Ok, here is my 3.5 version. It is slightly nerfed (no martial weapons, no combat style, no camo or HiPS, and no Spontaneous mutation though dragon form gives breath weapon). Partly because 3E ranger just doesn't have as much stuff to swap, and partly because my PF balance point was the Synthesist Summoner, which can trash its physical stats and get pounce 24/7 right from level 1, and can then a la carte add flight and all sorts of other "best" monster abilities to the package as you level. 3E at least slightly more balanced than
It's still a definite upgrade compared to 3E ranger and the important parts are largely unchanged.
Master of Many Forms (MoMF)
A Ranger archetype
Skills
The Master of Many Form's class skills are Climb (Str), Disguise (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Speak Language (n/a), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Master of Many Forms is not proficient with Martial weapons, but is proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form she assumes with wild shape.
Wild Shape (Su)
At 1st level, a MoMF gains the ability to turn herself into any Small or Medium animal and back again once per day. She may use Wild Shape an additional time per day for each Ranger level she advances. At 20th level, a MoMF can use Wild Shape at will. Her options for new forms include all creatures with the animal type. The new form's hit dice cannot exceed the Ranger's level. This ability functions as follows:
• You cannot take the form of a unique creature or specific individual, nor may you take the form of any templated creature.
• You retain your original type and subtype. Your size changes to match the new form. If the new form has the aquatic subtype, you gain it as well.
• You lose the natural weapons, natural armor, and movement modes of your original form, as well as any extraordinary special attacks of your original form not derived from class levels. You gain the natural weapons, natural armor, movement modes, and extraordinary special attacks of the new form.
• You retain your original form's special qualities and supernatural and spell-like abilities. You do not gain the new form's special qualities or supernatural or spell-like abilities.
• You gain the physical ability scores (Str, Dex, Con) of the new form but retain your own mental ability scores (Int, Wis, Cha). Changed physical scores affect all modifiers, however, your maximum hit points remain unchanged even if the new form has a different Constitution score.
• Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, you retain all other game statistics, including HD, BAB, skill ranks, feats, and base save bonuses.
• You are effectively camouflaged as a creature of the type you wild shape into, and gain a +10 bonus on disguise checks.
The effect lasts for 1 hour per Ranger level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. Each time you use wild shape, you regain lost hit points as if you had rested for a night. The form chosen must be one the MoMF is familiar with (either encountered, studied, or can succeed at a knowledge check as if identifying the creature).
Any gear worn or carried by the Ranger melds into the new form if it is of any creature type other than humanoid, giant, or monstrous humanoid. Items that provide constant bonuses and do not need to be activated continue to function while melded in this way (with the exception of armor and shield bonuses, which cease to function). Items that require activation cannot be used while melded. While in such a form, you cannot cast any spells that require material components (unless you have the Eschew Materials or Natural Spell feat), and can only cast spells with somatic components if the form you choose has the capability to make such movements, such as a dragon. If your new form is humanoid, giant, or monstrous humanoid, your equipment remains and re-sizes to match your new size.
When the Ranger reverts to her true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on her body that they previously occupied. Any new items worn in the assumed form fall off and land at the Ranger's feet.
This replaces the Favored Enemy class feature in its entirety.
Shifter's Speech (Ex)
The Master of Many Forms retains the ability to speak normally, regardless of the form she assumes. Furthermore, she can communicate with other creatures of the same kind as her assumed form, as long as such creatures are normally capable of communicating with each other through natural methods.
Combat Style
A MoMF does not gain any combat style feats.
Improved Wild Shape (Su)
A MoMF knows how to use her wild shape to assume a wider variety of forms. At 2nd level, she can assume the form of a humanoid with wild shape. She later gains the ability to assume the form of a giant (at 4th level), a monstrous humanoid (at 6th level), a fey (at 8th level), a vermin (at 10th level), an aberration (at 12th level), a plant (at 14th level), an elemental (at 16th level), an ooze (at 18th level), and a dragon (at 20th level). A 20th level MoMF in dragon form gains its breath weapon(s), if any.
The size limit of the shapes she can assume also increases as she gains levels. At 5th level, she can assume the form of a Large creature; at 7th level, a Tiny creature; at 9th level, a Huge creature; at 11th level, a Diminutive creature; at 13th level, a Gargantuan creature; at 15th level, a Fine creature; and at 17th level, a Colossal creature.
This replaces the Animal Companion and spell casting a Ranger receives. A Master of Many Forms never gains a caster level and thus cannot activate spell-trigger or spell-completion magic items.
Fast Wild Shape (Ex)
Starting at 8th level, a MoMF can wild shape as a move action. At 19th level, she can wild shape as a free action once per round.
Extraordinary Wild Shape
At 12th level, a MoMF gains the extraordinary special qualities of any form she assumes, including any traits inherent to the creature type and subtype that is not supernatural or spell-like, when using wild shape.
This replaces Camouflage.
Shifter's Form (Ex)
At 16th level, a MoMF is immune to all transmutation effects unless she willingly accepts them and gains the shapechanger subtype.
This replaces Hide in Plain Sight.
