Shifting Sorcerers
Welcome again to From the Workshop, where we showcase a bevy of new magic items, monsters and even alternate class features. Since this week is Doppelganger Week, I thought I would create two new shapeshifter-themed bloodlines for sorcerers. The first bloodline is based on this week’s namesake, the doppelganger, and the second bloodline is based on an equally famous shapeshifter, the lycanthrope.
Four of the bonus feats for the lycanthrope bloodline are from Marchen der Daemonwulf; if you aren’t using Marchen der Daemonwulf, replace Curse of the Beast, Extra Transformation, Greatwulf Form, and Hybrid Form with Dodge, Extend Spell, Power Attack, and Skill Focus (Knowledge [nature]), respectively.
Doppelganger
Somewhere down the line a doppelganger infiltrated your family tree. While most of your family seem normal, you have always been different; maybe when were a child you liked to come up with countless personas for yourself, or maybe you never felt that one form was enough for you. Now that your abilities have manifested, you can become anyone you want to be.
Class Skill: Disguise
Bonus Spells: disguise self (3rd), alter self (5th), monstrous physique IUM (7th), true formAPG (9th), seeming (11th), transformation (13th), greater polymorph (15th), giant form II (17th), shapechange (19th).
Bonus Feats: Combat Casting, Deceitful, Dodge, Extend Spell, Great Fortitude, Spell Focus (transmutation), Stealthy, Tenacious Transmutation.
Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you cast a polymorph spell on yourself, you gain a bonus to Disguise skill checks equal to half your sorcerer level for as long as you remain polymorphed.
Bloodline Powers:
Quickchange (Su): At 1st level, you can draw upon your doppelganger heritage to assume and change a disguise. Activating this ability is a swift action. You gain a +5 bonus on one Disguise check made to impersonate a particular individual and it only requires a swift action to apply your disguise. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.
Mind Reader (Sp): At 3rd level, you can read minds as a spell-like ability. This ability acts like detect thoughts, except it lasts only 1 round, you use it on a single target as a standard action, and if the target fails its Will save, you gain information as if you had concentrated on it for 3 rounds. You may use this ability once per day at 3rd level and one additional time per day for every four sorcerer levels you possess beyond 3rd, up to five times per day at 19th level.
Perfect Copy (Ex): At 9th level, you can perfectly copy the appearance of specific individuals when you cast polymorph spells or use abilities which function as polymorph spells on yourself.
Alter Self (Su): At 15th level, you can change your shape into that of any humanoid at will. This ability acts like alter self, except you may remain in a chosen form as long as you want.
True Shapeshifter (Su): At 20th level, you gain the shapechanger subtype in addition to the subtypes you already possess. You gain immunity to charm and sleep. You also gain darkvision 60 feet (if you already posses darkvision, it increases by 60 feet), and you become proficient in all weapons, armor, and shields. Additionally, you can use any spell trigger or spell completion item as if the spells were on your spell list. Your caster level for items you normal couldn’t use is equal to your sorcerer level.
Lycanthrope
At some point in your family’s history, one of your ancestors was afflicted with the curse of lycanthropy. Though most of your family seem entirely normal, you have always felt the call of your own inner beast. And as your power grows, so does your ability to unleash this beast within.
Class Skill: Knowledge (nature).
Bonus Spells: speak with animal (3rd), hold animal (5th), beast shape I (7th), summon nature's ally IV (animals only) (9th), beast shape III (animals only) (11th), summon nature's ally VI (animals only) (13th), lunar veilUM(15th), animal shapes (17th), shapechange (19th).
Bonus Feats: Alertness, Curse of the BeastMdD, Extra TransformationMdD, Great Fortitude, Greatwulf FormMdD, Iron Will, Hybrid FormMdD, Toughness.
Bloodline Arcana: When you cast a spell while in moonlight, you gain an amount of damage reduction over silver equal to half the spell’s level for 1 round.
Bloodline Powers: The power of lycanthropy flows through you and manifests in a number of ways. At 1st level, you must select one of the iconic animals of lycanthropy; the bear, the boar, the dire rat, the tiger, or the wolf. This choice cannot be changed. A number of your abilities function differently based on which animal you choose.
Battleshaping (Su): As a swift action, you grow a single natural weapon. The natural weapon lasts for 1 round and has a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls for every four sorcerer levels you possess. You can grow a claw, a bite, or a gore attack. These attacks deal the normal damage for a creature of your size (see the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary for more information). At 11th level, you can shape two natural weapons. You may not grow additional limbs or a tail with this ability. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.
Lunar Might (Su): At 3rd level, you gain a +2 natural armor bonus and fast healing equal to one-fourth your sorcerer level (minimum 1) while in moonlight. At 9th level, your natural armor bonus increases to +3 and you gain a +2 inherent bonus to your Strength while in moonlight. At 15th level, your inherent bonus to Strength increases to +4 and your natural armor bonus increases to +6.
Animal Companion (Ex): At 9th level, you gain the service of an animal companion of the same species as the animal you chose at first level (stats for dire rat animal companions can be found in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary). Your effective druid level for this animal companion is equal to your sorcerer level – 3.
Animal Transformation (Sp): At 15th level, you can change your shape for a number of rounds per day equal to your sorcerer level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. This ability otherwise functions like beast shape IV (your animal or similar animal and/or magical beast only).
Bringer of the Curse (Su): At 20th level, you gain the shapechanger subtype in addition to the subtypes you already possess. You also gain DR 10/silver, as well as low-light vision and the scent special ability. Additionally, your natural attacks can infect a humanoid target with lycanthropy (the same as your type of animal); a successful Fortitude save negates this effect. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier. If the victim's size is not within one size category of the sorcerer, this ability has no effect.