Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous – Shifter Class Preview

The Last Sarkorians DLC for Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous that’s currently scheduled for a March 7, 2023 release will be adding, among other things, the Shifter class to the game’s already vast pool of choices. As a result, we now get this Steam announcement that introduces the class, its features and 10 animal forms to us, and then lists the archetypes available to it.

Check it out:

Hello, crusaders!

The Last Sarkorians DLC adds a new Shifter class to Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. But what can it do?

A shifter is someone you’d want to bring into a fight with you. Full Base Attack Bonus progression, sharp claws that improve as their owner levels up, and adding a bonus from wisdom ability score to their AC can make shifter a formidable foe. Additionally, shifters can enhance themselves with various animal aspects and by assuming a form of a specific animal, when they gain access to major forms. At 3rd level, a shifter ignores movement penalties caused by difficult terrain, is immune to the entangled condition, and gains a +2 bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity. 10 animal forms are available for a shifter, and some archetypes have their own unique forms.

You will be able to choose one of the following archetypes for this class: Child of the Manticore, Dragonblood Shifter, Feyform Shifter, Fiendish Shifter, Rageshaper, and Wild Effigy.

Child of the Manticore, as the name suggests, allows you to play as a descendant of a manticore. Instead of shifter claws, a child of the manticore grows spikes, which they can throw, performing a natural throwing ranged attack. The damage from these spikes increases with the shifter’s level, and you get better and better at overcoming damage reduction. Starting at 4th level, you can turn into a real manticore. This form grants you a speed bonus of +10 feet, the Scent ability, and four natural throwing ranged attacks with spikes. At 9th level, the child of the manticore gains immunity to ground-based effects and a +4 bonus on damage rolls with natural attacks.

Dragonblood Shifter gains Draconic Aspect instead of animal aspects. Draconic Aspect abilities provide resistances and deal a type of damage based on the chosen dragon type. Additionally, whenever the dragonblood shifter prevents damage with either the resistance or the immunity provided by their Draconic Aspect ability, they heal a number of hit points equal to the amount of damage prevented. Starting at 9th level, they can become a medium dragon-like creature. In this form, they get bonuses to Constitution and Strength, a +4 form natural armor bonus to AC, immunity to difficult terrain, and Dragon’s Breath weapon.

Feyform Shifter gains Fey Aspect, which grants them butterfly-like wings and damage reduction from all weapons, except cold iron, which increases with levels. Starting at 4th level, a feyform shifter can turn into a large fey creature – an ankou. While in this form, the feyform shifter can make sneak attacks, as the rogue ability of the same name, using their shifter level as their effective rogue level for the purpose of determining damage. They also get rogue talents, evasion, and an inherent bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting effects that improves with levels. At 20th level, the feyform shifter becomes resistant to movement-impairing effects and gains spell resistance equal to 10 + their class level.

Fiendish Shifter will be a boon to the crusade: starting at 1st level, their infernal claws overcome the damage reduction of any evil outsiders. Fiendish Resilience grants the fiendish shifter a natural armor bonus to their AC, which increases at 4th, 12th, and 20th levels, and resistance to electricity and fire, which also improve with levels. Instead of animal aspects, this archetype gains Fiendish Aspect, which grants a gore attack, wings, and DR against non-good attacks, which improves with levels.

Rageshaper gains Devastating Form instead of animal aspects. This ability is similar to barbarian’s rage, but the shifter grows one category larger. While in this state, the rageshaper can perform a Ground Slam, which knocks down the enemies within 20 feet around them and deals bludgeoning damage. Instead of growing claws, this shifter gets Terrible Slam, which allows them to punch enemies with powerful slam attacks that deal bludgeoning damage. At 2nd level, a rageshaper becomes difficult to harm in their devastating form. They get +2 natural armor bonus to their AC and damage reduction. Their DR increases at 10th, 15th, and 20th levels, and the natural armor bonus increases to +4 at level 20.

Wild Effigy assumes animal shapes, but they are made out of carved, living rock. In these shapes, the wild effigy gets DR N/-, where N is their shifter level. At 4th level, they gain a 25% chance to ignore a critical hit or precision damage, and this chance increases at 9th and 15th levels. At 6th level, a wild effigy can sacrifice minutes from their aspects’ minor forms to turn their claws into adamantine.

That was a short review of the new class and its archetypes. We hope it piqued your interest and that you’re already planning another run with a new build! The Last Sarkorians DLC will be available on March 7, 2023.