature form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn't reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren't knocked unconscious.
• You can't cast spells except for those granted by the creature’s innate spellcasting or by a Chimeric Modification, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your creature form. Transforming doesn't break your concentration on a spell you've already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you've already cast.
• You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can't use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.
• You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the GM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.
• If the Creature forces a target to make a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. This is your creature save DC.
• If the creature has any material armor or weapons you can’t use them unless you posses the same armor or weapon, or it can be readily found, as in the case of rocks.
• If the creature has an ability or action that can only be used a certain number of times per day, once you expend all of its uses you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.
• If the creature has an ability that recharges after a short or long rest, once you use it you cannot use it again until you yourself finish a short or long rest.
• If the creature has an action that recharges after rolling a d6, such as a breath weapon, you can use it a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier. You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Plant Shape

At 3rd level, you can use your Change Shape feature to transform into a plant of appropriate challenge rating.

Plant Hybrid

At 3rd level, you can become an plant in the shape of a beast. When you use change shape to transform into a beast you can choose to gain the following benefits:

• Your type is changed to plant. You appear as a beast composed of plant matter.
• You gain resistance to piercing damage
• If a creature hasn't observed you move or act, that creature must succeed on a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check to discern that you are animate.

Rooted Regeneration

Starting 7th level, you gain temporary hit points equal to your level hit points at the start of each of your turns if you are in contact with the ground. If you take fire damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of your next turn.

Also If you drop to 0 hit points while touching the ground you can choose to drop to 1 hit point instead. Once you use this trait inthis way you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Overgrowth

Starting at 11th level, you can cause your plant forms to become overgrown, increasing their size and power. When you transform into a plant you can choose to gain the following benefits, which last for 1 minute:

• Your form’s size increases by one size category. If you lack the room to grow, your size doesn’t change.
• Your reach increases by 5 feet
• You deal additional damage with your attacks equal to your natural attack
• You can cast plant growth once

Once you use this ability you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Dragon Shape

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your Change Shape feature to transform into your draconic form. You can determine the cosmetic characteristics of your draconic form such as, whether it walks on four legs or two, its color, its scale texture, or any visible effect of its Draconic Essence; your choice has no effect on its game statistics. You cannot use your fly speed until you reach the appropriate level as shwon in the Creature Shapes table.

Energy Bolt

At 3rd level, you can fire a projectile of destructive energy.

You gain a new attack option that you can use with the Attack action. This special attack is a ranged spell attack with a range of 60 feet. You are proficient with it, and you add your Constitution modifier to its attack and damage rolls. It deals acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage of your choice and its damage die is a d6. This die changes as you gain shapeshifter levels, as shown in the Natural Attack column of the Shapeshifter table.

When you gain the Extra Attack feature, this special attack can be used for any of the attacks you make as part of the Attack action.

Energy Breath

At 7th level you can harness the power of a dragon's breath. When you take the attack action on your turn you can replace one of the attacks with an exhalation of draconic energy ina 30-foot cone. Choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage. Each creature in the cone must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Creature save DC, taking damage of the chosen type equal to two rolls of your Natural Attack die on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

This damage increases to three rolls of your Natural Attack die when you reach 15th level in this class.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Draconic Immunity

Starting at 11th level, while you are in your draconic form, as an action, you can use your draconic constitution to absorb magical damage. For 10 minutes, you become immune to the damage type associated with your Chromatic Ancestry. Once you use this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Draconic Might

Beginning at 15th level, you can expend two uses of Change Shape at the same time to make your draconic form Huge. While transformed in this way your natural attacks and energy blast deal an extra 1d8 damage of the type chosen for your draconic color. You can stay in this form for 1 hour. Once you use this feature you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Aberration Shape

At 3rd level, you can use your Change Shape feature to transform into a small or larger aberration of appropriate challenge rating. Some aberrations have such strange anatomy that they are impossible for you to transform into.

Tentacle

At 3rd level, your natural attack gains the reach property and you can choose for it to deal psychic damage.

Alien Mind

At 7th level, your alien way of thinking confounds those who seek to control your mind. You are immune to being charmed and your mind cannot be read unless you allow it.

Gaze of the Abyss

Starting at 11th level, As an action, you gain the ability to see the world as it really is. You gain truesight out to 60 feet. This special sight lasts for 1 minute or until your concentration ends (as if you were concentrating on a spell).

Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Gazer of the Abyss

At 11th level you can take one minute to transform into a gazer without expending a use of change shape. You can stay in this form indefinitely until you use a bonus action to end the transformation or are reduced 0 hit points.

Phase Shift

At 15th level, you are able to go out of sync with normal reality. As an action, you gain the ability to move through solid objects as if they were difficult terrain, you gain resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage, and you gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed that allows you to hover. This ability lasts for 1 minute or until your concentration ends (as if you were concentrating on a spell).

You take 1d10 force damage if you are inside an object when phase shift ends and are immediately pushed into the nearest unoccupied space. Once you use this ability you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Ooze Shape

At 3rd level, You can expend a use of change shape to transform into your Ooze Form. While in your Ooze For, you do not need to breathe. You determine the color, texture, and translucentness of your Oooze form at creation and can change your shape at will as long as you remain the same size category.

Pseudopod

At 3rd level, You can choose for your natural attack to deal acid damage

Improved Goo

Starting at 7th level, Your Engulf deals an extra 1d6 acid damage initially and on subsequent turns. You can also eat through 2-inch-thick, nonmagical wood or metal in 1 round.

Split

Starting at 11th level, as an action you can expend two use of Change Shape at the same time to transform into two oozes with your ooze form's stats.

Each ooze is you and can communicate telepathically with the other within 1000 feet. You can maintian this split for 1 hour after which you choose an ooze to revert into while the other vanishes. You are only returned to your normal form as a result of damage if both oozes have their hitpoints reduced to 0, after which you choose an ooze body to revert into.

Jelly Juggernaut

Starting at 15th level you can choose for your ooze form to become Large. While enlarged in this way your Engulf deals an extra 1d6 acid damage initially and on subsequent turns.

Swarm Shape

At 3rd level, you can use Change Shape to transform into your Swarm Form. You determine the appearance of the swarm and what kind of creature you are a swarm of. You cannot use your fly speed until you reach the appropriate level as shwon in the Creature Shapes table.

Hive's Rebuke

At 7th level when you take damage from a creature within 10 feet if you you can lash out with your swarm. The creature must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking piercing damage equal to two rolls of your natural attack die on a failed save, and half damage on a successful one.

You can use this rebuke number of times equal to your charisma modifier, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Distracting

At 11th level, In your swarm form if you attack a creature in your space it must make a Constitution saving throw against your Creature save DC. If it fails, it wastes its action that turn doing nothing. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus.

In addition, a creature concentrating on a spell that starts its turn in your space must make a Constitution saving throw against your Creature save DC or lose concentration.

Insect Plague

Starting at 15th level you can expend two uses of your change shape to make your swarm form Gargantuan. You can remain in this form for 10 minutes. When you attack you can target as many creatures as are in your space with each attack.

Elemental Affinity

At 3rd level you align yourself to one of the four elements. Your choice lets you cast a cantrip associated with your element in your normal form or when transformed into an elemental. At 11th level you can select another elemental affinity. If you choose fire, you can choose for your natural attack to deal fire damage.

Elemental Shape

At 3rd level you can use your Change Shape feature to transform into your Elemental Form. While in your Elemental Form you do not need to breathe. You cannot use your flying or swimming speeds until you reach the appropriate level as shown on the creature shapes table.

Elemental Burst

At 7th level, You can unleash an explosion of elemental power. As an action, each creature of your choice within 5 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure a target takes Bludgeoning (Air, Earth, and Water) or Fire (Fire) damage equal to two rolls of your natural attack die and suffers an additional affect based on your elemental affinity. On a success the target takes half damage and suffers no additional effect.

Aggressive

As a bonus action, you can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that you can. You must end this move closer to the enemy than you started.

Ambusher

In the first round of a combat, you have advantage on attack rolls against any creature you have surprised

Blood Drinker

Once on each of your turns, when you hit a creature with your natural attack that isn't a Construct or an Undead, you regain 1d6 hit points.

Bioluminescence

You can choose to shed bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 ft.

Chameleon Skin

prerequisite 15th level

You can cast invisibility at will. Charisma is your Spellcasting ability for this spell

Death Burst

prerequisite 5th level

When you revert back to your normal form you explode in a burst of magical energy. Each creature of your choice within 5 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw equal to your creature save DC, taking 2d6 force damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one.

Double Strike

If you have both hands free, when you attack with your natural attack, you can use a bonus action to make another attack with your natural attack. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative.

False Appearance

If a creature hasn't observed you move or act, that creature must succeed on a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check to discern that you are animate.

Fey Ancestry

You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.

Keen Senses

You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.

Long-Legged

Your walking speed increases by 10 feet

Natural Armor

Your armor class equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier when you are not wearing armor.

Tough Skin

prerequisite 9th level

You are resistant to nonmagical bludgeoning piercing and slashing damage.

Pack Tactics

You have attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Pounce

If you move least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hit it with a weapon attack or natural attack on the same turn that target must succeed on a Strength saving throw equal to your Creature Save DC or be knocked prone. If the target is knocked prone, you can make one natural attack against it as a bonus action.

Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Venom

Once on each of your turns, when you hit with your natural attack a creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw equal to your Creature Save DC or take 1d8 extra poison damage on a failed save or half as much on a sucessful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.

Siege Monster

prerequisite 5th level

You deal double damage to objects and structures.

Size Shifter

prerequisite 5th level

You can cast enlarge-reduce on yourself once without requireing components. Once you cast enlarge-reduce in this way you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your Spellcasting ability for this spell

Spider Climb

You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. You can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Control Lightning

Transmutation cantrip

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: S
• Duration: Instantaneous, or 1 hour (see below)

You choose nonmagical lightning or fire that you can see within range and that fits within a 5-foot cube. You affect it in one of the following ways:

• If you target an area of lightning you extended it 5 feet in one direction, provided that there is flammable or conductive material for it to spread to.
• If you target an area of lightning you double or halve the area of bright light and dim light cast by the sparks , change its color, or both. The change lasts for 1 hour.
• If you target an area of fire you energize it into lightning. The fire loses the extra energy after 1 hour.
• You cause simple shapes—such as the vague form of a creature, an inanimate object, or a location—to appear within the lightning and animate as you like. The shapes last for 1 hour.

If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to two non-instantaneous effects created by it active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.

Mold Ice

Transmutation cantrip

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 30 feet
• Components: S
• Duration: Instantaneous, or 1 hour (see below)

You choose a portion of snow or ice that you can see within range and that fits within a 5-foot cube. You manipulate it in one of the following ways:

• If you target an area of snow, you can instantaneously excavate it, move it along the ground, and deposit it up to 5 feet away. This movement doesn't involve enough force to cause damage.
• You cause shapes, colors, or both to appear on the snow or ice, spelling out words, creating images such as the vague form of a creature, or shaping patterns. The changes last for 1 hour.
• You can change ice's color or opacity. The ice or snow must be changed in the same way throughout. This change lasts for 1 hour.
• If the snow or ice you target is on the ground, you cause it to become difficult terrain. Alternatively, you can cause the ground to become normal terrain if it is already difficult terrain. This change lasts for 1 hour.

If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have no more than two of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.

Mold Mud

Transmutation cantrip

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: S
• Duration: Instantaneous, or 1 hour (see below)

You choose a portion of mud or loose soil that you can see within range and that fits within a 5-foot cube. You manipulate it in one of the following ways:

• If you target an area of mud, you can instantaneously excavate the it, move it along the ground, and deposit it up to 5 feet away. This movement doesn't involve enough force to cause damage.
• If you target an area of mud, you cause shapes, colors, or both to appear on it, spelling out words, creating images such as the vague form of a creature, or shaping patterns. The changes last for 1 hour. *If you target an area of mud you change the mud's color or viscosity. The water must be changed in the same way throughout. This change lasts for 1 hour
• If you target an area of loose earth you instantaneously transform it into mud
• If you target an area of mud you instantaneously transform it into loose earth
• If the mud you target is on the ground, you cause it to become difficult terrain. Alternatively, you can cause the ground to become normal terrain if it is already difficult terrain. This change lasts for 1 hour.

If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have no more than two of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.

Mold Dust

Transmutation cantrip

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 30 feet
• Components: S
• Duration: Instantaneous, or 1 hour (see below)

You choose an area of air above sand or loose soil, or dust suspended in the air that you can see within range and that fits within a 5-foot cube. You manipulate the cube in one of the following ways:

• If you choose an area of air above sand or loose earth you fill it with dust. As part of this action you fling the ddust 5 feet in a direction. The dust dissipates in 1 minute.
• You cause shapes, colors, or both to appear on the dust, spelling out words, creating images such as the vague form of a creature, or shaping patterns. The changes last for 1 hour.
• You can cause it to become difficult terrain. Alternatively, you can cause the air to become normal terrain if it is already difficult terrain. This allows you to create safe pockets in a dust storm. This change lasts for 1 hour.

If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have no more than two of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.

Elder Treant

Elder Treants are the wisest and most powerful of all treants. Their long verdant beards show their age.

Liquid Metal

Huge ooze, unaligned

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• Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 168 (16d12 + 64)
• Speed 20 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+6)	6 (-2)	18 (+4)	1 (-5)	6 (-2)	2 (-4)

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• Damage Resistances acid
• Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, prone
• Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 8
• Languages –
• Challenge 9 (5,900 XP)

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Amorphous. The ooze can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.

Corrode Metal. Any nonmagical weapon made of metal that hits the ooze corrodes. After dealing damage, the weapon takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to damage rolls. If its penalty drops to −5, the weapon is destroyed. Nonmagical ammunition made of metal that hits the ooze is destroyed after dealing damage. The ooze can eat through 2-inch-thick, nonmagical metal in 1 round.

False Appearance. While the ooze remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a pile of coins.

Actions

Multiattack. The Liquid Metal makes two attacks with its pseudopods.

Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 28 (8d6) acid damage, If the target is wearing nonmagical metal armor, its armor is partly corroded and takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to the AC it offers. The armor is destroyed if the penalty reduces its AC to 10.

Sapphire Ooze

Medium ooze, chaotic good

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• Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 90 (12d8 + 9)
• Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14 (+6)	17 (+3)	16 (+3)	7 (-2)	10 (0)	15 (+2)

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• Skills Persuasion +2, Perception +3
• Damage Resistances acid, bludgeoning
• Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, prone
• Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 13
• Languages Celestial, Common
• Challenge 2 (450 XP)

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Amorphous. The Ooze can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.

Actions

Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) piercing damage plus 4 (1d6) acid damage.

Heroic Infusion. While being worn as armor, as a bonus action, the ooze can bolster its wearer with a holy light giving its wearer 1d4+4 temporary hit points

Amorphous Aegis. The ooze morphs around a willing creature, transforming into crystalline armor equivalent to a mithril breastplate. While in armor form, the ooze cannot use its Psuedopod attack. If the ooze's wearer is hit with an attack, the ooze takes half of the damage its wearer takes. The ooze can revert to its true form using this action.