Shape Dancer (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

This is a work in progress.

The shape dancer is an archetype of the summoner. Instead of summoning creatures, the shape dancer changes shape to become the monsters he would normally summon.

Class Abilities

A shape dancer has all class abilities of the normal summoner, except as follows.

Eidolon Form (Su)

A shape dancer assumes the form of a powerful magical beast, an eidolon. The shape dancer assumes the eidolon's shape and abilities. The shape dancer perceives through the eidolon’s senses and speaks through its voice, as the two are now one creature. This is a transformation effect of the polymorph subschool, but has many special rules.

Eidolon form is a standard action, either to assume the eidolon's form or to return to his normal form. It can be performed at will as long as the eidolon form has temporary hit points remaining.

While shape dancing, the shape dancer gains the eidolon’s hit points as temporary hit points. Temporary hit points are persistent form one use of Eidolon Form to another. When these hit points reach 0, the eidolon form is dispelled, returning the shape dancer to his normal form. He cannot use eidolon form again until he has used renew shape to restore his eidolon temporary hit points.

The shape dancer uses the eidolon’s base attack bonus, and gains the eidolon’s armor and natural armor bonuses and modifiers to ability scores. The shape dancer also gains access to the eidolon’s special abilities and the eidolon’s evolutions. The shape dancer is still limited to the eidolon’s maximum number of natural attacks. The eidolon has no skills or feats of its own. The eidolon must have limbs for the shape dancer to cast spells with somatic components. The eidolon’s temporary hit points can be restored with the rejuvenate eidolon spell.

While using eidolon form, the shape dancer loses the benefits of his armor. He counts as both his original type and as a magical beast for any effect related to type. The shape dancer can use all of his own abilities and gear, except for his armor. He uses his own mental ability scores to cast spells but otherwise uses the eidolon's ability scores. In all other cases, this ability functions as the summoner’s normal eidolon ability.

This ability replaces the eidolon ability, bond senses, and transposition.

Renew Shape (Sp)

The shape dancer can renew the temporary hit points of his eidolon shape with a 1-minute ritual. This ability can be used even if the eidolon form has been "slain". This ability can be used once per day at 1st level, and one additional time per day for every two levels.

This replaces the summon monster ability.

Shape Link (Su)

Starting at 1st level, the shape dancer can use his own health to maintain his shape. Whenever the temporary hit points from his eidolon shape would be reduced to 0, the summoner 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 summoner’s temporary hit points), preventing the eidolon shape from being disrupted.

This ability replaces life link.

Shielded Shape (Ex)

At 4th level, whenever the shape dancer is using eidolon form, he gains a +2 shield bonus to his Armor Class and a +2 circumstance bonus on his saving throws.

This ability replaces shield ally.

Swift Eidolon Form (Su)

At 6th level you can use eidolon form as a swift action.

This ability replaces maker's call.

Shape Dance (Su)

At 8th level, once per day as a one-hour ritual, the shape dancer can change the distribution of his evolution points, just as if he had advanced in level.

This ability replaces transposition.

Greater Shielded Shape (Ex)

At 12th level, whenever the shape dancer is in the shape of his eidolon, he gains a +4 shield bonus to his Armor Class and a +4 circumstance bonus on his saving throws.

This ability replaces greater shield ally.

Greater Shape Dance (Su)

At 14th level you can change your eidolon form's base shape when using Shape Dance.

This ability replaces life bond.

Split Forms (Su)

At 16th level, as a swift action, the shape dancer can split into two creatures: the shape dancer and the eidolon. Both have the same evolutions. The shape dancer emerges in a square adjacent to the eidolon if possible. All effects and spells currently targeting the shape dancer affect both the shape dancer and the eidolon.

The shape dancer can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to his summoner level. He can end this effect at any time as a full-round action. For the duration of this effect, the eidolon functions as a normal eidolon of the summoner’s class level.

This ability replaces merge forms.

Greater Split Forms (Su)

At 20th level, you can summon a normal eidolon, even when using shape dance yourself. Summoning an eidolon this way is a swift action, and it can be summoned a number of minutes each day equal to your summoner level. This time need not be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-minute increments.

This ability replaces twin eidolon.

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

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

• Eidolon
• Summon monster
• Bond senses
• Transposition
• Shield ally
• Maker's call
• Greater shield ally
• Life bond
• Merge forms
• Twin eidolon