Templates - Altering the AnimalTemplates are one of the ways for characters to truly stand out among their peers, especially at tables where low optimization is very prevalent. Optimized template'd characters are your Magic-Blooded Sorcerers, Saintly Clerics, Feral Barbarians, Phrenic Psions, and so on; whatever "downsides" of their template they may have (if any), is pretty much entirely worth it in most cases, especially if Level Adjustment Buy-off is permitted. Level Adjustment Buy-off effectively allows a character to get rid of their Level Adjustment by spending experience in exchange for no longer having a Level Adjustment (or reducing it); +1 LAs can do this at 3rd level, +2 LAs at 6th, then 9th, and so on.
Additional information can be found in the SRD here in "
Reducing Level Adjustments".
Shifters themselves have no unique templates or "must haves" to fill some niche role (like an Arctic Dragonborn Mongrelfolk). Some, like Feral, are more flavorful than functional in the case of a Shifter, but shouldn't be discounted given their overall potency.
Aquatic (+0 LA)Why is this template
red when it isn't
that bad? The obvious reason being that you can't breathe on land normally and that
most campaigns take place on the land,
not underwater. If your campaign is centered largely on being underwater or is entirely and you are determined to play a Shifter then this option is
gold because it is your only effective option; the Truedive Shifter trait is too weak to function on its own and you'd subsequently wind up drowning eventually.
Arctic (+0 LA)By taking this template your racial abilities become +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -4 Charisma; not a terrific spread of ability scores, but if your character is a class that has no use for Charisma (at all) then consider taking this template - it is easily
blue for you. The downsides are that you have weaker saves versus Fire - which resistance against is
very common - but have a bonus to saves versus Cold, which is less common; you still win on this exchange.
Aside from a bump to Wilderness Lore (Survival in 3.5e) you may, once a day use
Ray of Frost as a spell-like ability. Neat.
Decent template overall and combined with some others could prove even more useful. For characters in a cold environment, like a Frostfell campaign, this becomes
blue, provided your Charisma score is entirely worthless to you.
Blooded One (+1 LA)If you're a melee combatant and can take an additional reduction in Intelligence then this isn't a terrible template to apply - it's not the greatest +1 LA, but it isn't that bad either as this template grants Combat Reflexes as a bonus feat, boosts both Constitution and Strength, and gives some Natural Armor. You also get a morale bonus to attack and damage in the form of a once a day shout. This shout works best with other Blooded Ones around as it buffs them as well as if they had used it themselves. Sadly this shout is a morale bonus and never scales, always giving +1 bonuses.
If you're a Beasthide Shifter avoid this template because it's
red; your Natural Armor bonus doesn't stack with it. The other bad news is that some Dungeon Masters may view the alignment of "Usually lawful evil." as instead "Always lawful evil."
Dark (+1 LA)Improved movement speed, Darkvision, resistance to cold, bonuses to Hide and Move Silently checks, but most of all Hide in Plain Sight makes this a very good template for a Shifter who wishes to be an infiltrator type character. This version of Hide in Plain Sight is effectively the same as the 17th level Ranger ability with one additional caveat - it can't be used in daylight or when a Daylight spell is cast in its area. That's basically a non-existent penalty, and realistically, how often does anyone, ever, prepare Daylight spells? Never? You're probably safe.
A very worthy template for a Shifter Swordsage or Rogue who's trying to act as the party's sneak.
Deep (+1 LA)This template... doesn't seem to really know what it wants to be. By taking it your ability scores will become -2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma, you'll lose Low-Light Vision but gain Darkvision, have bonuses to Hide and Move Silently only in underground areas, a few (mostly useless) spell-like abilities, and then Light Sensitivity.
If you're going to be playing in the darkness and or underground a lot be a Dark or Shadow Shifter, not a Deep Shifter, because those templates are just better. If you're going to be a Wizard (or other Intelligence based class), you should take the Phrenic template to compensate for your racial penalty to Intelligence instead of this and gain a lot more benefits for your troubles.
Desert (+0 LA)There's nothing good or bad about this template - in fact, I'd dare say it only barely qualifies to be a template. It gives you a bonus to saves versus Fire and a penalty to saves versus Cold; not bad if you're in an actual desert campaign like that of Dark Sun and somehow happen to be a Shifter in which case this is easily
blue. Uniquely, this template lets you cast the spell
Create Water as a spell-like ability and I find that fairly novel; if you're in a survival heavy campaign, that ability alone - having pure water at your finger tips every day - and bonuses to Survival (what Wilderness Lore became) makes this template really attractive.
In fact, I'd recommend combining both the Desert and Arctic templates and just calling it a "Survivalist" - it has no penalties to hot or cold, has noticeable bonuses to skills such a Shifter character would need and already use, and can use a spell-like ability that's essential for living.
Divine Minion (+1 or +2 LA)Based on the deity your Shifter is a Divine Minion of you gain Wild Shape; some of these are
blue others are
red. I won't rate this individually, but this template's rating should be easy to figure out; it's a free action Wild Shape that lasts for as long as you desire and doesn't penalize you for wearing metal armor. Moreover, you get immunity to fear, the Outsider type, and the Extraplanar subtype.
For some characters this lets you fluff yourself as an actual Lycanthrope without the suck that comes with actually being a Lycanthrope. Some Divine Minions get multiple forms which can let you get away with playing a Panwere, or a Lycanthrope with many animal forms. Another note is that there are some Vermin forms here too, which is a pretty large unusuality.
Dragonborn (+0 LA)This template removes everything which makes your character a Shifter, thus is not a good combination thematically or mechanically at all. Avoid this, and avoid any other dragon themed or centric template.
Feral (+1 LA)A Feral Shifter has the racial (and template) total ability score adjustments of +4 Strength, +2 Constitution, -6 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma; if you can survive the brutal hit to Intelligence and aren't a Razorclaw or Beasthide Shifter then this template is awesome and can easily become
gold or
blue based on your build. Free claws, your hit dice upgraded to d10s, a giant boost of Natural Armor, Improved Grab, Pounce, Rake, Rend, Fast Healing and Darkvision - all for a +1 Level Adjustment.
Combine with Longtooth Shifter for another natural attack, more Strength and Shifter Savagery for maximum effect, easily becoming
gold. Don't use this option (it's
red) as a Beasthide Shifter... it makes your Natural Armor bonus entirely irrelevant.
Lycanthrope (+2 or +3 LA)There are so many reasons this combination should work, but it doesn't, at all and even the best Lycanthrope templates are super specific and or very cheesy. Unfortunate to say but necessary, a Shifter should avoid a Lycanthrope template - the Level Adjustment sucks and the Animal HD you'll get are effectively worthless.
The
only exception to this is if you can buy off your Lycanthrope Level Adjustment and are playing a martial initiator such as a Crusader, Swordsage or Warblade since those Animal HD become half-initiator levels like any other non-initiator level hit dice. In any case do your best to minimize the Animal HD - they're very weak for what they are.
On an off note but still relative to this topic an Ardent with the Practiced Manifester feat can ignore 4 effective levels of Lycanthropy because of their unusual class mechanic for being a manifester - this, alongside martial initiators, is a valid option if you won't have more than a total of four Animal HD and Level Adjustment.
Magic Blooded (+0 LA)If you're playing a Shifter who wants to utilize a class that focuses on Charisma such as a Sorcerer or a Wilder, use this template to compensate for the Charisma penalty you'd otherwise have - your racial ability scores will become +2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom. Additionally, you gain small bonuses to Knowledge: Arcana and Spellcraft, but the real boon is that you can now use both of those untrained. Further more, you can cast Detect Magic, Nystul's Undetectable Aura and Read Magic as spell-like abilities once per day.
A great template for a Shifter who wants to avoid the Charisma penalty.
Mineral Warrior (+1 LA)The Damage Reduction and boosts to ability scores that you really care about make this template a possibly useful addition, and guarantees some creative uses with its burrow speed addition. The downsides? Bigger penalties to your Intelligence and Charisma ability scores, and a new penalty to your Wisdom.
As a side note, once per day you can punch someone with your Constitution score in a sort of "not-Smite" attack where you add your Constitution to the attack roll (you have no racial HD to add the bonus damage with).
Like with the Feral or Blooded options don't use this template with a Beasthide Shifter - it becomes a
red option for them.
Phrenic (+2 LA)This template's psi-like abilities scale with level, its ability score adjustments remove your racial penalties (and gives you a bonus to Wisdom and Charisma), gives power resistance equal to HD + 10, and lets you qualify for Psionic feats. This is a great template, and if you're playing a Shifter Wilder consider combining this with the Magic Blooded template, making this combo
gold; you'll wind up +2 Dexterity and +4 Charisma in that case, oh, and your Phrenic template's abilities are based off Charisma, too.
For casting (or manifesting) classes that utilize Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma this is a
gold option with Level Adjustment Buy-off. For any other Shifter, it's still
blue.
Saint (+2 LA)Everything about this template is good if you can qualify for it, but you're going to have to be a good character - a really, really good character. Book of Exalted Deeds is one of those situations where good gets a little crazy... But if you qualify you gain - to name a few boons - Wisdom to Armor Class as an insight bonus, Outsider (Native) types, +2 to the DC of any spell-like or supernatural ability, Fast Healing, a ton of immunities and a twice as powerful Magic Circle against Evil/Lesser Globe of Invulnerability hybrid and some positive ability score adjustments.
There's more than just these benefits (a lot more as this template is crazy), but any Weretouched Cleric, Druid or Monk who can buy off the Level Adjustment will likely at least want to consider taking this if they can.
Shadow (+2 LA)This is the improved version of the Dark template, which in itself is good, but this template takes that a step further. You basically get supernatural active camouflage when you're in anything less than pure daylight or a Daylight spell's radiance (and a 1st level Psionic Power lets you get rid of that daylight weakness, as does a magical item from Tome of Magic, the Dark Lantern) and otherwise as if you were invisible in terms of concealment and visibility. Better yet, it lets you choose additional benefits every 4 HD you have after 1st; +2 to all saves, Fast Healing, Plane Shift (Plane of Shadow), and a few other options. It also boosts your movement speed by
fifty percent by multiplying it 1.5x alongside some other more expected benefits.
If you want to be an excellent and near impossible to discover Shifter (think the world's stealthiest werepanther), and can buy off the Level Adjustment, take this and never look back. Rolling one less check (Hide is now irrelevant, forever, to you) to scout and sneak around all while being effectively invisible (especially to creatures with Darkvision) is pretty awesome. Throw in Darkstalker and they'll never know what hit them.
Wild (+0 LA)This template, though
easily one of the most thematically appropriate, is actually pretty bad for a Shifter. It makes your poor Intelligence and Charisma scores even worse, but at least gives a tiny benefit to Strength, it makes you marginally faster, takes away your racial bonuses to Balance, Climb and Jump, but gives you the bonus skill points of a human. It also gives you new racial skill bonuses to Listen, Spot and Survival, but weakens your Bluff, Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks as a racial penalty. It also removes racial spell-like abilities, making it an even worse candidate to combine with other templates.
Your ability scores suffer pretty bad in this case - +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -4 Intelligence, -4 Charisma - which is a real shame. The only thing I can think of to make it not as bad is to combine it with the Phrenic template for a total of +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom. This racial ability score adjustment array isn't too bad (only the Level Adjustment is if you can't buy it off), and if you're going to be a Psionic melee character - like a Psychic Warrior or a melee Ardent - then this combination actually is
gold.
Shifter Feats - Specifying the Beastly AttributesOut of any race with a multitude of racial feats available to them and them alone, few can even come close - if at all - to the Shifter race's plethora of racial feat options. Not only do Shifters have many favorable feats, quite a few of which they were going to opt for regardless, these same feats help fuel usages of the Shifting racial as well as its duration; that's easily a three way win. While not all of the Shifter specific feats are impressive, many of them offer large benefits for only the cost of a feat - better yet, a select few of these feats count as Fighter bonus feats, making them easier to attain options through the means of a Fighter dip or a few levels of Martial Monk, Psychic Warrior, or Warblade.
There are two real, recognizable kinds of Shifter feat, the regular Shifter feat and then the Shifter Elite trait feat. The Elite options are limited to Shifters with that trait (even those who didn't take that as their first trait), meaning other Shifters cannot take it until much later when (really if) they take the Extra Shifter Trait feat or a class feature that grants them another Shifter trait. These Shifter Elite trait feats often provide a large jump in power to the Shifter benefiting from them - they can do anything from grant Scent, See Invisibility, a variant of pseudo-Pounce, or Constitution damage to a victim hit by an attack. Most of these Shifter Elite options are worth taking, with only a few exceptions where there are better options or where they still pale in comparison to alternatives.
Dragon MagazineDisrupting Strike [Shifter] (Dragon #355)As mentioned previously in the
Classes - Being the Best of Beasts, specifically the Way of the Shackled Beast Monk section, this feat is technically not even usable by that fighting style given they have no Stunning Fist uses. For everyone else who is taking this feat (the hard way), it counts against your Stunning Fist uses, but I'd venture to say it's still useful. If you're in a campaign with a lot of shapechangers, at all, this easily becomes
gold as it can knock down some of the scariest effects a few pegs and help validate your existence as a melee combatant.
Fierce Mind [Shifter] (Dragon #355)Fear immunity and bonuses against fear effects are both common. Unless you're playing a game where fear is very common and there are few counters to it, I advise against this feat. As far as its mechanics go, it's a valid and good option for fear immunity; you can roll first, and if you fail, use this. The downside is, is that this costs one daily use of Shifting and doesn't provide blanket immunity for a duration; you can just be sent running in fear right after.
Shiftsilver Mastery [Shifter] (Dragon #355)Only works on a critical hit against creatures with DR/Silver, requires an expensive material for a weapon, decently high craft check, +8 BAB, and a feat? Not worth it, even for 2d4 Constitution damage. Avoid this unless your campaign has
many creatures with DR/Silver and you're wielding high crit range weapons with multiple attacks (such as kukris) - in that case, this is
purple rather than
red because it can be really effective with a crit fisher build, but the rest of the time this is always
red. Far too specific of a feat to be good in most any campaign.
Eberron Campaign SettingBeasthide Elite [Shifter]If you're going for the tank-like Shifter who can shrug off, avoid, or outright ignore most physical attacks, you chose well with the Beasthide Shifter. This is one of two feats (the other likely being Shifter Ferocity) that you'd likely take to open up other Shifter feats such as Shifter Defense, but more importantly, Extra Shifter Trait. The bad news is, just like your Beasthide trait, Natural Armor is not too hard to get, and this doesn't scale, at all. In low level games (like E6) this feat is more akin to
blue, but in full and higher level games this becomes
purple with time as physical defenses start to play less of a role and magic can easily shore them up.
Cliffwalk Elite [Shifter]There's really no reason for this feat to be taken, for if your 20ft climb speed isn't enough, a 30ft climb speed isn't going to save you. Even if this was a +20ft movement bonus to climb speed over 10ft this still wouldn't be any better. If you took the Cliffwalk Shifter trait don't even bother with this.
Extra Shifter Trait [Shifter]This feat is priceless, it really is. You get a second Shifter trait, one additional round of Shifting and counting toward one half of an additional daily use of Shifting, all in one feat. If you're playing a Shifter you should probably take this at some point if you're making any real use of Shifting, and sooner is absolutely better than later. Thematically this fits, too - a Shifter who has a wereboar heritage should have both the Beasthide and Gorebrute traits, just like a Shifter with a weretiger heritage should have both the Longtooth and Razorclaw traits.
If you're playing a Shifter to play a Shifter, take this feat - all you need is two other Shifter feats to qualify.
Great Bite [Shifter]This is a very true
blue feat because it's good enough that you'd want it eventually, but at the same time it is nothing ground breaking... Unless you have Longtooth Elite, in which this is now
gold. The Constitution damage you regularly inflict with your bite attack would be multiplied as well, dealing 3 Constitution damage on a critical hit. That's a great benefit, and when combined with Shifter Savagery, you now have an increased crit range with greatly increased based damage that also has the potential for even more effective damage because of ability score damage being inflicted as well.
Great Rend [Shifter]Whereas Great Bite had good synergy, Great Rend is very pitiful and has a surprisingly misleading name - there's nothing really that great about it. It will
always deal 1d4 damage plus one-half your Strength modifier. Even with an amazing Strength modifier of +10 (an ability score of 30) equates to merely +7.50 more damage if
both your claw attacks hit. If you have feats to spare (you shouldn't),
maybe consider this and retrain it later. If you're anything but Strength based, this feat is
red and effectively useless.
Healing Factor [Shifter]In a low magic and or survival (and thus limited healing) game, this feat reduces your down time and is decent in that sense, especially since it scales, but the real issue is that it scales poorly. Healing you a single hit point per hit die you have is pretty weak, more so given it occurs after your Shifting ends, meaning this shouldn't trigger, ever, while in combat. If your game has limited means of healing and you have ample uses of Shifting, this becomes
black and is a good starter feat in that scenario as well.
Longstride Elite [Shifter]In the same vein as Cliffwalk Elite, this feat provides a very marginal increase to an already subpar Shifter trait. +10ft of base land movement speed isn't going to help you, ever, really - a 1st level default Barbarian gets your Shifting ability all the time as well as the awesomeness of Rage. This feat? You're officially now faster than your average Barbarian, but only while Shifting. You shouldn't ever consider taking the Longstride trait or this Elite feat.
Shifter Defense [Shifter]At low levels and in specific game types (like the aforementioned E6), this feat is actually decent and is
blue, as physical defenses matter to a large degree and you haven't all the magical equipment or spells to really take serious abuse and just walk it off. If you're planning on being a Shifter tank, such as a Crusader, and playing at a low power level then this feat, Shifter Ferocity, the Beasthide Shifter trait and Beasthide Elite feat can make you very functional; you have good HP, Fortitude saves, Damage Reduction, Armor Class and the ability to ignore going negative until you die, on top of the power that is a martial initiator chassis. At higher levels, easily by level 8, this feat is
purple and soon thereafter,
red altogether.
The only good news is that some classes - like Moonspeaker or Black Blood Cultist - improve on any Damage Reduction/Silver you have, making it last you slightly longer and have a tiny bit more use.
Greater Shifter Defense [Shifter]Unless you took quite a few flaws in trade for bonus feats at the start of your character's creation you're not bound to want this feat by the time you can take it given all of its requirements. It's a tiny upgrade, and if you can get it at roughly the same level as normal Shifter Defense (or in place of when you'd qualify normally for the lesser version), this is
blue as well, but otherwise avoid this feat - more so than its precursor.
Just like before, this feat is improved by a handful of prestige classes, but you shouldn't be burning feats just for small amounts of Damage Reduction/Silver.
Shifter Ferocity [Shifter]Diehard is a fairly bad feat on its own - the fact it requires Endurance makes it worse. Why is this better? For the same bare minimum reason any Shifter feat is - it lets you use Shifting more and longer. The other boon is that it isn't a terrible effect on its own, especially when you're starting out and more likely to die from hit point damage than anything else. Easily goes from
blue to
black once you go to anything beyond about level 8.
Shifter Multiattack [Shifter]Given how frequently Shifters use their racial natural weapons, at least those that have them, then this feat is a must for the same reasons any character with multiple natural attacks wants it. What makes it worthy of being
gold? It was a feat you were bound to take anyway, and it grants additional duration (ultimately uses as well) to Shifting, enhancing your viability and potency.
Player's Guide to EberronShifter Acrobatics [Shifter]If you're any of the qualifying Shifters this feat is terrible for you because there's almost no synergy between the two and your Shifter trait is bad to begin with. If this feat applied while you weren't Shifting, it'd have some use, but anyone who would want any further boosts to their Balance, Jump or Tumble would rather take offensively oriented Shifter feats and just boost the appropriate ability score and put further skill ranks in when they gain a level.
Shifter Magnetism [Shifter]If you already have an Animal Companion as a Shifter then you really needn't worry about trying to maximize the effectiveness of your Handle Animal or Wild Empathy checks, let alone your Intimidate - all of these should be the last of your concerns. If you're trying to go for a Shifter with a big Intimidate modifier try playing a Shifter Barbarian and using the suggestion in the Masters of the Wild (a 3.0 book) that allows Barbarians to use Strength instead of Charisma to determine Intimidate when making intimidating displays. If not, I'd say between Shifting and Raging you should easily get a +4 circumstance modifier because you are scary, just by virtue of being a raging Shifter Barbarian. For further thematically appropriate bonuses, take the Large feat (Bastards and Bloodlines) and receive a +4 size bonus to Intimdate as well.
The sole "redeeming" quality of this feat is that it's not limited to while you're Shifting, making it
purple instead of
red.
Shifter Stealth [Shifter]This feat is actually just useful enough to receive this rating it has in my opinion without being
red and effectively useless. It boosts inherently linked skills, those being Hide and Move Silently, and is available to the scout-tracker archetype Shifter - the Wildhunt Shifter - and not just the Shifters with sub par traits. The downside? This only applies while Shifting, which has a duration that's often extremely short compared to how long scouting and sneaking can take. If you truly want to be an effective Shifter scout or stalker, just use the
Dark (+1 LA) or
Shadow (+2 LA) templates mentioned earlier with the Darkstalker feat - they're much better options, and if you go with them, consider this feat
red.
Races of EberronDreamsight Elite [Shifter]This is a good feat, even better in the hands of a Moonspeaker given that prestige class' ability to make the benefits of a primary Shifter trait passive making it
gold rather than
blue in such cases. What does it do? For one full-round action, until your Shifting ends, you gain the benefit of a supernatural
See Invisibility effect and an +5 untyped bonus to Spot.
If you are
not going full Moonspeaker, I don't really advise taking this feat as a Druid unless you have room (you shouldn't) for a non essential feat. It's useful when you need it and it's great for what it does, but you'd get more mileage out of say, a feat that buffs your summons or beneficial spells.
Gorebrute Elite [Shifter]This feat helps make a Gorebrute Shifter worth something. Why? The prone attempt ignores size bonuses - it is a straight up Strength check, and though most monsters have a lot more muscle than player characters, your odds are better now... a lot better. The downside to this? Not only are you a Gorebrute Shifter, but your Dungeon Master might not agree this is
only a Strength check and may include size increases; this is a valid argument since most special combat actions like disarm or trip do, and since it mentions trip in its text. If he does, this feat is
black rather than
blue, but if you're a Gorebrute Shifter, take it anyway, as its only real weakness as written is creatures with more than two legs (or dwarves).
Longtooth Elite [Shifter]You gain the weapon enhancement of
Wounding on your bite attack while Shifting, but this feat goes one further. This isn't explicitly the
Wounding enhancement - you're just dealing straight up Constitution damage, meaning that it follows the rules for ability score damage, thus is subject to being multiplied on a critical hit. As if that wasn't enough a
+1 Wounding Necklace of Natural Attacks (from Savage Species, a 3.0 book) can have
Wounding stacked on top of it since they're both from two separate sources for a minimum of 2 Constitution damage on a bite, with a critical hit providing a total of 3 (4, if you took Great Bite) Constitution damage.
Take this feat as a Longtooth Shifter - you're really hurting your character if you're not.
Razorclaw Elite [Shifter]This is a quarter Pounce, but it's still a pseudo-Pounce all the same, making it an excellent choice if you're never going to get actual Pounce from another source; this feat's rating is pretty self explanatory in that case. If you
are getting actual Pounce at a later date, such as through a Lion Totem Barbarian dip or Weretouched Master, this feat is
red.
Worthy of note, this feat and the Way of the Shackled Beast fighting style for Monks gives effectively 90% of what Pounce is, and that's really worth it for them since Monks have mobility and Flurry of Blow issues. The downside to this route is that it still isn't actual Pounce.
Reactive Shifting [Shifter]Technically this feat doesn't work completely as written as you can't take an immediate action while flat-footed - period - but specific trumps general in D&D and so should this feat's (intended) benefits. If you read the feat and treat it as written with the standard rules in mind (ignoring the ability to use it while flat-footed), this feat is essentially useless and
purple, as having an immediate action Shifting ability isn't worth a feat - if you take the intent (or what appears to be the intent) this feat is
black because you can technically start Shifting during a surprise round, and the pre-errata Weretouched Master can make ample use of that.
Improved Initiative isn't a bad prerequisite either (if you have to have one), given that Initiative can determine who wins or loses in some fights or just how effective you can be on your turn.
Shifter Agility [Shifter]A tiny bonus to Reflex and AC does not save these bad Shifter traits from being bad. Avoid this feat like anything else with the prerequisite of Cliffwalk, Longstride, or Swiftwing Shifter trait. If you are a Shifter who has any of those traits, take this feat instead of your Elite option, seeing as at least your defenses will be tested
at least once in most every combat versus your limited mobility options.
Shifter Instincts [Shifter]A straightforward Shifter feat that applies even while not Shifting, granting small bonuses to important skills and a marginal increase to your Initiative. Spot, Listen and Initiative are always valuable, and Sense Motive can prove useful in many social settings, but the issue with this feat is that these increases aren't that big. If you have left over Shifter feats you need filled, say bonus ones from a Shifter prestige class, maybe consider this before any other back up options, but choose others rated higher first.
Shifter Savagery [Shifter]If you plan on playing a Razorclaw or Longtooth Shifter Barbarian and do not take this feat you are hurting your character, in all seriousness. This feat basically makes the already great Barbarian option just that much better, and saves you some other feats while it's at it. For example, don't bother with Improved Natural Attack, just take this feat and get it effectively doubled (which you can't normally do). This single feat also expands the critical threat range from standard 20 to a range of 19-20 which is another feat - Improved Critical - for free. Have Extra Shifter Trait and both Razorclaw and Longtooth traits? This feat applies to both of them as well.
A Spirit Lion Totem Whirling Frenzy Razorclaw Longtooth Shifter Barbarian can make a silly amount of attacks around at this level, and given how close to SAD (Single Attribute Dependency) you are as a Barbarian, this combination takes effectively zero effort for a lot of result. You're going to want Shifter Multiattack and the Extra Rage feats if you didn't pick them up already and there's a ton of synergy to be had with this combo, especially with your pre-errata Weretouched Master or Totem Rager.
On an interesting and important note for unarmed combatants since your unarmed attacks count as natural weapons this feat improves them by two steps as well.
Shifter Stamina [Shifter]No matter which Shifter you are out of the three eligible you wouldn't want, or even need, this feat - it does nothing too useful or worthwhile for you because its benefit only applies while you're Shifting, which is typically only during combat. How often do you get attacked by people using non-lethal damage or fatigue and exhaustion? Almost never, I gather? If you are constantly attacked in this way, yes, consider this, but for any other game you shouldn't bother.
The only novel thing I can imagine this feat being used for is with the Pugilist Fighter variant (Dragon #310) for the sole and amusing fact that while Shifting you couldn't take any hit point damage, at all. But others (like Warforged) do that a lot better.
There's only one prestige class which could even marginally benefit from this feat and that's the Frenzied Berserker, since they automatically take non-lethal damage each round. While this should never be a concern for them, this only lightly offers some use. The downside? This is so specific and such a weak effect to start that this quality does not improve the value of this feat.
Swiftwing Elite [Shifter]Just like the Swiftwing Shifter themselves this feat is right on the border of below average and average, but it remains surprisingly better than its peers - which isn't really saying much. First, it increases your movement speed like the Cliffwalk and Longstride Shifter Elite feats (which is hardly remarkable or worthwhile), but it also increases your maneuverability to good. This combination actually makes this feat average, which as stated before, isn't saying much still.
Truedive Elite [Shifter]The improvement to swim speed while in water isn't what makes this feat decent, it's the fact that if you're playing this sort of Shifter you're likely in water and a melee combatant. For a Truedive Shifter, this feat is
blue if you use bludgeoning or slashing weapons in the water, otherwise this feat becomes
red as that's the only real reason to take this feat - to get rid of that penalty.
Wildhunt Elite [Shifter]Though it is Blindsense and
not Blindsight, ignoring that, it is still a very rare addition that few enemies can get around without some clever play by the Dungeon Master or custom made monsters with feats or abilities like Darkstalker. While not truly groundbreaking in terms of power, this feat helps validate the Wildhunt trait as a decent option for a Shifter. If you're going with this Shifter trait, then there's no reason not to take this feat with it.
General Feats - Expanding Savage AbilityWhile Weretouched characters who want to make the most of their identity as a Weretouched will likely take many Shifter feats to expand that role there are still countless other feats worth mentioning, and taking. Many (if not all) of these general options aren't unique to a Shifter, but that doesn't diminish how important they are or how they're improved to some extent by being a Shifter; Power Attack is still essentially a must for a two-handed Strength based combatant, just like how Natural Spell is still effectively mandatory for a Druid.
Some of these feats were initially directed at Shifters, others are just powerful on their own when combined with the race or further expand their ability to function.
Beast Strike [General]Easily one of the most incredible feats written for a Weretouched who prefers to let claw and fang speak instead of bow or blade in combat. This feat can effectively double your damage output if used correctly as it adds your claw (or slam) damage to your unarmed attacks. This alone makes a Razorclaw Shackled Beast Monk dip a truly viable thing short of pseudo-Pounce; Unarmed Weretouched Swordsages benefit equally so (if not more so simply due to superior mechanics and easier SAD). Another great quality about this feat is that you can play a Shifter Psychic Warrior and use the
Claws of the Beast power instead of being a Razorclaw Shifter to get the same, if not greater effect when combined with a Monk dip leading into Tashalatora. Another option is the City Brawler Barbarian alternate class feature (Dragon 349) which focuses on unarmed attacks (and free Two-Weapon Fighting feats using it).
But the best part about this feat? It counts as a Fighter bonus feat, meaning Psychic Warriors have easy access, a Fighter dip can provide it (while still giving full BAB), or better yet, a Martial Monk (Dragon 310) can get it as early as 1st or 2nd level if you take the RAW of that alternate class feature.
Fear No Binds [General]The downside is, is that it requires six ranks of Escape Artist - a class skill that is not very common overall - but the upside is, is that it makes your attacks in a grapple suffer no penalties to attack. It doesn't stop there either and gives a load of strange but somewhat useful benefits such as being able to make unarmed attacks while bound with non-magical bindings (this lets you ignore psionic ones by RAW if your game isn't using Magic-Psionics Transparency), suffer no penalty to attack rolls or Dexterity while entangled, and most amusingly, lets you forcibly move a creature who tried to net you (and failed)
anywhere within the limits of the trailing rope. If they're dumb enough to hold on, move them vertically and watch them fall flat on their face.
While not a powerful feat it is a novel one, and also counts as a Fighter bonus feat for those interested.
Improved Natural Attack [General, Shifter]This feat is everything good in one feat for a Shifter focusing on their natural attacks. It counts as a Shifter feat (so one bonus round of Shifting and half toward another daily use of Shifting) and has a direct upgrade to the selected natural attack mode. The downside that comes with this feat is that, as written, it only
technically counts as a Shifter feat for a Razorclaw or Longtooth Shifter but does
not limit them to taking it once. That said you should speak with your Dungeon Master if you're a Shifter who has a natural attack but doesn't technically qualify for this feat to count as a Shifter feat - there's no reason you shouldn't. If you are a Razorclaw and Longtooth Shifter from a class feature or the Extra Shifter Trait feat then consider taking this feat twice in order to get two rounds more of Shifting and an extra Shifting usage.
Sadly this doesn't stack with the awesomeness that is Shifter Savagery, but that feat's greatness and cheapness for what it does easily outweighs the bonuses provided by this feat.
Large [Bloodline]This feat from Bastards and Bloodlines is just silly but it's absolutely worth mentioning because for one feat you're now a Large creature and gain +10ft land speed. You only technically qualify if your "bloodline" (a
very loosely defined term in the book) is size Large or larger, meaning that this realistically, if available, is only accessible by your Weretouched who have their lycanthropic bloodline animal Large or larger. It's cheaty enough to take a feat and become Large all the time, it's worse if you're trying your best to bend the rules.
Great choice for lockdown builds and Strength centric characters.
Lockjaw [General]Ever wanted to really be a werewolf with your Shifter? Then this feat accomplishes your goal. With only requiring a natural bite attack you can qualify for this feat at 1st level as a Longtooth Shifter and abuse an already good mode of combat. Combined with Improved Trip and Knockdown you can easily keep an enemy (or group of enemies) prone while you maul them to death. If you lack access to the pre-errata Weretouched Master and still want to be a werewolf per say, this is one of those feats you want to emulate it.
Even better, this feat counts as a Fighter bonus feat.
Lost Tradition [General]Another feat from Bastards and Bloodlines this feat single-handedly makes absurdities like the Muscle Wizard possible. How and why? This feat lets you choose
any other ability score to determine spell casting with one class. While it doesn't say you can't choose say, Strength, I'd err on just choosing Wisdom given the primal and animal nature of Shifters; it blends and better fits with their established history and personality. However, that's opinion and not fact. As written this can feat can let you be a Wizard who casts using his Strength score or a Sorcerer who uses Constitution.
There's really no reason not to allow this feat for a Shifter who wants to cast spells using his Wisdom score instead of another.
Mystic Legacy [Bloodline]There's a cheap, easy way to qualify for this feat from Bastards and Bloodlines, and that's by taking the Arctic template because it gives you a racial spell-like ability in the form of
Ray of Frost. This feat is nice because it increases your bonus spell allotment, maximum spell level, and the save DC of your spells as if your primary casting score of your choice (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma) was 2 higher than it actually is - the best comparison is the Mental Might Mantle from an Ardent.
Old Blood [General]This feat (from Bastards and Bloodlines) can only be taken at 1st level but it lets you qualify as any other one race of your choosing. Logically this should mean human, which lets you take some good human options, but the real power of this feat is that it lets you qualify as
any one race. If you intend to abuse the fact you qualify as
any other one race then by all means do so because this feat is
gold for. But the real reason I mention this feat as the author is because it opens up non-human lineage Shifters; half elf Shifters, dwarven Shifters, etc. If you're treating "race" as "creature" then this even works for technically qualifying you as a target for spells that only target certain creature types.
For example, you're a Razorclaw Shifter with the Old Blood (Tiger) feat who's roleplaying a weretiger heritage. By extent because of how that feat is written any spells that target tigers can target you too, meaning you can technically receive spells that only target Animal type creatures while still having the Humanoid type. Broken? Yes. Iffy on the rules? Yes. I highly suggest you don't attempt this and stick with the Old Blood (Human) option as that truly is the most logical one with the least brokenness allowed, but you should ask your Dungeon Master.
Rake [General]Similar to a Black Blood Cultist's Savage Grapple class feature, this feat essentially gives you free claw attacks in a grapple just for succeeding on grappling, even if you weren't the individual who initiated it (meaning if they attempt to break the grapple and fail, you get bonus attacks). While it only gives you claw damage the real power is that this feat can be stacked with Savage Grapple and Shifter Savagery, leading to absolutely brutal grappling against any creature unfortunate enough to find itself pitted against you and grabbed. Moreover, if you are raging, have Savage Grapple, and both your claw attacks hit from this feat triggering, you also get to rend the victim again.
This feat has absolutely brutal and perfect potential for a diehard Razorclaw Shifter grappler.
Tiger Blooded [General]This essentially gives your attacks while raging, Shifting or Wild Shaped into an animal form and executing a Tiger Claw maneuver a small bull rush effect. The good news is that it's just a Fortitude save (so it doesn't include size bonuses or penalties) or they get moved and it costs you no action to do it, the bad news is that it doesn't cause the enemy to provoke, it's a Fortitude save, and if they were already trying to get away from you they can now do so without needing to take a withdraw action. I could see this feat being used with a lockdown build (using Thicket of Blades) as while the forced movement doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity against the target certain effects (like the aforementioned stance) don't care and punish any movement period, thus granting you a second attack with your reach weapon.
You already meet half the requirements with your Shifting racial ability and only need one Tiger Claw maneuver to complete it.