Shapeshifter

Shapeshifter
Primary Mana	Perception
Secondary Mana	Earth
Tertiary Mana	Life
Compound Mana	Alteration
Location	Edria
Spire	Phoenix Spire

The Shapeshifter attunement is one of the most versatile attunements available, due to it being a contract-based attunement. Shapeshifters are known for their ability to form lasting contracts with monsters, and take on the traits and features of those monsters. The Shapeshifter attunement grants the attuned access to Perception mana and Earth mana, along with their compound: Alteration mana. At Citrine, it grants access to Life mana. Additionally, Shapeshifters can negotiate for the use of a monster's mana when creating a contract, giving them theoretical access to any type of mana. The Shapeshifter attunement is most commonly found in the Phoenix Spire in East Edria, but has been known to be found in other Spires under some circumstances.

Attunement Features

Features that are a result of specific attunement functions, rather than the types of mana available to the attuned.

Contracts

The primary ability granted by the Shapeshifter attunement is creating contracts for physical transformations. Shapeshifters can negotiate with Spire monsters to create a contract where the Shapeshifter grants the monster a portion of their mana in exchange for mana, skills, and the ability to take on their features and forms. Shapeshifters can also make contracts with non-sentient monsters, and those unable to communicate, albeit with less complicated terms. Unlike other contract attunements such as Summoner, the Shapeshifter must make their contract with the original monster, either in the Spire or a with a descendant of a Spire monster found in the wild. Once they go their separate ways the Shapeshifter would not be able to renegotiate the contract without either locating the original monster, or contacting them via other means such as a Wayfarer Communication spell.

Feature Emulation

The Shapeshifter is able to negotiate for the form of their contracted monster to allow for complete transformations. Shapeshifters learn how to partially or completely shapeshift into specific monster types. Partial shapeshifting is common; complete shapeshifting is much more difficult, and generally requires a relatively high (Sunstone+) attunement level, with varying difficulty based on the creature type.

Self Alteration

A skilled Shapeshifter can make use of Alteration mana to temporarily alter their physical form and appearance at will without the need for a contract, however without a contract they cannot rely on the attunement functions that automate some the process. A Quartz level Alteration spell could make general changes such as hair or eye color, a Carnelian level spell could alter the Shapeshifter's body to appear as a completely different person with the same general body structure, a Sunstone level spell could significantly alter a part of their body to create claws, gills, or scales, and a Citrine level spell could produce additional structures like extra limbs or wings—but without a contract with a creature that naturally possesses these appendages, the Shapeshifter would not have the skill or instinct to use them.

Modified Growth Rate

Due to it being a contract-based attunement, the Shapeshifter attunement has the potential for faster rates of growth due the automatic mana usage that occurs to maintain the contracts that exercise and develop the attunement.