The Lockwood Grimoire: Beast Shape

spells
int
lockwood
grimoire
#1

Beast Shape
INT spell (Level II Transmutation)

Cast this INT spell at POWER level 1 to assume the form and characteristics of any terrestrial beast of nature (i.e., not a monster, does not swim or fly) that you have seen before with up to :black_heart::black_heart: (e.g., cat, wolf, black bear).

At POWER level 2, assume the form of a terrestrial beast or swimming beast up to :black_heart::black_heart::black_heart: (e.g., brown bear, rhinoceros, reef shark).

At POWER level 3, assume the form of any beast up to :black_heart::black_heart::black_heart::black_heart: (e.g., polar bear, giant octopus, giant eagle).

At POWER level 4, assume the form of any beast up to :black_heart::black_heart::black_heart::black_heart::black_heart: (e.g., giant ape, killer whale, tyrannosaur).

Beast Shape lasts D4 rounds. When the spell duration is up, or if the beast shape is destroyed, i.e., reduced to 0 HP in combat, the caster reverts to original condition at the time of casting (HP as before the spell). The caster can end the spell’s effect at will.

Notes:

  1. This Mage’s INT spell is a “port” of a milestone reward WIS power I designed as part of an experimental Druid class definition I came up with for my table. It is adapted for use with casting costs and spell burn rules. Honestly, this probably could have been a Level III spell with a casting cost of 3 to 12 HP, but I didn’t want to lock one-heart casters out of access to it at full POWER, preferring to let the chance of casting failure and the short duration control its scope. Turning into a giant ape for 24 seconds SHOULD nearly kill you—but think of the FUN you can have before that happens!
  2. At the GM’s option, the duration of this spell could be extended so that it lasts D4 rounds per tier of the caster, independent of an unaffected by POWER level. Caster tier is equal to the highest tier of milestone reward the caster has earned. (See Milestone Paths, ICRPG Master Edition, p. 67.)
  3. For a steeper learning curve to this spell, the GM could reverse this dynamic, allowing POWER to extend duration by D4 rounds per level and allowing caster tier to grant access to more powerful (higher-heart) beast forms.
  4. Adding somatic and material components to this spell is strongly recommended, reflecting the more difficult route to animal shapeshifting that arcane spellcasters must take relative to divine spellcasters.
  5. A piece of the dried skin of the creature whose form the caster wishes to adopt would be a really interesting required material component, making for some potentially interesting in-game activities and side quests for Mages.
  6. Peruse the unseen pages of the Lockwood Grimoire.
Homebrew Classes