Druidic Shapeshifter

A druid who specializes in shapeshifting magic can take the form of many different beasts due to their innate connection to the natural world.

Requirements

In order to get the Druidic Shapeshifter Paragon Path, you must have:

• Training in Animal Handling
• 5 Arcana
• RP elements to support why your character chooses this Paragon Path (to prevent abuse / minmaxing)

Druidic Shapeshifter Paragon Path: You can alter your form and become a natural beast at will.

Rules Augmentations

You gain an additional ability that can be used as many times in or out of combat as you wish. The ability is called Wild Shape.

Wild Shape: You change from your humanoid form to beast form or vice versa as a Minor action. When you shift into beast form, your equipment and any items you are holding become part of your beast form. You gain half of the Defense benefits of the equipment you wear, and no benefits from a shield. While equipment is part of your beast form, it cannot be removed, and anything in a container that is part of your beast form is inaccessible.

You can choose a specific common animal when you use Wild Shape to change into beast form. The specific animal’s physical attributes (Strength, Stamina, and Dexterity) overwrite your own. You should use them in place of your own when making related checks. You do not gain the +5 benefit of any trained skills in beast form.

Penalties and Bonuses

Druidic Shapeshifters are fluid and utilitarian. They do not get a Tier 1 Ability in return for taking this Paragon Path.

Beast Form Penalties:

• You cannot cast spells in beast form
• You cannot use weapons in beast form
• You do not gain the +5 benefit of any trained skills (until level 10)
• Equipment bonuses to Defense are halved (until level 10)
• Shields provide no bonuses
• Roll with disadvantage on any checks that require thumbs
• You cannot speak in beast form unless you have 5 Knowledge and 5 Arcana

Beast Form Bonuses:

• You may gain new game statistics, movement speed, or size by shapeshifting
• You gain a new melee Basic Attack suitable for your chosen beast form, such as Claw, or Bite. Beast basic attack damage is formulated using the basic attack damage of a spellcaster.
• You can attempt to communicate with animals of a similar species to your chosen form
• Roll with advantage on Animal Handling checks and checks made to communicate with animals

Beast Forms

At level 1, you can shapeshift into the following common, small or medium-sized beast forms. The animals must be ones that you have seen before in order for you to shapeshift into them.

General Type	Examples	Statistics	Speed	Benefits
Common Bird	Sparrow, robin, crow	2 Dexterity, 0 Strength, 2 Stamina	Fast flying, slow ground	Roll with advantage on Perception checks. You can fly.
Common Canine	Dog, wolf, coyote	2 Dexterity, 2 Strength, 2 Stamina	Medium	Roll with advantage on Perception checks.
Common Feline	Housecat, fox, raccoon	3 Dexterity, 1 Strength, 1 Stamina	Fast	Roll with advantage on Stealth checks.
Common Fish	Goldfish, minnow, trout	1 Dexterity, 1 Strength, 1 Stamina	Medium	You can breathe and swim at your normal speed underwater. You take 5 damage each turn you spend out of water.
Common Rodent	Mouse, rat, rabbit, hare	4 Dexterity, 0 Strength, 0 Stamina	Fast	Roll with advantage on Stealth checks.

At level 5, you can shapeshift into the following medium-sized beast forms. The animals must be ones that you have seen before in order for you to shapeshift into them.

General Type	Examples	Statistics	Speed	Benefits
Uncommon Bear	Grizzly, black bear, polar bear	0 Dexterity, 5 Strength, 4 Stamina	Slow	Roll with advantage on Endure Weather and Strength checks. May be used as a mount.
Uncommon Bird	Hawk, raven, owl	4 Dexterity, 1 Strength, 4 Stamina	Fast flying, slow ground	Roll with advantage on Perception checks. Overland speed is increased to a horse’s. You can fly.
Uncommon Canine	Direwolf	3 Dexterity, 3 Strength, 3 Stamina	Medium	Roll with advantage on Perception and Strength checks.
Uncommon Feline	Panther, tiger, lion, thylacoleo	5 Dexterity, 3 Strength, 1 Stamina	Fast	Roll with advantage on Climbing and Dexterity checks.
Uncommon Fish	Dolphin, swordfish, octopus	3 Dexterity, 3 Strength, 3 Stamina	Medium	Roll with advantage on Stamina checks. You can breathe and swim at your normal speed underwater. You take 5 damage each turn you spend out of water.

At level 10, you may remove these penalties from your beast form:

• You do not gain the +5 benefit of any trained skills
• Equipment bonuses to Defense are halved

At level 10, you can shapeshift into the following large-sized beast forms. The animals must be ones that you have seen before in order for you to shapeshift into them.

General Type	Examples	Statistics	Speed	Benefits
Rare Large Land Beast	Elephant, woolly mammoth	0 Dexterity, 8 Strength, 3 Stamina	Slow	Roll with advantage on Strength and Stamina checks. May be used as a mount by up to 6 people.
Rare Large Sea Beast	Whale	0 Dexterity, 6 Strength, 5 Stamina	Slow	Roll with advantage on Strength and Stamina checks. You can breathe and swim at your normal speed underwater. You take 5 damage each turn you spend out of water. May be used as a mount.
Rare Large Sky Beast	Roc, giant owl	5 Dexterity, 3 Strength, 4 Stamina	Fast flying; slow ground	Roll with advantage on Perception checks. Overland speed is double a horse’s. May be used as a mount by up to 2 people. You can fly.

Miscellaneous

Riding a Druid

• Allied creatures can ride a shapeshifted druid without a saddle if the beast is of the appropriate size.

---

Misc.

• Druids can Wild Shape into swarms of insects (like wasps, ants, or locusts) but not a single insect, as a single insect’s body and might are too small to hold a sentient creature’s essence. Swarms have the same general statistics that birds do, but can also fit through very small spaces like the crack underneath a door.

---