Shapeshifting

From Activating Evolution

Shapeshifting, also known as Shape Shifting, Shape-Shifting, Shapechanging, Appearance Mimicry or Morphing is ability to use physical, psychic (i.e. Biokinesis) or psionic means in order to change one's form (skin color, height, weight, physical features) to look like that of another, including others of the same species or members of a different species (even sometimes an object). This allows the user to gain new abilities beyond those which accompany the current form (such as energy/mental abilities associated with that species). Variations of this ability are as follows:

• Age Shifting

• Alternate Form

• Alter Ego (Physical Version)

• Assimilation, also known as Shapeshifter Emulation, Proximity Shapeshifting or Zeligism is a very limited form of shapeshifting in which one can only assume the forms of nearby species or nearby races. One with this ability could only transform into a human if he were near humans, a bird if he were near birds, and the like, so as to blend in with them. The shapeshifting would be complete (the appearance, voice, habits and abilities, etc.) but only the form of the nearest living entities could be assumed.

• Conformity is the ability for the user to be instantaneously converted into a genetic replicate of another with whom he has come into contact; by touching their skin, blood or other genetic materials (the requirement varies), the user is turned into their genetic copy (they can only assume the form of the last species of creature they touched; past forms cannot be recalled, although sometimes the user can decide to suppress this ability, so every touch does not activate this power). This ability is the opposite number of Conversion.

• Deceptive Shapeshifting, also called Deceptive Assimilation or Batesian Mimicry is the ability to shapeshift into a form that appears dangerous or menacing, while only retaining the abilities of one's original form. One with this ability could turn into a Dragon, but would be unable to fly or breathe fire, and their tail would be limp (unless any of those abilities applied in its true form). This ability is not for combat, simply for a mode of defense (like transforming into a snake, but having no venom).

• Empathic Shapeshifting, also called Emotional Shapeshifting is the superhuman changing of one's form based on someone's feelings toward the user, or one’s own feelings towards oneself/others (or the kind of feelings they want to evoke; but the exact form is not controlled by the user). The user may gain extreme beauty if perceived by others as a beautiful person, or they may take on a monstrous form if perceived by others as something to be feared. This ability is rarely controllable, but is often accompanied by normal Empathy (and/or, in some cases, Empathic Projection).

• Density Shifting

• Gender Shifting

• Reactive Adaptation

• Shapeshifter Assimilation, also called Contact Assimilation is a very specific form of shapeshifting in which one could only shapeshift into a form that one has previously observed or come into contact with. The form assumed does not have to be the last creature the user encountered; one with this ability could turn into any person, any object or animal, so long as they have come into contact with it sometime in the past, or (less common) have a slight idea of what it looks like.

• Size Shifting

• Specific Shapeshifting is another specific version of Shapeshifting in which one can only shapeshift into certain classes of animals, or only certain species. One with this ability may be able to turn into any variety of wildcat, or any feline, but only felines. Or they could be capable of shapeshifting into any variety of bird, or fish or dog, but only that one class of animal.

• Trace Shifting

• Weight Shifting

Sometimes shapeshifting can only be done within the same mass range, so that a superhuman could not assume the form of anything larger or too much smaller than one's actual size (although this limit is uncommon). However, if this limit does apply, it is sometimes possible to assimilate the molecules of other objects or subjects to support the size, density or species change by touching objects or biotic subjects during the process of shapeshifting.

Note: The power Assimilation, when applied to outlandish-looking superhumans, often implies that they have the ability to retract all superhuman features and take on a more human-looking appearance (including the voice and habits).

[edit] Variations:

Clothing Transmutation

• Clothing Transmutation also called Clothes-Shifting, Clothes/Outfit Morphing, Fashion Shifting or Wardrobe Shifting is the psionic ability to change the clothes one is wearing at will. One with this ability could psychically cause one’s clothes’ molecules to rearrange from a t-shirt and jeans to a tux or business suit in a matter of seconds or, with a touch, assimilate the molecules of any object that one touching into one’s outfit (if one controls the molecules of the clothes, they can be cleaned by simple molecular rearrangement). It is also possible that armor could be formed.

Note: One with the power of normal Shapeshifting can also change their clothes if they shapeshift into another human form; but one with this ability can only change their clothes.

Constant Shapeshifting

• Constant Shapeshifting is an obscure version of Shapeshifting in which the user cannot retain any one form for very long before involuntarily changing into another. One with this ability could still use it to his own advantage in combat (he might constantly change into various dangerous species of animal or the like), but as far as effective disguise, the user is at a loss. The user of this ability often cannot control their shapeshifting to even control what form they assume, and so they may one second be a beautiful woman, and the next be a ravening werewolf, or the like.

•As such, the user may require special equipment to stabilize their form and keep them from shapeshifting involuntarily (or to at least lengthen the time before they shapeshift again; the technology may even be needed to let one decide what form they will take when they do shapeshift again).

Matter Absorption

• Matter Absorption, also called Matter Assimilation is a mix of Molecular Absorption and Shapeshifting in which the user physically absorbs the molecules of surrounding matter to change one’s own attributes (instead of psionically controlling his own particles or psionically producing new particles). One with this ability could absorb the molecules of an incoming projectile (or the ground beneath him, or any other non-living matter), for Shapeshifting, Size Shifting (Growing), Density Shifting, Weight Shifting, etc.

• The user can often also project the molecules of absorbed matter into a stream that can do damage (called Matter Projection). This stream of projected matter may also be reformed into the object that it was before it was absorbed, or a new object of similar size, weight and/or density (useful for a variation of Transportation), or it may be used to encase a foe in that matter, or the like.

Note: The last faculty of Matter Absorption can also be done with the user’s own molecules; the user can project his own molecules in a stream, but with the full force of the user behind each molecule (but if this is the case, it is instead called Molecular Projection); this process shrinks the user (but the user can safely re-assimilate the molecules back into his body at anytime) and those molecules stay around the user like a nearly-imperceptible cloud.

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