Shifters!

[Symar-FangofLloth]

Recent game changes brought new ideas on this topic to mind. So here we go!

Appearance:

Artists can't seem to decide, at least in 3.5, what Shifters looked like. We ranged from mutton-chop lady (whom intrudes on half-orc territory anyway! ):

to furry natives:

None of which are very good.

4e made it a little better, although still falls short in the Monster Manual:

The actual 4e Shifter racial entry in PHB2, however, is the ideal shifter appearance IMO:


As far as appearance changes go while shifting, I personally feel that they are unnecessary. Maybe an animation change, though. Have normal attack and run animations be the same as humans, and while shifted, a more bestial approach, with growling and clawing and biting tossed into the attack chain (but not slowing weapon attacks down at all!). If that fails, go with the new animations the whole time.

Stats:
The basics are simple. +2 Dex, -2 Int, -2 Cha, +2 Balance, +2 Jump.
Shifting is where it gets tricky, but that's where I also have ideas. Set the initial Shifting up as a bonus feat, similar to HalfElves. It will be usable 1/rest, lasting for 6*(3+ConMod) seconds. Increase the uses to 2 at level 10, and there are enhancements to get more.

Longtooth- +2 Str, Regen 1hp/6s, and 20% of a Bite proc. The Bite deals 1d6+StrMod damage, and has a -5 penalty to hit in addition to your normal modifiers. Any items or abilities that add effects to your unarmed attacks also apply here. (Monks don't deal increased damage die.)

Razorclaw- +2 Str, +1 Dodge to AC, and 30% of a Claw proc. The Claw deals 1d4+1/2StrMod damage, and has a -2 penalty to hit in addition to your normal modifiers. Any items or abilities that add effects to your unarmed attacks also apply here. (Monks don't deal increased damage die.)

Dreamsight- +2 Wis, the effects of See Invisibility, and all your weapons have Ghost Touch.


Race specific feats:
Longtooth Elite- Your bite damage die increases to 1d8, it now counts as Magic and Silver for overcoming DR, and you deal one point of Con damage with each successful bite. The proc chance increases to 30%. Your Shifts now last 12 seconds longer.

Razorclaw Elite- Your claw attacks now count as Magic and Silver for overcoming DR, have the attack penalty removed, and have the proc chance increased to 40%. Your shifts now last 12 seconds longer.

Dreamsight Elite- While shifted, you now gain True Seeing, a +2 bonus to Spell Penetration, and immunity to mind-affecting spells and abilities. Your shifts now last 12 seconds longer.

Extra Shifter Trait- Pick one of Longtooth, Razorclaw, or Dreamsight, that you do not already have. You now gain those effects as well as your original while Shifting, and you qualify for the Elite feat. You can only take this once.

Enhancements will need:
Extra Shifting, Extended Shifting (the 12s length increase from the feats should be included with the base before multiplying the Extend on it)
Shifter Rage- requires Rage, this will give you a button that makes you Shift and Rage simultaneously, use up one of each, but last the entirety of whichever is longer, your shift duration or your rage duration.


Numbers probably need some tweaking, and they should probably get up to Toughness 3. I just had to get this idea out.
I feel like I couldn't put it into words properly, but I hope I got the point across.

[Templarion]

Nice pictures. I like concept art.


Anyway, I say what I have said before: DDO should use it's current mechanics & content in more various ways rather than create new content which doesn't vary from the old.

[danbuterx]

When I first started playing DDO a couple weeks ago, I was quite surprised that Shifters aren't a player race. They are a major part of tabletop Eberron. If the big hold-up is their changing shape, why not just NOT have them change shape when they use their abilities? What would it hurt to have them look the same, if it would actually get them added into the game? It wouldn't bother me one bit.

And my favorite pic of a shifter is:

[Diyon]

Yes to shifters, and I agree, I do like the art for shifters in 4e.

I'm not too familiar with their stats but would what you propose hear sounds good to me.

[wiglin]

I made some suggestions to the race a few months ago and how they could work in ddo.

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=293689

I would like to see shifters (core race of eberron not the 3.5 prc) added to ddo. Here are some ideas that would fit ddo and add some nice flavor.

For the animation and look, Turbine could use half-orc as a base and then just adjust their overall size to about half-elf height while maintaining body proportions. Then allow for various facial features in character creation.

The shifter forms could be chosen at creation as a bonus feat. PnP only allows the abilities for a short time, but in ddo that would be pointless since our dungeons have a lot more encounters than pnp. The shifter traits could be a stance that can be toggled on or off and last for 5 minutes. This way the stat bonuses are applied after character creation and do not allow for an easier point buy in say strength like half-orc or constitution like dwarves. This also keeps the bonuses from helping to qualify for feats. For instance the Longstride dex bonus would not let you start with a 15 dex and qualify for gtwf. All stats start at 8 with no inherit bonuses.

Traits are either carried over from pnp or based on pnp. I have adjusted some of them so they would work in ddo, without overpowering other races, like warforged did for wizards pre palemaster.

Shifter Traits (chosen at level 1 as a bonus feat)

*Beasthide: +2 Stacking Bonus to Con, +2 Stacking Bonus to Natural AC, DR 1/-. (stacks with Barbarian DR )
*Longtooth: +2 Stacking Bonus to Dex, +2 Stacking Damage Bonus to Unarmed Fighting.
*Cliffwalk: +2 Stacking Bonus to Dex, +5 bonus to your Balance skill, Immune to Slippery Surfaces.
*Razorclaw: +2 Stacking Bonus to Str, +2 Stacking Damage Bonus to Unarmed Fighting.
*Longstride: +2 Stacking Bonus to Dex, +10% Stacking Bonus to Movement Speed.
*Wildhunt: +2 Stacking Bonus to Dex, Able to spot enemy's even if they are invisible or in hiding. (see invisibility)
*Dreamsight: +2 Stacking Bonus to Wis, At Will Wild Empathy 30 second cooldown DC = 10 + Shifter Level + Wisdom Modifier.
*Gorebrute: +2 Stacking Bonus to Str, At Will Charge Ability 20 second cooldown. (Just like the minotaur charge. If you charge into an enemy you make a knockdown attempt at 10 + 1/2 Shifter Level + Strength Modifier)
*Swiftwing: +2 Stacking Bonus to Dex, At Will Leap of Faith ability 20 second cooldown. (needs to be slow moving though since their flight is actually slower than walk speed)
*Truedive: +2 Stacking Bonus to Con, +10 bonus to your swim skill, Underwater Action

Shifter Enhancements:

*Shifter Bonus Stat I (2AP) Level 3
Gain +1 to your traits bonus stat.
*Shifter Bonus Stat II (4AP) Level 8
Gain an additional +1 to your traits bonus stat.

*Shifter Trait Duration I (1AP) Level 2
Your trait stance lasts 25% longer.
*Shifter Trait Duration II (2AP) Level 5
Your trait stance lasts 50% longer.
*Shifter Trait Duration III (3AP) Level 8
Your trait stance lasts 75% longer.

*Shifter Extra Traits I (1AP) Level 2
You can now use your trait 1 additional time each rest
*Shifter Extra Traits II (2AP) Level 6
You can now use your trait 2 additional times each rest
*Shifter Extra Traits III (3AP) Level 10
You can now use your trait 3 additional time each rest

*Improved Shifter Trait (3AP) Level 14 (must have the existing trait to qualify)
Beasthide: You gain an additional +2 stacking bonus to your armor class and your inherit DR becomes 2/-.
Longtooth: You gain an additional +2 stacking damage bonus to unarmed fighting.
Cliffwalk: You gain an additional +5 to your balance skill and are immune to trip. (you can still be knockdown from the marilith, minotaurs, and titans)
Razorclaw: You gain an additional +2 stacking damage bonus to unarmed fighting.
Longstride: You gain an additional 5% stacking bonus to movement speed.
Wild Hunt: You can now use your ability of smell to track your enemy. (You gain True Seeing against enemy's but not for finding hidden doors)
Dreamsight: Your wild empathy now works on magical beats and monstrous humanoids
Gorebrute: The DC to your charge knockdown is now 14 + 1/2 Shifter Level + Strength Modifier
Swiftwing: Reduce the cooldown to your at will leap of faith by 5 seconds.
Truedive: You can now cast spells and perform other actions underwater not normally allowed and you gain an additional +10 points to your swim skill bringing the total to +20.

[danbuterx]

Another idea is to make the Shifter Traits just regular Enhancements, but with smaller bonuses? Similar to the other race Enhancements. The way Shifter race abilities rely on feats in D&D 3.5 was pretty broken, and not in a good way.

[soulaeon]

Druids are in the works. Good enough

[wiglin]

Druids are in the works. Good enough

We are referring to the shifter race in eberron. Not the shifter class. Although druids will be cool if we ever see them. Shifters are a core race for eberron like warforged and would be easy to implement using my suggestions.

[nibel]

I believe the same problem that is holding druids down, is holding shifters (wild shape/shifting). In fact, I believe both could be released at the same time.

[Diyon]

I believe the same problem that is holding druids down, is holding shifters (wild shape/shifting). In fact, I believe both could be released at the same time.

I've been really hoping this is going to happen.

[Carpone]

Druids are in the works. Good enough

Druids have "been in the works" for years. Don't hold your breath.

[Uska]

Druids are in the works. Good enough

No its not they are a needed race since we are in Eberron and I like most of what he has laid out(Wiglin that is the op stuff isnt bad either) enough so that what I dont like really doesnt matter

[Uska]

Yes to shifters, and I agree, I do like the art for shifters in 4e.

I'm not too familiar with their stats but would what you propose hear sounds good to me.

The art is about the only thing I like in 4E

[Nerate_Mireth]

Druids are in the works. Good enough

Druids have been in the works since Beta. Yes, BETA. Every year with the State of the Game address from the producers we hear that they are working on the Druids. Still...many many lifetimes later, we're still waiting.

As for Shifters....PLEASE! There are enough mechanics in the game now that I don't understand why they're NOT in game.