Editing Changeling (section)

== Dungeons & Dragons ==
In [[Dungeons & Dragons]], "Changeling" is a name applied to one of several races, each of which is given its own subsection here.

===Cerilian Changeling===
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The World of Cerilia, home of the [[Birthright]] setting, is more deeply based on European folklore than standard D&D settings. As such, it is home to a precusor to the [[Feywild]], which is populated by its own unique [[fey]] races; the Seelie and the Unseelie. Being based on the old faerie tale lores, these fey sometimes steal away children from human (or, more rarely, elven) families, with a specific breed of child-sized faerie trying to adopt the stolen child's place. The faerie eventually bores of the masquerade (if not discovered and forced to flee sooner) and so leaves of its own accord after six or seven years, whilst the fey-raised child is usually cast out upon reaching puberty and no longer looking as cute. "Changeling" is used to refer both the faerie and the victim in this affair.

===Shadow Fey Changeling===
[[File:Changeling tSR.png|thumb|left|200px]]
[[File:Changeling shadow fey.jpg|thumb|The only problem is she drools on whatever dish she makes.]]
In the [[Demiplane of Dread]] live a race of Gothic Horror themed [[fey]]; the Arak, or [[Shadow Fey]]. As such, they have their own form of changelings. These are humans who, for whatever reason, impressed a shadow fey with their skill enough that the shadow fey chose to "preserve" them. Through a complicated ritual that involves feeding the soon-to-be-changeling some fey food to put them into a coma, before lighting a magical candle, sprinkling the victim with special mystic dust, ritually cutting away their shadow with an enchanted silver sickle, bunging the shadow into an enchanted sack, and legging it for the Shadow Rift before the candle burns out (or is extinguished). If the shadow fey succeeds at it, the victim's shadow is transformed into a changeling; an unaging, mindless drone that resembles its "donor", but with a fey trait based on its creator and a permanent vacuous expression, which lives on to exercise its specific skill, be it medicine, fighting, gardening, baking, smithing, whatever.

As you might expect, the shadow-less donor is not left in a particularly good condition; having lost a fundamental chunk of their soul, these "elf-shot" individuals become mindless zombies, shuffling through life without direction and swiftly starving to death if not cared for. The shadow fey see nothing wrong in what they do; as far as they are concerned, creating a changeling from a mortal's soul is a gift, as it preserves the most useful and valuable part of the mortal for all eternity.

Shadow Fey Changelings are also known as "Kin", referring to which of the breeds created them and which thusly defines their traits; all of the "common" breeds of Arak create them, but it's unknown if "lesser" breeds like the Waff and Gwytune either do or can.

These changelings were around in both [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 2nd edition and in [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]], being covered in the Shadow Rift and in [[Van Richten's Guide]] to the [[Shadow Fey]] sourcebooks, respectively.

The known shadow changeling breeds are:
* '''Alvenkin:''' Inoffensive by nature, these changelings serve as farmers, gardeners, herbalists and other horticulturalists, much like the alven do.
* '''Bragkin:''' Those who are chosen to become Bragkin changelings are always involved in tasks of physical engineering; they are architects, builders, carpenters, masons... if it involves making things through a lot of heavy labor, then that's the role these changelings fill. As such, they tend to be quite strong.
* '''Firkin:''' [[Artificer]]s and technical artisans are made into changelings to serve the Fir. Clockwork, trap-crafting, anything involving mechanical devices is the domain of these changelings.
* '''Muryankin:''' One of the few changeling breeds inclined to violence, Muryankin are the muscle of the Arak, serving as expendable guardians and soldiers through their combination of fighting skill and berserk fury.
* '''Portunekin:''' A rare breed indeed, Portunekin were doctors, physicians, and other healers in their old life, which is why they were taken; to become the healers of the Arak. 
* '''Powriekin:''' The other changeling breed most likely to be sent on missions of blood, Powriekin were changed for their skills in stealth, theft and murder; they work for the Arak in the wider world as [[rogue|thieves]] and [[assassin]]s.
* '''Sheekin:''' Performers and entertainers of all stripes are snatched up by the Shee, making these soul-less "living performance machines" perhaps the most common changeling breed.
* '''Sithkin:''' Pale and ghostly, to the point they are often mistaken by the unwary for the [[Undead]], Sithkin don't have as clear a purpose as the other breeds; they seem to serve the Sith as general dogsbodies, being sent to receive items of importance to their [[necromancer]] masters from places of death, such as graveyards and mortuaries.
* '''Tegkin:''' As feral as the Tegs that made them, these changelings are the hunters of the Arak, thinking only of bringing down whatever quarry they are directed to, and supplying meat and hides to the Shadow Fey as a whole.

===Eberron Changeling===
[[File:A1334d220039632d69d30cd45f7830b8.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Eberronian Changelings make for lethally gifted [[assassin]]s, making for a different sort of threat to the [[party]].]]

The changeling race that people actually remember was a race introduced in the [[3.5e|3.5 edition]] campaign setting of [[Eberron]]; this version of the changeling was portrayed as being a race of humanoids with a hint of [[doppelganger]] in their ancestry, which gives them limited shapeshifting abilities. In their debuting edition this takes the form of their signature supernatural racial feature, Minor Change Shape. In major cities they are often prostitutes, able to be ''anything'' you want (at least so long as it's between 4'3 and 6'9 and humanoid). They have a reasonably sized population and make 2-4% of the population of major cities.

They were reprinted in ''Monster Manual III'' with a nod that they exist in other settings, though unlike [[Warforged]] though they don't get any new options there. In the fan-written [[Ravenloft]] sourcebook for the domain of [[Paridon]], changelings were said to be the [[Dread Doppelganger]] equivalent of [[Caliban (Ravenloft)|calibans]].

Since they're a core race in ''Eberron'''s campaign setting they got a lot of support within Eberron supplements and even books outside them actually remembered they existed. They have two unique [[Prestige Class]]es (and a bunch of feats) in ''Races of Eberron'': Cabinet Trickster and Recaster. Cabinet Trickster makes them equal to a true doppleganger in shapeshifting and mindreading ability, but otherwise not impressive. Recaster, however is one of the few casting prestige classes that loses caster levels and is still worth it thanks to some spontaneous and free metamagic, a limited number of times per day, and the ability to pick two spells from ''any'' casting list in the game (e.g. Haste as a level 1 spell from Trapsmith). They also got three racial substitution levels consisting of some minor stuff for [[Psionics|Egoist]] and more interesting stuff for Rogue and Wizard. Changling Rogue replaces trapfinding with 10 skill points a level and some extra social abilities, making it an awesome first level dip. More unusual is the ability for Wizards that specialize in transmutation ''and'' illusion (you still get the same number of slots but lose an extra school, and transmutation has plenty of options) while attracting a familiar as morphic as they are. Outside of the two classes from ''Races of Eberron'', there's an extra pair of prestige classes that aren't exclusive to them, but they are uniquely suited for: Warshaper and Chameleon (detailed on the prestige class page).

Changelings tend to fall into three groups regarding how they use their abilities. Passers adopt a single, "true" identity and often avoid changing form. The creepiest of Passers is those who select their true form as their identity, which alienates people because it looks creepy as hell and advertises that they are of a naturally deceptive race, and tends to pop up primarily within (the small) communities of Changelings. The variant most PCs are of (since playing passer makes the race pointless), the Becomer, restricts shapeshifting to "on duty" uses. Becomers change lives regularly, often changing personality along with it. The oddest still are Seekers or "reality seekers" eschew deception and seeks to find perfection in form. Despite the very religious nature of the philosophy and the way faith works in Eberron making divine magic powered by belief alone, there is no support for Seeker as a mechanical religion.

Changelings can not possess Dragonmarks, though they can mimic the appearance of a mark. This can be evaded with the Racial Emulation feat, which allows one to qualify as an imitated race. Normally not too great a choice since it locks you into mimicking one race or losing feats, it becomes truly absurd with the Chameleon prestige class (mentioned above) and using its daily bonus feat to obtain a Dragonmark feat. As absurd fluffwise as it seems, this is actually something the Cataclysm Mage Prestige Class gets as an explicit ability, and per that ability dragons will try to kill you if they find out.

====3.5E====
::Ability Score Modifier: None
::Type: Changelings are Humanoids with the Shapechanger subtype
::Medium: As Medium creatures, changelings have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
::Changeling base land speed is 30 feet.
::+2 racial bonus on saving throws against sleep and charm effects
::+2 racial bonus on Bluff, Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks 
Natural Linguist: Changelings add Speak Language to their list of class skills for any class
they adopt.
::Minor Change Shape (Su): Changelings have the supernatural ability to alter their appearance as though using a disguise self spell that affects their bodies but not their possessions. This ability is not an illusory effect but a minor physical alteration of a changeling’s facial features, skin color and texture, and size, within the limits described for the spell. A changeling can use this ability at will, and the alteration lasts until he changes shape again. A changeling reverts to his natural form when killed. A true seeing spell reveals his natural form. When using this ability to create a disguise, a changeling receives a +10 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks. Using this ability is a full-round action.
::Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Auran, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnome, Halfling, and Terran.
::Favored Class: [[Rogue]]

====4E====
In 4e, Dragon Magazine and the use of a Changeling picture for the [[Doppelganger]] implies that they exist in the [[Nentir Vale]] setting, but they debuted in the [[Eberron]] Player's Guide and are mostly associated with that setting.

::Ability scores: +2 Charisma, +2 Dexterity or +2 Intelligence
::Size: Medium
::Speed: 6 squares.
::Vision: Normal

::Languages: Common
::Skill Bonuses: +2 Bluff, +2 Insight.
::Change Shape: You have the changeling disguise power.
:::Change Shape - Racial Power. At-Will, Polymorph, Minor Action, Personal. Effect: You alter your physical form to take on the appearance of any Medium humanoid. You retain your statistics in your new form, and your clothing, armor, and possessions do not change. The new form lasts until you change form again. Any creature that attempts to see through your ruse makes an Insight check opposed by your Bluff check, and you gain a +5 bonus to your check.
::Changeling Trick: You have the changeling trick power.
:::Changeling Trick - Racial Power. Encounter, Minor Action, Melee 1. Target: One creature. Effect: You make a Bluff check opposed by the target’s passive Insight. If your check succeeds, you gain combat advantage against the target until the end of your next turn.
::Mental Defense: You have a +1 racial bonus to Will.
::Shapechanger: You have the shapechanger subtype; you can alter your appearance. As such, you are subject to effects and conditions that affect shapechangers.

====5E====
There are three versions of the Changeling statline: The original Unearthed Arcana, Eberron version (from ''Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron''), and the latest version from ''Eberron: Rising from the Last War''. While each version keeps the basics of shapechanging, the later versions added upon the basic tricks.

One odd thing about the 5e version is that, in contrast to the original changeling being said to be half-[[doppelganger]]s or something a bit more distant, 5e changelings are actually the ''original'' species. Doppelgangers on Eberron, according to 5e lore, are the result of [[Daelkyr]] tinkering with changelings, augmenting their shapeshifting and imbuing them with innate [[psionics]], but also programming them to wreak social havoc and destabilize communities even when they don't really want to.

::Ability Scores: +2 Charisma, +1 to '''any''' stat (+3 Cha is allowed)
::Size: Medium
::Speed: 30 ft
::Shapechanger: As a standard action, you can change your appearance and voice.
::Changeling Instincts: Gain proficiency in two of the following skills: Deception, Insight, Intimidation, and Persuasion
::Languages: Common + 2 others.


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===Faerie Changeling===
This obscure race was introduced in [[Dragon Magazine]] #304, and was essentially the classic fairytale version made playable: a [[fey]] humanoid that was given to mortal parents to raise, making it weaker than the rest of its kin. This changeling looked like an attractive [[human]], [[half-elf]] or even a full-blooded [[elf]], with at least one subtly odd feature hinting at its true fey origins. This "faerie changeling" was likely a reference to the Cerilian Changeling, and had the following statblock: 
:: -2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, +2 Charisma
::Medium
::Base speed 30 feet
::Low-light vision
::A changeling is considered both a fey and a humanoid. It can wield fey-restricted weapons and magical items, but is also affected by both fey-bane weapons and by spells that target humanoids, such as Charm Person.
::+2 racial bonus against saving throws that specifically target humanoids, such as Charm Person.
::+2 racial bonus to Disguise checks.
::Fey Luck: A changeling with an Intelligence score of 10 or more has the spell-like abilities of Guidance 1/day, Resistance 1/day and Virtue 1/day. All SLAs are cast as if by a 1st level [[Sorcerer (Dungeons & Dragons)|Sorcerer]].
::[[Favored Class]]: [[Bard]]

===Midgard Changeling===
Introduced in the [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]] [[splatbook]] "The Book of Ebon Tides", changelings in [[Midgard]] are [[planetouched]] from the [[Plane of Shadow|Shadow Realm]], descended from a mixture of mortals who became lost between the [[plane]]s and were stranded amongst the [[Shadow Fey]] and those children who were taken by the Shadow Fey for their own reasons and grew up in the fey courts. Having naturally adapted to the mystical energies of the Shadow Realm, changelings tend towards alabaster white, ebon black or gray skin, and may even have more than one skin color at a time. Some even bear the nubs of horns, and it's possible that as further generations of changelings are born and interbreed, the race will eventually mutate further and further away from its human roots.

Interestingly, changelings represent one of two "Shadow Realm [[Planetouched]]" in Midgard lore. Their counterparts are the euphemistically-named "Gifted"; once-normal humans warped by an overexposure to shadow energies or fey magic. Sometimes, this is a self-inflicted malady... more often, it's a transformation induced by a [[Shadow Fey]], either as blessing or as punishment. The Gifted can vary enormously in appearance; some look like changelings, others look almost indistinguishable from the shadow fey, and others have all manner of strange cosmetic or metaphysical mutations, such as tails, hooves, or vestigial wings. 

Mechanically, the two are treated as subraces of a single new race, the "Umbral Human":
::Ability Score Increase: +2 to one ability score of your choice, +1 to a second.
::Size: Medium
::Speed: 30 feet
::Darkvision 60 feet
::Dark Infusion: You have Resistance to Cold damage.
::Fade Away: So long as you are standing perfectly still, you can become invisible by spending an action. This invisibility lasts until you move or otake an action. This power can be invoked (Proficiency Bonus) times per day.
::Subtype: Changeling or Gifted.

''Changeling:''
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Charisma
::Cover Story: You have Proficiency in either Deception or Persuasion.
::Shadow Glamour: You can cast Disguise Self at-will with an action.

''The Gifted:''
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Wisdom
::Cursed Infusion: You have Resistance to Necrotic damage.
::Shadow Gift: Choose one of the following options.
* You have Advantage on all skill rolls for one skill of your choice, but suffer Disadvanage on all skill rolls for a second skill of your choice.
* You no longer need to eat or breathe to survive, and only need 4 hours for a long rest, but gain an irremovable level of Exhaustion.
* Your base speed drops to 15 feet, but you gain a 15ft Climb, Swim or Fly speed.
* Increase one ability score by +6, reduce two ability scores by -2.
* You cannot spend hit dice to heal during short rests, but gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution score each day at dawn.