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Ok, I'll try to tackle Shifter. I've never played one though I've considered it a fair amount and always ended up eventually deciding against it, so I can only really give my thoughts while looking at it and why I've decided against playing one. As with the BG discussion I'd be happy to hear alternative views.
Shifter - "A shifter has no form they call their own. Instead, they clothe themselves in whatever shape is most expedient at the time. While others base their identities largely on their external forms, the shifter actually comes closer to their true self through all of their transformations. Of necessity, their sense of self is based not on their outward form, but on their soul, which is truly the only constant about them. It is the inner strength of that soul that enables them to take on any shape and remain themselves within."
So, the Shifter class sounds really cool to me. Unlike most other PrCs that feel like refinements or specializations of other base classes, it feels like something really new and different. From the guides that I've read, it sounds like the proper way of engaging in combat as a shifter is to select the form that has the most advantages for the given situation... e.g. Mindflayer vs low will save types, a shape will high spell resist against casters, etc. But there are a couple of problems with with that strategy... 1) you only get 3 shifts per day (6 for Greater Wildshape 1 b/c of druid levels) at least until you gain 3 or 4 more levels to get those shapes infinitely. So if you shift to deal with one threat, then again for another threat, and again for another - then you've lost some of the best bits of your arsenal. Also, since Thay doesn't go to Epic levels, you'll never get Infinite Humanoid Shape or Infinite GWS 4.
And 2) the shapes come with some cool features that you can't use. e.g. "The kobold commando has a bonus to setting traps, but trap kits (like most other items) cannot be used while shifted. Similarly, the form has a use poison bonus feat, but a shifted PC will be unable to use a poison item to apply poison to a weapon."
Also playing a shifter is complicated. You must know all the capabilities of all the forms available to you so you can shift into the right one at a moment's notice. And you should also be aware of how the items you carry meld into your various forms. Here's a quick summary from one guide: "
Weapon All properties (extra damage, Keen, stat/ability bonuses, bonus Feats, etc.), but not the magical bonus To Hit and not the base damage (i.e., 1d8 for a longsword). Note also only a handful of Shapes merge your weapon, and the merged properties don't always show in the Character screen. Note that the magical bonus for damage does merge, however, so a +3 weapon merged into a minotaur's battleaxe will become a +1 battleaxe with +3 extra damage.
Offhand Weapon No.
Armor Everything except Base Armor Class. Bonuses to AC, skill modifications, and bonus Feats are melded.
Shields Everything except Base Armor Class. Bonuses to AC, skill modifications, and bonus Feats are melded. Shields are considered armor for purposes of which Shapes will merge them.
Gloves No. Sorry, Monks.
Gauntlets/Bracers No.
Helmets Yes. Helmets are considered armor for purposes of which Shapes will merge them.
Cloaks Yes.
Belts Yes.
Rings Yes.
Amulets Yes.
Boots Yes.
Note that any AC enhancements, regardless of type, are converted into Deflection enhancements when merging, and Deflection enhancements don't stack. So your +3 chainmail, +2 shield, +4 ring, and +2 cloak will only give you the highest AC bonus, +4, instead of the +11 you get while unShifted."
Then there's a list of which shapes merge weapons, which merge armor, and which merge items, because they don't all. Complicated.
And finally, your main means of defeating enemies is melee combat in almost any form. Some forms have special abilities, but those are extremely limited in uses "The basilisk's petrification gaze is limited to one use per day, plus one use for every five shifter levels. ". So at some point you're going to be going toe-to-toe, a quick look shows the forms just don't have very good AC, and as we see above, you're going to get maybe +2 or +3 more max from the magic items you're wearing.
Some suggested fixes/changes:
* Give shifters access to more shapes. In PnP the range of choices is huge. For Humanoid Shape it would be cool to add in the shapes from the Hood of Disguise, even if just for RP purposes.
* Give shifters more shifts per day than 3. It could be based on their Shifter level or their Wisdom score. Perhaps similar to clerics/druids in that Greater WildShape 1 counts as spell level 1, GWS2 as level 2, etc?
* Allow the humanoid shapes to use poisons, set traps, etc
* Add some shifter-specific magic items. Maybe ones that allow additional shifts or additional forms. Or maybe something that gives additional shifted armor or weapon bonuses.
Even with those I think the class feels a bit weak still.
Shifter - "A shifter has no form they call their own. Instead, they clothe themselves in whatever shape is most expedient at the time. While others base their identities largely on their external forms, the shifter actually comes closer to their true self through all of their transformations. Of necessity, their sense of self is based not on their outward form, but on their soul, which is truly the only constant about them. It is the inner strength of that soul that enables them to take on any shape and remain themselves within."
So, the Shifter class sounds really cool to me. Unlike most other PrCs that feel like refinements or specializations of other base classes, it feels like something really new and different. From the guides that I've read, it sounds like the proper way of engaging in combat as a shifter is to select the form that has the most advantages for the given situation... e.g. Mindflayer vs low will save types, a shape will high spell resist against casters, etc. But there are a couple of problems with with that strategy... 1) you only get 3 shifts per day (6 for Greater Wildshape 1 b/c of druid levels) at least until you gain 3 or 4 more levels to get those shapes infinitely. So if you shift to deal with one threat, then again for another threat, and again for another - then you've lost some of the best bits of your arsenal. Also, since Thay doesn't go to Epic levels, you'll never get Infinite Humanoid Shape or Infinite GWS 4.
And 2) the shapes come with some cool features that you can't use. e.g. "The kobold commando has a bonus to setting traps, but trap kits (like most other items) cannot be used while shifted. Similarly, the form has a use poison bonus feat, but a shifted PC will be unable to use a poison item to apply poison to a weapon."
Also playing a shifter is complicated. You must know all the capabilities of all the forms available to you so you can shift into the right one at a moment's notice. And you should also be aware of how the items you carry meld into your various forms. Here's a quick summary from one guide: "
Weapon All properties (extra damage, Keen, stat/ability bonuses, bonus Feats, etc.), but not the magical bonus To Hit and not the base damage (i.e., 1d8 for a longsword). Note also only a handful of Shapes merge your weapon, and the merged properties don't always show in the Character screen. Note that the magical bonus for damage does merge, however, so a +3 weapon merged into a minotaur's battleaxe will become a +1 battleaxe with +3 extra damage.
Offhand Weapon No.
Armor Everything except Base Armor Class. Bonuses to AC, skill modifications, and bonus Feats are melded.
Shields Everything except Base Armor Class. Bonuses to AC, skill modifications, and bonus Feats are melded. Shields are considered armor for purposes of which Shapes will merge them.
Gloves No. Sorry, Monks.
Gauntlets/Bracers No.
Helmets Yes. Helmets are considered armor for purposes of which Shapes will merge them.
Cloaks Yes.
Belts Yes.
Rings Yes.
Amulets Yes.
Boots Yes.
Note that any AC enhancements, regardless of type, are converted into Deflection enhancements when merging, and Deflection enhancements don't stack. So your +3 chainmail, +2 shield, +4 ring, and +2 cloak will only give you the highest AC bonus, +4, instead of the +11 you get while unShifted."
Then there's a list of which shapes merge weapons, which merge armor, and which merge items, because they don't all. Complicated.
And finally, your main means of defeating enemies is melee combat in almost any form. Some forms have special abilities, but those are extremely limited in uses "The basilisk's petrification gaze is limited to one use per day, plus one use for every five shifter levels. ". So at some point you're going to be going toe-to-toe, a quick look shows the forms just don't have very good AC, and as we see above, you're going to get maybe +2 or +3 more max from the magic items you're wearing.
Some suggested fixes/changes:
* Give shifters access to more shapes. In PnP the range of choices is huge. For Humanoid Shape it would be cool to add in the shapes from the Hood of Disguise, even if just for RP purposes.
* Give shifters more shifts per day than 3. It could be based on their Shifter level or their Wisdom score. Perhaps similar to clerics/druids in that Greater WildShape 1 counts as spell level 1, GWS2 as level 2, etc?
* Allow the humanoid shapes to use poisons, set traps, etc
* Add some shifter-specific magic items. Maybe ones that allow additional shifts or additional forms. Or maybe something that gives additional shifted armor or weapon bonuses.
Even with those I think the class feels a bit weak still.