Prerequisites: Wits •••, Dexterity •••, Athletics ••
Effect: Your character knows how to shift her form rapidly to maximize her effectiveness in a fight. She can slink down in form in order to evade an oncoming attack, or she can make a swift change in order to add force to a blow.
For the purposes of this Merit, “shifting up” means shifting to a form with a higher Size. “Shifting down” requires losing Size. If your character shifts in the proper direction, she can take advantage of multiple maneuvers in a turn. For example, Springloading and Fluid Movement can both be used in the same turn your character shifts down.
Springloading (•): Your character can leap forward in a larger form, then shift to a smaller form to move forward using the larger form’s strength and the smaller form’s mass to move quickly in small bursts. Shift down using this move at the start of the round; your character gains +2 Initiative and +5 Speed for the turn.
Broaden (••): Your character increases quickly in size, forcing nearby opponents to move or be pushed back. When you shift up, anyone within close-combat range who doesn’t Dodge suffers bashing damage equal to the difference in Size between your two forms. Anyone who takes damage must make a Dexterity + Athletics roll or suffer the Knocked Down Tilt (see p. 313).
Fluid Movement (•••): When attacked, your character shifts down rapidly to a smaller form, making her harder to hit. Shift down. For every level of Size your character removes with the shift, all opponents suffer a –1 penalty to any rolls to hit her.
Suck it Up (••••): When struck, your character can shift upward, maximizing the amount of flesh to hit, and minimizing the amount of relative harm caused. Shift up when attacked to ignore one point of bashing or lethal damage.
Crush (•••••): When your character grabs or bites an opponent she can shift up. Her larger form crushes her foe. When your character has another grappled, shifting up reflexively causes automatic lethal damage equal to the difference in Size between her two forms.
Drawback: Each of these maneuvers requires the character to shift forms as a reflexive action. If she is unable to do that, she cannot use this Merit.