Shapeshifting

The signature power of the Courts, Shapeshifting is the power to slowly alter your body tissues and organs. It is not 'comic book' shapeshifting, allowing instantaneous change to any variety of shapes and materials, though, as the Shapeshifter gains skill and power, truly dramatic effects can be achieved.

Modifications and Changes:

What I did: Shapeshifting was changed mostly by removing the concept of Shapeshift persona and Shapeshift to creature of Power. While this limits the utility of Shapeshifting as a standalone power (e.g., it is impossible to Shadowwalk with Shapeshifting alone), I think Shapeshifting is powerful enough on its own to easily warrant its current costs (which are pretty similar to the base book's costs). In addition, I never really saw much reason for the whole thought that you could take over someone's skills by Shapeshifting into them. So that aspect of the power went poof. I also removed the concept of Avatar forms (especially the elemental ones) because I think they're silly and have logical problems.

What I would do if I were doing it again: I think I would increase the costs of Shapeshift wounds and Combat form by at least 3 points each, in order to simulate the dedication necessary to begin the voyage of Shapeshifting. In order to keep the cost of the power as a whole at its current amount, I'd drop the costs of some of the more advanced powers by an equivalent amount.

Shapeshifting Graph

Shapeshifting is bought wholly piecemeal, and has two partial powers that have no prerequisites. In general, time to assume a new shape is around five to ten minutes, less for a familiar form or a skilled Shapeshifter.

Shapeshift Wounds

requires: nothing
costs: 10 points

As per the book. This does not include regeneration, merely healing.

Combat Form

requires: nothing
costs: 3 points

What the book calls 'Chaos Form.' Amberites might have a demonic combat form or an animal-like combat form (think of it as a meld between Chaos form and their old 'Avatar form.')

Primal Form

requires: Shapeshift Wounds
costs: 3 points

Exactly as the book.

Alternate Human Form

requires: Combat Form
costs: 2 points

Not including the ability to mimic a particular person, just to change to look different.

Animal Form

requires: Combat Form
costs: 2 points

Change to animals or other fanciful forms that do not involve major organ changes. Also the ability to take animal attributes, as per the book.

Automatic Shapeshifting

requires: Primal Form
costs: 5 points

As the book.

Specific Human Form

requires: Alternate Human Form
costs: 5 points

Mimickry of a particular human (or humanoid).

Shapeshift Aura

requires: Automatic Shapeshift and Specific Human Form
costs: 5 points

As the book.

Shapeshift Others

requires: Shapeshift Aura
costs: 10 points

As the book.

Shapeshift Organs

requires: Shapeshift Aura and Animal Form
costs: 10 points

As the book. Regeneration possible.

Shapeshift Blood

requires: Shapeshift Organs
costs: 10 points

As the book. This is a cool power.

Exalted Powers

A few powers that my NPC's purchased:

Shapeshift into inorganic (create rock bodies or whatever).
Shapeshift into Energy (create bodies of flame).

This is a modification to the Shapeshifting power presented (and copyrighted) by Phage Press in the Amber Diceless Role-Playing System. All original work on this page is © 1998 by Epoch. Permission to copy, but not distribute, this material is granted for personal game purposes only. Questions or comments can be directed to the maintainer at msulliva@wso.williams.edu.