Changeling Warshaper [3.5 PrC, PEACH!]

[Admiral Squish]

Changeling Warshaper



“Every weapon master preaches that a weapon must be like an extension of your body. In my case, it’s simply more literal.”

"Blades dull, armor rusts, allies abandon you. The only thing you can count on is yourself."

Prerequisites:
Race: Changeling
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Feats: Quick Change, Mutable Body

Hit die: d8
Skill Points: 2+int modifier
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), and Swim (Str).

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Armory
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0	Morphic Armory	+0
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+0	Morphic Body	+1
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	Morphic Reach	+1
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1	Morphic Healing	+2
5th	+5	+4	+4	+1	Morphic Armory	+2
6th	+6	+5	+5	+2	Morphic Body	+3
7th	+7	+5	+5	+2	Morphic Movement	+3
8th	+8	+6	+6	+2	Morphic Healing	+4
9th	+9	+6	+6	+3	Morphic Immunity	+4
10th	+10	+7	+7	+3	Morphic Armory	+5

Morphic Armory (Su): A changeling warshaper’s most fundamental ability is the ability to change portions of their bodies into weapons and armor, becoming a walking armory. A changeling warshaper can, grow blades, spikes, and bludgeoning maces to attack with or bony armor and shields to protect themselves. A changeling is always proficient with morphic weapons, armor, and shields. At 2nd level, the changeling gains enough practice to truly take advantage of the weapon being an inherent part of their body. They gain a competence bonus to attack and damage rolls made with morphic weaponry equal to ½ their class level, and the armor and shield bonuses of their morphic armor and shields increases by ½ their class level. A changeling can unshape a morphic weapon, piece of armor, or shield as a free action.
-Weaponry: As a move action or as part of a usage of minor shape change, a changeling warshaper can turn one or both hands into a slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning weapon. This weapon deals 1d6 points of damage and deals double damage on a critical hit. This weapon is treated like a light manufactured weapon with a hardness of 5. You can make iterative attacks with a morphic weapon, and they can be used to trip. If a morphic weapon is targeted by a sunder effect, the changeling takes the damage instead. If a sunder attack deals damage greater than the changeling’s constitution modifier plus their changeling warshaper level, the weapon is effectively destroyed, and the changeling must reshape it to use it again. At 5th level, a changeling’s ability to form weapons improves, allowing them to make larger, more dangerous weapons. The weapon’s base damage improves to 1d8, it’s hardness increases to 8, and it deals triple damage on a successful critical hit. At 10th level, the weapon’s base damage increases to 1d10,, it’s hardness increases to 12, and it threatens a critical hit on a roll of 19-20.
-Armor: As a move action or as part of a usage of minor shape change, a changeling warshaper can sprout bulky plates of bony or scaly armor to protect themselves. This armor provides a +4 armor bonus to AC. It is treated as light armor, with a maximum dexterity bonus of 4, no armor check penalty, and an arcane spell failure chance of 20%. At 5th level, the armor bonus increases to +6 and it grants DR 2/silver. At 10th level, the armor bonus increases to +8, and it grants DR 5/Silver.
-Shield: As a move action or as part of a usage of minor shape change, a changeling warshaper can form one forearm into a thick, bony shield. This shield provides a +2 shield bonus to AC, has a -2 armor check penalty, and deals 1d4 points of damage when used to shield bash. At 5th level, the shield bonus increases to +3, and it deals 1d6 points of damage when used to shield bash. At 10th level, the shield bonus increases to +4 and it deals 1d8 points of damage when used to shield bash.

Morphic Body (Su): A changeling warshaper of 2nd level can empower his body with strength, flexibility, or toughness. As a move action or as part of a usage of minor shape change, a changeling warshaper can grant themselves a +4 racial bonus to strength, dexterity, or constitution. This bonus lasts until they next use their minor shape change ability or until they use this ability again. At 6th level, a changeling warshaper can gain a +4 bonus to two stats when using this ability, or can choose to gain a +6 bonus to a single stat.

Morphic Reach (Su): A changeling warshaper of 3rd level can stretch their limbs to strike distant targets, their bones unhinging and rejoining seamlessly. A changeling warshaper’s reach increases by 5 feet.

Morphic Healing (Su): A changeling warshaper of 4th level can will close their own wounds, leaving seamless flesh where wounds once gaped. A changeling warshaper gains fast healing 2. As a full-round action, a changeling warshaper can concentrate solely on closing his wounds, healing HP equal to his class level x2 At 8th level, this fast healing increases to fast healing 5, and the full-round healing increases to class level x3.

Morphic Movement (Su): A changeling warshaper can alter their body in ways that make them able to move faster or in different ways. As a move action or as part of a usage of minor shape change, a changeling warshaper can gain a swim speed or a climb speed equal to their base land speed, a 30-foot bonus to their base land speed, or a fly speed with Poor maneuverability equal to their base land speed.

Morphic Immunity (Su): A changeling warshaper is a master of self-alteration, shifting their organs around, growing back damaged ones, and even creating primitive backups when necessary. A changeling warshaper is immune to critical hits, paralysis, polymorph, stunning, and ability damage.
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Feats:

Arcane Mutability:
Prerequisites: Morphic Armory, Able to cast arcane spells.
Benefit: You can infuse your morphic weapons or armor with arcane power to improve them further. You can lose one or more arcane spell slots with a combined spell level equal or lesser than your armory bonus. You can grant your morphic weapon, armor, or shield magical properties with a total base price modifier equal to the spell slot lost. For example, you could permanently lose a 3rd level spell slot to grant your morphic weapon the speed property (+3), or you could lose one 1st level spell slot and one 3rd level spell slot to grant your morphic weapon the Holy (+2) and Shocking Burst (+2) properties. When your armory bonus increases you can choose to regain all lost spell slots and lose all properties applied and essentially start the process over.

Assume Claws:
Prerequisites: Mutable Body
Benefit: When using your minor shape change ability, you can reshape your hands, gaining two primary claw attacks. These claws deal 1d4 points of damage each.

Assume Fangs:
Prerequisites: Mutable Body
Benefit: When using your minor shape change ability, you can sharpen your teeth and strengthen your jaw, gaining a primary bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage.

Assume Hide:
Prerequisites: Mutable Body
Benefit: When using your minor shape change ability, you can thicken your skin, gaining a +2 natural armor bonus to AC.

Assume Might:
Prerequisites: Morphic Body
Benefit: When using your minor shape change ability, you can enhance your new form, gaining a +2 racial bonus to strength, dexterity, or constitution, which lasts until you next use your minor shape change ability. You cannot gain this benefit to two stats at once.

Mighty Morphic Weapon
Prerequisites: Morphic Armory
Benefit: You can make your morphic weaponry is larger and heavier. When forming a morphic weapon, you can choose to make a mighty morphic weapon instead. A mighty morphic weapon is treated as a one-handed weapon, and it deals 1d8 points of damage at 1st level, 1d10 at 5th, and 2d6 at 10th.

Mighty Morphic Armor
Prerequisites: Morphic Armory
Benefit: You can make your morphic armor heavier and thicker. When forming your morphic armor, you can choose to form mighty morphic armor instead. Mighty Morphic Armor is treated as medium armor. At 1st level, this armor has an AC bonus of +6, a maximum dexterity bonus of 3, an armor check penalty of -2, and an arcane spell failure chance of 25%. While this armor is shaped, your land speed is decreased from 30 feet to 20 feet. At 5th level, the AC bonus increases to +8. At 10th level, the AC bonus increases to +10.

Mighty Morphic Shield
Prerequisites: Morphic Armory
Benefit: You can make your morphic shields broader and heavier. When forming a morphic shield, you can choose to form a mighty morphic shield instead. At 1st level, this shield has an AC bonus of +4 and an armor check penalty of -10. It cannot be used to shield slam. At 5th level, the AC bonus increases to +5. At 10th level, the AC bonus increases to +6.

Mutable Protection
Prerequisites: Mutable Body
Benefit: You can shift your organs slightly inside your body, making them hard to target with strikes. Whenever you are the target of a critical hit or sneak attack, you have a 25% change to negate the extra damage and instead roll damage normally.
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I always like to include warshaper in my changeling builds, but it doesn't go quite far enough for my tastes. So, I made a more specific version. I ended up making the whole thing in like an hour of me not being able to sleep, so I'm not sure of the quality. I feel it needs a little extra cherry on top at 10th, but I'm not entirely sure what it should be.

[Admiral Squish]

Added in some feats to give any changeling some similar, though weaker, options, added a picture, and added another quote. Still trying to come up with a cherry for 10th and the full fluff thingie.

[Baphomet]

Hmm, it's an interesting concept. Characters in this class are essentially giving up their ability to make their weapon customizable in exchange for a constant 1d10 + 5 weapon with reach, which is not bad. The real bonus, though, seems to be the fast healing and ability score bonuses. I don't think you'd be going too far to bump up the natural armor with some DR or SR, too. Overall I'd say the concept is pretty solid. Very Alex Mercer.

EDIT: Oops, I misread something! my mistake.

[Jodah]

Baphomet, I thought the same thing, but OP said it was a way for changelings to emulate the class without taking it.

I like the class. I am already trying to figure out a build going into it. I figured it was going to be a racial sub for the warshaper to begin with, but I like the complete reworking of it.

Can't help but think of this guy though:

[togapika]

Immunity to crits at level 1?

[Admiral Squish]

Huzzah! Commentary!

Originally Posted by Baphomet

Hmm, it's an interesting concept. Characters in this class are essentially giving up their ability to make their weapon customizable in exchange for a constant 1d10 + 5 weapon with reach, which is not bad. The real bonus, though, seems to be the fast healing and ability score bonuses. I don't think you'd be going too far to bump up the natural armor with some DR or SR, too. Overall I'd say the concept is pretty solid. Very Alex Mercer. However, I'm not sure about the feats. There is a lot of overlap with the class abilities, and the way you've got it worded, I don't think assume might and assume hide will stack with morphic body and morphic defense. Plus you've got mutable protection giving you 25% chance to avoid crits, which you already get complete immunity to at first level!

Correction, a light 1d10+5 19-20/x3 weapon with variable reach that can do bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing and requires no feats to use. As far as I know, that beats out every published weapon as a baseline. I was considering just making it so you could imitate weapons, but I eventually decided against it.

I was considering DR, but I wasn't quite sure. I could do something along those lines, however. Probably just work it into the morphic defense. Dr /silver, perhaps?

The feats aren't actually supposed to stack with the class abilities, actually. they're supposed to be lite versions of class abilities that can be worked into any changeling build.

Originally Posted by Jodah

Baphomet, I thought the same thing, but OP said it was a way for changelings to emulate the class without taking it.

I like the class. I am already trying to figure out a build going into it. I figured it was going to be a racial sub for the warshaper to begin with, but I like the complete reworking of it.

Can't help but think of this guy though:

Yeah, basically.

I'm glad to hear you're liking it! If you do end up using it, don't hesitate to drop me a PM and tell me how it went. I was considering just giving it a few changes, but then I decided that the changeling would probably have worked their shape-changing into it's own combat style.

It would certainly work for him too. A little tweaking required, but it would do.

Hmm... Maybe spikes would be a nice cherry on top?

Originally Posted by togapika

Immunity to crits at level 1?

Yes, actually. That's a direct translation from Warshaper.

[boomwolf]

Badass. but I fear this might be a bit too powerful. it offers lots of power both in attack and defense, and with high versatility...overall this is far more powerful then the "regular" warshaper.

First, I would settle with just medium BAB, as between the competence bonus and the ability to self-boost strength (not an enchantment either, so items still stack) gives it plenty to-hit as it is.

Second, I would consider removing fly and borrow from morphic movement. despite being clumsy and not very fast, free flight and borrow at level 12 is very powerful, as this does not even burn spell slots or such, and allows moving freely in pretty much any terrain/lack of thereof. replacing flight with hover (the thing low level raptorans got) might be better balanced, and total removal of borrow as it is overpowered in PC hands. (far worse then flight)

Third is a suggestion. maybe add a shield option to weapons? (go sword-and-board style instead of only two-handed or dual-wielding) unless you intend that only one "weapon" can be used in any case, and if such it needs clarification.

Lastly I would have allowed sunder to destroy the weapons if it deals enough damage in a single strike (con bonus+warshaper lvl?) to allow some sort of melee crowd control him him (forcing him to waste actions to rebuild weapons)

After-last is a thought, why would one NOT stack armor and weapons and stuff ON TOP of his natural abilities? what can you gain by choosing NOT to do so? maybe the armor morph should be armor bonus instead of natural, forcing a choice? or something?


Changling monk, here I come!

[Jodah]

I think fly is balanced. Wizards get it for a pittance every day (casting), or spend a small amount of gold and a small amount of xp to basically get it "at will" (wand). And this at level 5. I think 7 levels of investment in a class is enough to get flight.

I am not experienced enough with burrow to comment on that.

[Admiral Squish]

Originally Posted by boomwolf

Badass. but I fear this might be a bit too powerful. it offers lots of power both in attack and defense, and with high versatility...overall this is far more powerful then the "regular" warshaper.

First, I would settle with just medium BAB, as between the competence bonus and the ability to self-boost strength (not an enchantment either, so items still stack) gives it plenty to-hit as it is.

Second, I would consider removing fly and borrow from morphic movement. despite being clumsy and not very fast, free flight and borrow at level 12 is very powerful, as this does not even burn spell slots or such, and allows moving freely in pretty much any terrain/lack of thereof. replacing flight with hover (the thing low level raptorans got) might be better balanced, and total removal of borrow as it is overpowered in PC hands. (far worse then flight)

Third is a suggestion. maybe add a shield option to weapons? (go sword-and-board style instead of only two-handed or dual-wielding) unless you intend that only one "weapon" can be used in any case, and if such it needs clarification.

Lastly I would have allowed sunder to destroy the weapons if it deals enough damage in a single strike (con bonus+warshaper lvl?) to allow some sort of melee crowd control him him (forcing him to waste actions to rebuild weapons)

After-last is a thought, why would one NOT stack armor and weapons and stuff ON TOP of his natural abilities? what can you gain by choosing NOT to do so? maybe the armor morph should be armor bonus instead of natural, forcing a choice? or something?


Changling monk, here I come!

It's more powerful, yes, but I think that I spread it out evenly over the longer run. A few of the early abilities, such as morphic body, got a bump down to make them less impressive right off the bat.

I could see reducing the BAB, perhaps. It is sorta supposed to be related to monk, what happens when a monk gets complete control over their entire body. But on the other hand, this is supposed to be a very combat-focused prestige class, and one thing many people complain about is that monk, a melee-focused class, is stuck with 3/4 BAB.

I can see your point for burrow and possibly fly. But then, consider that a warlock picks it up all day with much faster speed and better maneuverability at level 6. I was considering glide originally, but then at level 12 all characters should have pretty easy access to flight. I think I will remove burrow, though.

I could see a shield option being included. I'm not sure, though. It would be a part of your body, so would blocking with it really prevent damage? Plus it would require a separate progression for the base shield bonus in an ability which is already pretty cluttered verbally. I would like to clarify that there's no two-handed option here, however. The weapons are light, technically, like natural weapons, so dual-wielding is easy.

I could see something like the sunder thing being included, but it might come off as convoluted.

Well, for one, you can't use a normal weapon and a morphic weapon at the same time. A morphic weapon makes your hand into a weapon, and doesn't really leave you with fingers. Still, I suppose you could use a normal weapon in one hand and a morphic one in the other. As for armor, there's nothing stopping you from just wearing armor over the natural armor, I suppose. I could change that, however. At the moment it's more like a suitable replacement that you could grow at a moment's notice.

[Admiral Squish]

A look at the proposed, revised version of the class. Still debating about the 3/4 BAB idea.

Spoiler

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Armory
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0	Morphic Armory	+0
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+0	Morphic Body	+1
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	Morphic Reach	+1
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1	Morphic Healing	+2
5th	+5	+4	+4	+1	Morphic Armory	+2
6th	+6	+5	+5	+2	Morphic Body	+3
7th	+7	+5	+5	+2	Morphic Movement	+3
8th	+8	+6	+6	+2	Morphic Healing	+4
9th	+9	+6	+6	+3	Morphic Immunity	+4
10th	+10	+7	+7	+3	Morphic Armory	+5

Morphic Armory (Su): A changeling warshaper’s most fundamental ability is the ability to change portions of their bodies into weapons and armor, becoming a walking armory. A changeling warshaper can, grow blades, spikes, and bludgeoning maces to attack with or bony armor and shields to protect themselves. A changeling is always proficient with morphic weapons, armor, and shields. At 2nd level, the changeling gains enough practice to truly take advantage of the weapon being an inherent part of their body. They gain a competence bonus to attack and damage rolls made with morphic weaponry equal to ½ their class level, and the armor and shield bonuses of their morphic armor and shields increases by ½ their class level. A changeling can unshape a morphic weapon, piece of armor, or shield as a free action.
-Weaponry: As a move action or as part of a usage of minor shape change, a changeling warshaper can turn one or both hands into a slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning weapon. This weapon deals 1d6 points of damage and deals double damage on a critical hit. This weapon is treated like a light manufactured weapon with a hardness of 5. You can make iterative attacks with a morphic weapon, and they can be used to trip. If a morphic weapon is targeted by a sunder effect, the changeling takes the damage instead. If a sunder attack deals damage greater than the changeling’s constitution modifier plus their changeling warshaper level, the weapon is effectively destroyed, and the changeling must reshape it to use it again. At 5th level, a changeling’s ability to form weapons improves, allowing them to make larger, more dangerous weapons. The weapon’s base damage improves to 1d8, it’s hardness increases to 8, and it deals triple damage on a successful critical hit. At 10th level, the weapon’s base damage increases to 1d10,, it’s hardness increases to 12, and it threatens a critical hit on a roll of 19-20.
-Armor: As a move action or as part of a usage of minor shape change, a changeling warshaper can sprout bulky plates of bony or scaly armor to protect themselves. This armor provides a +4 armor bonus to AC. It is treated as light armor, with a maximum dexterity bonus of 6, no armor check penalty, and an arcane spell failure chance of 20%. At 5th level, the armor bonus increases to +6 and it grants DR 2/silver. At 10th level, the armor bonus increases to +8, and it grants DR 5/Silver.
-Shield: As a move action or as part of a usage of minor shape change, a changeling warshaper can form one forearm into a thick, bony shield. This shield provides a +2 shield bonus to AC, has a -2 armor check penalty, and deals 1d4 points of damage when used to shield bash. At 5th level, the shield bonus increases to +3, and it deals 1d6 points of damage when used to shield bash. At 10th level, the shield bonus increases to +4 and it deals 1d8 points of damage when used to shield bash.

Morphic Body (Su): A changeling warshaper of 2nd level can empower his body with strength, flexibility, or toughness. As a move action or as part of a usage of minor shape change, a changeling warshaper can grant themselves a +4 racial bonus to strength, dexterity, or constitution. This bonus lasts until they next use their minor shape change ability or until they use this ability again. At 6th level, a changeling warshaper can gain a +4 bonus to two stats when using this ability, or can choose to gain a +6 bonus to a single stat.

Morphic Reach (Su): A changeling warshaper of 3rd level can stretch their limbs to strike distant targets, their bones unhinging and rejoining seamlessly. A changeling warshaper’s reach increases by 5 feet.

Morphic Healing (Su): A changeling warshaper of 4th level can will close their own wounds, leaving seamless flesh where wounds once gaped. A changeling warshaper gains fast healing 2 and can take a full round action to make a heal check to restore HP equal to the check result. At 8th level, this fast healing increases to fast healing 5.

Morphic Movement (Su): A changeling warshaper can alter their body in ways that make them able to move faster or in different ways. As a move action or as part of a usage of minor shape change, a changeling warshaper can gain a swim speed or a climb speed equal to their base land speed, a 30-foot bonus to their base land speed, or the ability to glide at a speed of 40 feet, allowing 20 feet of forward movement for each 5 feet of descent.

Morphic Immunity (Su): A changeling warshaper is a master of self-alteration, shifting their organs around, growing back damaged ones, and even creating primitive backups when necessary. A changeling warshaper is immune to critical hits, paralysis, polymorph, stunning, and ability damage.

[DracoDei]

The crunch fits the fluff much better in the second version, and I like moving critical immunity to near the end. I have no idea about overall balance though.

Initially I thought the ability score bonuses might step on the barbarian's toes, but it looks like the barbarian keeps ahead even without factoring the will-save bonus the barbarian gets into it.

I will say that DR/magic would make more sense to me than DR/silver... shoot given their "chaotic" affinity, DR/cold iron would make more sense.

[Tavar]

The Silver is probably due to the standard shapeshifter weakness to Silver.

Regarding the class itself, hm. I think my main grievance, for lack of a better word, is that it doesn't really seem to synergize that well with other classes. Not sure what the answer to that it.

[Admiral Squish]

Originally Posted by DracoDei

The crunch fits the fluff much better in the second version, and I like moving critical immunity to near the end. I have no idea about overall balance though.

Initially I thought the ability score bonuses might step on the barbarian's toes, but it looks like the barbarian keeps ahead even without factoring the will-save bonus the barbarian gets into it.

I will say that DR/magic would make more sense to me than DR/silver... shoot given their "chaotic" affinity, DR/cold iron would make more sense.

Alright, the second version it is. I'll move it up to the first post.

That's a comparison I hadn't thought of, actually. I was just translating from the original class. Still, that does certainly help put it in perspective.

As for DR/magic, magic's a real common weakness. If it is to mean anything, it needs to be something uncommon. I figured silver, because it seems to be tied to shapeshifting somehow, though I'm not sure they ever address it.

Originally Posted by Tavar

The Silver is probably due to the standard shapeshifter weakness to Silver.

Regarding the class itself, hm. I think my main grievance, for lack of a better word, is that it doesn't really seem to synergize that well with other classes. Not sure what the answer to that it.

Exactly.

Yeah, I can see what you mean. I suppose it would work well with warblade or crusader, but only as well as any non-initiator class would. Could be a fun rogue, since you can switch from targets best friend to full combat mode to random passerby with barely a moment's notice, and the weapons are light so they could be dual-wielded pretty nicely. Barbarian could be fun to stack rage bonuses with the morphic body bonuses. But I guess your right, it doesn't really flow through well. Not sure how one would fix that without remaking the whole class, though.

[Admiral Squish]

Added four more feats, three of which are direct upgrades to your morphic armory and one slightly more complex one.

Also put the fly speed back into morphic movement. I think it's fair.

I have another feat or two in mind, just trying to think of how to make it work properly.

[Dumorimasoddaa]

I guess the really question is is this class worth more or equal to going warshaper 5 as the changeing has the shapechange subtype can can also take warshaper as is it makes for a very powerful one level dip at the least. So we have a PRC harder to get in to than the class it's "replacing" it has more punch I'll give the class that. But a changeling fighter can dip warshaper for lvl 5 gain natural weapons as needed as well as immumity to crits. A 2 level dip gives you a +4 to strength and con all the time. 3rd level adds 5ft reach if you want it. Up to now the base warshaper is more or less better do 1d6 claw damage with both limbs and a 1d4 bite (before adding gore or even chessier umpteen tentacle attacks) with a BaB of 6 while no itritive attacks both claws will be at full bab. 4th level for both adds fast healing 2 with two different full round HP recovery mechanics here this class has an edge although minor but the plane warshaper is still one level lower has one free feat and is immune to critical hits. The final level of warshaper could be considered dead for the plane old changeling as a feat can replace that ability if wanted. Meaning a FullBab starting class can have all the bonuses of the warshaper PrC buy level 8 and use 9th level and more for what ever. Where as up to this point the PRC you are presenting will be laging behind by a level power wise and while healing better would have lower stats (though the +4 could be in dex if wanted that's nice) and still open to critical hits.

When this homebrew hits level 5 so 10th level it jumps ahead (possibly) on the damage front at least on dice rolled. It's only really at 7th-10th level that this class powers ahead gain more attacks as a whole and add even better healing a speed boost and critical immunity.

All in all it's a subpar choice one that a fighter4/warshaper4 would over power.

[Admiral Squish]

Originally Posted by Dumorimasoddaa

I guess the really question is is this class worth more or equal to going warshaper 5 as the changeing has the shapechange subtype can can also take warshaper as is it makes for a very powerful one level dip at the least. So we have a PRC harder to get in to than the class it's "replacing" it has more punch I'll give the class that. But a changeling fighter can dip warshaper for lvl 5 gain natural weapons as needed as well as immumity to crits. A 2 level dip gives you a +4 to strength and con all the time. 3rd level adds 5ft reach if you want it. Up to now the base warshaper is more or less better do 1d6 claw damage with both limbs and a 1d4 bite (before adding gore or even chessier umpteen tentacle attacks) with a BaB of 6 while no itritive attacks both claws will be at full bab. 4th level for both adds fast healing 2 with two different full round HP recovery mechanics here this class has an edge although minor but the plane warshaper is still one level lower has one free feat and is immune to critical hits. The final level of warshaper could be considered dead for the plane old changeling as a feat can replace that ability if wanted. Meaning a FullBab starting class can have all the bonuses of the warshaper PrC buy level 8 and use 9th level and more for what ever. Where as up to this point the PRC you are presenting will be laging behind by a level power wise and while healing better would have lower stats (though the +4 could be in dex if wanted that's nice) and still open to critical hits.

When this homebrew hits level 5 so 10th level it jumps ahead (possibly) on the damage front at least on dice rolled. It's only really at 7th-10th level that this class powers ahead gain more attacks as a whole and add even better healing a speed boost and critical immunity.

All in all it's a subpar choice one that a fighter4/warshaper4 would over power.

You should probably break that up into a couple paragraphs, honestly. However, I will endeavor to pick out the important points.

Well, let's do a real comparison. Traditional warshaper lets you enter earlier, though I think that honestly it wasn't made with the idea that any LA 0 race could automatically enter it. For the sake of convenience, however, we'll run them parallel off a 5th level fighter.

At first level, warshaper gains morphic weapons and immunity to criticals. The changeling warshaper gains morphic armory. So, it's two +5 claws (1d4), or it's one morphic weapon at +6/+1 (1d6), or two morphic weapons with TWF at +4/-1 (1d6). I'd say morphic armory comes out ahead, then you add in the armor and shield. Still, crit immunity is real powerful, so I'd say the traditional warshaper comes out ahead.

At second, they both gain morphic body. My version's significtly weaker, but somewhat mitigated by getting that +1 to morphic armory. Still the warshaper comes out ahead.

At third, they both get morphic reach, but my version simply increases reach, and does not specify reach with natural weapons. Changeling warshaper comes out ahead.

Fourth level, Warshaper gets fast healing 2, changeling warshaper gains fast healing two and another bonus up. Changeling warshaper.

Fifth level, changeling warshaper gets a boost to morphic armory and warshaper gets to change as a move action. Changeling warshaper comes out ahead.

After that, assume that the regular warshaper goes back to fighter and my warshaper continues on. I don't think it's even a question that my changeling beats fighter. Overall, I'd just say that mine's better.

A fighter 4/warshaper 4 versus a fighter 5, changeling warshaper 3? That would probably come out in the warshaper's favor. But mine comes out on top in the long run.