Shapeshift

Time: Action Target: Self
Test: Deception or Mage Strained
Effect: Buff

Flavor: Choose one creature from the Creature List that has the Easy or Moderate Creature Tag or that most adventurers could beat in a one-on-one fight, such as a Bat, Commoner, Crocodile, or Wolf (with GM approval for creatures without the Easy or Moderate Creature Tags.)

You transform into the target creature with the following effects:

• You must use that creature's Creature Sheet as your Character Sheet, replacing all of your Stats, Skills, Abilities, etc. You still retain all of your original mental faculties, though feel a subtle draw toward the creature's natural behaviors, including desires and fears.
• You retain the number of Health and Vitality points on your original Character Sheet, but set your Shield equal to the creature form's Health and Vitality added together. When your Shield reaches zero, you will transform back into your original self. Any Damage left over when your Shield reaches zero affects your Health and Vitality in the usual way.
• If the creature comes with Variants, you can choose a new Variant each time you transform.
• You can vary the overall look of your transformation each time you use this Ability. You can attempt to copy the exact look of a matching creature. If you get a High Score on the Mage Stat Test, you are a spitting image of your target. If you get a Mixed Score, then you would only pass as them at a distance. If you get a Low Score, you don't look like your target at all. You may still be asked to perform Acting Tests if you are attempting to portray the target in a conversation or encounter.
• You can spend a Beat to return to your original form. When you do, your Shield is halved.

If you Fail your Mage Stat Test for this Ability, you can still transform, but your Shield is capped at 1. If you Pass the Test, you gain a stack of Strained.

Upgrades:

• Magical.
  • You can retain access to your Spell Abilities from your Character Sheet while transformed. You can use the Tuning Stat from your Character Sheet instead of the one on the Creature Sheet.
• Skilled.
  • If you chose a humanoid form or a form capable of using tools and weapons, you can retain access to the Abilities from your Character Sheet that are not Spell Abilities. In such forms, you can also use the Might and Artifice Stats from your Character Sheet instead of the ones on the Creature Sheet.
• Swarm.
  • If a chosen creature Flavors has the Swarm tag, you can now transform into a swarm of that creature. Set your Shield to 10 instead of the normal Shield value for this Ability.
• Versatile(1).
  • Choose a second and third creature that meets the criteria. You can change into those creatures as well.
• Versatile(2).
  • You can transform into any creature that meets the criteria.

Prestige Upgrade:

• Mighty.
  • You can choose one additional creature Flavor.
  • You can now choose your Flavor(s) to be any creature with the Hard Creature Tag. When choosing a Hard creature, you also have the following limitations:
    • This Ability is Exhausting instead of Straining.
    • Your Shield is capped at 10.
    • You will lose 1 Shield at the end of each of your Turns.