SHAPE SHIFT

[10] Basic shifting to three Known forms (including basic human form)
     [5] Add a fourth Known form
         [5] Add a fifth Known form
     [5] Shift Wounds (requires shifting from one known form to another)
     [5] Automatic Shift
     [5] Shift Body Parts/Features
         [5] Advanced Shift Wounds (no required form shifting, needs concentration)
     [5] Creature forms (any observed)
         [5] Creatures of some power
             [5] Creatures of greater power (allows Shadow movement)

[5] Absorb and Eject Mass
    [5] Change Internal Structures
[5] Creatures of Blood
    [5] Increase complexity
        [5] Increase Sentience
[5] Shift Persona
[5] Shift Aura
[5] Shape Shift Others
    [5] Even if Unconscious
        [5] Even if Unwilling

SHAPESHIFTING

Shift to Known/Basic Forms

You can shape shift into any basic form, and is of comparable mass, that you have studied, i.e.  that you have a full Psychic impression of.  In this context, "basic form" means an organic non-vegetable form.  Forms that you are not practiced in will not be clumsy and seem disoriented, typically there is no significant effect on attributes.  You get the locomotive abilities of the studied form (flight, swimming, etc), other abilities such as poison, or fire breathing, are beyond the scope of this ability and are part of more advanced shape shifting abilities.
      The character must have at least two basic forms that are considered more or less native for them.  The first is typically a human form that is typically worn on a day to day basis.  The second form is usually dependent on where the character originates from, Demon Form in the case of a
Chaosian, or Avatar Form in the case of an Amberite.  See the Amber DRPG book for further details, under the original  description of Shapeshifting.

    Lastly, each shape shifter possesses, know or unknown to them, something called a Primal Form.  This form is a unconscious manifestation of their innate Shapeshifting ability and may take over in times of extreme danger.  It is an extension of the characters true nature and can almost instantly shift to meet most survival needs.  The danger is that the character
losses themselves completely to the form and will remain dormant until their psyche is some how able to regain control.  For more on this for refer to pg 54 of the Amber DRPG.

Automatic Shape Shift/ Primal Form

You let your involuntary control of shape shift take over.  Your body will change into a form which has a greater chance of survival.  Useful for surviving a number of awkward situations. You can consciously will yourself into Primal Form or you can stop your subconscious from forcing you into Primal Form.  However, you still have no control over yourself while you are in Primal Form.  

Shift Wounds

This lets free a small part of your automatic shape shifting ability in order to heal wounds.  Minor cuts and scratches tend to heal almost instantly, open wounds close quickly, even during combat.  More serious wounds like deep flesh wounds, or broken bones take a much longer time.  Wounds heal much slower when the character not in a Basic Form.

Shape Shift Features/Body Parts

You can only accurately substitute yourself for another person if you've had close contact and the opportunity to practice.  Partial shifting of features, like moving your facial proportions around so that you are no longer recognizable, is easy.   However, doing this analytically, for example, trying to turn your hair red by picturing the color you want,  doesn't work.  Instead, you should try imagining some other red-headed character, someone you know well, concentrate on their hair, and then imitate the person.

     Alternatively, characters may choose specific parts of their body to shift.  This could allow them to grow an extra finger, claws, toughen their skin, or even sprout a pair of wings.  However, simply adding a feature to the body does not give them the ability to use it.  So a character who grows a set of wings would still not be able to fly, conversely, using a simple feature such as an extra finger is a simple matter.

Advanced Shape Shifting

Shift Anatomy and Structure/Acquire Form's Abilities (5 points)

Instead of having to shift into animal form to gain the animal's ability, you can simply change your own form to add the ability.  For example, you can have your character sprout wings like a bird or a bat, or develop claws  or armored scales.   In addition, you can move around, change, duplicate, and augment the body's internal organs.  Aside from the obvious benefits of generating two hearts, or a sub-brain, you can use this ability to regenerate lost body parts, which takes about a week of total concentration.

Absorb & Eject Mass (5 points)

Many forms cannot be adequately done with  the mass possessed by a Human sized character.  It is for this reason that a character with Shape Shift can use his/her power to absorb  mundane Shadow Material into him/herself to take on sufficient mass for the desired form.  For example, when the Demon Servant, Gryll, came to Merlin to take him back to the Courts he lacked sufficient mass and size to carry Merlin on his back.  Gryll then proceeded to absorb some furniture from Merlin's room in order to gain the desired size and mass.

The Shadow Material which the character absorbs cannot be living material, nor can it be magical. It must be considered generally mundane in the Shadow in which the material exists in order for the Shape Shifter to be able to assimilate it into themselves. This process increases the time required to Shape Shift greatly, adding up to 15 minutes, and if the Shape Shifter wishes to then go to a form with less mass/size he or she will have to expel the absorbed matter first, which will take twice as long as absorbing it. Note that the character may not decrease their mass less than their smallest Basic Form's original starting total.

Blood Beasts(5 points)

The blood of such an individual possessing this Power has very special properties.   Cut yourself, bleed out a few drops, and you can Shape the blood into a creature of your desire, or simply feed this potent Blood to a mundane creature to make it more than it is. This creature will have a measure of your own powers.  So, for example, if you have the Power, your blood creature will have a bit of Power as well.

Corwin's 'bloodbird' is a prime example of a creature made of Shape Shifted blood. In this case the bird has the power to fly through Shadow and has an innate "homing" connection to Corwin. It's also important to note that the bloodbird is a non-player character. It operated independently of Corwin, delivering Oberon's package, then leaving, then returning to rescue Corwin at that moment when his life was in grave danger.

Shift Persona (5 points)

Part of the problem with trying to imitate someone else, regardless of whether you look, sound, smell and feel like them, is that you can still give yourself away by not acting like them.  Shape Shift Persona lets you change your personality so even slight, subtle mannerisms can be imitated.

There are dangers to Shape Shifting Persona. If you attempt to Shape Shift into the personality of a particularly powerful mind, you run the risk of it overwhelming you. In essence, you actually become that person, and may totally lose control over your character. Usually this ends with sleep or unconsciousness, when your own natural Persona will come back into existence.

Shift Aura (5 points)

This shifts the mind's Mental Structure so it takes on a completely different Psychic aura.  Note that it doesn't change the ability, the Psyche, or anything else.   It just changes the appearance of the mind, so that a Psychic touch will not detect the difference.  Some of the possible auras include that of a plant or animal, the lesser Psyche of a normal human, or the imitation of any person's Psyche known to your character.  This power can also be used to cloak the presence of the Logrus or Pattern in a person, or to make either of them appear in a greater/lesser magnitude than is truly the case.

This process usually takes several days. To enact this change requires a ritual meditation of up to an hour for oneself and up to a day for another. It deflects trumps, temporarily de-atunes stuff.

Shape Shift Others (5 points)

Character's who possess this ability are able to impose their Shape Shifting on someone else.  The character must make psychic contact, and if the subject resists the subject must be completely dominated by the character's Psyche to proceed.  On the other hand, if the subject of the Shape Shifting is willing, the process can be quick and simple.  Can not do Advanced Shifting abilities on others.

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