I have a player that wants to build that can shape change only into a wolf by the use of an item (wolf skin). Any help on how to build that for the character?
Depends how much they want to lean into using this wolf skin to change. For a simpler build I’d say just use the Form-Changer archetype. If they want it more complex (doesn’t feel like it has much benefit) they could use Divided/Form-Changer. For Power Source, based off the info provided, I could see then choosing Mystical, Relic, Nature, or Supernatural. Outside of that I don’t feel I have enough info on the character backstory to make a suggestion.
Yeah, need a little more info to help much, there’s a whole lot of ways to approach this. What else do they want to be able to do? Is the shapeshifting the core of the character concept, or just one a bunch of things they can do? Do they just want to be pure wolf or pure human, or do they want a intermediary wolf-man?
Oh, and welcome to the forum.
If you don’t need or want there to be any mechanical difference betwixt the two forms, then it can just be accomplished by roleplay. Although, since you’re asking about a build, I assume that’s not the case, so nevermind.
My first thought is the Divided Archetype on pages 94-95 of Chapter 3 of the Core Rulebook. Based on the description provided, I’d recommend the Device Transition Ability:
Device Transform (A) If you have access to your device, change from your civilian form to your heroic form, or vice versa. After your transformation, take a basic action using your Min die. if you have any penalties that separate you from your device or otherwise inhibit you having full access to your device, you cannot use this ability.
Does the character have any other Powers besides transforming into a wolf? If so, choose an Archetype and Powers appropriate to them. If not, I’d recommend the Physical Powerhouse, Close Quarters Combatant, or Shadow Archetypes for simply representing “being a wolf.” Similarly, any Athletic Powers, Signature Weaponry, and Awareness all seem fitting Powers for a wolf.
Adding to what @Powerhound_2000 said about Power Sources, if all of the characters powers derive from the wolf skin, I’d say that Relic is the most fitting option. Beyond that, though, Background and Personality will be entirely dependant on the player’s specific vision of the character; there’s not much we can help with that.
If they wanted to do a “spectrum” of wolf-ish forms (like the garou in Werewolf the Apocalypse) Form-Changer or even Modular might also work.
Divided (probably with Split Form) work well if they just want to be a pure wolf sometimes and also have access to some other powers when in human form - or if their base form is a wolf, when they’re human. If they’re pinched for power selections Shapeshifting is one of those powers that could emulate other effects - a wolf form might reasonably grant superhuman speed and agility, a powerful bite, and inhuman senses without having to use four separate power dice on them, for ex. Given the fairly severe limitations they’re accepting on the power (which is super-versatile normally) letting them use it for a bunch of things seems an okay balancer. If they wanted to keep some aspect (like improved reaction time) outside of wolf form they could take that as a separate power (ie Agility) instead.
Thanks to all. l was looking at the divided shape changer arch type with the device transform but was unsure how it worked since the player only wanted the wolf form and the human form.
Further info on the character. This is meant to be played in a DC Warlord comic style comic so lost world comic with dinosaurs, magic, spears, swords etc. The character is an exiled (either exile background or adventurer) tribes woman that has some mystic power (mystical power source), good with a spear(close combat and ranged combat, hence the possible adventurer background) but is a skin changer (to shape change into a wolf, no werewolf or wolf man form, she needs a wolf skin. Without it she can’t change into a wolf. In wolf form she has bite (does not make those bitten turn into a werewolf), leap awareness, and other typical wolf abilities as well as the ability to regenerate health. In wolf form loses the magical ability (cast spells). Will look at taking the principle of indestructible for wolf form or at least when in contact with the wolf skin. If she loses the wolf skin she loses the shape change, and the immunity to non-powered weapon damage given by the principle of indestructible.
Divided with Divided Psyche could also work if the player wants the human form to just use human skills, whilst the wolf form uses wolfish powers—although that doesn’t seem to be the case, as you say the player wants magic in human form. What’s more, although the Divided Archetype repeatedly calls your two forms “heroic” and “civilian,” one ought to realise that that does not actually need to be the case—one can have two equally super forms, although it’s probably best to still have one of them be the default—in this case, it seems obvious that that would be human form, not wolf form. Also, the “two super forms” idea most likely works best with Split Form, not Divided Psyche, but I could see it working with the latter.
Unfortunately, rules-as-written, Principles always apply to a character independent of form. Of course, this can be changed with the player’s and GM’s agreement, and it definitely wouldn’t prove overpowered, as it’s only limiting the character.
Thank you all for the clarification. i’m going to check with the player first to get a better idea on what her idea was for the immunity to non-powered weapons but my initial thoughts were only as a wolf or only while touching the skin it would it to occur both forms if she was wearing it. But I’m not sure which if either she had in mind. If I ruled for only if touching the skin for the immunity, I would rule only for the non-powered weapon roleplaying portion of the principle and still allow the rest of the principle (the action and twists) to be used even if not touching it as I can see how a character could get used to being immune to non-powered weapons and continue to act out of instinct as if they still had the immunity . Again something I want to talk over with the player first. Thanks again to everyone on all the help.
Just to add one extremely simple option to all the brilliant ideas here:
One might argue that the wolkskin is a relic (or another power source of their choice - as long as they rely on it and that it might be taken away.)
And then decide upon power(s) from your build that should or shouldn’t be available when without said source.
This will, naturally, also affect the availability of Abilities to a point.
I suspect thre result isn’t too far off from the suggestions around divided/formchanging, but requires much less thought when building, and way less action-economy overhead when in a scene.
One thing that this simplistic approach shares with the more mechanical ones is that you officially take a weakness (in being reliant), but you get nothing in trade for that - SCRPG just doesn’t work that way
Only Divided has action-economy issues, which are massively overdue for a fix at this point. If anything, Form-Changer’s Green shifting abilities are so good most folks would take both of the optional ones if they could just for the versatility. Bit harder to fit the stated concept to having four forms to choose from, but only slightly. Make her two Green “forms” her in spellcaster mode and maybe spear-fighter mode (with Signature Weapon “fighting style” powers for melee and ranged and some maybe some athletic powers) and the Yellow form her as a wolf. Being able to choose different powers for each form and shift dice around (and getting improved die sizes in Yellow) make modeling very different specialties easy
Officially, no. De facto - I know three other GMs who’d give a die size bump for a serious voluntary limitation, specifically Size-Changing that could only do Bigger or Smaller rather than both (which used to be the norm, yet another thing Hank Pym messed up in between building Ultron and abusing his wife) or Density Control that could only go up or down rather than full-blown Vision powers. I’d be tempted to do the same thing for this version of Shapeshifting, which is giving up a ton of flexibility just by sticking to wolf-only, never mind the power loss condition. Turning into a wolf is cool and all, but compared to turning into almost anything of similar size it’s pretty weak sauce. At the very least I wouldn’t force them take separate powers to reflect all the ones any wolf ought to have - ie some Speed, probably Agility, Signature Weapon (Wolf Bite), Awareness, probably Leaping. The invulnerability and regen isn’t really a wolf thing, so those need to come from some other source - a Principle and and a Recovery ability, most likely. Maybe a die in Vitality too, but Shapeshifting as a power could help close wounds and reinvigorate you so kind of up to the player. Conveniently, Major Regeneration shows up as both a Red Athletic/Vitality ability and on the Self-Control list.
A somewhat belated welcome to the forum, for what it’s worth. Always nice to have more people participating.
Yes, please! Consider making a character who can shape-change into a wolf with a wolf skin item a shapeshifter or a druid with a focus on wolf form. Assign the wolf skin item the metamorphosis ability, possibly with a daily restriction. Ensure that your player discusses this concept with the game master to ensure that it is consistent with the campaign’s rules and balance. It gives the character a distinct flavour while remaining consistent with the broader game mechanics. Have fun gaming!