Shapeshifting is used by a character to alter their own physical form. In addition to being incredibly useful for infiltration, Shapeshifting at higher steps can also provide justification for simulating other traits such as Flying when changed into a form that has wings.
Effect: Shapeshifting is typically used on actions and reactions that are either related to deception or attempting to apply some physical advantage of the character's current form, and to provide narrative justification for doing things made possible by the character's current form.
Shapeshifting only affects the character's own body, not their clothes. However at higher steps a 'naked' character can shapeshift well enough to make themselves appear to be wearing whatever clothes they want.
At d4 Shapeshifting a character can only modify minor cosmetic details such as hair, skin, or eye color.
At d6 Shapeshifting a character can disguise themselves as another non-specific person of their own species, including small changes to their height and build. They cannot gain or lose mass.
At d8 Shapeshifting a character can shapeshift to cosmetically disguise themselves as a specific other person, or take on the form of an animal or take on arbitrary physical characteristics such as growing wings or extra limbs. The character can gain or lose up to 10% of their mass. Additionally the character can step down Shapeshifting and use it as if it were a single other trait that provides a capability that is justified by their current form; for instance Flying while in a winged form.
At d10 Shapeshifting a character can disguise themselves so well that they can even fool unusual senses and tests. They can take on the cosmetic form of inanimate objects. They can gain or lose up to 50% of their mass. Additionally the character can step down Shapeshifting twice and use it as if it were two other traits that provide capabilities that are justified by their current form.
At d12 Shapeshifting a character can change into virtually any physical form sufficiently well to fool unusual senses and tests. They can gain or lose up to 100% of their mass. Additionally the character can step down Shapeshifting three times and use it as if it were three other traits that provide capabilities that are justified by their current form.
Common SFX: The Non-Newtonian SFX can be applied to indicate that the character's form is semi-fluid and can flow around impacts and reform, by including Shapeshifting in reactions against physical attacks.
The Swiss Army Hands SFX can be applied to allow a character to use Shapeshifting to effortlessly change their fingers and hands to form tools, keys, blades, and so on.
The Crowd Fade SFX can be applied to allow a character to shift forms to blend into or out of a crowd of people or things. This can also be used as justification to exit or enter a Scene abruptly.
The Mindshift SFX can be applied to allow a character currently imitating a specific person to also replicate the mind of that person including access to their memories; this can even fool a telepath.
Common Limits: The Telltale Limit can be applied to indicate a character who always has some recognizeable characteristic in every form, such as a prominent scar or a physical attribute of a specific color.
The Same Mass Limit can be applied to indicate a character whose Shapeshifting cannot gain or lose mass.
The No Disguise Limit can be applied to indicate that a character cannot use their Shapeshifting to disguise themselves; whatever physical form they take they are still recognizeable.
The Disguise Only Limit can be applied to indicate that a character can only use their Shapeshifting to disguise themselves as specific other people or things.
A Limit can be applied to indicate that a character cannot use their Shapeshifting to take on inanimate forms, or vice versa that they can only take on inanimate forms.