Spirits of The Shape-Shifters

One becomes a shape-shifter/werecreature during birth, but there are rare cases of one contracting the shape-shifter abilities but that doesn't happen often. Shape-Shifters are decedents from a human and a werewolf having a child together. During creation a genetic mutation overtook and the inner spirit became more than just a werewolf, it became a different creature. Once that child grew up and had children their genetics mutated as well creating a different breed, and so on, thus giving birth the various different types of shapeshifters. the only way to activate your inner spirit you must preform the bond between inner self and inner spirit, or commonly known as The Awakening. this is a big deal in small tribes or herds, some tribes would even have a fighting ceremonies or celebration events, while in other types of cultures it was frowned upon to be a descendant of a lycanthrope, so they would avoid unleashing their inner spirit, which never ended well. If one goes their life trying to cage their inner spirit, the spirit grows with anger and frustration, often consuming the shape-shifter in anger and hate, making the shape-shifter unable to return to a normal state of mind. 

The Inner Spirit

Beginning at 3rd level, you will be able to tap into the spirit of the animal that you are cursed with and gain their animalistic power and transform your body into a primal/animalistic form. The more in-tune you are with the spirit, the more powerful the transformations will become.

While in Hybrid form you gain benefits of different sizes, speed, and various traits depending on your spirit. but there are also more things to note, such as:

- As a bonus action, you can transform into your hybrid form for up to 1 hour. You can speak in broken languages you know, use equipment, and wear armor in this form. You can revert to your normal form earlier as a bonus action. You automatically revert to your normal form if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. This feature replaces the rules for Lycanthropy within the Monster’s Manual. You can use this feature twice, and regain uses every short or long rest. 

- Unarmored Defense: While you are in your hybrid form, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier.

- Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature and you get special benefits depending on your spirit type. (you can choose any animal you would like, or have your DM surprise you. Here is a small groups that you can decide where it would fall under, or you could even make your own. I suggest talking to your DM to find out the proper benefits you can get depending on the type of animal you choose)

Spirits of Water to Land (Amphibian Creatures):

Spirits of Flight (Winged Creatures ):

Spirits of the Sea Walkers (Sea Inhabitant Creatures):

Spirits of Cold Blood (Reptile Creatures):

Spirits of the Anthropoids (Insects, crustaceans, arachnids, and myriapods, that are characterized by a chitinous exoskeleton, a segmented body, and jointed appendages).

Spirits of the Land Walkers (Mammal Creatures, Ex: Beasthide, Longtooth, Swiftstride and Wildhunt):

• Beasthide: These type of shape-shifter draws strength and stability from the beast within. Beasthide shape-shifters could embody any creature known for its toughness, mainly beast of burden.
• Longtooth: These type of shape-shifters are fierce and aggressive, but they form deep bonds with their friends. Many longtooth shape-shifters have canine traits that become more pronounced as they shift, but they might instead draw on tigers, hyenas, or other fierce predators.
• Swiftstride: These type of shape-shifters are graceful and quick. Typically any animal that embodies speed, or usual animals that can escape their predators, swiftstride shape-shifters are often similar to gazelles, elk, zebras, etc. 
  
  
•  Wildhunt: These type of shape-shifters are sharp and insightful and great at tracking. Many are constantly alert, ever wary for possible threats. Others focus on their intuition, searching within. Wildhunt shape-shifters are excellent hunters, and they also tend to gather into packs.  
  
  
  
  Now remember these are just skeletons of what you can be, simple guidelines. you can be any animal you want, don't be afraid to be creative. 

Spirits of Cold Blood

(Reptile Creatures):

You gain these benefits only when shifted in hybrid form:
- Size: Your size remains the same as your race size. 
- Speed: Your walking speed becomes 30ft 
- Camouflage: As long as you break sight on an enemy that is being followed and you stop moving, you have advantage on stealth checks and enemies have disadvantage on perception checks to spot you. 
- Thick Epidermis:  Your armor class becomes 11 plus your dexterity modifier plus your constitution modifier. 
- Additional Regeneration: once per turn, as a bonus action you can choose to use one of your hit dice to heal on top of the heal you get at the top of your turn as long as you haven't taken damage. 

Spirits of The Air

(Flying Creatures):

You gain these benefits only when shifted in hybrid form;
- Size: Your size remains the same as your race size.
- Speed: Your base walking speed becomes 25ft.
- Flying:  You grow these long elegant wings from your shoulder blades and your base flying speed is 60ft. 
- Glide: Your falling speed becomes halved (as long as your wings aren't specifically grappled or targeted) and you can move half of your flying speed as a bonus action. 
- Razor Talons: Your unarmed strikes become 1d8 slashing while you're flying. 

Spirits of the Anthropoids

(Insects, crustaceans, arachnids, and myriapods, that are characterized by a chitinous exoskeleton, a segmented body, and jointed appendages).

You gain these benefits only when in your hybrid form:

- Size: Your humanoid form becomes a swarm of insects. 
- Speed: Your movement becomes 20ft, your climbing speed becomes 20ft, and you can borrow 5ft. 
- Piercing Mandibles: Your Swarm of Insect damage increases to 2d6 piercing damage.
- Infrared Sight: You gain dark vision and can detect heat up to 60ft in front of you. You can also detect invisible creatures within 60ft of you and automatically detect visual illusions and succeed on saving throws against them,
- Multiple Swarms: Your whole body shifts up to 3 Swarm of Insects equal to your hit point maximum. See example below. You can move each swarm separately up to 30ft apart from each other and you attack through any swarm up to the amount of attacks you can make every turn and use their attack modifiers and the damage dice. See the Swarm of Insects stat block.

Example: If your hit point maximum is 36, you turn into two Swarms of Insects. Each swarm can only be up to 22 hit points and the rest of your hit points are added into another Swarm of Insects, leaving the rest of the 14 hit points into the second swarm. if the swarms are killed , you return to your humanoid form, fall to 0 hit points and have to make death saving throws until you are stabilized. If the 3rd swarm hits maximum hit points you do nothing, but if all three swarms are destroyed you revert back to your humanoid form with the remaining hit points.

Spirits of the Land Walkers: Longtooth

Longtooth: These type of shape-shifters are fierce and aggressive, but they form deep bonds with their friends. Many longtooth shape-shifters have canine traits that become more pronounced as they shift, but they might instead draw on tigers, hyenas, or other fierce predators.

You gain these benefits only in your hybrid form:
- Size: Your size remains the same as your race size.
- Speed: Your speed becomes 30ft and your climbing speed is 30ft. 
- Darkvison: You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
- Guttural Roar: Once every long rest, as a bonus action, creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you that can hear you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn. The DC of the save equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your charisma or strength modifier.
- Menacing Bite: While shifted, you can use your elongated fangs to make an unarmed strikes as a bonus action. If you hit with your fangs, you can deal piercing damage equal to 1d10 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
- Deadly Pounce: If you manage to get a surprise round against an enemy, your bite attack is an auto critical and the creature must make a contested strength saving throw or be knocked prone.   

Spirits of the Land Walkers: Swiftstride

Swiftstride: These type of shape-shifters are graceful and quick. Typically any animal that embodies speed, or usual animals that can escape their predators, swiftstride shape-shifters are often similar to gazelles, elk, zebras, etc. 

You gain these benefits only in your hybrid form:
- Size: Your size remains the same as your race size. 
- Speed: Your speed becomes 40ft.
- Too Quick: You can use a bonus action to use the dash action and if a creature ends its turn within 5 feet of you, you can move up to half of your movement speed as a reaction . This reactive movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks.
- Balance: You have advantage on acrobatic checks and dexterity saving throws. 

Spirits of the Land Walkers: Wildhunt

Wildhunt: These type of shape-shifters are sharp and insightful and great at tracking. Many are constantly alert, ever wary for possible threats. Others focus on their intuition, searching within. Wildhunt shape-shifters are excellent hunters, and they also tend to gather into packs.  

You gain these benefits only in your hybrid form:
- Size: Your size remains the same as your race size.
- Speed: your speed becomes 40ft.
 - Discerning Eyes: You always know where North is, you cannot be surprised as long as you're awake, and no creature within 30 feet of you can make an attack roll with advantage against you, unless you’re incapacitated. 
- Heightened Senses: You have advantage on survival, perception and investigation checks
- Pack Tactics: As long as you are with allies you can track other creatures while traveling at a fast pace, you can move stealthily while traveling at a normal pace, and you gain advantage on attack rolls if an ally is within 5ft of an enemy.

Spirits of the Landwalkers: Beasthide

(Mammal Creatures,)

Beasthide: These type of shape-shifter draws strength and stability from the beast within. Beasthide shape-shifters could embody any creature known for its toughness, mainly beast of burden.

You gain these benefits only when shifted in hybrid form:
- Size: Your size goes up one size larger than your race size. 
- Speed: Your speed becomes 30ft.
- Raw Strength: You gain advantage on strength checks and saving throws and you can lift one size lager than your hybrid form. 
- Inner Strength: Whenever you shift you gain 1d8 temporary hit points and your armor class goes up 2. 
- Reckless Attack:  when you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn.

Spirits of the Sea

(Sea Inhabitant Creatures):

You gain these benefits only when shifted in hybrid form;
- Size: Depending on what creature you decide to take will decide your size, smaller fishes will keep your size the same as your race size, but bigger creatures like sharks and whales will make your size one lager than your race size. 
- Speed: Your walking speed becomes 20ft, and your swimming speed becomes 50ft. 
- Water Breathing: You can breathe underwater, you can hold your breath on land for, 1 plus your constitution bonus, number of minutes. after you exceed that number you begin to suffocate unless you can fully submerge your head into fresh water or salt water depending on your spirit type. 
- Darkvision: You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
- Water Adaptation: Adapted to even the most extreme ocean depths, you have resistance to cold damage.
- Razor Fins: You can use your fins on your body as an unarmed strike, for each strike a fin does 1d6 slashing damage. 
- Sickening Tastes: Whenever you attack a creature with an unarmed strike or a creature bites into your flesh the creature must make a constitution saving throw (DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus) or contract The Sewer Plague. 

Spirits of Water to Land

 (Amphibian Creatures):

You gain these benefits only when shifted in hybrid form; 
- Size: Your size remains the same as your race size. 
- Speed: Your base walking speed becomes 30ft, and you have a swimming speed of 30 ft.
- Amphibious: You can breathe air and water.
- Hibernation: If you take cold damage that is over half of your hit points balance you must make a Constitution Saving Throw to stay awake. The DC is the amount of damage dealt to you halved. 
- Slippery: You have advantage on Athletic or Acrobatic checks against being grappled or swallowed. 
- Secretion: If you are swallowed the creature must succeed on a Constitution Saving throw (DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus). The creature takes 2d6 acid damage on a failed save and has disadvantage on the next save to keep you swallowed. On a successful save the creature takes half damage. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. After you use your breath weapon, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Regeneration

At the start of your turn, if you have not taken Fire Damage, Acid Damage, Bludgeoning, Slashing, or Piercing Damage from silver weapons you regain 1d4 plus your constitution modifier (minimum of 1). This effect can only happen as long as you are in your hybrid form, or your spirit form. 

The Spirit Emerges

The amount of time you can remain in hybrid form remains 1 hour, but after that hour as a bonus action you turn into the actual creature that your spirit represents for an extra hour. So you spend 1 hour in hybrid form then 1 hour in your spirit form. during this form you continue to get the benefits from your hybrid form but you gain additional benefits only in your spirit form. 

Benefits only in your spirit from:
- Speed: your speed and any additional movement types you gain from your hybrid form is doubled 
- Natural Survivor: You gain expertise in Perception, Investigation, Nature, and survival checks. 
- Tough Exterior: You gain immunity from nonmagical bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing attacks, you gain resistance to magical bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing attacks. you remain vulnerable to bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing attacks from silver weapons. 
- Aggression: When you take the attack action you can make an extra attack as a bonus action, if you hit, you roll an extra damage dice and add it to that attack. example: if your attacks deal 2d6 you would roll 3d6 for the bonus attack.
- Mindless Instinct: you can’t be charmed or frightened while in your spirit form. If you are charmed or frightened when you enter your spirit form, the effect is suspended for the duration of the form.

The Downside:
- Blood Lust: If you begin your turn with no more than half of your maximum hit points, you must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw with disadvantage, or move directly towards the nearest creature to you and use the Attack action against that creature. You can choose whether or not to use your Extra Attack feature for this frenzied attack. If there is more than one possible target, roll to randomly determine the target. You then regain control for the remainder of your turn. If you are under an effect that prevents you from concentrating (like the barbarian’s Rage feature), you automatically fail this saving throw.

Enhanced Spirit

At 10th level your spirit improves. You continue to gain the previous benefits from your hybrid and spirit forms but you also gain these enhancements that apply to both forms, unless it specifies otherwise. 

Enhancements: 
- Enhanced Hybrid Form and Spirit Form: Instead of being in your forms for an hour each, the time goes to two hours each. 
- Enhanced Regeneration: At the start of your turn, if you have not taken Fire Damage, Acid Damage, Bludgeoning, Slashing, or Piercing Damage from silver weapons you regain 1d8 plus your constitution modifier (minimum of 1). 
- Enhanced Aggression (Only in Spirit Form):  You can still make an extra attack as a bonus action, and if you hit, but instead of gaining the extra damage dice on the bonus attack, you get them on your main attack (not your bonus attack) and your extra damage die upgrades one die. example: if your attack damage deals 2d6 you would add 1d8 to your damage. 
- Enhanced Senses: Whenever you make a survival, perception, or investigation check, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.
- Spirit Bond (In any form): You have a natural kinship with the animals that your spirit represents. While you are in your Hybrid Form or your Spirit Form, the animals that are the most similar to your spirit have an natural instinct to assist you to the best of their ability, such as assisting you in guiding you through a specific passage, to assist you in fighting, or to provide any information that can help you gain knowledge that may be around in their territory as long as they are within 100ft of you. Example: If your spirit form is a shark, any types of sharks around you will assist you to the best of their ability.  

Improved Critical Strikes

At level 15 you score critical strikes when you roll a 19 or 20, and when you score a critical hit, you can either deal an extra 1d6 of necrotic damage or if you weren't able to gain the benefits of regeneration this turn, you are able to activate regeneration but this only applies to the first critical hit, so if your second attack is a critical as well, you will not be able to heal. 

Augmented Spirit

At 18th level your spirit improves. You continue to gain the previous benefits from your hybrid, spirit, and enhanced forms, but you also gain these augments that apply to both forms and enhancements unless it specifies otherwise. 

Enhancements: 
-  Augmented Forms:  You can choose to be in your Hybrid or Spirit form up to 6 hours each. 
- Augmented Regeneration: At the start of your turn, if you have not taken Fire Damage, Acid Damage, Bludgeoning, Slashing, or Piercing Damage from silver weapons you regain 1d10 plus your constitution modifier (minimum of 1). 
- Augmented Aggression (Only in Spirit Form):  You can still make an extra attack as a bonus action, and if you hit, you get them on all your attacks and your extra damage die goes up 2 dice, already factoring in the Enhanced Aggression upgrade. example: if your attack damage deals 2d6 you would add 1d12 to your damage.
- Augmented Senses: If you have smelled a creatures scent within two days you are able to perfectly track their scent and you don't have to roll any checks to track them. you gain this benefit even out of hybrid or spirit form. 
- Augmented Awareness: When you shift into your Hybrid Form or your Spirit Form, you gain full control over your spirits blood lust and you no longer have to roll a wisdom saving throw when you are below half of your hit points. 
- Augmented Pack Tactics: If you are within 10ft of an enemy, all attack rolls have advantage against that enemy. 
- Augmented Defenses:  Your Armor Class is 13 + Your Dexterity modifier + Your Constitution Modifier