How is the Shifter on it’s own, and can it be made to work?

[Ssalarn]

Unlike bear, tiger, or wolverine, the Falcon and Owl forms specify that there claw attacks deal a specific damage die.

Doesn't matter. The shifter's claws ability says "...her natural attacks gain the same benefits granted by her shifter claws ability. If the form she takes has claw attacks, she can use either the base damage of the shifter claws or the damage of the form's claws, whichever is greater."

The reason the owl aspect mentions getting a pair of 1d6 claw attacks is because that's actually an upgrade over the giant owl form it emulates, which normally only gets 1d4 talon attacks.

[Peat]

Unless I've missed something from the conversations out there, comparisons with the Druid and Hunter will end as badly for the Shifter as comparisons with the Cleric and Warpriest for the Paladin (roughly speaking). One guy is toting spells, the other isn't, and we all know how that goes.

The better question would seem to be can the Shifter function as the party martial - or are players looking at it going to be gently led away and told all about the other options for wrecking people's faces with claws and without spells?

[Florian]

That's probably my biggest issue as well. The class really wants to have an exploration form and a combat form by 5th level, but it doesn't really have enough uses for that to be plausible in a standard adventuring day until 12th level.

Personally, I feel that over-reliance on wild shape over claws/weapons will hurt any potential Shifter build. I´d rather start with a Changeling, Kitsune or Rageborn to get a solid natural attack routine going and save Cat form for later.

[NightbringerGGZ]

The better question would seem to be can the Shifter function as the party martial - or are players looking at it going to be gently led away and told all about the other options for wrecking people's faces with claws and without spells?

It's not bad actually, so long as you grab Shifter's Edge and pick at least one animal aspect which boosts an ability score. Consider the following level 5 human shifter:

Str: 12 Dex: 19 Con: 14: Int: 12 Wis: 16 Cha: 7
Aspects: Tiger, Owl
Feats: Weapon Finesse, Shifter's Edge, Weapon Focus (Claws), Slashing Grace (Claws)
Gear: +1 Amulet of Mighty Fists, +1 Fitting Darkleaf Coth Spider-Silk Bodysuit

Putting your FCB into extra HP, you have 44 hit points, 22 AC and 24 CMD in your human form. You have two claw attacks, +12/+12 1d4+11 x2 assuming you use your Minor Aspect (Tiger) in every combat. That's an average of 13.5 damage per hit (ignoring crits).

You can shift into a dire tiger for 5 hours at a time gaining a bite attack, 40 foot speed, grab on your bite and claw attacks and Pounce. In this form your attacks are: Bite +9 2d6+4 x2 (13 avg), Claw x2 +10/+10 2d4+10 (15 avg).

Alternatively, you can shift into an Owl for a 60ft fly speed, 60ft Darkvision, a +2 to Stealth checks and two claw attacks, +12/+12 1d6+11 x2 (14.5 avg).


Those are some pretty good attack bonuses for your level, very good damage output and you've got some nifty abilities in the form of Flight, Pounce and Grab that you can take advantage of. You'll have a good Survival and Perception skills, and can use a trait to pick up an additional class skill to focus. Your damage will scale decently with gear and your Minor Aspect bonus as you level, and you can use feats to either further augment your damage or pick up additional combat utility.

I find the claw feature is pretty well done, though it could use some explanation on how it works with snake form.

You would get to substitute the damage of your claws with the natural attacks of the snake if they dealt higher damage. It looks like they forgot to include the natural attack of the Emperor Cobra in the book, it should be a 2d6 Bite, so the claw damage doesn't really come into play. This build is more about making attacks of opportunity with that powerful bite and your 10 foot reach.

Personally, I feel that over-reliance on wild shape over claws/weapons will hurt any potential Shifter build. I´d rather start with a Changeling, Kitsune or Rageborn to get a solid natural attack routine going and save Cat form for later.

Agreed, even with just two claws you'll have decent damage as a shifter. You may have issues at a higher levels, when you start competing against builds with large numbers of attacks or high burst potential but in most games you'd be fine even with minimal optimization. However, if your party members can handle all that tasks which require opposable thumbs there's no reason not stay in your beast form for hours at a time. 10 hours / day by level 6 isn't bad if you just want to be a combat beast.

[Eldonauran]

As someone who values versatility and adaptability over sheer number power, I found the shifter wholly underwhelming, and to be entirely honest, completely boring. Some of the archetypes for the Shifter garnered my attention, namely the Rageshaper, but all-in-all, I can't see myself ever wanting to play one.

Now, personal opinions set aside, it is a fairly solid class. Easy to pick up and learn. Good for someone to whet their teeth on wildshape before taking it to the big leagues.

Anyway, the Water Dancer archetype for the monk was what caught my attention in that book. Serious good stuff there.

[upho]

Disclaimer: I don't have the book, so I only know the general broad chassis and certain specifics derived from what people who (supposedly) do own the book have posted about the shifter. Meaning the following is just a few thoughts/ideas/reflections based on second hand info that may have been misread/misleading/incorrect. Please let me know if I'm missing something important! And like Psyren, I haven't actually made up my mind yet. Nor will I until I've actually read up on the class myself.

Without comparing it to other classes, can the shifter be made to perform well enough to be a valuable member of an optimized party?

Of course, this wholly depends on what you mean by an "optimized party" and "valuable member". But if we limit this to a comparison to say an optimized Paizo T4 martial, I'd say "yes, during earlier levels, but probably not during later". But if we also limit the scope of this optimization to a single-target damage combat role, by simply tacking on an optimized martial natural attack package, I guess a shifter based build could be made sufficient also during mid levels in a sorta mid-op party. That is, I'm certain you could build a shifter a lot stronger than what is required from a PC in such a combat role to get the party through most Paizo APs run as written. It won't be as powerful or versatile in that combat role as say a barbarian or bloodrager using basically the same package can be, but it doesn't really have to.

And when it comes to out-of-combat and general utility tools, it appears the shifter's shape-changing abilities combined with some player creativity could be more than enough to supersede also typical Paizo AP expectations in certain areas, like exploration/scouting.

However, I also think the question will very rarely be relevant in practice. Meaning I believe people who play in games with optimized parties are unlikely to base their builds on the shifter, and are even less likely to play a single-classed one.

If you're trying to have it take the place of a druid or hunter, it's not going to be able to keep pace, but compared to a barbarian or most other full BAB classes it does well. It can put together a huge AC with solid secondary defenses (touch, flat-footed) and generally solid saves.

Nitpick, but despite potentially great/solid passive defense numbers, I'm actually having a very hard time seeing how the shifter could do well in comparison to an optimized barbarian, even if we limit the comparison to just the specific "durable melee striker" combat role which the shifter seems to be going for. Meaning I'm not seeing anything the shifter can do which will have any significantly impact on the outcome of most fights which the barb cannot do, and typically also can do better. And that even includes doing those things in a very similar "shift-to-predator"-ish manner as the shifter does.

Though I guess and hope future archetypes/class options may at least bring equally effective but more unique alternative manners for the shifter to fulfill its combat role, letting it out of the frankly already over-crowded beast/wild shape style niche.

The big thing is that it's a training wheels class; pretty much anyone picking up a shifter is going to be able to build one that has solid combat and exploration abilities, early access to a few handy tricks, and few truly bad choices.

This. Which is why I believe the question whether the shifter can keep up with an optimized party will rarely be relevant in practice. (Though this doesn't necessarily make it a bad or uninteresting question. And since my games are unlikely to see a PC shifter in play anyways, the hypothetical/TO nature of the question actually makes it, and the class itself, more interesting to me.)

Agreed, even with just two claws you'll have decent damage as a shifter. You may have issues at a higher levels, when you start competing against builds with large numbers of attacks or high burst potential but in most games you'd be fine even with minimal optimization.

And it even seems you could be more than fine with with a bit more serious optimization. For example, you could add a slightly adapted version of mentioned "natural attack package" and probably keep up with at least weapon wielders also in higher levels. Meaning you'd dip a level of MoMS monk and later two levels of ragechemist vivisectionist alchemist, complemented with Feral Combat Training, Dragon Ferocity and two Vestigial Arm discoveries. With a race/item/feat/whatever offering another pair of claws, you can replace your unarmed strikes with claw attacks made with your second pair of arms, almost doubling your damage potential and the value of all claw-specific investments. And if you start as a catfolk, you could even pounce with those four claws without having to use your limited wild shape. And with the +6 alchemical bonus to Str, Power Attack, Horn of the Criosphinx and maybe a friendly poke with a wand of strong jaw, those pounces can result in some very serious shredding...

On top of that, you can of course also get additional natural attacks through items if needed, which I'd assume you'd be able to keep also when wild shaped into the more powerful available combat options. Being a dire tiger with huge tusks and a poisonous stinger actually sounds pretty bad-ass!

Dunno if this can be made to work with a Dex based build and Shifter's Edge though, since I don't know whether the feat adds to or replaces Str damage.

Of course, a shifter using above natural attack package won't add any noteworthy new or unique mechanics to the concept AFAICT, and wouldn't have the combat versatility, action efficiency or ridiculous overkill capacity of an equally optimized build based on the barb or (especially) bloodrager.

[Florian]

@upho:

It´s less talked about in-depth, but the various aspects have scaling elements that put the animal form above and beyond everything that regular wild shape can do, like bear form giving Improved Natural Weapon, Awesome Blow and slowly upgrading the critical multiplier of the claws, while snake form gives climb and swim feat, scaling poison, Combat Reflexes and additional AoOs, and so on.

So beyond raw damage output, the aspect forms can also work well with more tactical builds, or you could have some fun with Startling Shapeshifter and Disheartenng Display, and so on.

[Slithery D]

Shifter is up on pfsrd.

[NightbringerGGZ]

Shifter is up on pfsrd.

I was just about to post this. You beat me =P.

As for damage optimization I wanted to look at some options that didn't require class dips as the Shifter's abilities do mostly scale as you level.

You could use the Totemic Initiate feat (if you don't mind the Athletic feat tax) to pick up Lesser Fiend totem, netting you a primary Gore attack for 1d8+Str damage. Usable for for BAB + Con rounds per day. Note, for standard and master totem powers you're going to have to go with a higher strength build, but you should be able to afford the Str 13 for the lesser totem.

You can also look into Demonic Implants so long as you're not of a lawful or good alignment. For 15k you can have somebody cut off one of your legs and replace it with a demonic goat leg, getting a secondary hoof attack for 1d4 + 1d6 fire damage. Two extra attacks at higher levels is pretty good for just 30k. You can also get a Crown of Horns for the low low price of 20k and getting yourself scalped. Another secondary weapon, it only deal 1d4 damage but it deals double damage on a charge. Still, not quite as good of an option, even with the other additional effects. Wicked Wings for a permanent fly speed (or Deflect Arrows when not flying) isn't bad for 55k either.

In a similar vein, we have the fun Fleshcraft Grafts to add non-demonic limbs and body parts. Some of these are quite useful as well, though they come with associated penalties.

Poison Fangs stands out (12,000), granting a 1d4 bite attack and a strength poison attack you can apply to the fangs three times per day. The penalty is a -2 on charisma-based skill checks except intimidate.

Stinging Tail is also nice (12,000) for a 1d6 stinger attack and a three times per day dexterity poison. The -5 ft land speed and -2 to acrobatics checks hurts, but by the time you get this graft you should be able to offset the penalty.

Wing of Darkness (36,000) are also cheaper than Wicked Wings, granting 60ft fly speed and a +5 competence bonus on fly checks. You may not want to suffer the -2 to all dexterity based skill checks and ability checks (except fly) unless you plan to just always be flying.

[zlefin]

looked up the srd link;
it looks like it could be made to work passably, but nothing that interesting/special to it. I think other martials would do better on average, but I haven't run balance assessments in awhile.
I don't see much reason to bother making it work, as there's simply better (and not just in the power-level sense) options.

[NightbringerGGZ]

looked up the srd link;
it looks like it could be made to work passably, but nothing that interesting/special to it. I think other martials would do better on average, but I haven't run balance assessments in awhile.
I don't see much reason to bother making it work, as there's simply better (and not just in the power-level sense) options.

For out of combat utility, you're basically limited to being the party scout but you should excel at that role. As a melee combatant, you're actually going to be fairly powerful in terms of both damage output and maneuver utility. You will need to spend cash to graft additional natural attacks on your body, but being able to become large sized, gaining the corresponding reach and having Pounce with three primary natural attacks (Tiger) isn't exactly something to scoff at. Especially when that comes online at level 4.

The class doesn't compare favorably to Druids or Hunters, who will be able to match your damage output while bringing an animal companion and spell casting to the mix. It does compare decently to lower-tier classes, like the Fighter/Cavalier/Monk/Barbarian and so on though.

Overall, my opinion is that the class doesn't really match what was expected/desired by the community in terms of a shape-shifting class but it does a good job as simple martial character which excels at the roles of being a melee combatant and being a party scout.

[Kurald Galain]

For a "simple martial character", the class looks fairly boring. Even the swashbuckler, a class generally considered a one-trick-pony beatstick, has more options and versatility than this.

Tiger and deionuchus are admittedly very effective, mainly because their pounce ability (there's not a whole lot of ways to get pounce in PF; there are plenty of ways to get multiple natural attacks on a character). The rest of the animal options pale in comparison, and appear pretty weak compared to other melee classes.

So with four levels of shifter, you can be a big animal throughout basically the entire adventuring day. After this, the class doesn't particularly give you anything, and you're better off leveling in barbarian, rogue, or pretty much anything else you can think of. Overall, it's pretty bland and uninspired.

[GrayDeath]

Looks underwhelming, sadly.

Great as a simple scout/Fighting Character for beginners, and nice ignoring DR/- at Level 19, but the rest is simply adding numbers and/or additinal senses.
Also wondering that Paizo actually made something truly "at will", given their distaste for such abilities. ^^

Not even remotely as bad as some other classes though, so...yay?

[Psyren]

Reading it, I see what the fuss is about - people wanted a toolbox shapeshifter and instead we got Man-Bat, or Man-Bear, or whatever other one-trick pony is out there.

To which I say - yeah it sucks that the base class didn't deliver on that fantasy, but I see plenty of hooks in this chassis to hang archetypes from. Hang tight and maybe we'll get one. If we don't, 3PP will undoubtedly do it.

[Kurald Galain]

Not even remotely as bad as some other classes though, so...yay?

Such as what, then?

The main argument for the shifter is that it deals decent DPR. But that goes for pretty much any class these days. I'm having a hard time thinking of any other class with so few build options. The much-maligned kinny is awkwardly written but at least it's original.

[GrayDeath]

If we`re talking 3.p I got a few more, but out of the box (ergo without archetypes as there are non for the shifter atm): Monk, Fighter, maybe paladin and Kineticist.

Mind, its still boring and rather to very narrow. But at least it delivers more or less, just not the things I would have wanted....

[Peat]

If we`re talking 3.p I got a few more, but out of the box (ergo without archetypes as there are non for the shifter atm): Monk, Fighter, maybe paladin and Kineticist.

Mind, its still boring and rather to very narrow. But at least it delivers more or less, just not the things I would have wanted....

Talk about damning with faint praise!

I think I'd consider Paladin or UC Monk out of that list... maybe... but otherwise, yeesh. If that's the Shifter's level, hard pass...

Although I guarantee someone will complain about its OPness after pouncing shifter destroys everything at 5th level at an inexperience table.

[Serafina]

There's probably plenty of players who'd love their character to be able to turn into one specific animal. The Shifter can deliver on that at 4th level.
Of course, so can the Druid. So the question is, what does the Shifter do that Druid doesn't? Here's a list for 4th level:
- +1 BAB, better Reflex (but worse Will), slightly more HP
- Wisdom to AC
- Natural Attacks that ignore DR vulnerable to Cold Iron and Silver
- Minor Shifter Aspects and Track

That's actually not too bad, if you are ever looking for a dip to turn into a specific animal. Sure, Druid is more versatile - spells, more flexible wild shape - but Shifter actually offers more raw power in terms of slightly better attacks, and better armor class while shapeshifted.
So it's indeed not a bad dip, if this is what you want your character to do - I can very well see myself putting this on a Warpriest or Shaman, for example.
Of course, any dip would have to content with only being able to shift once per day, which is a bigger limitation than limited duration. A feat that lets levels in another class stack with shifter for the purpose of wild shape would solve that easily, though of course Paizo didn't do such a thing since it'd show how bad Shifter is as a whole class even more (still, easy homebrew).


Actually, I think the entirety of the Shifter-class could easily be replaced with a few feats.
One feat (possibly with Nature Soul as a prerequisite or something) to pick an animal, and get a minor form scaling with character level for that animal. Another that gives you Wild Shape into that animal, also scaling. Claws can likewise just be a feat, of course.
Because Shapeshifting is something a bunch of characters can do. Whether it's a Cleric (or Warpriest) shifting into their deities favored animal, or a rogue turning into an owl, or a barbarian turning into a bear - there's a ton of concepts where shapeshifting into a single specific animal can fit well.

[Vhaidara]

Actually, I think the entirety of the Shifter-class could easily be replaced with a few feats.
One feat (possibly with Nature Soul as a prerequisite or something) to pick an animal, and get a minor form scaling with character level for that animal. Another that gives you Wild Shape into that animal, also scaling. Claws can likewise just be a feat, of course.
Because Shapeshifting is something a bunch of characters can do. Whether it's a Cleric (or Warpriest) shifting into their deities favored animal, or a rogue turning into an owl, or a barbarian turning into a bear - there's a ton of concepts where shapeshifting into a single specific animal can fit well.

Hm...I wonder if there are any other recent classes that fit this pattern. It feels like there was one not too long ago, but I can't put my finger on it.

Oh, right. Vigilante.

Seems to be becoming a pattern for Paizo. An unfortunate one, but a pattern.

[Psyren]

I mean, Shifter gets 5 animals not just one, but you're right - this is narrow enough to have been covered by a feat chain.

Having said that, there's a lot of potential here for archetypes - but I have a feeling Paizo is more focused on their shiny new baby to expend much effort there, and I can't say for sure that it's the wrong decision.

[NightbringerGGZ]

I mean, Shifter gets 5 animals not just one, but you're right - this is narrow enough to have been covered by a feat chain.

Having said that, there's a lot of potential here for archetypes - but I have a feeling Paizo is more focused on their shiny new baby to expend much effort there, and I can't say for sure that it's the wrong decision.

I expect some of the authors who work on the side books will add options that help the class out. I wouldn't be shocked to see Wild Empathy, Track, Woodland Stride and Trackless step swapped out for options that grant better utility.

Current archetypes are a bit underwhelming though as all but the Elementilist Shifter limit you to a single form with static bonuses. Oozemorph basically starts you off as an Ooze creature with a limited ability to actually be a useful party member. Rageshifter gives you very limited rounds of rage (your class level) that also give you static bonuses. The first of which is you increase in size, but the archetype specifically calls out that you break your worn equipment unless it can magically resize.

[Grim Reader]

Shifter is up on pfsrd.

So that's what all the fuzz is about? With is set aspects and their set effects, it kind of compares to the Master of Many Forms like a Sorcerer compares to a Wizard, except it has so few aspects that it feels like a Sorcerer which only gets 5 spells known over its career compared to a Wizard. Give it 30-50 more aspects to choose from and a new aspect pick every 2 levels and it should do fine.

I wonder how it does in Pathfinder as a 4-5 level platform for entering PrCs? Its clearly not one of the access where you pay a big opportunity cost for PrC'ing out, like some Pathfinder classes. In 3.5 you could do an Elan Shifter and go into Soul Eater after level 5, for example. Fluff the Tiger form as a melanistic specimen.

[upho]

@upho:

It´s less talked about in-depth, but the various aspects have scaling elements that put the animal form above and beyond everything that regular wild shape can do, like bear form giving Improved Natural Weapon, Awesome Blow and slowly upgrading the critical multiplier of the claws, while snake form gives climb and swim feat, scaling poison, Combat Reflexes and additional AoOs, and so on.

Well, having finally read up on the class, I'd say no. Those minor scaling benefits generally have little actual impact on the shifter's combat effectiveness. And the examples you mention here actually illustrates this rather well, as none of them actually combine that well with the strengths of the shifter's combat style or the best other options for that style. For example, a wand of strong jaw and UMD ranks is superior to Improved Natural Weapon is in a very large majority of cases, Awesome Blow is crippled by size caps and thus very rarely worth the standard action, and the increased crit multiplier typically has little impact since it's very difficult to substantially increase the threat range and number of claw attacks you can make each round.

So aside from during levels 4 and 5, when the shifter's wild shape is actually ahead of regular wild shape, I'm not seeing how what you're saying here could be true. At all. Nothing the shifter's wild shape grants is even close to match that which say beast shape III grants AFAICT. Not even if we're only comparing purely combat related stuff and disregard the tons of utility regular wild shape provides. Instead, it would appear that from about 8th level and onwards, the shifter gains very little from it's wild shape ability, while regular wild shape continues to scale, both in terms of how effective a combat buff it is, and (especially) in terms of how numerous and powerful utility tools it offers.

That said, I think a few of these generally very modest scaling benefits stand out as a bit more interesting. Notably the frog's grabbing 30' tongue and the wolverine's access to two rage powers. Of course, those abilities will still appear rather pathetic in comparison to the combat tools a barb, or even a fighter, could have.

So basically:

Tiger and deionuchus are admittedly very effective, mainly because their pounce ability (there's not a whole lot of ways to get pounce in PF; there are plenty of ways to get multiple natural attacks on a character). The rest of the animal options pale in comparison, and appear pretty weak compared to other melee classes.

This.

So beyond raw damage output, the aspect forms can also work well with more tactical builds, or you could have some fun with Startling Shapeshifter and Disheartenng Display, and so on.

Thing is, none of those abilities have anyway near enough strength, reliability or versatility to support an actual combat style based on them. Ultimately, they're just different icings on top of the same single-target melee DPR cake.

Note that all of the above are in the context of "an optimized party", and doesn't prevent the shifter from fulfilling what I believe is its primary purpose; a lower level training wheels class. (Seems I simply cannot keep myself from pilfering Ssalarn's language whenever I get the chance... )

As for damage optimization I wanted to look at some options that didn't require class dips as the Shifter's abilities do mostly scale as you level.

Yeah, during the earliest levels. But I don't really see much happening after you've got wild shape, which starts out exceptionally strong with basically beast shape II effects, but doesn't improve much later on. So once you've got a sufficient number of wild shape uses, I think there's absolutely no reason to stay in the class. Which in most games probably means no more than 10 levels.

Demonic implants/fleshgrafts

Most of these things are probably better in item forms (Helm of the Mammoth Lord, Fleshwarped Scorpion's Tail, Pelt of the Beast, etc) since those will typically also apply to your wild shapes.

[The Shadowmind]

Reading it, I see what the fuss is about - people wanted a toolbox shapeshifter and instead we got Man-Bat, or Man-Bear, or whatever other one-trick pony is out there.

To which I say - yeah it sucks that the base class didn't deliver on that fantasy, but I see plenty of hooks in this chassis to hang archetypes from. Hang tight and maybe we'll get one. If we don't, 3PP will undoubtedly do it.

So what Maneuvers will the Path of War Archetype of this will be getting? Veiled Moon?

[upho]

I expect some of the authors who work on the side books will add options that help the class out. I wouldn't be shocked to see Wild Empathy, Track, Woodland Stride and Trackless step swapped out for options that grant better utility.

Let's hope so. If the shifter is going to be anything other than a training wheels class or a niche dip for certain builds, it's going to need some serious boosts.

Current archetypes are a bit underwhelming though as all but the Elementilist Shifter limit you to a single form with static bonuses. Oozemorph basically starts you off as an Ooze creature with a limited ability to actually be a useful party member. Rageshifter gives you very limited rounds of rage (your class level) that also give you static bonuses. The first of which is you increase in size, but the archetype specifically calls out that you break your worn equipment unless it can magically resize.

The broken equipment part is really stupid IMO, and definitely not noob-friendly.

However, the rageshaper is still a landmark in the history of Pazio classes, as it the first martial which can become larger than Large. And that is indeed huge (pun intended), since it increases the effectiveness and higher level viability of so many things which are otherwise simply not worth it in the long run. Or to put it in other words, without being able to get larger than Large, a very large majority of possible melee combat styles which doesn't depend on damage simply won't remain competitive with damage styles in higher levels.

Too bad they still managed to ruin it with excessive use/day and level limitations, ridiculous costs and probably the worst activation in the game, none of which is redeemable through other options AFAICT.

[upho]

So what Maneuvers will the Path of War Archetype of this will be getting? Veiled Moon?

Probably none, since I don't see why DSP would bother with making an archetype for it. Especially since they're about to release Lords of the Wild, which is largely on the same theme and, if going by the playtest, so much better in all player related respects it's not even fun.

(And it actually includes a Formless Master which someone here mentioned they had hoped the shifter would be.)

[upho]

So that's what all the fuzz is about? With is set aspects and their set effects, it kind of compares to the Master of Many Forms like a Sorcerer compares to a Wizard, except it has so few aspects that it feels like a Sorcerer which only gets 5 spells known over its career compared to a Wizard. Give it 30-50 more aspects to choose from and a new aspect pick every 2 levels and it should do fine.

Not a bad idea. Though actually, my first thought was to simply allow chimeric aspect also apply to the wild shape major forms. That could actually make the class competitive also in higher levels and at least mid-op games, and it's certainly a lot more unique (and makes the class feature's name way more fitting IMO). When looking at the major forms the one major thing that keeps bugging me is that they're mutually exclusive. If you could combine them, their poorly scaling abilities would be much more competitive also in mid/high levels.

[NightbringerGGZ]

Most of these things are probably better in item forms (Helm of the Mammoth Lord, Fleshwarped Scorpion's Tail, Pelt of the Beast, etc) since those will typically also apply to your wild shapes.

I've got to check the source books, but Archives of Nethys had those body part grafts listed as magic items. Since the effects are always active they would carry over to your beast forms as well.

As for scaling benefits, getting to level 13 for the 1d10 Bite gets you to the point where you start seeing large increases in damage from size category increases. Improved Natural Attack would boost your average damage from 5.5 to 9 (1d10 to 2d8) which isn't bad for a single feat, keeping in mind that with Haste you'll be getting in 3 claw attacks per round. You also get to scale up your minor aspects at levels 8 and 15, and at 15 you get three of them active. So there are some benefits to sticking with the class for awhile if all you care about is being a beat stick.

[Kurald Galain]

As for scaling benefits, getting to level 13 for the 1d10 Bite gets you to the point where you start seeing large increases in damage from size category increases. Improved Natural Attack would boost your average damage from 5.5 to 9 (1d10 to 2d8) which isn't bad for a single feat, keeping in mind that with Haste you'll be getting in 3 claw attacks per round. You also get to scale up your minor aspects at levels 8 and 15, and at 15 you get three of them active. So there are some benefits to sticking with the class for awhile if all you care about is being a beat stick.

I don't find those numbers particularly impressive for levels 13-15 and up. For instance, weapon using classes start with 1d10 right at level 1.

[Milo v3]

However, the rageshaper is still a landmark in the history of Pazio classes, as it the first martial which can become larger than Large.

Earlier in the book has a strength-based kineticist archetype that gets gargantuan size.