Originally posted
here in the GitP PrC Contest. If you wish to vote for it and other entries, you can do so
here. It still needs some touching up (which I could no longer do in the contest entry itself) on the correction of wording related to spellshaping and some other things, but as it is this is largely the final result.
EDIT: Oh, right. I'd forgotten how different and tedious the table-making is here. I'll fix it when I have the time and energy for it.
Shifter of Elements
As the universe first awoke and opened its great Eye, there existed only a vast emptiness, a great void in which no life could take form. Chaos existed beyond its farthest reaches, scouring across the borders of the universe, raging unchecked. For eons upon eons, this chaos slowly wormed its way throughout the universe, shaping itself as it in turn shaped the endless abyss. As time immeasurable passed, the chaos grew structured, splitting off from itself as it stretched across the void. No longer was the realm a place of infinite nothingness. Massive constructs hung silently in space, surrounding gigantic orbs of flame that burned throughout the universe, filling the void with light. Fields of frozen liquid stretched on endlessly, forced along by an unseen force. Energy twisted and coalesced and expanded and contracted, endlessly. Finally, the universe had given birth to the first of what would be innumerable lives. From the chaos outside of existence came seven entities of power, timeless beings of raw elemental energy, gifted with sentience: the Primals.
Iyelus, who brings forth the earth and stone, creating the stage in which life dances upon. The grandest of architects, who inspires the shaping of new things through stone and metal as life progresses through time.
Sendrus, who breathes out the raging tempests and fill the worlds with air. The master of travel, who guides life throughout the worlds, pushing them forward to cross the breadth of all that exists.
Rokenus, from whom the waters flow out and fill the worlds, promoting growth and nurturing the world. The originator of mysteries and the unexplained, who keeps the deepest secrets of magic and power, teasing life into discovering its knowledge.
Korinus, who brings forth the life blood of creation, forging the worlds with endless fire. The master of change, who’s purifying flame burns away the world and gives way to new things that rise up from the ashes.
Maorus, who anchors the worlds with the freezing ice, locking them into their given place in the universe. The one who turns the world, guiding the progress of time upon its frozen axis as it moves in its unrelenting, ever moving pace.
Terus, who splits the heavens with terrible lightning, charging the air and unleashing thunder in its wake. The one who summons the storms that rage across the lands, invoking emotion as the weather is shifted and twisted and forced out across the worlds.
Feyrus, who breathes life into the worlds, filling empty lands with flora and fauna. The originator of all existences, bringing purpose and promoting growth as the lives created progress through time.
As the Primals extended their influence out across the universe, it took shape into a thing of beauty, a colossal work of art that could only grow more and more stunning as time progressed at its endless pace. Yet as the Primals used their gifts to mold the universe as they saw fit, they remained dissatisfied, believing that something was missing within the endless void.
As such, they came together and worked together to sculpt their masterpiece. Together, the seven Primals chose a blazing star as the site of their work, and Iyelus and Korinus joined stone and fire, crafting a sphere of stone and metal around molten fire within the very heart of a gigantic ice ring. Rock melted and flowed beneath it, like blood. Maorus took the ice and bombarded the surface, cooling the fires that raged across it. More and more ice rained down upon the creation’s farthest reaches, anchoring it into orbit around the star. Terus cast down the lightnings from storms that raged across the formed land, and the water brought about by Rokenus flooded down from the heavens, sculpting the finest of details into it as it was guided by gentle winds blown from Sendrus, forming an atmosphere. In the end, Feyrus spanned life throughout the entire sculpture, and the grasses and the forests sprang up around it, hiding away thousands upon thousands of plentiful creatures. To them came the blessings of thought and life and death; sentient mortality. They would not stagnate in time; they would go on and evolve, as did the endless universe that contained their home. They gazed upon the world they had created and saw that it was complete, that they had created their masterpiece.
The world of Ymaggion had been born. ~ The Chronicles of Creation
BECOMING A SHIFTER OF ELEMENTSSome students of the spellshaping arts discover within themselves the ability to link themselves with the primal nature of the elements of the world. Overcome with curiosity, they investigate this ability and discover that their form can become fluid, formless, different. They become a shifter of elements.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTSAlignment: Any nonlawful
Arcane Formulae: Must know at least 3 formulae from any circle that is considered an elemental one in your campaign setting.
Feats: Precise Shaper, Reshape Formula
Skills: Concentration 9 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 5 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 5 ranks
Class SkillsThe shifter of elements' class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (arcana; Int), Knowledge (nature; Int), Knowledge (the planes; Int), Move Silently (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str)
Skills Points at Each Level: 6 + Int
Hit Dice: d8
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Formulae Known | Formulae Prepared | Special |
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +2 | +2 | 1 | 0 | Elemental Power +1, Shift Elements |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +3 | +3 | 0 | 1 | Shift Shape |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +3 | 1 | 0 | Elemental Power +2, Reflexive Shifting |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +4 | 0 | 0 | Absorption (+1 size) |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +4 | 1 | 0 | Elemental Power +3, Precise Shape Shifting |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +5 | +5 | 0 | 1 | Absorption (+2 size), Compression (-1 size) |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +5 | +5 | 1 | 0 | Elemental Power +4, Improved Reflexive Shifting |
| 8th | +6 | +6 | +6 | +6 | 0 | 0 | Absorption (+3 size), Compression (-2 size) |
| 9th | +6 | +6 | +6 | +6 | 1 | 0 | Elemental Power +5 |
| 10th | +7 | +7 | +7 | +7 | 0 | 1 | Absorption (+4 size), Compression (-3 size), Primal Incarnation |
Formulae: At every odd level, the shifter of elements gains a new formula known from any of the circles of formulae to which you have access. In addition to meeting the formula's prerequisite, his spellshaping ability score must be equal to at least 10 + the formula's level in order to learn it. You add your full shifter of elements' level to your shaper level to determine your total shaper level and your highest-level formulae known.
At 2nd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, he gains an additional formula prepared per day.
Elemental Power (Ex): When a shifter of elements shapes an elemental spell, his shaper level increases if he shapes another elemental spell in the next round. At level 1, this increase in shaper level is only +1. This becomes +2 at level 3 and further increases by 1 every odd level thereafter. Furthermore, you gain the same amount as a permanent bonus to attack and damage with spellshape attacks.
Elemental Shift (Su): A shifter of elements is strongly associated with the elements that make up the world. At any one time, he may shift his association more towards one of those elements as a standard action, or shift to a different one as a swift action. He may not shape spells of other elemental circles for the duration of this elemental association, but he gains certain bonuses.
Air: He may only shape formulae from the Blustering Gale circle. He does not need to breathe while his association is shifted towards Air, and he gains a fly speed of 60 ft with good maneuverability.
Earth: He may only shape formulae from the Crushing Stone circle. He gains a slam attack that deals bludgeoning damage equal to a morningstar of the shifter of elements' size (1d8 for Medium, 1d6 for Small). He gains a +8 enhancement bonus to his natural armor.
Fire: He may only shape formulae from the Searing Flame circle. He gains immunity to fire, and any creature struck by the him in melee (whether with a weapon, unarmed attack, or natural weapon) takes an extra 1d6 points of fire damage and must succeed on a Reflex save or catch fire for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is 10 + shifter of elements level + his Con modifier. Creatures hitting the shifter of elements with natural weapons or unarmed attacks while this aspect is in effect take 1d6 points of fire damage and also catch fire unless they succeed on the Reflex save noted above.
Water: He may only shape formulae from the Roaring Tide circle. He gains a +10 bonus on Escape Artist checks and resistance to fire 10. He gains a swim speed of 30 feet and a +8 bonus on his Swim checks. His touch puts out torches, campfires, exposed lanterns, and other open flames of nonmagical origin if these are Large or smaller. The shifter of elements can dispel magical fire she touches as if he had cast greater dispel magic on it.
OtherThe elements listed below are those that aren't seen as elements in their own right in standard DnD, but may count as elements in your campaign world. The ones listed below are elements in my own campaign world, Ymaggion. Others may yet be possible.
Darkness: He may only shape formulae from the Devouring Shadow circle. He becomes cloaked in shadow, granting concealment, a +4 bonus on Hide checks and +1d6 Sneak Attack damage.
Ice: He may only shape formulae from the Perfect Freeze circle. He gains immunity to cold, and any creature struck by the him in melee (whether with a weapon, unarmed attack, or natural weapon) takes an extra 1d6 points of cold damage.
Light: He may only shape formulae from the Brilliant Dawn circle. He gives off light like a torch, gains fast healing 2, and all of his attacks deal an additional 1d6 damage (1d8 against undead and evil outsiders). While touching a single ally, he may share his fast healing with them as a 1-round action each round.
Lightning: He may only shape formulae from the Shocking Current circle. Any attacks he makes with natural weapons or manufactured weapons made of metal deal an additional 1d6 electricity damage and he gains immunity to electricity.
Wood: He may only shape formulae from the Natural Balance circle. As a standard action, the shifter of elements can root himself in place to become immune to bull rush, overrun and trip attempts, as well as fast healing 5. He can unroot himself as a swift action.
: At 2nd level, the shifter of elements becomes naturally capable of changing his form to that of different creatures. He may use a standard action to turn into a different kind of creature of any type as long as it has the same size as himself and it has no more HD than his shaper level. He gains the creature's extraordinary abilities, natural weapons, natural armor, darkvision, low-light vision, fast healing, regeneration, scent and movement capabilities. A body with more extremities than his normal form does not allow him to make more attacks than normal.
He retains his own ability scores. His class and level, hit points, alignment, base attack bonus, and base save bonuses all remain the same. He retains all supernatural and spell-like special attacks and qualities of his normal form, except for those requiring a body part that the new form does not have (such as a mouth for a breath weapon or eyes for a gaze attack). He keeps all extraordinary special attacks and qualities derived from class levels, but he loses any from his normal form that are not derived from class levels.
Reflexive Shifting (Su): At 3rd level, the shifter of elements' body becomes more fluid and capable to quickly shift form as if in a reflex. He gains evasion against sources he's aware of and he becomes immune to poison, disease, sleep, paralysis, stunning and critical hits. This means that he is immune to precision damage (such as from sneak attacks) while being flanked as long as he is not flat-footed against the source of the precision damage.
At level 7, he gains improved evasion instead.
Absorption (Su): At 4th level, the shifter of elements becomes able to absorb matter from the air, earth and water to increase his mass as a full-round action, thereby increasing his size by up to one size category. At 6th level and every 2 levels thereafter, he can further increase his size this way by another size category, to a maximum of Colossal. For each size category that the shifter is larger than his normal size thanks to this ability, he gains a +6 bonus to Strength, a +2 bonus to Constitution and a +10 ft bonus to his base land speed.
He can only keep this matter absorbed for 1 minute per class level every day, but this time need not be consecutive.
Precise Shape Shifting (Su): At 5th level, the shifter becomes able to shift his shape more precisely. He becomes able to turn his shape into that of specific people he has seen or seen the likeness of, similar to the use of a
disguise self spell, except that it is not an illusory effect, but a minor physical alteration of the shifter of element's appearance. Furthermore, the shifter of elements can turn parts of his body into small, attached tools, granting a +2 circumstance bonus on any one skill at a time.
Compression (Su): At 6th level, the shifter of elements becomes able to pressurize his body to compress his size by one size category as a full round action. At 8th level and every 2 levels thereafter, he can further decrease his size this way by another size category, to a minimum of Fine. He gains damage reduction 5/adamantine while compressed in this way, which increases by 5 for each size category further decreased beyond the first. He further gains a +2 bonus to Dexterity for each size category that the shifter is smaller than his normal size thanks to this ability.
He can only keep himself compressed for one round per level each encounter.
The shifter of elements can use Absorption and Compression in combination with each other. This means that if he increases his size by one through Absorption and decreases it by one through Compression, he does not gain the bonus to Strength, Constitution and base land speed from Absorption, nor the Dexterity bonus from Compression, but he does gain the damage reduction from Compression.
Primal Incarnation (Su): At 10th level, the shifter of elements finally makes the powerful connection with one of the Primals who took part in shaping the first foundations of the world. He must choose one of the Primals to gain bonuses specific to that Primal.
Iyelus: While in Earth elemental shift, the shifter of elements also gains access to one formula from the Unseen Impetus circle. If he can project the numena of the Crushing Stone circle, he gains access to the numena for the Unseen Impetus circle and may project it at the same time. If he has the ability to shape the incantations associated with the Crushing Stone circle, he gains access to the incantations for the Unseen Impetus circle as well.
Sendrus: While in Air elemental shift, the shifter of elements also gains access to one formula from the Astral Essence circle. If he can project the numena of the Blustering Gale circle, he gains access to the numena for the Astral Essence circle and may project it at the same time. If he has the ability to shape the incantations associated with the Blustering Gale circle, he gains access to the incantations for the Astral Essence circle as well.
Rokenus: While in Water elemental shift, the shifter of elements also gains access to one formula from the Fleeting Image circle. If he can project the numena of the Roaring Tide circle, he gains access to the numena for the Fleeting Image circle and may project it at the same time. If he has the ability to shape the incantations associated with the Roaring Tide circle, he gains access to the incantations for the Fleeting Image circle as well.
Korinus: While in Fire elemental shift, the shifter of elements also gains access to one formula from the Deteriorating Corrosion circle. If he can project the numena of the Searing Flame circle, he gains access to the numena for the Deteriorating Corrosion circle and may project it at the same time. If he has the ability to shape the incantations associated with the Searing Flame circle, he gains access to the incantations for the Deteriorating Corrosion circle as well.
Maorus: While in Ice elemental shift, the shifter of elements also gains access to one formula from the Eternal Moment circle. If he can project the numena of the Perfect Freeze circle, he gains access to the numena for the Eternal Moment circle and may project it at the same time. If he has the ability to shape the incantations associated with the Perfect Freeze circle, he gains access to the incantations for the Eternal Moment circle as well.
Terus: While in Lightning elemental shift, the shifter of elements also gains access to one formula from the Screeching Roc circle. If he can project the numena of the Shocking Current circle, he gains access to the numena for the Screeching Roc circle and may project it at the same time. If he has the ability to shape the incantations associated with the Shocking Current circle, he gains access to the incantations for the Screeching Roc circle as well.
Feyrus: While in the Wood elemental shift, the shifter of elements also gains access to one formula from the [insert life-based circle's name here] circle. If he can project the numena of the Natural Balance circle, he gains access to the numena for the [insert life-based circle's name here] circle and may project it at the same time. If he has the ability to shape the incantations associated with the Natural Balance circle, he gains access to the incantations for the [insert life-based circle's name here] circle as well.
"Secret" PrimalIt is not commonly known that there are two more primals: Elgehim, who is worshipped as the head of the Corean pantheon, and Kron Ushaiitan, the unmade head of the royal family of Hell. This is because they came into being much later, with Elgehim as the Primal of Light and Kron Ushaiitan as the Primal of Darkness.
While in either Darkness or Light elemental shift, the shifter of elements also gains access to one formula from the Glimmering Moon circle. If he can project the numena of the circle associated with the elemental shift he's in, he gains access to the numena for the Glimmering Moon circle and may project it at the same time. If he has the ability to shape the incantations associated with the circle associated with the elemental shift he's in, he gains access to the incantations for the Glimmering Moon circle as well.
Shifters of elements will likely begin with the shifter of elements assuming a form most suited to their style of combat, after which they will focus on shaping formulae suited to their style.
Advancement: Many shifters of elements take feats that build further on Precise Shaper. Nearly all of them take further levels in other elementally-themed PrCs.
Resources: I dunno, this is always the hardest part for me. I guess regular equipment stuff or whatever the organization has they are connected to? D:
SHIFTERS OF ELEMENTS IN THE WORLD"That body part isn't supposed to be there and on fire!"Daily Life: Nearly all shifter of elements use their shape shifting abilities to make their daily lives easier, by turning into forms useful for particular tasks. Many even create their homes to be in peculiar builds that allow access only to those with certain abilities, such as flight, waterbreathing, darkvision, or otherwise, abilities that they can easily grant themselves.
Notables: The most well-known shifter of elements, possible even the first of them, was a young man who helped turn around the Third End of the World. Because he was one of the rare few heroes of that time to survive it, he is better known than the ones who did not, and even worshipped as a lesser god of protection in some parts of the world, although he took care to erase his name from all records and as such he is only known by his titles: the Eyeless Watcher, the Eternal Judge and the Seed of Dreams.
Organizations: A lot of good shifters of elements are associated with the Order of the Calm Waters, attempting to live by the ways of heroes of the past. Some neutral ones are likewise associated with it, whereas most evil ones either form small cabals or go solo.
NPC ReactionDue to the actions of the Eyeless Watcher, shifters of elements are generally welcomed by those who know even the slightest of these stories. To those who do not know of it, they are generally viewed the same as ordinary elementalists are seen in those places.
SHIFTERS OF ELEMENTS IN THE GAMEAdaptation: To adapt the class in your campaign setting, you can add or remove elements to your liking. As for the Primals, you can instead change them to gods associated to the elements and change the Primal Incarnation's second circle that you get to a different one that fits the particular god (or other near-omnipotent being) you choose to link your shifter of elements to.
Encounters: Encounters with shifters of elements will likely begin with the shifter of elements assuming a form most suited to their style of combat, after which they will focus on shaping formulae suited to their style.
