[arvinrichard]

hi, i'm a new player to shadowrun but not to RPG's in general.  my friends decided to run 4th edition, and im having trouble with creating a character. i want to make a character loosely based on being a skinwalker (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin-walker). im not sure if i want him to be a fighter type role, or a rogue type.  im also thinking of having his body parts upgraded to reflect the physique/abilities, wearing a wolf pelt, but not actually being magic based.... more for character flavor, to give him mystique.  possibly more of an agile/stealth character is what i may be leaning towards. im not opposed to a magic route, but id rather him be more of a myth cause i feel his character type would be more physical.  any suggestions/insight would be great (im still learning the BP system).

[Charybdis]

Hmmm, in Shadowrun this would not be a kosher combination, but if you could convince your GM to allow a lot of house rules in the name of fun, then go for it

According to normal rules though:
A) Shapeshifters are magical creatures. There is no technological way to change into another animal form and back. It's magic all the way.
B) Shapeshifters are limited to one animal type...actually to be more correct, Shapeshifter animals are limited to one humanoid type, as the default form of the Shapeshifter is of the specific animal, not the humanoid.
C) If you want to be a humanoid with a choice of Animal shapes, the Shapechange spell is your best option. However it requires you to be a full mage, which conflicts with your 'no magic' requirement.

Again, according to normal rules, here is what I think your options are for a Physically based character who mimics animal powers:
1) Physical Adept: Magic based who funnels magic into physical abilities (Stronger, better, Faster etc). This allows you to agment your abilities along a tribal theme, and you can rationalise these abilities however you like: 'Eyes of the Hawk, Strength of the Bear, Ears of the Wolf, Speed of the Puma' is a term that comes to mind.... a cookie for anyone who gets the reference
  However, this won't allow any full shapechanging into an animal type, unless you are a Shapeshifter Race (as per option A) above
2) Technical augmentations: Similar to option 1) but technology (Cyber ware, bioware, genetic customisation etc) can give you animal-like powers. These are harder to thamatically rationalise though, as technology is inherently static. Getting your abilities from a pair of Zeiss-Mk3 Cyber eyes, doesn't sound particularly animalistic...
3) Mage: With a clever combination of attributes and powers, you could be a humanoid mage (as per option C) who casts the Shapechange spell as needed to: Fly away as a hawk, attack as a bear, sniff around as a wolf, etc etc

Also, the big thing about myths in Shadowrun is that many of them have come true via magic. I don't know what skinwalker myths you may have that don't involve something supernatural? o.O

What you should go for is entirely up to you. I hope this stuff helps

Cheers!

[arvinrichard]

my original idea was to just have a guy with augmentations that wore a wolf pelt, ha ha.  but as i got deeper into it, it just got more complex on which ways to go.  thanks for the input though!  i got some thinking/reading to do.

[Sid]

It's technically possible to make the visual changes with 'ware, though would be a poor match for the wiki description.

Elastic Joints / Flex Hands / False Front (mimic) could re-arrange your whole body shape by shifting muscle mass and deforming your skeleton. In theory. You'd need a GM willing to expand the scope (and costs) of flex hands to major bone groups unless you just want to be a hand-walker.

Some extra  headware might let you get around the conceptual issues of changing the shape of your skull around your squishy brain, too. If none of that is a problem, then you might get away with Gecko Hands body covering ...

Cat's Eyes and Retractable Climbing Claws complete the visual effect. Not a minor body mod, by any stretch. I think I'd get lynched for running with this one, and probably for suggesting FF in multiple threads, too.

[Medicineman]

What about a Char with the Spell Knack "Shapechange" and latent Awakening ?
(No need for Houserules )
He is not quite a Mage/Shapeshifter but could become one someday. Mysterious enough ?
He can Transform into an Animal and still use a bit of ' ware

with a mysterious Dance
Medicineman

[Sid]

It's a houserule to be able to use both at the same time.

[oddboyout]

It's a houserule to be able to use both at the same time.

Ugh yeah I don't want to see what happens if a someone shifts after having cyberware installed.

[Ten-Hex]

Make a mystic adept with the shapechange spell and some adept powers like improved reflexes. Tack on the talisman geas negative quality and explain it as him requiring some form of animal pelt to shift.

I'd recommend a body of 4 if you take this approach to a skinwalker character... shapechange is limited to forms within 2 body points of you, so this lets you do any critter with a body of 2-6.

[Medicineman]

Make a mystic adept with the shapechange spell and some adept powers like improved reflexes. Tack on the talisman geas negative quality and explain it as him requiring some form of animal pelt to shift.

....

But thats not mysterious and extraordinary
thats a standard Char
Arvinrichard wanted an unusual Char

with an Extraordinary Dance
Medicineman

[Sid]

@Odd I meant the two qualities, unless there's been some changes I'm not aware of & need to update to ... but that too.

[Medicineman]

I just reread it
You're right they can't be taken at Char creation but you can gain Spell knack via late  Awakening later ingame
So after 1 Run and 10 Karma you can have em Both
.
So why don't give the Char both at the beginning and everybody is happy ?

with a happy Dance
Medicineman

[arvinrichard]

with the help of my gm, we decided i should be a street shaman and work my way into it (and also have some cyberware too).  for some reason i cant find the shape change spell in the books, any help?  thanks for all the input, its been greatly appreciated!

[ARCimedes]

with the help of my gm, we decided i should be a street shaman and work my way into it (and also have some cyberware too).  for some reason i cant find the shape change spell in the books, any help?  thanks for all the input, its been greatly appreciated!

The Shapechange spell is a manipulation spell. It is on page 204 of the Core 4th ed book and 211 on the 20th Anniversary 4th ed book.