Grimalkin
A Grimalkin in it's natural form, a larger than average cat.HD:d8
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Feature 1 +1 +2 +2 +2 Grimalkin Body, Empathy, +1 Wis
2 +2 +3 +3 +3 Change Shape, +1 Wis
Skills:4+int modifier, quadruple at first level. Class skills are Climb, Hide, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot.
Proficiencies: Grimalkin are only proficient with their own natural weapons.
Features:Grimalkin Body:A Grimalkin loses all other racial bonuses, and gains the magical beast type (with 60 feet Darkvision and lowlight vision) and the shapechanger subtype. It is a medium sized shapechanger with base speed 40 foot. As well, the Grimalkin gains two natural claw attacks dealing 1d4+Str modifier damage, and a secondary bite attack dealing 1d6+str modifier.
A Grimalkin also gains a natural armor bonus to AC equal to his Con modifier. A Grimalkin has a racial bonus to move silently equal to HD, and a racial bonus to climb and jump equal to 1/2HD.
Grimalkin speak Common plus an additional number of languages based on their Int.
Ability Score Increase:A Grimalkin gets +1 Wis at first level and +1 Wis at second level, for a total of +2 Wis at 2nd level.
Empathy: At first level, a Grimalkin gains the ability to detect the surface emotions (but not thoughts) of any target within 50 ft that it can see. For example, it could detect apprehension in a target, but not the source of that apprehension. A successful Will save (DC 10+1/2HD+Wis mod) protects a target from this ability for 24 hours. At 5HD, this functions like the spell Detect Thoughts; however, it still only targets one creature, and a successful Will save of the same DC will still protect the creature for 24 hours. Using this ability is a swift action.
Change Shape:At second level, the Grimalkin has mastered it's own form. As a swift action a Grimalkin can gain the shape of any Small or Medium animal, Magical beast, or vermin with HD equal to or less than it's own. At 4HD, this can be a large creature. At 6HD, this can be a tiny creature. At 8HD, this can be a huge creature. At 10HD, this can be a diminutive creature. This ability can be used 2 times each day per HD, and the Grimalkin can remain in this form for as long as it wants to. Changing back is a standard action. Other than the above, this ability functions as Change Shape.
Comments
I daresay this polymorph may get powerful. At first, I was worried about letting it scale, as it was already damn useful, but then I thought that the point of this thread was to make monster abilities that scale. So I decided to let it advance in the same way that the Druid's Wildshape does. I didn't think this would be a huge problem, as the Grimalkin still lacks many of the Druid's other features such as spellcasting and what not. Yes, they get access to more forms (beasts and vermin) but Druid's can get the same and more through certain feats.
The main problem I had when making this was the usage per day of the polymorph. I figured that, though powerful, it really is all the Grimalkin does, so it should at least be able to do it well. Considering that it's main combat tactic is bouncing from one form to another every time it's turn comes, Polymorph is it's only real offensive ability, I didn't think it would hurt. But if you guys think it is too much, I will understand and change it.
The Wisdom boost was a last minute throw on that I came up with just to synergize with the Empathy. Classes feel naked to me without some sort of stat boost, and obviously this thing has no need for physical boosts.
So, what do you think?
