Author Topic: Shapeshifter Early Qualification  (Read 3044 times)

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OblivionSmurf83

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Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« on: May 16, 2010, 11:06:03 AM »
The Shapeshifter is a class from OA, that grants 3 uses of Wild Shape per day at level one.

The requirements are as follows:

Base Attack Bonus: +3
Skills: Concentration 10 ranks.
Special: Alternate Form - Must either know polymorph or have a natural alternate form, alter self, polymorph, or shapechange ability.

I am attempting to qualify for the class as a Cleric, and am attempting to do so as early as possible (At any rate, before level 5).

This is proving unreasonably difficult.

BAB of 3 can obviously be managed by Cleric 4. So I'm left with Alternate Form/Polymorph as my biggest problem to overcome. So far, all I've got on the Alternate Form front is playing a Dragonwrought Kobold and taking the Alternate Form feat from Dragons of Eberron. If anyone's got a better idea there, I'd love to hear it. Particularly one that won't require me to be a Kobold, powerful and loveable though they might be. Incidentally, I'm trying to stay away from Divine Minion as well, though I acknowledge that might well be the only other option.

Concentration 10 ranks is trickier. So far, all I've got is the Dusk Giant trick mentioned in the early qualification handbook. The problem is, this requires paying an NPC to cast Polymorph on me, and then paying another NPC to cast Psychic Reformation on me, which would burn a nasty little hole in my 4th level character's wallet. Any other thoughts? I mean, I'll do it if I have to, I'd just rather not have to.


Finally, if anyone knows another way of getting Wild Shape as a class feature at the same level or earlier to a Druid, please let me know.

Havok4

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Re: Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2010, 01:57:55 PM »
You can qualify with just a race by being a Hengeyokai from OA, which is a good race anyway. The Concentration is the hard part though. Also be sure you use the 3.5 update that makes the wildshape HD limit equal to your character level rather then your class level.

The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2010, 01:34:50 AM »
there's also a goblin barghest-like planterouched race, but it has a bit of a LA
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sir_argenon

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Re: Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2010, 01:52:12 AM »
shifter? changeling?

Surreal

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Re: Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2010, 04:45:59 AM »
there's also a goblin barghest-like planterouched race, but it has a bit of a LA

What is it? source?
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Praef

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Re: Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2010, 05:53:38 PM »
Changling (natural alter self)
item familiar (double ranks, though I've never too sure about it)

Endarire

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Re: Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« Reply #6 on: May 17, 2010, 06:45:34 PM »
Item familiars don't give extra ranks, but a skill bonus.
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Ivory Knight

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Re: Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2010, 07:08:22 PM »
Skillranks are the only requirement for PrC, that can not be cheated by early entry tricks.
As far as I know, would love to see this proven wrong by someone.

@ Shifter & Changeling:
Would any of these count by virtue of race, or is all you need the spells of the Shapeshift Domain to qualify as a cleric?
Would having Greater Anyspell + a Scroll/Spellbook with polymorph also count for this PrC?

Havok4

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Re: Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2010, 08:11:24 PM »
Skillranks are the only requirement for PrC, that can not be cheated by early entry tricks.
As far as I know, would love to see this proven wrong by someone.

There is the favored and primary contact feat chain from cityscape can get you one rank higher than is normal.

The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« Reply #9 on: May 17, 2010, 08:14:32 PM »
there's also a goblin barghest-like planterouched race, but it has a bit of a LA

What is it? source?
check my handbook
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Lycanthromancer

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Re: Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« Reply #10 on: May 17, 2010, 11:09:09 PM »
Skillranks are the only requirement for PrC, that can not be cheated by early entry tricks.
As far as I know, would love to see this proven wrong by someone.

There is the favored and primary contact feat chain from cityscape can get you one rank higher than is normal.
This. It's only a single rank, for a single skill, but that's it.
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ksbsnowowl

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Re: Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« Reply #11 on: May 18, 2010, 12:18:03 AM »
Finally, if anyone knows another way of getting Wild Shape as a class feature at the same level or earlier to a Druid, please let me know.
Abolisher from Lords of Madness gets wildshape, though limited to medium-sized forms.  It requires Track, and I think you can qualify by 5th level (first level at 6th - one level after Druid).
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bobtheapple

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Re: Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« Reply #12 on: May 18, 2010, 06:45:41 AM »
Hengeyokai is your best bet, note that in the 3.5 update its LA was removed.  Also, another interesting thing to point out from the 3.5 update (not widely available as it was printed in Dragon Mag) is that Shapeshifter's Hit Dice limit for Wild Shape was clarified to be based off of character level, not class level, making any xxxxxx 7/Shapeshifter 1 equivalent to Druid 8 in terms of wild shaping power, minus large size (and yes, I do realize the magnitude of this difference).  This was the basis of a warshaper/mmof character I built some time ago.

Get back on subject, there is simply no way to get into this class before you could get wild shape on a druid, and I have no idea what class, if any, has gets an equivalent wild shape capability by level 5.  Abolisher (LoM) gets wild shape by ecl 7, and though it is a far worse option in terms of wild shape power and class requirements, it has the added benefit of progressing divine spellcasting 8/10.
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Mixster

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Re: Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« Reply #13 on: May 18, 2010, 11:19:58 AM »
Skill ranks and BAB is incredibly hard to fuss with for early qualification, so yeah, you can qualify at 7th level.
Monks are pretty much the best designed class ever.

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OblivionSmurf83

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Re: Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« Reply #14 on: May 19, 2010, 02:51:06 AM »
Cheers for all the help, guys. Looks like I might just have to qualify the hard way, and potentially rely on retraining down the road.

The plan, incidentally, was a hypothetical Cleric/Shapeshifter 1/Planar Shepherd build, taking advantage of the fact that the Cleric's spell list is quite a bit more useful to a character than a Druid's.

Ivory Knight

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Re: Shapeshifter Early Qualification
« Reply #15 on: May 19, 2010, 09:43:01 AM »
Archivist can plunder both spell lists, turn undead can be gained via prestige class(Sacred Exorcist would also fit thematically with Planar Shepherd) ;)