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
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[]
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.
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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[]
- Zelle's Shifter Details, Version V
- Douglas Crews' Shifter FAQ (v1.15, based on game version 1.64)