*Comes up for air* No, I'm not dead, just the VRS Files are taking up all of my RL energy, so I haven't actually had anything intelligent to say, hence my silence.
Anyway, while working on the VRS I had reason to look at the other Ravenloft shapeshifters, besides the classical lycanthropes, and I ended up glancing at the Paka. And unless I'm mistaken, something is decidedly off. (As a side note, I must be going senile at the tender age of nineteen, since I'm *sure* there was an errata thread, but I can't find it to save my life...)
Denizens of Dread pg. 158
1. The Paka is listed as a Medium Monstrous Humanoid (Shapeshifter), and the description clearly mentions the ability to shapeshift twice "Shedding its human pretense" and "Paka in human form...In their true form". And yet, there is nothing that states how the Paka accomplish this. No Change Shape, no Disguise Self, nothing.
Fairly obviously an oversight, but a severe one (A shapeshifter should be able to shift shapes, yes?)
2. This is more of an opinion based question, but is it my imagination or do Paka have a rather low Level Adjustment for their power? They get -2 Str, +10 Dex, +6 Int, +4 Cha, SR 16, Pounce, Natural Attacks and Scent and several minor abilities including a wild empathy variant and a heal, all for +2 LA and 3 HD which aren't actually that bad (good saves, full AB, and decent HP).
Comments?
3. Anyone have any suggestions for looking at further information on the Paka?
Paka? (Errata, and related questions)
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NeoTiamat
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Paka? (Errata, and related questions)
Ravenloft GM: Eye of Anubis, Shattered City, and Prof. Lupescu's Traveling Ghost Show
Lead Writer & Editor: VRS Files: Doppelgangers; Contributor: QtR #20, #21, #22, #23, #24
Freelance Writer for Paizo Publishing
Lead Writer & Editor: VRS Files: Doppelgangers; Contributor: QtR #20, #21, #22, #23, #24
Freelance Writer for Paizo Publishing
In my personal 3.5 retweaking of the paka, it has the Change Shape special quality.
I also tweaked the rest of its abilities a bit and upped its LA to +3.Change Shape (Su): At will, as a standard action, a paka can subtly alter its appearance to appear fully human. In human form, the paka loses its natural attacks. A paka can remain in human form until it chooses to change to its true form. A change in form cannot be dispelled, but a paka reverts to its true form when killed. A true seeing spell or ability reveals its natural form. The transformation is not major enough to affect a paka’s clothing or armor.