Shapeshifting

Even among primal magics, the ability to change into an animal stands out as exceptional. Many monsters haunting the night have the power of transformation, including those who are true shapeshifters. Hedge ma­ gicians who study the Path of Shapeshifting mimic a certain amount of their power, transforming first pieces of themselves and later their entire body in dramatic ways.

Most think of this Path as turning oneself or others into animals. When shapeshifting magicians choose subtlety, they can be remarkable spies. They can make cosmetic changes to look like a different person, and then supplement their disguise with sharpened senses. They can transform into something more dangerous if their cover is blown.

The biggest risk of this Path is that the human mind is not equipped to change shapes. Every transformation incurs risk, but it’s greatest when making a full shift to an animal form. Then, even without a botch, the magician needs to roll Willpower (difficulty 6) to retain their own mind, rather than losing themself to their animal nature.

System

Duration: Scene Aspects: None of the standard Aspects apply to Shapeshifting. Instead, it uses:

Scale

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Cosmetic changes only, such as eye color or growing hair.

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Small but noticeable changes, such as growing claws or scales.

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The magician can change a single body part to that of some other creature.

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Half-Shift: the magician can either change half of their body to an animal’s or take a form halfway between human and animal.

••••• Full Shifting: The magician can change com­ pletely into an animal.

Subject

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The magician can only affect themselves.

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The magician may transform another target.

••••• The magician may affect two subjects at once.

Disparity

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Only a single animal feature.

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The magician can take on two unrelated shifts, such as the head of one animal and the body of another.

••••• Three unrelated shifts are possible.

Price of Failure: When a shapeshifter botches, the best-case scenario consists of an unexpected and un­ pleasant transformation. They can also lose themselves to their other form, functionally going feral. In a worst-case scenario, they can experience a rampage similar to the Berserker/Stress Atavism Flaw (Mage 20 p. 644).

The key ritual for Shapeshifting-based spycraft, Face Theft allows the magician to take on the precise form of another human being. They must have some piece of the person, such as strands of hair or nail clippings. The ritual requires one success for a person broadly similar to the caster, and an additional success each if the form differs in race, sex, or by more than 20 years of age.

Fix the True Form (••••)

Shapeshifters often find themselves in conflict with one another. They also run into stranger things with multiple forms. Fix the True Form was developed by one who claimed descent from werewolves. It forces anyone targeted by it to take on their “true” form if they

47 Chapter One: Hedge Magic