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Neverwinter Nights
Unofficial Shifter FAQ
version 1.14
Copyright 2003 Douglas Crews
Valid for NWN/SOU/HOTU v1.64
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Table Of Contents
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Introduction
(1) Character Creation
(1.1) Race
(1.1.1) Human
(1.1.2) Elf
(1.1.3) Dwarf
(1.1.4) Halfling
(1.1.5) Half-Orc
(1.1.6) Gnome
(1.1.7) Half-Elf
(1.2) Statistics
(1.3) Planning For Feats
(1.4) Shifter Builds
(1.4.1) The Pure Shifter build
(1.4.2) The Druid/Shifter/Monk build
(1.4.3) The Druid/Shifter/[Fighter-type] build
(1.4.4) The Druid/Shifter/[Rogue-type] build
(1.4.5) The Druid/Shifter/[Arcane-type] build
(1.4.6) The Druid/Shifter/Cleric build
(1.4.7) The Druid/Shifter/Weapon Master build
(1.4.8) The Druid/Shifter/Dwarven Defender build
(2) Equipment
(2.1) What equipment properties merge?
(2.2) What Shapes merge Weapons? Items? Armor?
(2.3) Choosing your equipment
(3) Which tertiary class abilities transfer to Shapes?
(3.1) Barbarian
(3.2) Bard
(3.3) Cleric
(3.4) Druid
(3.5) Fighter
(3.6) Monk
(3.7) Paladin
(3.8) Ranger
(3.9) Rogue
(3.10) Sorcerer
(3.11) Wizard
(3.12) Arcane Archer
(3.13) Assassin
(3.14) Blackguard
(3.15) Champion Of Torm
(3.16) Dwarven Defender
(3.17) Harper Scout
(3.18) Pale Master
(3.19) Red Dragon Disciple
(3.20) Shadowdancer
(3.21) Weapon Master
(4) Unarmed vs. Armed Shapes
(5) The Shapes
(5.1) Greater Wildshape I [Shifter Level 1]
(5.1.1) Wyrmling, Red
(5.1.2) Wyrmling, Blue
(5.1.3) Wyrmling, Black
(5.1.4) Wyrmling, White
(5.1.5) Wyrmling, Green
(5.2) Greater Wildshape II [Shifter Level 3]
(5.2.1) Harpy Shape
(5.2.2) Gargoyle Shape
(5.2.3) Minotaur Shape
(5.3) Greater Wildshape III [Shifter Level 5]
(5.3.1) Basilisk Shape
(5.3.2) Drider Shape
(5.3.3) Manticore Shape
(5.4) Humanoid Shape [Shifter Level 7]
(5.4.1) Drow Warrior Shape
(5.4.2) Lizardfolk Whipmaster Shape
(5.4.3) Kobold Commando Shape
(5.5) Greater Wildshape IV [Shifter Level 10]
(5.5.1) Dire Tiger Shape
(5.5.2) Medusa Shape
(5.5.3) Mindflayer Shape
(5.6) Epic Greater Wildshape II [Shifter Level 13]
(5.6.1) Epic Harpy
(5.6.2) Epic Gargoyle
(5.6.3) Epic Minotaur
(5.7) Epic Greater Wildshape III [Shifter Level 15]
(5.7.1) Epic Basilisk
(5.7.2) Epic Drider
(5.7.3) Epic Manticore
(5.8) Epic Humanoid Shape [Shifter Level 17]
(5.8.1) Epic Drow Warrior
(5.8.2) Epic Lizardfolk Whipmaster
(5.8.3) Epic Kobold Commando
(5.9) Undead Shape [Shifter Level 10, Chosen Feat]
(5.9.1) Risen Lord Shape
(5.9.2) Vampire Shape
(5.9.3) Spectre Shape
(5.10) Outsider Shape [Shifter Level 10, WS 25+, Chosen Feat]
(5.10.1) Azer Chieftain Shape
(5.10.2) Rakshasa Shape
(5.10.3) Death Slaad Lord Shape
(5.11) Construct Shape [Shifter Level 10, WS 27+, Chosen Feat]
(5.11.1) Stone Golem Shape
(5.11.2) Demonflesh Golem Shape
(5.11.3) Iron Golem Shape
(5.12) Dragon Shape [Shifter Level 10, WS 30+, Chosen Feat]
(5.12.1) Ancient Red Dragon Shape
(5.12.2) Ancient Blue Dragon Shape
(5.12.3) Ancient Green Dragon Shape
(6) Feats
(6.1) Ratings
(6.2) Non-Epic Feats
(6.3) Epic Feats
(6.3.1) Bonus Feats available to an Epic Shifter:
(6.3.2) Other Bonus Feats available to other Epic classes:
(7) What's The Best Shape For...?
(7.1) Vs. Spellcasters
(7.2) Melee Damage Potential
(7.3) Vs. Undead/Construct/Dragon
(7.4) Defense
(7.5) Attack Bonus
(7.6) Rogue-ishness, Disarming Traps, etc.
(7.7) Searching
(7.8) Vs. Fire
(7.9) Vs. Cold
(7.10) Vs. Electricity
(7.11) Vs. Acid
(7.12) Vs. Sonic
(7.13) Vs. Invisible
(7.14) Vs. Poison
(7.15) Vs. Low Damage Reduction
(7.16) Vs. Medium Damage Reduction
(7.17) Vs. High Damage Reduction
(7.18) Vs. Epic Damage Reduction
(7.19) Druid/Shifter/Monk
(7.20) Smaller Or Larger Opponents
Appendices
(A) Definitions & Acronyms
(B) The Monk Unarmed Attack Bug
(C) Relevant Scripts And Toolset Objects
(C.1) How to examine scripts:
(C.2) How to examine objects:
(C.3) Shape Items & Scripts
(C.4) Alternate Shape Items & Scripts
(C.5) Iznoghoud's Greater Wildshape script
(C.6) Rod Of The ArchShifter hak pak
(C.6.1) Using the Rod in a user module
(C.6.2) Using the Rod in all modules
(C.6.3) Uninstalling the Rod
(D) Some options for alternate Shapes
(E) When And How To Boost ST, DX, CN
(F) The Multiclassed Shifter XP Penalty Bug
(G) Other Bugs
(G.1) The Bonus Attacks Bug
(G.2) Bonus Spell Items Bug
(G.3) The DR Attacker Bug
(G.4) The Epic Pink Soft Bunny Please Kill Me Now Bug (fixed in 1.64)
(G.5) The Persistent World Save Bug (fixed in 1.64)
(G.6) The CasterLevel Bug
(H) Revision History
(I) Who am I? Where's my car? And did I do this all alone? (Hint: no)

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Introduction

A kobold walks warily down a twisty underground corridor. A small and
unassuming figure, he would not strike fear into the hearts of his enemies, even
if they could detect his quiet, unseen movements.
The kobold peers into a large chamber roughly hewn from the solid undermountain
granite. A large number of fearsome Orcs mill about, unaware of the diminutive
invader in their midst. And there, upon a dais at the far end, stands the
chieftain, secure amongst his warriors that his treasure and his life are safe.
But he has a surprise in store.
The kobold sizes up the situation and makes a decision. Quietly and slowly he
winds his way through the middle of the throng of Orcish warriors. Though he
passes but inches from them at times, they are oblivious to his presence.
Reaching the dais, the kobold raises his short sword and plunges it deep into
the back of the Orc chieftain. The mighty Orc bellows in pain and surprise, but
although grievously wounded he is still strong. He raises his sword, preparing
to cut his tiny attacker, now running away, in two. His triumph is short lived,
however, as the kobold draws the shadows about him and *disappears*.
Shrugging his mighty shoulders the Orc chieftain turns back to his dais, only to
once again feel the bite of a sharp blade deep in his back. And what's this?
Poison, sapping his sword-arm strength! Sensing victory, this time the kobold
stays for the coup de grace.
The assembled Orc bodyguards howl their rage and quickly surround the tiny
assassin. They know that, surrounded by foes, he cannot disappear quite so
easily this time. Grinning in anticipation of vengeance well earned, they close
in for the kill.
But then a strange thing happens. The kobold makes an arcane gesture,
concentrates for a moment, and *Shifts*.
Suddenly the crowd of Orcs faces a young dragonling, who promptly begins to
breathe fire into their midst. Several Orcs are killed or badly wounded, but
they also have a secret -- they too have been trained in the dark art of the
sneak attack. With so many attacking a single foe, they find their sneak
attacks finding the mark again and again. They will pay a price for victory,
but they know they will kill this shapeshifting intruder.
But the intruder has another trick up his sleeve. Pausing for a moment to
gesture again, he once more *Shifts*. Suddenly the Orcs find themselves
surrounding a Vampire. A Vampire who regenerates his wounds and is immune to
sneak attacks. Many Orcs fall to the razor sharp claws of the Undead-
Dragonling-Kobold-What-The-Hell-Is-It?, while others have their very life
essences drained by the Vampire's bite. In the end, only the Shifter remains
standing.
But there is still work to be done. If these Orcs were trained in the Rogue
arts, then it is likely that they knew how to set a trap. An examination of the
treasure chests reveals nothing, but the Shifter is suspicious.
Once again Shifting, he becomes an Illithid, an obscenely intelligent brain-
sucking abomination of the Underdark. Re-examining the chests with a vastly
increased intellect, he sees and disarms the deadly traps he had missed
before.
One last problem remains for our intrepid shapeshifting adventurer: he cannot
possibly carry all the treasure without dragging it a few inches at a time.
That just won't do.
Moments later a heavily muscled Minotaur is seen carrying a large bag of booty
out of the Orc lair. He smiles to himself in satisfaction.


Are you sold yet? The Shifter is a very powerful and fun class to play in
Neverwinter Nights. A Shifter is the master of many skills, but specialist in
none. Whatever situation or opponent a Shifter faces, he or she has a Shape
appropriate to the challenge.

Your damage potential will never be the equal of a high level Weapon Master, but
that Weapon Master will have trouble against Critical-immune foes. You won't.
You have other options.

Your offensive spells will never be as mighty as a high level Sorcerer, but you
have several options he doesn't: unlimited use breath weapons of various types,
petrification, domination, mass charm, mind blast, Spectre attack, etc., etc.,
etc.

Your defensive spells will never be as powerful as a high level Cleric, but
again, you have many powerful options they don't: immunity to Critical Hits-
Death Magic-Disease-Level/Ability Drain-Mind Spells-Paralysis-Poison-Sneak
Attack, Damage Resistance, Damage Immunity, Spell Resistance, etc., etc., etc.

Your Rogue abilities will never be the equal of a true Rogue, but you have the
option of Hide In Plain Sight, Improved Evasion, Improved Invisibility, +8 to
Intelligence, etc., etc., etc.

Up against spellcasters? Take a Shape with Spell Resistance. Facing hordes of
dumb fighters? Use an mind attack that targets their low Will power. White
dragon? Choose a Shape with 100% immunity to cold. Invisible opponents? True
Seeing. Backstabbers? Undead or Construct is immune to their most powerful
trick. Same goes for Poison, Level Drain, Disease, Paralysis, Critical Hits,
and Death Magic. Whatever they've got, you've got an answer for.