Playable PvE 1-40 low and medium magic environments are best suited to this build, as with most shifters.
This is a shifter build that focuses on squeezing the optimal performance out of the various shapes' special abilities (most of which are linked strongly to shifter class level).
Compared to other shifters, you trade off a good amount of melee power and most of your buffing power in return for being able to use things like the mindflayer's psi blast, the medusa's petrification gaze, vampire domination gaze, and dragon breath to good effect.
Human, Lawful Neutral Str 10 Dex 10 Con 14 Int 12 Wis 18 Cha 8
1 Dr (1): Alertness, Point-Blank Shot* 2 Dr (2): 3 Dr (3): Armor Prof (Heavy)* 4 Dr (4): +1 wis 5 Dr (5): 6 Sh (1): Zen Archery* 7 Mo (1): 8 Sh (2): +1 wis 9 Sh (3): Blind-Fight 10 Sh (4): 11 Sh (5): 12 Mo (2): +1 wis, Weapon Prof (Martial)* 13 Sh (6): 14 Sh (7): 15 Sh (8): Toughness 16 Sh (9): +1 wis 17 Mo (3): 18 Mo (4): Weapon Prof (Exotic)** 19 Sh (10): 20 Mo (5): +1 wis 21 Sh (11): Undead Shape% 22 Sh (12): 23 Sh (13): Great Wis 1+ 24 Sh (14): +1 wis, Great Wis 2 25 Sh (15): 26 Sh (16): Outsider Shape+ 27 Mo (6): Armor Skin 28 Sh (17): +1 wis 29 Sh (18): 30 Sh (19): Great Wis 2, Great Wis 3+ 31 Sh (20): 32 Sh (21): +1 wis 33 Sh (22): Dragon Shape, Great Wis 4+ 34 Sh (23): 35 Sh (24): 36 Sh (25): +1 wis, Great Wis 5, Great Wis 6+ 37 Sh (26): 38 Sh (27): 39 Sh (28): Great Wis 7, Great Wis 8+ 40 Mo (7): +1 wis
* - Optional but recommended feat ** - Very optional feat % - I don't consider undead shape completely vital, but it is pretty nice.
Ending Vitals (unshifted): Wis 36
AB +36 ranged
AC 34 440 max hp F 27 R 22 W 34
Variable forms abilities (as best I could figure out): Wyrmling - breath save DC 29 vs Reflex, 10dX damage (X varies by color, red is highest at 10) Harpy - Captivating song save DC 24 vs Will Basilisk - Petrification gaze save DC 26 vs Fortitude Medusa - Petrification gaze save DC 26 vs Fortitude Mind Flayer - Psi blast save DC 37 vs Will, 9d6 magic damage vs stunned targets Slaad Lord - Chaos Spittle 9d4 damage Azer Chief - Fire Stream save DC 29 vs Reflex, 9d4+13 damage Vampire - Domination Gaze save DC 42 vs Will Dragon - breath save DC 31 vs Reflex, 19dX damage (red = d10, blue = d8, green = d6)
FAQ: Q: Why are you taking so many proficiency feats? A: As a shifter you want to be able to use a lot of different pieces of gear to merge with your shapes. Broadly speaking you'll probably want to change what you're wearing based on what shape you plan on using.
Q: Why aren't you focusing on being a shifted melee build, or just on being a super dragon? A: Because that's been done
Q: Why so many shifter levels? Most people say to stop at 17 or 19 at the most A: The special ability save DCs and damage dice of most of the shapes is directly tied to how many shifter levels you have. As a result I took as many shifter levels as made sense to me.
Q: Why zen archery? A: In case you run into a situation where none of your forms are effective, you can still plink with a magic bow or sling or something.
[b}Q: Aren't alot of those monster abilities sort of unimpressive for epic level characters?(/b) A: Yeah, it's unfortunately the case that the save DCs on many of those are a little too low even with 28 shifter levels. However, the vampire gaze, mindflayer blast, and wyrmling and dragon breath abilities are quite nice, and even the petrification gazes can be rather useful on low-fort targets (such as arcane casters).
Q: How come you only list the monster abilities that level-dependent DCs or damage dice? Those forms all have a lot of other things involved! A: Because this is a build description not a shifter forms guide Look in the grimoire or other shifter guide threads for information there. _________________ Experience is the mother of good judgement; bad judgement is the father of experience.
Edited By Xylophone on 12/27/05 00:54
This looks like a lot of fun, Xy. You may have converted me to your heathen idolatry. _________________ Got Hommlet? World of Greyhawk Action Server (with 1/2 price ales on Mondays!)
Ariel, Ookla, RIDE!
Yeah it's pretty neat to play in lower magic environments where the monster abilities are useful, though probably somewhat weaker than the "standard" shifter builds due to low BAB
Picking the right shape for the job adds a fun strategic aspect to encounters. It's a shame your highest DC abilities - psi blast and dom gaze - are both mind effecting. Though for taking down general fodder targets, your wyrmling breath actually works pretty nicely on groups. _________________ Experience is the mother of good judgement; bad judgement is the father of experience.
A good consideration for those looking to play shifters more for their abilities rather than melee is to take Int to 13 or 14 and select both Expertise and Improved Expertise.
That extra 10 ac sure helps - use it a lot myself. Just a shame the DCs are abysmal for this class But hey definitely fun on an autofail 1 server, especially when petrify the death immune nightmare boss hehe.
