Creating animal shapes for my shapeshifter

Hi!
I know this is a common question but I still don’t really get it, even after looking around alot. My player is looking to be a shapeshifting wizard that changes into animals. So my question is: Does the shape of a bear (example) grow as the character level grow, or do I make a level 1 bear because a bear is always a bear?

Would be thankful for help in understanding this.

Certainly a narrative argument could be made either way, but people typically allow for scaling. One of my favorite suggestions I’ve seen is to base Shapeshift forms loosely on the Companion II feat. That feat scales the number of attribute points based on level, and this has generally been considered reasonable during discussions on the Discord server.

I also think it’s reasonable to be up front with your player that you may have to tweak how you’re doing this after a few sessions of play. Keep them involved in the process, and most people are ok with that possibility.

I don’t know, I sertanly want the shapeshifter to be able to become more powerful as he grows but it feels a bit op to become any animal (except size and movement) and for that animal to be stronger than any of it’s “kin”. I mean how does my shapeshifter know how to transform into a bear twice as strong as he’s ever seen?

well, for my players, I only allow them to change into a creature they have either seen or researched, and usually seen.

There is the “average” creature, and then some are stronger, just like humans. You have your normal humans, and then you have your extraordinary athletes.

It makes sense that there are stronger forms, however, what might make more sense is that your shapeshift wizard can only transform so much into a bear, and as they get stronger, they are able to unlock more of the bear.

When it comes down to it, all about flavor.

There are also different types of bears in the world. And different maturity levels. So maybe they were only doing a young bear that was 1 year old, vs a 20 year old bear.

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Thank you. This makes sene to me. I think I will say that he have to have seen the creature but with the addition of making changes to the apperance for flare.

Also the creature is what it is but maybe the creature’s level should be limited to the player’s level or the power level of the boon? So if a creature is normally a level 7 but the player’s level is 2 he transforms into the creature but it’s now a level 2 creature instead of 7. Or if it’s the power level which is maybe more fair, the creauter’s level is limited to the boons level?

The boon itself already makes it clear for this:

You or a willing creature you touch transform into a creature whose highest attribute is less than or equal to your Alteration score.