Magical shapechanging as Evocation or Thaumaturgy?

[Skhirocco]

Hello,
I'm about to gm a campaign of Dresden Files RPG. For a budding wizard NPC I plan to make his stick shapechanging (like Molly's psychomancy evocation, or like Listen to the Wind's biomancy thaumaturgy (who's is rumored to be a capable shapechanger at one time)). I'm not talking about changing the shape of other people (as this would be against the Laws of Magic), but about him being able to change his own shape (which is in accordance with the Laws) with magic. I wonder how he would do this. An Evocation spell, which would make it instantaneous or a Thaumathurgy ritual, which would take more time? Actually, I have him in my head as changing shape rather quickly, without lots of preparations. But this could also be done with a somewhat simple ritual, like one of Harrys quick tracking rituals. I'm also aware of the Supernatural Powers called True Shapeshifting and Beast Change. But this is not what I want. Besides True Shapshifting costs 4 Refresh, which is a bit much for a beginner NPC. The cost for Beast Chage (1 Refresh) would be doable, and I don't mind him being restricted to one or a few forms (2x or more Beast Change bought), but it wouldn't be magic. Another thought comes to mind: would fast shapechanging as a magic unbalance the system?

Thanks in advance,

Skhirocco

[Haru]

Changing shape with a ritual would require you to take yourself out with enough stress first, so it would be a pretty costly thaumaturgy ritual at first. In the case of LtW however, I believe it is said, that he has done this so often, that he has adapted the power of "True Shapeshifting", so those thaumaturgy rules don't really apply to him any more.

[Llayne]

I'd say it definitely needs to be a ritual, based on the complexity of what you're doing.

So one route is take Sponsored Magic for the whole 'thaumaturgy at evocation's speed' bit. Seeliee Magic already covers biomancy or you could write up a 'Shaman' verson of sponsored magic power that is fueled by a native american spirit. Changing forms this way probably won't get you claws, echoes of the beast, or any inhuman abilities or anything... those cost refresh.

Another option i've been toying with, if you can get your gm to buy off on it, is Modular Abilities. In a submerged game throw -9 refresh into it and get 7 form points. Buy Evocation, Thaumaturgy and the Sight with it and designate that as your 'true form' that you can neve tweak or modify with shapeshifting. Then you can designate other animal forms that you've learned and you have the points to buy all those cool animal powers.

The GM would have to be pretty liberal, and even then there'd probably need to be some decent limitations. Focus items and enchanted items don't work in animal form, they were 'stored' in the Nevernever. Maybe getting trapped within a ward or circle will keep you locked in animal form and unable to revert back to human form to use your other magic. Or a 9 shift counterspell will throw you out of animal form altogether.

[Drachasor]

First, Beast Change is clearly magic.  Secondly, Harry considers it a very specific and well-practiced spell when the Alphas do it.  I think this is by far the easiest way to go.

It's going to be hard to get enough shifts to make a decent facsimile of shapeshifting using evocation or thaumaturgy.  I do think using the shapeshifting powers is the best way to go here.

Edit 2:  You could try going with using aspects and the like to do it.  Problem is aspects are pretty hard to stack up on yourself.  9 shifts of power only will get you 3 tags, so 3 uses of "I'm a Cat" (to invoke for effect or a +2 bonus) assuming no use of fate points is not so great.  You could get more by spending refresh to get refinement or items to help make it easier, but once you start spending refresh, the shapechanging powers become a more effective way to handle it.  Really I think going the thaumaturgy route should only be used if you don't plan on changing shape very much at all.

[Skhirocco]

Alright, thank you guys.
Your ideas were very helpful. I'd thought about the complexity issues as well, but wanted to have this npc to be able to quickly change shape, or at least not to have to learn a complex ritual. I wanted him to have a natural/ innate shapeshifting affinity for his magic. With Sponsored Magic this should be possible in a way. Now let's see, who'd love to sponsor a youngling wizard... ;-P
If anyone else has some thoughts on this topic. Please do share them. I'd love to hear them.

Regards,
Skhirocco

[Skhirocco]

Oh, that didn't come to my mind yet. Thanks, Drachasor.

[InFerrumVeritas]

Here's how IIRC the dev's suggested it: Thaumaturgy ritual to take yourself out plus some biological complexity for doing it properly, then pay fate points for temporary powers.  The ritual is required as there must be circumstances which justify you being able to take those powers, and the ritual provides for this.

You could do some quick and dirty shapechanging with evocation (with some justification like a KN type sponsored magic/using transformation as one of your three elements) and just place aspects on yourself like "Bear Shaped."  These could then be tagged for effect once for free and then payed for with fate points.

Ultimately, your best bet would be to take Shapechanging and possibly modular abilities.  If you have the refresh left, take Thaumaturgy and rely on shapechanging in combat.  Describe and flavor it like spellcasting.

Really, you'd want Evocation, Thaumaturgy, The Sight (w/ soulgaze), Wizard's Constitution, True Shapeshifting (Human Form can modify), and Modular Abilities.  You're looking at around 15 refresh.

Llayne's option seems interesting though.

[Morgan]

What sort of animals do you want your wizard to turn into, and how much power do you want those animals to have? If they've only got one animal form that isn't all that powerful than just buying the Beast Change power is the way to go. If you want to turn into an animal or multiple animals with all sorts of nifty powers and still be able to do Wizardry you will need to look for some discounts. Item of Power is probably your best bet, just say the Wizard spent much of his apprenticeship crafting an enchanted animal skin that allows them to change form, or inherited a powerful talisman from their mentor. If you really insist on doing it quickly and with Thaumaturgy (Evocation is right out for something like actually shapechanging) than Sponsored Magic is the way to go, but be prepared to rack up some pretty serious debt to the sponsor.

Out of curiosity if this is for an NPC why are you that worried about the powers math in the first place? A few milestones and they should have enough refresh to do whatever they want, or you could just give them the refresh to begin with. Is there some intent behind this character beyond a Wizard who does cool shapeshifting magic?

[Skhirocco]

What sort of animals do you want your wizard to turn into, and how much power do you want those animals to have? If they've only got one animal form that isn't all that powerful than just buying the Beast Change power is the way to go. If you want to turn into an animal or multiple animals with all sorts of nifty powers and still be able to do Wizardry you will need to look for some discounts. Item of Power is probably your best bet, just say the Wizard spent much of his apprenticeship crafting an enchanted animal skin that allows them to change form, or inherited a powerful talisman from their mentor. If you really insist on doing it quickly and with Thaumaturgy (Evocation is right out for something like actually shapechanging) than Sponsored Magic is the way to go, but be prepared to rack up some pretty serious debt to the sponsor.

Out of curiosity if this is for an NPC why are you that worried about the powers math in the first place? A few milestones and they should have enough refresh to do whatever they want, or you could just give them the refresh to begin with. Is there some intent behind this character beyond a Wizard who does cool shapeshifting magic?

This NPC will become quite important, or at least I hope so, as the game progresses and the planned mentor to be will accept him. And he's supposed to be young. Maybe I'd compare him to Molly (when she first shows her talent in Proven Guilty or shortly after) or someone else with her level of experience. That's why a lot of Powers wouldn't make a lot of sense. Maybe he'll be more powerful later on. Regarding the number of forms he should be able to change into at the beginning: I'd say a few. But not many. And probably only animal forms. These forms should niot be just for show, too.

- Skhirocco

[Morgan]

Okay so you are setting the character up to be an apprentice to a PC. Then in that case you should definitely stat the character up as a Shapeshifter who also knows some magic rather than a Wizard who can shapeshift. Channeling and Rituals rather than Evocation and Thaumaturgy, pick up The Sight, discounted Soulgaze, and Wizard's Constitution to show that the character has the potential to be a full Wizard, then Beast Change, Echoes of the Beast, Human Form. That should leave at least 4 refresh at the submerged level, and that's 3 points to buy other powers for the animal form or more levels of Beast Change to mimic changing into some other animal forms.

[Haru]

This NPC will become quite important, or at least I hope so, as the game progresses and the planned mentor to be will accept him. And he's supposed to be young. Maybe I'd compare him to Molly (when she first shows her talent in Proven Guilty or shortly after) or someone else with her level of experience. That's why a lot of Powers wouldn't make a lot of sense. Maybe he'll be more powerful later on. Regarding the number of forms he should be able to change into at the beginning: I'd say a few. But not many. And probably only animal forms. These forms should niot be just for show, too.

- Skhirocco

Well, the problem is, changing into 1 animal is already a full template, changing into different animals is a whole lot more powerful and not at all in Molly's class. A were-form mentor would probably be able to do it, but a student would seem overpowered, unless you'd take some control over it from him (changing into a random form, rather than the one he wanted, when he is under stress. Great way to compel). Otherwise a character that young with that much power would seem weird to me. On the other hand, if he isn't a mortal, but some incarnation of an animal spirit, all bets would be of.

As for the powers, you wouldn't really need a lot of them. You would probably be able to recycle a lot of the powers, Claws for a werewolf form would also work in a hawk or eagle form, you wouldn't have to buy it twice. The only thing you would need to buy extra is a second set of beast change and echo. If you have enough refresh dedicated to creature powers, you might want to look into modular abilities, so you won't have to stack tons of powers on your list and can change them according to any new creature form needs.

[sinker]

Jumping off of what you've said Haru, what if he had modular abilities, but only for beast change and echoes. That's only three points, and then he could take a different beast/echo every time he changes.

[Haru]

Jumping off of what you've said Haru, what if he had modular abilities, but only for beast change and echoes. That's only three points, and then he could take a different beast/echo every time he changes.

You would still need the other powers to have effective animal forms, so I don't really see an upside to this. I would take true shapeshifting with a rebate (a -3 power, I think) for only changing into animals. Echoes would be a bit tricky, especially with different animals to echo at the same time (so scratch what I wrote about that before). You could however take the echo literally and only take it once, and it will always be the echo of the last beast you changed into.

So I would do it like this:
Animal Shifting [-3]
Echo of the Beast (always for the last beast shapeshifted into) [-1]
+ whatever creature powers fit the characters favored animal forms, or modular abilities again, if you want to have the broadest options.

[Wyrdrune]

if it has to go fast, how about a potion? just calculate the necessary spellpower as slot requirement and keep the fate points for temporary powers ready.

another possibility: sponsored magic. maybe LtW uses some magic sponsored by some native american deity that allows shape changing thaumaturgy with the speed of evocation... have your GM make up a sponsor who allows that...

[Becq]

Be careful with modular abilities.  Per the RAW, it allows the use of powers from "Creature Features (page 162), certain Minor Abilities (page 169), Speed (page 178), Strength (page 183), and Toughness (page 184)".  Beyond that you'd need concurrence from The Table.  In particular, notice that this list does not include any of the spellcasting powers, or other shapechanging powers.