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Shifter

Description: (PRESTIGE CLASS) A shifter has no form they call their own. Instead, they clothe themselves in whatever shape is most expedient at the time. While others base their identities largely on their external forms, the shifter actually comes closer to their true self through all of their transformations. Of necessity, their sense of self is based not on their outward form, but on their soul, which is truly the only constant about them. It is the inner strength of that soul that enables them to take on any shape and remain themselves within.

Hit die: d8

Proficiencies: No additional proficiencies are gained.

Skill points: 4 + int modifier

Skills: animal empathy, concentration, craft armor, craft trap, craft weapon, heal, hide, listen, lore, persuade, spot

Unavailable feats: curse song, divine might, divine shield, extra music, extra turning, lingering song, quicken spell, spell focus, two-weapon fighting, weapon proficiency (exotic), weapon proficiency (martial), weapon proficiency (simple), weapon specialization
These general feats cannot be selected when taking a level of shifter.

Primary saving throw(s): fortitude, reflex

Base attack bonus: +3/4 levels

Shifter

Requirements[]

To qualify as a shifter, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria:

Feats: alertness, wild shape

Spellcasting: level 3 or higher

Level progression[]

Lvl BAB Saves Feats HP range   Forms becoming available
Fort Ref Will  
1st +0 +2 +2 +0 greater wildshape I 4-8 wyrmling
2nd +1 +3 +3 +0 8-16
3rd +2 +3 +3 +1 greater wildshape II 12-24 harpy, gargoyle, minotaur
4th +3 +4 +4 +1 infinite greater wildshape I 16-32
5th +3 +4 +4 +1 greater wildshape III 20-40 basilisk, drider, manticore
6th +4 +5 +5 +2 24-48
7th +5 +5 +5 +2 humanoid shape, infinite greater wildshape II 28-56 drow warrior, lizardfolk whipmaster, kobold commando  
8th +6 +6 +6 +2 32-64
9th +6 +6 +6 +3 36-72
10th +7 +7 +7 +3 greater wildshape IV, infinite greater wildshape III  40-80 dire tiger, medusa, mindflayer

Tip: Becoming a shifter[]

  • Only druids can become shifters in Neverwinter Nights.
Epic shifter

Epic shifter[]

The epic shifter is a true master of shapeshifting and is able to become virtually any creature imaginable by choosing epic bonus feats.

Hit die: d8

Skill points: 4 + int modifier

Bonus feats: The epic shifter gains a bonus feat every three levels. In other words, at levels 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, and 28.

Epic bonus feats: automatic quicken spell, automatic silent spell, automatic still spell, construct shape, dragon shape, epic energy resistance, epic spell focus, epic spell penetration, great wisdom, improved combat casting, outsider shape, undead shape

Unavailable epic feats: bane of enemies, epic spell: dragon knight, epic spell: epic mage armor, epic spell: epic warding, epic spell: greater ruin, epic spell: hellball, epic spell: mummy dust, epic weapon specialization, great smiting, improved ki strike 4, improved ki strike 5, improved sneak attack, improved spell resistance, improved stunning fist, lasting inspiration, mighty rage, planar turning, terrifying rage, thundering rage
These general epic feats cannot be selected when taking a level of shifter.

Epic shifter level progression[]

 Lvl  Feats HP range   Forms becoming available
11th 44-88 epic harpy, epic gargoyle, epic minotaur
12th 48-96
13th bonus feat, infinite humanoid shape 52-104
14th 56-112
15th 60-120 epic basilisk, epic drider, epic manticore
16th bonus feat, infinite greater wildshape IV 64-128
17th 68-136 epic drow warrior, epic lizardfolk whipmaster, epic kobold commando  
18th 72-144
19th bonus feat 76-152
20th 80-160
21th 84-168
22th bonus feat 88-176
23th 92-184
24th 96-192
25th bonus feat 100-200
26th 104-208
27th 108-216
28th bonus feat   112-224
29th 116-232
30th 120-240

Shifter forms[]

When in another form, some of the benefits of the shifter's weapons, armor and other items may still apply, merging with the new form. The below table lists the shifter shapes, which item properties merge, and which feat provides the shape.

Shape Weapon Items Armor
greater wildshape I
wyrmling (any)   Y Y
greater wildshape II
harpy   Y Y
gargoyle   Y Y
minotaur Y Y Y
greater wildshape III
basilisk     Y
drider Y Y Y
manticore     Y
humanoid shape
drow warrior Y Y Y
lizardfolk whipmaster  Y Y Y
kobold commando Y Y Y
greater wildshape IV
dire tiger     Y
medusa   Y Y
mindflayer   Y Y
greater wildshape II (lvl 11)
epic harpy   Y Y
epic gargoyle   Y Y
epic minotaur Y Y Y
Shape Weapon Items Armor
greater wildshape III (lvl 15)
epic basilisk     Y
epic drider Y Y Y
epic manticore   Y Y
humanoid shape (lvl 17)
epic drow warrior Y Y Y
epic lizardfolk whipmaster   Y Y Y
epic kobold commando Y Y Y
undead shape
risen lord Y Y Y
vampire   Y Y
spectre     Y
outsider shape
azer chieftain Y Y Y
rakshasa Y Y Y
death slaad lord     Y
construct shape
stone golem     Y
demonflesh golem     Y
Iron golem   Y Y
dragon shape
dragon (any)     Y

Item merge[]

  • Weapon is any melee weapon in the main hand slot.
  • Items are those in the ring slots, amulet slot, cloak slot, boots slot, or belt slot.
  • Armor is the item in the armor slot, plus a shield if in the off-hand slot and anything in the helmet slot.
  • The gloves or bracers slot and the ammunition slots never merge.
  • Rules of thumb:
    • Has a weapon? Merges all.
    • Unarmed, stands on two legs? Merges items & armor.
    • Unarmed, four or more legs? Merges armor only.
    • Exceptions to the rule are epic manticore, spectre, death slaad lord, stone golem, and demonflesh golem.
  • Because only the properties of the items are taken, and the item is "removed" and unavailable in the shifted form, any penalties from armor, such as penalties on skills, do not apply when shifted. This also means that a druid/shifter/monk who had been wearing armor or using a shield prior to shifting will have their special abilities reinstated because they will no longer be wearing armor or using a shield.
  • Because (most of) the properties taken from items are placed on a single item (a skin item), many bonuses end up not stacking. In particular, bonuses to ability scores, skills, and saving throws will not stack with like bonuses. Armor class (AC) bonuses are even more severely restricted, as these are converted to deflection bonuses as part of the merge. So if an amulet with a +3 natural AC bonus and boots with a +2 dodge AC bonus were to merge, the result would be a +3 deflection bonus.
    • The exceptions to the above are properties on a weapon. If these properties merge, they merge onto the merged form's weapon, which is not the same place where other properties end up. So while a +2 strength bonus on armor will not stack (after merging) with a +4 strength bonus on a belt, a +2 strength bonus on a weapon will. (However, AC bonuses do not benefit from this exception, as they still end up as non-stacking deflection bonuses.)
  • It is possible to save a game while in shifted form, but on reloading, any item merges are not applied (and some items that cannot be used while shifted are removed from the quickbar). To reinstate them, re-shift.

Notes[]

  • Requires Hordes of the Underdark.
  • Shifting will retain each of a character's racial bonuses/penalties to ability scores (e.g. elven +2 Dex, -2Cons) for all its applications from saving throws to DC determination (with the exception of a few that directly get the ability score instead of the modifier, e.g. shifted half-orcs do not apply their racial bonus to strength against balagarn's iron horn) unless the ability corresponding to that particular bonus/penalty is changed either as a result of the shift (including item merge and stat overriding) or following the shift. Some hardcoded aspects where this does not apply include the weight associated without being encumbered (e.g. a shifted half-orc in kobold form has a reduced ability to carry items) and in skill points on level up (e.g. a shifted half-orc gets an additional skill point causing the build to no longer be legal).
  • Spells cannot be cast while shifted, so self-buffs must be cast before shifting.
  • The shifter and druid shapeshifting feats cannot be dispelled.
  • Spell resistance from the shapes does not stack with the monk's diamond soul feat.
  • All of the shapes which require an epic shifter actually require greater wildshape IV. Hence, they can be taken with 10 levels of shifter as opposed to 11.
  • Characters cannot take the simple, martial, or exotic weapon proficiency feats on a shifter (or druid) level. An elven shifter will receive racial bonus proficiencies in longsword, rapier, longbow, and shortbow. In order to gain additional proficiencies, a level of a third class can be taken.

External links[]

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