The Shapeshifter class.

[Alaunae]

Currently, no one plays a Shapeshifter -- at least, not anyone who has been even remotely active in the past three years.  Most people think that the class is simply just too weak when stacked against the other mage classes, which I suppose could be considered true.  However, there is one other flaw with Shapeshifters that I see.

You can't actually shapeshift.

The Shapeshifter class has three 'shifting' spells that can cast that give some kind of bonus to the caster -- shift bear, shift giant, and shift owl.  Yet, when you cast the spell, aside from the spell message itself, there is nothing that indicates that the Shapeshifter actually 'shapeshifted.'  You can't look at the person and see which shift they might be using.

Therefore (and I know that this just adds more into the possible coding playthings, you coders can maim me later), I think it might be interesting if the Shapeshifters gained some kind of ability to morph into their chosen totem animal.  Possibly without the major bonuses/negatives that racial morphers get, as you wouldn't want to take away from their uniqueness at all, but at the very least a cosmetic enhancement to give the Shapeshifter class some roleplay credibility, if they have no hope of matching up against their other mage brethren in terms of power.

Yes, I suppose that you can just roleplay out whatever shifts you may have made as a Shapeshifter, but I think it might be nice if this were taken one step further and enhanced by actual game coding, so as to give the class some attractiveness as a choice for up-and-coming Magi.

[SeanBoggz]

I've always thought shapshifters should be able to "shift" into any race of their choice and maybe look like a certain person once they are powerful enough

[Daklore]

Yeah, Shapeshifters do need some love... but for the love of God, don't give them a copy of Dias' Deception spell. That's pretty well all the uniqueness Dias gets now! Agony is the same as Eye, which is the same as Psi link... or whatever the psionicist spell is. Deception is our only fun 'buff' that doesn't help much since everyone sits at questors -anyway-.

Maybe on top of being able to actually shift into an animal, as shapeshifters traditionally do, their spells could grant them a little 'special'.... like, improved health regen, an additional attack, more built in AC... better dodging odds.... Ya know, things like that, that will -give- those spells some more attractiveness, rather than just more buffs to stats that you don't even need... which will lead into me making a new thread right after I post this >P.

[Chalgyr]

but... I like the deception spell for them....

[Daklore]

No! Bad Chalgyr, Bad! If you're gonna give 'em a deception rip-off, then you'd better be giving my religion some buff spells that are unique! Lookit all the other uniqueness other religions get in the way of -beneficial- spells. We get... one? >P Two if you count deception, but it's a RP spell.

[Chalgyr]

At least the Dots have been improved soon, right?  And we are looking at some of the spells in the religion in general as well for upgrade.

[Daklore]

meh... DoTs are still low on my priority of casting list. If they make the kill, you/your group doesn't get credit. Like Thalia said, there's no way to determine who cast it, by the code's perspective... but still, if it dies to a group in combat, whether it was by DoTs damage or not, it should be credited -to- the group .... which in turn would probably mean I could solo the GMA *shifty eyes* Well... assuming bleeder and torment pull off enough damage over time anyway.... which they won't, I know. >P The GMA will heal it faster than it does damage anyway.

[Farnite]

Elaborate.  What would you do with the shapeshifting class?  Give me some unique ideas.  Owl form allows a character to 'flee' and fly away randomly to another area?  Perhaps each form gives you abilities unique to that form.  What abilities would you grant that form, etc?

[Magus_Sairos]

Actually, I really like Ala's idea about 'shapeshifting' Shapeshifters.  Though I think I have a minor tweak to it..  How about they gain a spell that would literally change them into another creature?  A Non-GM Cast would not allow you to control what you changed into, but a GM Cast would give you the ability to choose what you can change into.  I think that would be sweet.

[Thalia]

How well is the existing deceiver/changeform coding working? 

Just wondering if we're doing a good enough job of masking the base forms/person or if there are places we need to do more work before adding additional "change who I appear to be" options.

[azzan]

How about shapeshifters getting a changeform skill at the lower levels (bear, panther, things like that) and then as they get higher level something like the deception spell that would allow you to shapeshift into player forms or any mob for that matter.

(I've never used the deceiption spell before so I dont know for sure - but when Dak uses it it seems to work well enough.)

[Chalgyr]

well, I haven't had any problems with changeform that I'm aware of.

[Daklore]

Deception and Changeform work fine to me. Well, except for the fact that poisonbreath still seems to poison me when I'm in changeform.... eh, no big really, I can heal it anyway. But still, shapeshifters don't need deception demmit! It's the only spell Dias, aside from gossip, that's FUN and no one else -gets- damnit! >.>

But anyway, stealing from Guild Wars now... since in the expansion there are PvE skills that allow you to 'change' your form. They, oddly enough, don't change your appearance. Instead, they give a boost to stats -and- temporarily replace your skill bar. Wherein my point is to be made! How about special skills that are only usable when in a certain form. Example: A bear form would give you skills related to a bear. Powerful mauling, slamming them into the ground... yada yada yada. The form skills could be directly related to the spells mastery level, while not directly benifiting it. Which means you'd have to improve the actual shift spell to improve the skill in that form... *shifty eyes* Ayeup, more work for them coder type people >P