Introduction
The power to transform and reshape the form of one's body. Users are often called shape-shifters or simply shifters. The user can shapeshift their form, transforming and reshaping their genetic and cellular structure. They can impersonate others or enhance one's body for combat. Users with particularly flexible abilities can manipulate their form at will, combining abilities, traits, etc., being able to form limbs into weapons and such.
Also Called
- Biological Alteration
- Changing Copying
- Metamorphing
- Metamorphosis
- Morphing
- Morphological Being
- Nanomorphing
- Omni-Mimicry
- Polymorphing
- Shape-changing
- Transformation
Types
- Partial change of appearance - Allows the user to copy features of other people, or simply change their age (i.e. to become outwardly younger or older). Usually limited to complexion and features of the organism (e.g. a thin person cannot gain the mass required to impersonate a healthy person).
- Complete change of appearance - Allows the user to completely transform into another person, even change their biological age (not simply appearing old or a child-like, but actually getting younger or older). In this case, not only the facial features are impersonated, but the body is as well. For example, an ordinary high school student impersonating a bodybuilder would obtain real muscles.
- Partial transformation - Allows the user to change their body parts or organs, making them not human. For example, the user can transform their hands into swords or transform their skin into steel.
- Complete transformation - Allows the user to completely transform into the other (non-human) being. For example, werewolves (transforming into a beast) and vampires (turning into a bat).
- Partial conversion - Allows the user to partially convert their body. For example, reduce in size or in some way alter the structure of tissues (making them stronger, or more elastic).
- Full conversion - Allows the user to completely transform their body, changing its shape, structure and material composition. For example, the user can turn into a creature of sand or stone. In advanced cases, user can convert the body into energy, which provides protection from physical impacts, as well as a certain degree of intangibility.
- Ideal transformation - Unlimited and absolute change to the physical form. A character with this ability can easily turn into a human, or into a rock, or into a wind, or even into celestial objects.
Limitations
- User might revert back to original form when unconscious or asleep.
- User might require visual or genetic source material for the shapeshifting.
- Transformation might be limited in duration.
- User might be unable to increase mass, thus maintaining the physical capabilities of its original form.
- User might have to stay close to their own size.
- User might have trouble in returning to original form.
- User might be limited to humanoid shapes (human, werebeasts, etc).
- User might retain characteristics of their original form in their new shape (i.e., colour scheme, birthmarks, scars, etc.).
- User might only be able to partially imitate personality traits, thus people acquainted with the target might not be deceived.
- User might not be able to change genetic code (aka blood type, gender and DNA), though this does not limit the user from changing into an animal, a liquid, and such.
- Staying for extended periods in a different form might start affecting the user's behavior, or even make the user forget their true self.
- Some users may be able to change forms (categorized as humans, cats, weapons, a body of water, etc.), but cannot shape that form into their own customization; instead, it must match their original form's shape.
- Such shape that cannot be altered include genetic coding (gender, hair color, blood type), physical appearance (such as a girl being unable change her facial or body structure to resemble another girl's; when she changes into a cat, her fur pattern will be based on her own form) and design (such as a character changing their body into a sword, but being unable to customize the sword's design for decorative effects).
- This may not include the user's age, as it is an aspect of their original form.
- Users of Shapeshifting Awareness will see their real forms.
- Users of Shapeshifting Negation may forcefully revert the user back to their real form.
- Telepathy users can read the user's mind and know who they truly are.
- The shapeshifting process might be painful.
- Shapeshifting might be involuntary; hence the user has no control over their transformations.