| Hit Dice: | 1d8+1 (5 hp) |
| Initiative: | +1 |
| Speed: | 30 ft. (6 squares) |
| Armor Class: | 15 (+1 Dex, +3 studded leather, +1 light shield), touch 11, flat-footed 14 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +1/+2 |
| Attack: | Battleaxe +2 melee (1d8+1/×3) or throwing axe +2 ranged (1d6+1) |
| Full Attack: | Battleaxe +2 melee (1d8+1/×3) or throwing axe +2 ranged (1d6+1) |
| Space/Reach: | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Shifting 1/day (longtooth) |
| Special Qualities: | Shifter traits |
| Saves: | Fort +3, Ref +1, Will −1 |
| Abilities: | Str 13, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 6 |
| Skills: | Balance +2, Climb +2, Jump +2, Listen +1, Spot +1 |
| Feats: | Alertness |
| Environment: | Temperate plains |
| Organization: | Solitary, gang (2–4), pack (5–12 plus 30% noncombatants plus 2 3rd-level elders and 1 chief of 5th–8th level) |
| Challenge Rating: | ½ |
| Treasure: | None |
| Alignment: | Usually neutral |
| Advancement: | By character class ♊ |
| Level Adjustment: | +0 |
This lithe humanoid assumes a crouched posture, springing and leaping nimbly as it walks. It has bestial features, including a wide, flat nose, large eyes and heavy eyebrows, pointed ears, a wild mane of hair, and long sideburns. A somewhat menacing half-smile reveals sharp incisors.
Shifters, sometimes called “the weretouched,” are descended from humanoids and natural lycanthropes. Shifters cannot fully change shape but can take on animalistic features—a state they call shifting. Shifters have evolved into a unique race that breeds true. They have a distinct culture with its own traditions and identity.
Shifters’ personalities are influenced by their animal natures. Many are boorish and crude, while others are quiet, shifty, and solitary. Just as most lycanthropes are carnivores, shifters have a predatory personality and think of most activities in terms of hunting and prey. They view life as a challenge, striving to be self-reliant, adaptable, and resourceful.
A typical shifter stands about 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. Shifters speak Common and often learn the languages of their neighbors in the wilderness and rural areas where they live, including Elven, Gnome, Halfling, and Sylvan.
Shifters are aggressive and feral in their approach to combat. When they feel superior to their opponents, they often stalk them like prey, remaining concealed until they can strike with surprise. They avoid stronger opponents but fight wildly if they are forced to.
Shifting (Su): A shifter can tap into his lycanthropic heritage to gain short bursts of physical power. Once per day, a shifter can enter a state that is superficially similar to a barbarian’s rage. Each shifter has one of six shifter traits—a characteristic that manifests when he is shifting. Each shifter trait provides a +2 bonus to a physical ability score (Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution) and grants some other advantage as well.
Shifting is a free action and lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the shifter’s Con modifier. (If a shifter trait or other effect increases the shifter’s Con modifier, use the newly improved modifier.) A shifter can take feats to improve this ability (see Shifter Feats). Every shifter feat a shifter takes increases the duration of shifting by 1 round. For every two shifter feats a shifter takes, the number of times per day he can tap into the ability increases by one. So, a shifter with two shifter feats can shift two times per day (instead of the usual one), and each use of the ability lasts for a number of rounds equal to 5 (instead of 3) + the shifter’s Con modifier.
Shifting, though related to and developed from lycanthropy, is neither an affliction nor a curse. It is not passed on by bite or claw attacks, and a shifter can’t be cured—shifting is a natural ability for the race.
The shifter warrior presented here has the following stats when shifted: Grp +3; Atk +3 melee (1d8+2/×3 , battleaxe) or +2 ranged (1d6+2, throwing axe); Full Atk +3 melee (1d8+2/ ×3, battleaxe) and –2 melee (1d6+1, bite); or +2 ranged (1d6+2, throwing axe); Str 15; Climb +3, Jump +3.
Shifter Racial Traits (Ex): All shifters have the following racial traits.
The shifter warrior presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8.
Each shifter has one special trait from among those described below.
Beasthide (Su): While shifting, a beasthide shifter gains a +2 bonus to Constitution and natural armor that provides a +2 bonus to AC.
Cliffwalk (Su): While shifting, a cliffwalk shifter gains a +2 bonus to Dexterity and has a climb speed of 20 feet.
Longstride (Su): While shifting, a longstride shifter gains a +2 bonus to Dexterity and a bonus of +10 feet to his base land speed.
Longtooth (Su): While shifting, a longtooth shifter gains a +2 bonus to Strength and grows fangs that can be used as a natural weapon, dealing 1d6 points of damage (plus an additional +1 for every four character levels he has) with a successful bite attack. He cannot attack more than once each round with his bite, even if his base attack bonus is high enough to give him multiple attacks. He can use his bite as a secondary attack (taking a –5 penalty on his attack roll) while wielding a weapon.
Razorclaw (Su): While shifting, a razorclaw shifter gains a +2 bonus to Strength and grows claws that can be used as natural weapons. These claws deal 1d4 points of damage (plus an additional +1 for every four character levels he has) with each successful attack. He can attack with one claw as a standard action or with two claws as a full attack action (as a primary natural weapon). He cannot attack more than once per round with a single claw, even if his base attack bonus is high enough to give him multiple attacks. He can attack with a claw as a light off-hand weapon while wielding a weapon in his primary hand, but all his attacks in that round take a −2 penalty.
Wildhunt (Su): While shifting, a wildhunt shifter gains a +2 bonus to Constitution and the scent ability. This ability allows the shifter to detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. A wildhunt shifter can identify familiar odors just as a human does familiar sights.
A wildhunt shifter can detect opponents within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if downwind, it drops to 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple normal range. These stronger scents block other scents, so they can sometimes be used to confuse or hamper this shifter trait.
When a wildhunt shifter detects a scent, the exact location of the source isn’t revealed—only its presence somewhere within range. The shifter can take a move action to note the direction of the scent. Whenever the shifter comes within 5 feet of the source, he pinpoints the source’s location.
While shifting, a wildhunt shifter who has the Track feat can follow tracks by smell, making Wisdom (or Survival) checks to find or follow a trail. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10 (regardless of the surface that holds the scent). This DC increases or decreases depending on how strong the quarry’s odor is, the number of creatures producing the odor, and the age of the trail. For each hour that the trail grows cold, the DC increases by 2. The ability otherwise follows the rules for the Track feat. Wildhunt shifters tracking by scent ignore the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility.
When not shifted, a wildhunt shifter gains a +2 bonus to Survival checks due to the lingering effects of the scent ability.
The following feats are available only to shifter characters. It was decided for this reason list them here rather than in the Feat Index.
Your shifter trait improves.
Prerequisite: Shifter with the beasthide trait.
Benefit: While shifting, your natural armor bonus increases to +4.
Normal: Without this feat, a beasthide shifter has a natural armor bonus of+2 while shifting.
Source: Eberron Campaign Setting, page 51.
Your shifter trait improves.
Prerequisites: Shifter with the cliffwalk trait.
Benefit: While shifting, your climb speed improves by 10 feet. This improvement stacks with the increase for the cliffwalk trait, for a total increase of 30 feet.
Source: Eberron Campaign Setting, page 52.
You manifest a second shifter trait while shifting.
Prerequisites: Shifter, two other shifter feats.
Benefit: Select a second shifter trait from those described in the Shifter Traits section. You manifest all the benefits of the second trait except for the temporary bonus to an ability score.
Source: Monster Manual III, page 150.
You know how to hit where it hurts with your fangs.
Prerequisites: Shifter with the longtooth trait, +6 base attack bonus.
Benefit: Your fang attacks now have a critical hit multiplier of ×3.
Normal: Without this feat, your fang attacks have a multiplier of ×2.
Source: Eberron Campaign Setting, page 54.
You know how to hit where it hurts with your claws.
Prerequisites: Shifter with the razorclaw trait, +4 base attack bonus.
Benefit: If you hit with both of your claw attacks in a round, you deal extra damage equal to 1d4 + ½ your Str modifier, plus 1 additional point for every four character levels you have.
Source: Eberron Campaign Setting, page 54.
By delving deeper into your shifter heritage, you develop the ability to ignore some damage from every attack.
Prerequisites: Shifter, Shifter Defense, three other shifter feats.
Benefit: When shifting, your damage reduction improves to DR 4/silver.
Source: Eberron Campaign Setting, page 54.
When your current period of shifting ends, you heal a limited amount of damage.
Prerequisites: Shifter, Con 13.
Benefit: When you stop shifting, you immediately heal a number of hit points equal to your character level. This benefit does not occur if you die (at −10 hit points) before the period of shifting ends.
Source: Monster Manual III, page 150.
Your shifter trait improves.
Prerequisite: Shifter with the longstride trait.
Benefit: While shifting, your base land speed improves by 10 feet. This improvement stacks with the increase for the longstride trait, for a total increase of 20 feet.
Source: Eberron Campaign Setting, page 57.
By delving into your shifter heritage, you have developed the ability to ignore a little damage from every attack.
Prerequisites: Shifter, two other shifter feats.
Benefit: While shifting, you gain damage reduction 2/silver.
Source: Monster Manual III, page 150.
You are a tenacious combatant, continuing to fight when others would succumb to pain and injury.
Prerequisites: Shifter, Wisdom 13.
Benefit: While shifting, you continue to fight without penalty if you are disabled or dying.
Source: Eberron Campaign Setting, page 60.
Your heritage has given you sharp senses and quick reflexes, and you have learned to trust your equally sharp instincts.
Prerequisite: Shifter.
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on Listen, Sense Motive, and Spot checks, and a +2 bonus on initiative checks.
Source: Monster Manual III, page 150.
You are adept at using your natural attack in conjunction with another weapon.
Prerequisites: Shifter with the longtooth or razorclaw trait, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: Your secondary attack with a natural weapon takes only a −2 penalty.
Normal: Without this feat, your secondary attack with a natural weapon takes a −5 penalty.
Source: Eberron Campaign Setting, page 60.
Shifters generally live among humans, elves, or sylvan creatures, not in settlements of their own. They prefer rural or wilderness regions, though significant numbers of them live in the slums of human cities, often grouping together into criminal gangs. Many shifters earn their way as trappers, hunters, fishers, trackers, guides, and military scouts. Shifters usually congregate into family groups. These groups include about 30% noncombatants, primarily children. A few elders govern the pack, under the leadership of a chief who is usually the pack’s oldest member. Some shifters are loners, preferring the solitude of the wilderness to human society or even the company of their own kind.
Most shifters are inclined toward druidic religion rather than the worship of a specific deity. They believe in the divine power of the earth itself, the elements, and the creatures of the earth.
Source: Monster Manual III, page 150. Shifter traits from the Eberron Campaign Setting were moved here to complete the list.
This…probably should have been a template.