Shape Dancer (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

The shape dancer is not a summoner at all. Rather than summoning creatures, he changes shape to become the monsters he wants.

Class Information

This is an archetype for the classic summoner (not the unchained summoner) that shifts their own shape instead of summoning other creatures.

Class Skills

Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int ), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill points per level: 4 + Int mod.

Class Features

This archetype has all classic summoner (not unchained summoner) class features, except as noted.

Spells

Table: Shape Dancer
Spells Known

Level	Spells Known
	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
1	2	—	—	—	—	—
2	3	—	—	—	—	—
3	4	—	—	—	—	—
4	4	2	—	—	—	—
5	4	3	—	—	—	—
6	4	3	—	—	—	—
7	5	4	2	—	—	—
8	5	4	3	—	—	—
9	5	4	4	—	—	—
10	5	4	4	2	—	—
11	6	4	4	3	—	—
12	6	4	4	4	—	—
13	6	4	5	4	2	—
14	6	4	5	4	3	—
15	6	4	5	4	4	—
16	6	4	5	5	4	2
17	6	5	6	5	4	3
18	6	5	6	5	4	4
19	6	5	6	5	5	4
20	6	5	5	5	5	5

A shape dancer casts and learns spells as a summoner, but uses the alchemist formula list for his spell list. The spells on the list are not elixirs to the shape dancer, they are arcane spells. Spells that affect alchemist abilities the shape dancer does not have, such as bombs or discoveries, are not on the shape dancer's spell list. The shape dancer cannot use cantrips and ignores the level zero column in Table: Summoner Spells Known. This modifies spells and replaces cantrips.

Eidolon Form (Su)

As a standard action a shape dancer can assume the form of a powerful magical beast, an eidolon, or return to his normal shape. This is a transmutation (polymorph) effect and cannot e used along with other transmutation (polymorph) effects, or with effects that alter the shape dancer's size category.. The shape dancer assumes the eidolon form's shape and abilities. The eidolon form is not a summoned creature, and cannot be banished, dismissed, or dispelled. If the shape dancer is unconscious, asleep, or killed, eidolon form immediately ends. Use the classic summoner's eidolon ability for eidolon form, not the unchained summoner's eidolon. The eidolon form is built as if it was a classic summoner's eidolon, with the modifications outlined here.

Each eidolon form receives a pool of evolution points, based on the shape dancer’s class level, that can be used to give the eidolon form different abilities and powers. Whenever the shape dancer gains a level, he must decide how these points are spent, and they are set until he gains another level of shape dancer.

The eidolon form’s physical appearance is up to the shape dancer, but it always appears as some sort of fantastical creature. This control is not fine enough to make the shape dancer appear like a specific creature. A shape dancer retains his alignment, type, and subtypes. He uses his own base attack bonus, base saves, feats, skill ranks, and class skills (modified by the eidolon form's attribute modifiers and size); the eidolon form has no skills, class skills, or feats of its own. He gains the eidolon form's armor bonus (any natural armor an eidolon has becomes armor for the eidolon form), darkvision, and all the eidolon form’s evolutions. The eidolon form is limited to an eidolon’s maximum number of natural attacks by level. The eidolon form uses the shape dancer's ability scores as its base form ability scores, modified by the eidolon form's evolutions and the Str/Dex bonuses from Table: Eidolon Base Statistics. The eidolon form cannot apply the ability increase evolution to mental ability scores or the skilled evolution to skills with mental key attributes (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma). The eidolon form cannot select any evolutions that are spell-like abilities, and can spend no more than one third of its evolution points on evolutions that are supernatural abilities.

While in eidolon form, the shape dancer gains 4 temporary hit points per class level. These temporary hit points are persistent from one use of eidolon form to another. When these temporary hit points reach 0, the eidolon form ends. The shape dancer cannot use eidolon form again until he has used renew shape to restore his eidolon form's temporary hit points. When the shape dancer is in eidolon form, the eidolon form’s temporary hit points can be restored with the rejuvenate shape ability, the rejuvenate eidolon spell, and other effects that specifically restore eidolon hit points, but not by other means such as natural rest or cure spells. The temporary hit points can never exceed the eidolon form's starting hit points. While using eidolon form, the shape dancer loses the benefits of any armor worn. The shape dancer can use all of his own abilities and gear, except for armor. To cast spells with somatic components, the eidolon form must have arms.

This replaces eidolon.

Renew Shape (Sp)

The shape dancer can restore the temporary hit points of his eidolon form to full with a 1-minute ritual. This ability can be used even if the eidolon form has been dispelled by reducing the temporary hit points to zero. This ability can be used once per day at 1st level, and one additional time per day for every four levels after the first. This replaces summon monster I, III, V, VII, and IX.

Shape Link (Su)

The shape dancer can use his own health to maintain his eidolon form. Whenever the temporary hit points from his eidolon form would be reduced to 0, the shape dancer can sacrifice any number of his own hit points. Each hit point sacrificed this way prevents 1 point of damage (thus preventing the loss of the shape dancer’s temporary hit points), preventing the eidolon form from being disrupted. This replaces life link.

Shapechanger Subtype (Ex)

At 2nd level the shape dancer becomes a natural shape changer and gains the shapechanger subtype. This replaces bond senses.

Flexible Eidolon Form (Sp)

At 3rd level the shape dancer can use other transmutation (polymorph) effects simultaneously with eidolon form, further transforming himself. When he does so, he loses darkvision and all evolutions that are exceptional abilities, except those affecting armor and physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution). He keeps the eidolon form's armor bonuses. This replaces summon monster II.

Shielded Shape (Ex)

At 4th level, whenever the shape dancer is in eidolon form, he gains a +2 shield bonus to his Armor Class and a +2 circumstance bonus on Fortitude and Reflex saving throws. This ability replaces shield ally.

Swift Eidolon Form (Su)

At 6th level the shape dancer can use eidolon form as a swift action. This ability replaces maker's call.

Shape Dance (Sp)

At 7thlevel, the shape dancer learns the shape dance ritual. Shape dance is the ability to alter the distribution of his eidolon form's evolution points, as transmogrify^APG (sp). At 7th level, he can use this ability once per day as a part of his daily spell preparation ritual. At 11th level, he can use shape dance as a 15 minute ritual at any time, but still only once per day At 15th level, he can use shape dance twice times per day. If the ritual is interrupted, the shape dancer cannot use eidolon form until he has successfully finished a shape dance ritual on a later attempt. A ritual that is interrupted does not count against the daily limit. This replaces summon monster IV, VI, and VIII.

Aspect (Su)

At 8th level, a shape dancer can divert up to 2 points from his eidolon form form's evolution pool to add evolutions to his own normal form. He cannot select any evolution that the eidolon form could not possess, and he must be able to meet the requirements as well. He cannot select the ability increase evolution through this ability. Any points spent in this way are taken from the eidolon form's evolution pool (reducing the total number available to the eidolon form). The shape dancer can change the evolutions granted by these points anytime he can change the eidolon form's evolutions.

Greater Shape Dance (Su)

At 10th level the shape dancer can change his eidolon form's base form when using shape dance. This ability replaces transposition.

Greater Shielded Shape (Ex)

At 12th level, whenever the shape dancer is in eidolon form, he gains a +4 shield bonus to his Armor Class and a +4 circumstance bonus on Fortitude and Reflex saving throws. This ability replaces greater shield ally.

Extend Polymorph (Ex)

At 14th level, when the shape dancer casts a transmutation (polymorph) spell with a duration of 1 minute/level on himself, he can choose to extend the duration of that spell to 10 minutes/level(D). This ability replaces life bond.

Fast Shape Dance (Su)

At 16th level the shape dancer can use shape dance in one minute. This ability replaces merge forms.

Greater Aspect (Su)

At 18th level, a shape dancer can divert more of his eidolon form's evolutions to himself. This ability functions as the aspect ability, but the maximum number of evolution points the shape dancer can divert increases to 6. In addition, the eidolon form loses 1 point from its evolution pool for every 2 points (or fraction thereof ) diverted to the shape dancer instead of losing 1 point from the evolution pool for each point diverted.

Shapechange (Sp)

At 19th level, the shape danger can use shapechange (sp) as a swift action. The shape dancer can use this ability a number of rounds per day equal to his class level. This replaces gate.

Supreme Shielded Shape (Ex)

At 20th level, whenever the shape dancer is in eidolon form, he gains a +6 shield bonus to his Armor Class and a +6 circumstance bonus on Fortitude and Reflex saving throws. This ability replaces twin eidolon.

Table: The Shape Dancer

Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
						1	2	3	4	5	6
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Eidolon form, renew shape I, shape link	1	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Shapechanger subtype	2	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3	Shape dance	3	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Shielded shape	3	1	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Renew shape (2/day)	4	2	—	—	—	—
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5	Swift eidolon form	4	3	—	—	—	—
7th	+5	+2	+2	+5	Shape dance (2/day)	4	3	1	—	—	—
8th	+6/+1	+2	+2	+6	Greater shape dance	4	4	2	—	—	—
9th	+6/+1	+3	+3	+6	Renew shape (3/day)	5	4	3	—	—	—
10th	+7/+2	+3	+3	+7	Aspect	5	4	3	1	—	—
11th	+8/+3	+3	+3	+7	Shape dance (3/day)	5	4	4	2	—	—
12th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Greater shielded shape	5	5	4	3	—	—
13th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Renew shape (4/day)	5	5	4	3	1	—
14th	+10/+5	+4	+4	+9	Extend polymorph	5	5	4	4	2	—
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+5	+9	Shape dance (4/day)	5	5	5	4	3	—
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Fast shape dance	5	5	5	4	3	1
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Renew shape (5/day)	5	5	5	4	4	2
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+6	+11	Greater aspect	5	5	5	5	4	3
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Shapechange	5	5	5	5	5	4
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Supreme shielded shape	5	5	5	5	5	5

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

These abilities of the original class are lost or modified in this archetype:

• Class Skills
• Skill Points Per Level
• Spells
• Eidolon
• Summon monster
• Bond senses
• Transposition
• Shield ally
• Maker's call
• Greater shield ally
• Life bond
• Merge forms
• Twin eidolon

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