The Metamorphist (Shape-Shifter)

Here's another piece for Spheres of Power and another conversion from my favored anime/manga ever! I was desperate to find a way to adapt the bombastic, preposterous Cyborg 007 to Pathfinder, until I found the Spherecaster Shifter!

(Later I found a way to build him in a Pathfinder vanilla game, even if with some "fixing"... but you'll see...)
This post already appeared for patrons only on my Patreon page. If you wish to see stuff in advance and have access to other rewards, please consider donating!

The Metamorphist (Shape-Shifter)

Human shifter 1 (Apex Shifter, Martial Shifter)

CG Medium humanoid (human)

Defense

AC 13, touch 12, flat-footed 11 (+1 armor, +2 Dex)

hp 10 (1d8+2)

Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +3

Offense

Speed 30 ft.

Melee sword-cane +0 (1d6) or unarmed strike +0 (1d4)

Ranged light crossbow +2 (1d8, 19-20)

Magic

Caster Level 1; MSB +1; MSD 12; Concentration +4
Tradition Lycanthrope (Lycanthropic, Wild Magic); CAM Wis
Spell Points 5
Alteration Sphere - DC 13; Duration 1 minute, Concentration; Range Self; Talents Animalistic Transformation, Aquan Transformation, Avian Transformation, Object Transformation; Drawbacks Lycanthropic
- Shapeshift (Animalistic Transformation, Aquan Transformation, Avian Transformation, Blank Form, Object Transformation)

Martial

Tradition Drunken Brawler (Barroom sphere: Reeling Steps; Wrestling Sphere; Equipment sphere: Unarmed Training); PAM Wis
Barroom sphere - DC 13, Talents Reeling Steps, Drawbacks none
- brutal breaker (don't suffer penalties w/improvised weapons)
- hard drinker (move action, retrieve and drink an elixir, potion, or beverage; if alcoholic gain drunk status for 2 rounds)

- reeling steps (do not provoke attack of opportunity and gain bonuses to dance when you are drunk)

Equipment sphere - DC 13, Talents Rogue Weapon Training, Unarmed Training
- rogue weapon training (proficiency with blade boot, butterfly knife, garrote, hand crossbow, kukri, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, starknife, switchblade knife, sword cane, war razor, and whip; +2 competence bonus to Sleight of Hand checks made to conceal a weapon on your person)

- unarmed training (proficiency with boot blade, brass knuckles, cestus, dan bong, emei piercer, gauntlet, katar, knuckle axe, punching dagger, rope gauntlet, sap, scizore, spiked gauntlet, and tekko-kagi; treat these and any natural attacks you possess as an unarmed strike)

Wrestling Sphere - DC 13, Talents none, Drawbacks none

- snag (latch onto a target and make it battered)

Statistics

Str 10, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 10

Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD +12

Traits Talented, Witty Repartee

Feats Extra Combat Talent, Shifting Disguise*

Skills Bluff +5, Fly +6, Handle Animal +4, Knowledge (nature) +6, Knowledge (nobility) +4, Perform (act) +5

Languages Common, Elven, Protean

SQ doppelganger-spawn, wild empathy +0

Gear armored kilt (20 gp), light crossbow (35 gp) with 10 bolts (1 gp), sword-cane (45 gp), 4 gp

Special Abilities

Alteration Sphere You have the ability to change the physical makeup of creatures.

Lycanthropic You can only target yourself with your shapeshift ability. You cannot gain the Mass Alteration nor Ranged Alteration talents.

Alteration: Shapeshift As a standard action you may shapeshift yourself or a touched creature, changing their form for as long as you concentrate. If the target is unwilling, this costs a spell point, and they are allowed a Fortitude save to negate. You may spend a spell point to allow a shapeshift to remain for 1 minute per caster level without concentration. You may dismiss your shapeshift as a free action.

Shapeshift is a polymorph effect. A target may only be affected by one shapeshift at any one time. If a caster attempts to place a second shapeshift on a target, he must succeed at a magic skill check. If he succeeds, the second shapeshift is successfully placed on the target, dismissing and dispelling the first.
When shapeshifting a target, the caster must choose a form and a series of traits for them. Forms constitute a creature’s basic physical makeup (humanoid, draconic, animalistic, avian, etc.) while traits are special characteristics or alterations (natural attacks, creature size, monster special abilities, etc.). A caster may grant up to 1 trait + 1 per 5 caster levels and cannot grant the same trait more than once unless the trait indicates it may be granted multiple times.
With the exception of Blank Form (detailed below), placing a form on a creature causes that creature’s physical body to change into that of another creature. The target gains the listed number of limbs and loses all others. The target loses any extraordinary or supernatural abilities, natural attacks, and movement types dependent on their original form (darkvision, scent, wings, claws, etc.) and gains the listed benefits in their place.
Alternate sources of physical traits (such as a dragon sorcerer’s ability to grow claws) still function. In addition, the target’s equipment melds into their new form, causing them to lose their armor and shield bonuses and the ability to pull any item from a backpack or belt. They also cannot activate magic items (although constant bonuses from magic items still remain).
This cannot be used to assume the guise of a specific individual creature, but otherwise adds a +10 bonus to Disguise checks made to appear as a different race, gender, or species. The caster may cause the target to cosmetically appear as whatever type of creature he desires, although if the target is not granted the right physical attributes (for example, granting the right size category or number of legs), the disguise may fail completely.
When a caster first gains the Alteration sphere, they may grant creatures the Blank Form and the traits listed below. Additional forms and traits may be gained by taking Alteration talents. Any trait may be granted to any form.

Alteration: Blank Form Unlike other forms, the Blank Form does not change the creature’s basic makeup. They do not gain the +10 bonus to Disguise checks, nor do they lose their abilities, equipment, natural attacks, or any other aspect of their unaltered form. The Blank Form allows a caster to add traits to a creature without fundamentally changing the target first. A caster may grant the following traits to a creature affected by their shapeshift. A target must possess the appropriate limb where listed, and cannot grant a natural attack to a limb that already possesses a natural attack.

Darkvision 60 ft
Low-light vision
2 claw attacks (Primary attacks, 1d4, 1d3 small, requires arms). You may grant this trait multiple times.
1 bite attack (Primary attack, 1d6, 1d4 small, requires head). You may grant this trait multiple times.
1 gore attack (primary, 1d6, 1d4 small, requires head). You may grant this trait multiple times.
2 slam attacks (primary, 1d4, 1d3 small, requires arms). You may grant this trait multiple times.
2 pincers (secondary, 1d6, 1d4 small, requires arms). You may grant this trait multiple times.
You change the target’s cosmetic appearance. This could include changing the target’s apparent age, making an elf into an orc, disguising a large dog as a small pony, changing a male into a female, or some other such alteration. This grants the target a +10 bonus to Disguise checks. This trait may only be applied to the Blank Form, as such changes are assumed with other forms.

Alteration: Animalistic Transformation You may grant the form of a land animal or magical beast with your shapeshift. The form has a head and 4 legs with all the benefits of being a quadruped. The target gains a 40 ft land speed, which increases by 20 ft per 5 caster levels. The target also gains the Scent ability, a bite attack (Primary, 1d6, 1d4 small) and a +2 natural armor bonus which increases by 1 per 5 caster levels.

In addition, you may grant the following traits to any form:
A land speed as that granted by Animalistic form (grants 2 legs if the target lacked a land speed).
Scent.
2 hoof attacks (Secondary, 1d4, 1d3 small). This may be granted once per pair of legs beyond the first.

Alteration: Aquan Transformation You may grant the form of a swimming animal or magical beast with your shapeshift. The form has a head, fins, and no arms or legs. The target gains low-light vision and a 20 ft Swim speed which improves by 20 ft for every 5 caster levels. The target gains the Amphibious subtype and the ability to breathe underwater. The target also gains a bite attack (Primary, 1d6, 1d4 small), Blindsense 30 ft (which only functions in water), and a +2 natural AC bonus, which increases by 1 for every 5 caster levels.
In addition, you may add the following traits to any form:
The Amphibious subtype with the ability to breath underwater.
A swim speed as that granted by the Aquan form.
Blindsense 30 ft (only in water)

Alteration: Avian Transformation You may grant the form of a flying animal or magical beast with your shapeshift. The target gains a head, 2 legs, 2 wings, and a 30 ft land speed. The target gains low-light vision and 2 talon attacks (Primary, 1d4, 1d3 small) and a +2 natural AC bonus, which increases by 1 for every 5 caster levels. The target takes no damage when falling and may glide, moving with a speed of 30 ft with maneuverability (poor), but falling 1 ft for every 5 ft traveled. At 5th caster level, the target gains a fly speed of 30 ft with maneuverability (poor). This improves by 20 ft for each 5 additional caster levels.
In addition, you may add the following traits to any form:
2 talon attacks as those granted by the Avian form. This may be granted once per pair of legs the creature possesses. The target must possess wings or another means of being airborne to attack with talons.
2 wings and its benefits or flight speed as that granted by the Avian form.
2 wing attacks (Secondary, 1d4, 1d3 small) May be given once per pair of wings possessed.

Alteration: Object Transformation You may spend a spell point to grant the form of an object with your shapeshift. The target gains the appearance of a single simple object composed of vegetable matter such as wood, hemp, or cotton. The target has no functional limbs and has a 20 ft. move speed, but retains its normal senses and gains a slam attack (primary, 1d6 medium, 1d4 small). Like an object, the target takes half damage from energy and ranged attacks. The target gains hardness equal to either half your caster level or the hardness of the mimicked material, whichever is lower and a 25% ability to ignore critical hits and precision damage, which increases by 25% per 5 caster levels to a maximum of 100%.
You may take this talent twice. Upon taking it a second time, you may gain the ability to emulate other materials per the below table and to grant the form of complex objects. Complex objects, such as those with moving parts, require an appropriate Craft check at the object’s craft DC. Failure means the target is not usable as an object. A creature under the effect of this talent does not truly become an object, thus is not a valid target for the Enhancement sphere Animate Object talent or similar effects. A creature that takes the form of a ranged weapon must be supplied with ammunition as normal, but is capable of loading and firing itself. A creature under the effects of this talent that is used as ammunition is not destroyed when used as ammunition, but takes damage equal to the damage dealt by the attack it was used for.

Caster Level    Material
1st    Ice, stone
5th    Basic metals (iron, steel, copper)
10th    Precious metals (gold, silver)
15th    Gems, specialty metals (cold iron, mithril)
You may add the following traits to your forms:

Freeze: The target may take 20 without a time increase on its Stealth check to hide in plain sight as an inanimate object that matches its shape. (Requires the form of an object or construct)

Barroom Sphere Barroom practitioners specialize in using whatever is available to them, willing to swing table legs, chairs, and anything else as they chug down a fresh brew.
Practitioners of the Barroom sphere gain the following ability:

Barroom: Brutal Breaker You do not suffer any penalty when using an improvised weapon, be it ranged or melee, and may treat improvised weapons you are wielding as manufactured weapons for the purpose of being able to be targeted by spells and other effects. You may grab an unattended object within your natural reach and make an attack action with it as part of the same standard action.
Additionally, you may treat any improvised weapon made of any material with a hardness of 5 or lower (wood, glass, etc.) as having the fragile weapon special feature for the purpose of any feats or talents you possess. This does not apply to magic items, nor to creatures being used as improvised weapons.
Some talents allow you to grant a fragile weapon the broken condition in exchange for a benefit. If you apply a second such benefit to a weapon, it is destroyed. You cannot apply more than 2 benefits that break a weapon to the same weapon attack.
Note: Talents which would allow you to add the broken condition or destroy an improvised weapon cannot be used while using a creature as an improvised weapon.

Barroom: Hard Drinker Whenever you imbibe an alcoholic drink (normally a standard action), you gain the drunk status for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution modifier (creatures without a Constitution score cannot gain this status). As a move action, you may retrieve an alcoholic drink, elixir, or potion (but not extract) from your person or grab one within your natural reach and drink it, all without provoking an attack of opportunity. For every 4 points of base attack bonus you possess, the drunk status last for one additional round.
Some talents possess the (drunk) tag, requiring you to expend your drunk status to perform them. (Drunk) talents are a free action unless stated otherwise in their description.

Barroom: Reeling Steps (drunk) Until the beginning of your next turn, any movement you make or combat maneuvers you attempt do not provoke attacks of opportunity; you also gain an alchemical bonus on Perform (dance) checks equal to ½ your base attack bonus as long as you have the drunk status. At +10 base attack bonus, creatures cannot apply their Dexterity bonus to their CMD against combat maneuvers you attempt while using this talent and you can expend your drunk status to treat a Perform (dance) check as though you rolled a 15.

Equipment: Rogue Weapon Training (discipline) You gain proficiency with the blade boot, butterfly knife, garrote, hand crossbow, kukri, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, starknife, switchblade knife, sword cane, war razor, and whip. Additionally, you gain a +2 competence bonus to Sleight of Hand checks made to conceal a weapon on your person. At +10 base attack bonus, this competence bonus increases to +4.

Equipment: Unarmed Training (discipline) You gain proficiency with the boot blade, brass knuckles, cestus, dan bong, emei piercer, gauntlet, katar, knuckle axe, punching dagger, rope gauntlet, sap, scizore, spiked gauntlet, and tekko-kagi, and may treat these and any natural attacks you possess (except when using them as part of a full attack) as an unarmed strike for the purpose of how much damage they deal and interactions with abilities which require an unarmed strike; when using any of these weapons as an unarmed strike, it uses your unarmed strike’s critical multiplier, even if it would normally be higher.

Shapeshifter At first level the shifter gains the Alteration sphere as a bonus magic talent. The shifter uses her class level as her caster level for this sphere. This stacks normally with caster levels gained from other sources.

Wild Empathy (Ex) A shifter gains wild empathy as the druid class feature, treating her shifter levels as druid levels for this purpose.

Wild Magic, Variant You have a base wild magic chance of 10%. This wild magic chance does not stack with wild magic chance from other sources. You may not possess both this drawback and the Wild Magic general drawback found in Spheres of Power.

Wrestling Sphere Training in the Wrestling sphere teaches a practitioner how to quickly drop their opponents to the ground, regardless of their size, twisting foes up and slamming them into the ground with incredible force. Wrestling practitioners are unarmed fighters who deal additional damage with their unarmed strikes as described in the unarmed strike practitioner table. Associated Feat: Improved Unarmed Strike.
All practitioners of the Wrestling sphere gain the following ability:

Wrestling: Snag As a swift action, you may attempt to snag a target as a melee touch attack, latching onto part of their clothing, armor, or flesh and making them battered. If you are already holding a target, such as via the Scale Foe Athletics talent or via a successful grapple, they are also considered battered as long as the hold persists. If you do not grapple an opponent or perform a similar technique such as Scale Foe by the end of your turn, the snag automatically ends.
Any time you initiate or maintain a grapple, you may apply 1 (slam) talent as an immediate action in addition to the normal benefits of initiating or maintaining a grapple.

Build
The Metamorphist is built with a 20-point buy and 105 gp starting wealth. Favored Class Bonus is +½ bonus on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks to change a creature’s attitude. If using a lower point buy, you can lower Strength and Constitution. If using a higher point buy (or rolling really well), your most important attributes are Wisdom and Dexterity. Wisdom is your casting statistic and affects the save DCs of all your magic and martial talents and your spell pool, in addition to bolstering your Will save and increase your bonus in a number of useful abilities; Dexterity makes you a great finesse warrior and increases your initiative and your Reflex save. Intelligence and Wisdom are important too, to have better knowledge and understanding of the world, and to better resist mental control and charm.

How to Play a Metamorphist

Born to a noble family, you escaped your home to become an artist. You found employment in the capital city’s theaters, and enjoyment in its taverns. But most important, you found that you loved to be someone -or something- else. Now you accompany your friends in adventures among performances. You are both cheerful and accultured, hiding your real intelligence and sometimes your sadness under a veneer of wit and jokes.

Future Abilities

Magic Talents Additional Limbs, Anthropomorphic Transformation, Construct Transformation, Dragon Transformation, Elemental Transformation, Extreme Adaptation, Giant Traits, Greater Transformation, Object Transformation (2), Ooze Transformation, Perfect Imitation, Permanent Transformation, Size Change, Subterranean Transformation, Tentacles, Vocal Transformation

Bestial Traits Barding, Chameleon, Evasion, Improved Evasion

Feats Combat Casting, Extra Combat Talent x3 (Finesse Training x2, Go Limp), Extra Magic Talent, Shifting Mastery, Skill Focus (Perform/acting), Sphere Focus (Alteration), Weapon Focus (sword-cane)