ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

Basically a class that lets you shape shift into different types of monsters and use their abilities and natural resists. But can only use those talents given while in the that form. Last talent in each tree could say give a sustained ability that goes over ALL shapeshifts.

for example:
Troll shape tree
1.Troll shape shift *strong physical attacker with life regen*
a. More points invested boosts attack power/ regen
b. reach talent level 5 for physical damage resist.
2. Smash *strong single target attack*
a. reach talent level 4 for stun effect.
3. Flail *1 radius aoe kinda like deathdance but weaker*
a. reach talent level 4 for knockback.
4. Trollish Aspect *sustain usable in ALL shapes*
a. flat physical damage increase
b. reach talent level 5 for a small physical % damage increase

Maybe for a advanced tree. unlockable. and only usable at 10 or 20.

Shapemelding *you have become so adept at shapeshifting that you can combine 2 shapes and gain the advantages of each*

Anyway just thought it might be a cool idea.

Support for shapechanger/shapeshifter
All your skills are based upon the npc you copy. The higher your level, the more npc forms you can remember that you can shift into at will. The higher your primary stat, the higher level than yours you can copy. So a level 1 player will obviously not be able to copy a level 50 monster. However, if you have sufficiently high cunning, a level 50 can copy a level 80? monster. Unsure whether these forms only last for a certain amount of time before you have to revert to your original body...


Similar to but different from grayswandir's soul stealer addon.

How about a new category of "shadow" class
- shapeshifter
- soul stealer

to clarify, i dont think the shapeshifter should be limited to a few predetermined forms, but rather should be able to copy any monster in the game, given that you meet the prerequisites.

I'm not sure if this would make the player too powerful. If so, the new form's stats could be made an average of stats between the copied monster and the player's base form stats.

I feel like, though, if it's limited to three or four class wild gifts and maybe one generic (some kind of utility form?) it will be easier to balance.. I do like the soul stealer, but I don't think shapeshifting would be in a shadow class, I feel like that's a natural ability. What if there was some kind of dark shapeshifter (shadowshifter? Idk) that could turn into shadows and undead and elementals and whatnot? That sounds like it would go well in the 'shadow' category.

If it is possible, it would be awesome to have a class that can turn in to whatever monsters it (dominates/scans/absorbs?), possibly like the soul stealer addon (every point you put in wildgift: shapeshift(generic?) would allow you to absorb one more shapeshifting type? and you can get one more point every four-five levels/ 2-3 willpower. However, I feel like this would be impractical... How would we go about it?

or, every ten willpower you can learn a new form? (like with the summoner, every ten cunning you can have one more summon out at a time)
If it was a wilder class, of course. How about one class (in shadow) that turns into undead/abominations etc. and requires ten points of cunning to let you learn a new one, one in the mage category that can turn into arcane creatures (crystals, imps, etc.) and every ten points in magic let it learn a new one and one in wilders that lets you turn into 'natural' beings (bears, snakes, spiders, wolves, sandworms) and requires ten points in willpower? Or it could just be considered three different branches of the same class?