Gnaths learn to channel the essence of the basest and most overlooked animals, vermin.
The swarm shifter is an archetype of the geomancer class, available only to gnath geomancers.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The swarm shifter mainly focuses on STR/DEX for combat and WIS for their class features and spells.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Geomancy. 4th – Terrain Movement. 11th – Timeless Body. 19th – Planar Acclimation.
Vermin Aspect (Su)
As a swift action, a swarm shifter can transform into a swarm of vermin. While in her vermin form, she gains a +2 bonus to natural armor. Her size increases by one size category (as enlarge, except her reach does not increase to 10 feet), but she can occupy the same space as a creature of any size. She must still attack a target as normal, even if occupying the same space as her target. She can maintain this form for a number of minutes per day equal to 3 + her geomancer level. The duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-minute increments.
At 5th level, a swarm shifter becomes immune to bull rush, grapple, and trip combat maneuvers while in vermin form. At 10th level, the swarm shifter’s bonus to natural armor increases to +4 while in vermin form.
At 15th level, a swarm shifter gains the distraction universal monster ability while in vermin form.
At 20th level, the swarm shifter becomes immune to critical hits and flanking while in vermin form, but unlike a normal swarm, doesn’t become immune to normal weapon damage.
This ability replaces geomancy.
Swarmer (Su)
Starting at 4th level, while a swarm shifter is in her natural form, she can transform her hands into living vermin as a swift action at will. This grants her a touch attack that deals 1d6 points of piercing damage and counts as an area attack for the purpose of overcoming the damage reduction of swarms. She doesn’t add her Strength modifier as a bonus on damage rolls for this attack. This damage increases by 1d6 at 8th level and every four geomancer levels thereafter (maximum 5d6 points of damage at 20th level).
At 10th level, a swarm shifter can use this ability to automatically deal her touch attack damage to foes that she is grappling.
At 15th level, a swarm shifter can use this ability while in her vermin form to automatically deal her touch attack damage to foes within her squares.
This ability replaces terrain movement.
Swarm Flow (Su)
At 11th level, when a swarm shifter uses her vermin aspect ability, she gains a swarm ability from the list below. She can select a different ability each time she uses her vermin aspect ability.
- Crawling: The swarm shifter gains a climb speed equal to her base speed.
- Flying: The swarm shifter gains a fly speed equal to her base speed, with good maneuverability.
- Undulating: The swarm shifter gains a burrow speed equal to her base speed.
This ability replaces timeless body.
Greater Swarm Flow (Su)
At 19th level, when using her vermin aspect ability, a swarm shifter also gains a greater swarm ability from the list below. She can select a different ability each time she uses her vermin aspect ability.
- Crawling: The swarm shifter gains tremorsense with a range of 60 feet and a +4 bonus on Perception checks.
- Flying: The swarm shifter’s hands change to venomous stingers that deliver poison on each attack. (Poison: injury (1d6); save Fort DC = 10 + half the geomancer’s level + her Wisdom modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Dexterity damage; cure 2 consecutive saves).
- Undulating: Whenever the swarm shifter is subject to a critical hit, she gains fast healing equal to 1/3 her level for a number of rounds equal to 3 + her Wisdom modifier.
This ability replaces planar acclimation.
