Shifters (by DracoDruid)

Shifter Racial Traits
+2 to either Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution, +2 Wisdom, –2 Intelligence : Shifters are physically diverse and generally perceptive, but their bestial nature detracts from their reasoning ability.

Shapechanger: Shifters are humanoids with the shapechanger subtype.

Medium: Shifters are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Shifters have a base speed of 30 feet.

 Low-Light Vision : Shifter can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

Honest to a Fault: Shifters suffer a –2 racial penalty on Bluff and Diplomacy skill checks.

Keen Scent: Shifters possess the scent special ability (see PF Bestiary, page 304).

Keen Senses: Shifters receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception skill checks.

Natural Athlete: Shifters receive a +2 racial bonus on Climb and Swim skill checks.

Shifting ( Su ): A shifter can tap into her lycanthropic heritage for a short time. Starting at 1st level, a shifter can shift for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + her Wisdom modifier (These rounds do not need to be consecutive). At each level after 1st, she can shift for 2 additional rounds. Temporary increases to Wisdom, such as those gained from spells like  owl's wisdom , do not increase the total number of rounds that a shifter can shift per day. Activating and ending shifting is a free action. The total number of rounds of shifting per day is renewed after resting for 8 hours, although these hours do not need to be consecutive. A shifter can take feats to improve this ability and every shifter feat increases the duration of shifting by 1 additional round.

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.

Shifter Trait: Shifters choose one of the following shifter traits at 1st level.

Weapon Familiarity: Shifters are proficient with all natural attacks, regardless of their current form.

Starting Languages: Shifters begin play speaking Common.

Shifter Traits
Beasthide: While shifting, the shifter gains a +2 natural armor bonus, which increases by an additional +1 for every four character levels (rounded down). In addition, the shifter receives Endurance as a bonus feat, even while not shifting.

Cliffwalk: While shifting, the shifter gains a climb speed of 30 feet, which increases by an additional +5 feet for every four character levels (rounded down). Gaining a climb speed grants her the usual benefits (see Pathfinder p.91). In addition, Climb is always a class skill for a cliffwalk shifter.

Dreamsight: The dreamsight trait is the rarest of all shifter traits, and many become druids within shifter communities. The shifter can use her shifting abilities to cast a small number of animal related spells. Casting one of these spells “costs” a number of shifting rounds equaling: spell level x desired (druid) caster level (which may not be higher than the shifter’s character level). The casting time of these spells is unchanged, but the shifter doesn’t need to be shifted for the whole time (she simply pays the required rounds when beginning to cast the spell).

The spells the shifter can cast (sorted by character level) are: 1st –  calm animal ,  charm animal ,  detect animals  (not plants),  hide from animals  and  speak with animals . 3rd –  animal messenger ,  animal trance  and  hold animal . 5th –  dominate animal .

Gorebrute: While shifting, the shifter manifests powerful horns that can be used as a natural weapon. The shifter gains a natural gore attack (see Bestiary, page 302), dealing 1d8 points of piercing/bludgeoning damage plus 1/2 her character level, rounded up. The horns are too awkward to be used with other attacks but when used as part of a charge they inflict double damage.

Longstride: While shifting, the shifter’s Base land speed increases by 10 feet, which increases by an additional +5 feet for every four character levels (rounded down). In addition, the shifter receives Run as a bonus feat, even while not shifting.

Longtooth: While shifting, the shifter grows powerful fangs that can be used as a natural weapon. The shifter gains a natural bite attack (see Bestiary, page 302), dealing 1d6 points of piercing damage plus 1/2 her character level, rounded up. She can attack only with her bite as primary weapon, or as a secondary weapon when attacking with other weapons in the same round.

Razorclaw: While shifting, the shifter grows claws that can be used as natural weapons. The shifter gains 2 natural claw attacks (see Bestiary, page 302), dealing 1d4 points of slashing damage plus 1/2 her character level, rounded up. She can attack only with her claws as primary weapons, or as a secondary weapon when attacking with other weapons in the same round.

Strongleg: While shifting, the shifter gains a +10 bonus on Acrobatics skill checks (made to jump or to soften a fall), which increases by an additional +5 for every four character levels (rounded down). In addition, the shifter always counts as having a running start and his maximum jump distance increases by +5 feet for every four character levels (rounded down).

Swiftwing: While shifting, the shifter gains a fly speed of 30 feet (with average maneuverability), which increases by an additional +5 feet for every four character levels (rounded down). While airborne, the shifter can’t use his hands for anything other than flying. A shifter can’t fly while carrying a medium or heavy load or while wearing medium or heavy armor. In addition, Fly is always a class skill for a swiftwing shifter.

Truedive: While shifting, the shifter gains a Swim speed of 30 feet, which increases by an additional +5 feet for every four character levels (rounded down) and the ability to breathe underwater. Gaining a swim speed grants her the usual benefits (see Pathfinder p.108). Finally, Swim is always a class skill for a truedive shifter.

Design Commentary
First, I changed shifting to function just like a barbarian's rage (simply seemed natural) and dropped the ability boost, because I preferred to improve the actual shifting ability instead. I want people to pick a shifter trait for its ability not its bonus to Strength (you probably know what I mean...).

So, second, I improved most of the shifter traits and made them scale with level. I felt this was necessary and tried to increase the attractivity of the non-attack traits. I don't know if I overdid it, though (please feel free to comment).

Third, as some of you might have alreay realized, I dropped the wildhunt shifter trait, since there was a simple reason to it. With the introduction of the Advanced Player's Guide, orcs and half-orcs could simply use a feat to gain the scent special ability and furthermore, benefit from it's effect the entire time and not only for a few rounds per day.

That was the second reason for removing the trait: having the scent ability is nice. You can detect and pinpoint invisible enemies but tracking by scent would require the shifter to remain shifted for several hours, which just wasn't possible.

I am not sure if giving shifters scent right from the beginning is too much or let them too be able to take the keen scent feat instead.

As some kind of replacement, I added the strongleg trait that greatly increases jumping (and falling) capabilities. I felt something like that was missing somehow.

Following the first comment, I improved the three "attack traits" to receive a +1 damage bonus at 1st and every odd character level (instead of every 4th) and improved Gorebrute from 1d6 to 1d8.

After some consideration, I replaced the fixed Dexterity bonus into a selectable bonus to one physical score so that all types of shifters (strong bears, agile cats, or tough bulls) could be played. In addition, I changed the shifter ability from Constitution to Wisdom, since all Shifters gain a bonus on Wisdom and should equally benefit from it.