Overview
Kitsune are a shape-changing people believed to originate in Vilhun or Mewji. Their primary forms are either like humans, sometimes with fox traits, or as anthropomorphic foxes, often with fur colouration considered rare with actual foxes. Their secondary forms can either be that of an anthropomorphic fox as described previously, or as an actual fox, which appears similarly to a primary form. Kitsune are known tricksters, and are generally mistrusted by the peoples aware of their mythology. They are also only rarely able to have kids, making them few and far inbetween.
Many kitsune become travellers, either as traveling merchants, sailors, pilgrims or adventurers.
You might…
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Physical Description
Society
Beliefs
Adventurers
Names
Mechanics
Heritages
Ancestry Feats
Possible Changes
The Kitsune ancestry leaves a lot to be desired in terms of their shapeshifting abilities and are more or less nickel and dimed for any abilities relating to having alternate forms. Their only remarkable ability is Change Shape, and is presumably where all their power went, but the ability itself is extremely limited to being a very limited disguise (or a free pest form spell) as well as a limiter on a lot of their feats. Paizo has also recently been releasing higher power content that has less qualms about restricting the associated fantasies (e.g. Astrazoans) which motivated me to start the below list.
As such, here are some proposed changes to Kitsune:
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Replace Change Shape description with the following:
“You can transform into a Small or Medium ancestry you know with any features you choose; for example, you choose your body type, gender, and other details within the normal range for that ancestry. This shape might resemble a specific individual or be completely unique to you. Using Change Shape counts as creating a disguise for the Impersonate use of Deception. You can remain in this shape indefinitely, and you can shift back to your true kitsune form or another shape by using this action again. If you die while using an alternate shape, your body instantaneously shifts back to its natural form.”
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Remove mentions of alternate forms from Kitsune heritages.
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Remove the Myriad Forms, Shifting Faces, and Many Guises feats from the choice pool.
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Add the following Kitsune ancestry feat to the choice pool:
Vulpine Form – 1st Level [Kitsune] You are capable of turning yourself into a Tiny sized fox. Unlike your other forms, this form cannot be changed, closely resembles your natural form, and is clearly supernatural to the average observer. While in this form, you gain the animal trait, imprecise scent within 30 feet, can only make strikes with unarmed attacks, and cannot use most manipulate actions that require hands. Your gear is absorbed into you; the constant abilities of your gear still function, but you can’t activate any items.
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Replace the first two points from Vulpine Scamper ancestry feat description with the following: “You are used to running on fours, you increase your Speed to 30 feet.”
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Add Astrazoan feats to the Kitsune choice pool with the Uncommon and Kitsune traits. In the future, the list may be narrowed down and the uncommon trait removed.
— Vauxs
Notes
If homebrew is pulled from somewhere, credit it.
— Ilija