Shapeshifter

Shapeshifters in Thedas
Rumors speak of barbarians that hold secrets of transforming the body into the form of animals. The Circle of Magi denies such stories. But this rare art survives in the forgotten corners of Thedas. While the Circle of Magi would prefer that it be so, theirs is not the only tradition of magic in Thedas. Prior to the Circle’s formation, magic was either practiced by the Magisters of the Tevinter Imperium or in remote areas, knowledge handed down from one generation of practitioners to the next. “hedge mages”, as Enchanters of the Circle refer to them, or “witches” as legend would name them, do not always employ forbidden magic. Quite often their talents lie in the creation of charms, the use of curses and the ability to change their own forms.

It is this last talent that has, over the centuries, been incorporated back into the Circle. Said to have been first introduced by hedge mages that joined the Circle (perhaps by force), the path of the Shapeshifter is one that crosses the boundary between mage and warrior. Some mages see it as a form of self-mastery, while others use it as a method of survival, a physical bag of tricks that enable the mage to be unpredictable in battle.

Shapeshifters must master one form at a time, the most common ones being those that are found in the Fereldan wilds. The mighty bear is popular as are wildcats, spiders, and even birds. Legend tells of mages who mastered even more fantastical and deadly forms. To a skilled Shapeshifter, no door is impassable, no fight is unwinnable, and no terrain inhospitable, as long as they know a shape that can meet the task at hand.

Notable shapeshifters during the Dragon Age include Morrigan and her mother, Flemeth.

Unlocking

 * Morrigan will teach you if your approval is neutral; she is not willing to do so once her approval rises above 30.
 * You can purchase a Shapeshifter Manual from Varathorn in the Dalish Camp at the Brecilian Outskirts for around 12.

Shapeshifting Mechanics
When the caster assumes a new form his strength, dexterity and constitution attributes are replaced by those of his chosen form's, which in turn are determined by his total spellpower. If any of the caster's attributes were originally higher than those of his chosen form's these will be left unchanged. Bonuses from items that improve any of the mage's attributes (including bonuses to armor, armor penetration, defense, damage and others) are calculated after changing forms. A mage using a staff prior to shifting will automatically hit when performing physical attacks.

Temporary boosts to spellpower like those from sustained spells are ignored when shapeshifting.

Strategies

 * Possible Second Specializations


 * None: Since most of its main attributes are replaced by those of its forms, out of all the specializations the Shapeshifter benefits the most from investing almost all its points in the magic attribute. Not taking a second specialization allows Shapeshifters to learn additional spells, like the Hexes or the Mana Alteration line, which can significantly improve their DPS and CC potential. This option is only viable for mage build Shapeshifters.
 * Arcane Warrior: Taking Arcane Warrior talents allows Shapeshifters to use equipment they wouldn't be able to use otherwise. It is a viable option for mage build Shapeshifters, allowing them to use specific low-fatigue gear (like Wade's Superior Dragonbone set) or powerful warrior armors to complement their shapeshifting.
 * Blood Mage: Taking Blood Magic talents opens up additional nukes and sustained spellcasting for the Shapeshifter. While this option is not very attractive for the mage build Shapeshifter, form-centric Shapeshifters will appreciate the spellcasting boost and will greatly benefit from being able to use their HP as mana, as most warrior armors improve HP and the consitution attribute instead of willpower.
 * Spirit Healer: While far from turning them into ideal support characters access to Spirit Healer talents does give Shapeshifters limited means of bringing their parties back from brink. Taking this specialization allows Shapeshifters to better deal with emergencies (as when a party member accidentally gets killed), as any other character in the same situation (except another Spirit Healer) would be powerless to do anything.


 * Form strategies
 * Spider Form is useful for hit-and-run tactics: snare opponents with Web and leave them to suffer in Poison Spit, or lure them away from their comrades and into an ambush. Its attacks are fast, but its has less armor and gains strength more slowly than Bear Form.
 * Bear Form is useful for blocking doorways and providing melee combat support. Its Slam ability can be used to shatter frozen or petrified opponents. Bear Form can also wade through spells like Earthquake safely in search of a target.
 * The Flying Swarm's damage-over-time attack does not harm allies and is capable of doing higher tick damage than most damage over time spells, especially if the mage's spellpower is very high. The Flying Swarm's various immunities allows it to safely travel through AoE spells like Grease and Earthquake, although it will take heavy damage from spells. This form's extremely fast speed also makes it useful for travelling.


 * Mage strategies


 * There are generally two types of Shapeshifters: those that focus on nuking and then changing forms while their most powerful spells are unavailable, and those that focus on spending a longer amount of time in Spider or Bear Form.
 * The former invests almost exclusively on the magic attribute, making them powerful nukers and formidable casters.
 * The latter attempts to make the most out of the Spider and Bear Form's abilities by raising the strength attribute and wearing massive armor. They are much more (physically) damaging than their caster counterparts, but have to rely on healing from other characters.
 * According to reports, both builds work just as well.
 * When picking spells note that Spider Form and the Flying Swarm rely on dealing nature damage, to which certain creatures are immune (eg, undead and constructs). It might be wise to choose spells which do alternative types of damage.
 * Some forms are effective at "kiting" enemies while party members attack with ranged weapons. The Flying Swarm can also be used to aggro dangerous monsters or bosses and lure them away into another area, even as party members deal with the rest.
 * The primal spells are ideal for nuking and complements the caster Shapeshifter best, although any Shapeshifter build should consider taking the bulk of his/her spells from the primal spells.


 * Nuker Shapeshifter combos:
 * Fireball → Earthquake → Blizzard/Chain Lightning/Inferno → Shapeshift:Spider. Web + Poison Spit enemies who try to escape the AoE and Overwhelm those who succeed. Bear Form may also be used, with the right resistance-boosting gear.
 * Fireball → Earthquake → Chain Lightning/Cone of Cold (optional) → Shapeshift:Bear/Flying Swarm. Warriors can join the fun if their physical resistances are high enough, or if they have the Indomitable skill. Everyone else can nuke or use ranged weapons.
 * Form-centric Shapeshifter tips:


 * Spend several points on the strength attribute early to improve damage and to allow more powerful equipment to be worn. Avoid wasting points on the dexterity and consitution attributes, and do not invest too much on the magic attribute. With massive armor and a dedicated healer, a high level mage in bear form can hold its own against drakes and even revenants on nightmare difficulty.
 * Since shapeshifting prevents the caster from using potions, use items like Lifegiver to survive for longer.