Homebrew Beast Shifter Species Details

Appearance: Humanoid form
Beast Shifters are described as being humanoid in appearance, with their height and main features being roughly the same. An incredibly common feature of the Beast Shifter’s humanoid form includes fur on the back of the neck that springs up when under stress, anxiety, anger, etc. The fur color can range from earthy colors like brown, gray, or some shades of dark green, to more vibrant shades like purple, red, yellow, or even blue in some rare cases. 

The fur color is determined on the location the beast shifter was born in as well; vibrant colors are often found in colorful rainforest with great plant variety, while earthy colors are found more in low toned forests or tall-grass plains biomes.

Another common feature of Beast shifters are their clawed hands which allow them hide in their natural habitat. The claw length is determined on where they were born, just like the fur color. Long claws are often found in forests that house a tree species with strong bark, while short claws are found in forests with trees with weaker bark, or in tall-grass plains biomes.

A rare feature of Beast Shifters are saber-like teeth, often found in only chieftains or leaders. The tooth length can range from 4-12 inches in length.

Appearance: Beast form
The Beast Form of a Beast Shifter comes in the appearance of medium or large, sometimes carnivorous mammals, often either canines, or felines with unusual features; though, there are rare cases where the Beast form could take the shape of a reptile such as a Komodo Dragon or Gecko or some creatures entirely. The Beast Form is determined by the personality, and physical characteristics of the Beast Shifter. It also is affected by who their parents were. For example: If their parents are both cheetahs in beast form, their beast form will be a cheetah, or if their mother is a tiger beast form, and father is a lion beast form, then their beast form will be something inbetween.

A Beast Shifter’s Beast Form evolves throughout the Beast Shifter’s life, changing as their personality evolves. As children, their Beast form looks plain, like a normal animal; but over time, it changes as the personality and physical features of the Beast Shifter grow, change and evolve.

Beast Shifter Traits

Beast Shifter's Traits are as follows.

Ability Score Improvement

Beast Shifter's tend to live in harsh conditions, over generations their bodies evolved and adapted.
Their claws hardened to make living in dense forests or plains easier.

Darkvision

Beast Shifter's tend to live in dense forests or plains, surrounded mostly by darkness, either underground or in the trees.
Their eyes have become keen to see in the dark.

Unwanted Transformation

In high stress Situations the Beast Shifter can loose their control and their temper. Causing them to Transform against their will.
Doing so will give Advantage to Initiative.

Enhanced Claws

Their Hardened and Sharpened Claws give Beast Shifters an edge in Unarmed Combat.

Burrowing

A Beast Shifter's hardened claws allow them to Rip and Tear through soft and rough dirt like nothing.

Transformation

The Beas Shifter Transforms into it's Beast form in a rough and vile looking way, bones seem to crack out and into place, rearranging and reforming the structure of more a beast than human.
They will still walk Bipedal unless chosen to do otherwise.

They will gain a few bonuses in Beastshape.