1,001 Uses For A Shape-Changer!

[Kevin_MacTaggert]

Is this posted somewhere ? If no, I'm starting this thread for GMs to list the many ways a Shape-changer can be used in a Mutants and Masterminds story. Hated by Players and GMs alike, the Shape-Changer is like a walking, talking Dirty Trick! The Swiss Army Knife of villainous NPCs! And, IMO, a hoot of a good time in the hands of a clever GM! So, fellow GMs, please note one or two or twenty ways a Shape-Changer can be used to spruce-up a gaming session, adventure, or even Campaign - and, Thanks!

I'll start with something obvious; a Shape-Changer impersonates a PC in order to frame the hero for a crime he/she/it didn't commit!!!

Anybody else ?

[FuzzyBoots]

2) Aunt May Dies Tonight! - An NPC important to the hero is found dead, whether it's an ally or an enemy. What the hero doesn't realize is that the dead body is actually that of a shape-shifter who was convinced to change and then killed by another villain to frame the hero and/or drive them mad.
-- Variations: The death was accidental. The villain didn't realize the improtantance of the NPC, but picked them randomly. The "NPC" found dead is the alter ego of the hero.
3) Robin Temp Agency - The hero or his sidekick does an interview, revealing that he hero is actually a franchise and is going public, using evidence of how "he" is simultaneously foiling a bank robbery downtown. The real hero returns from foiling the bank robbery to find their trademark is apparently being diluted.
-- Variations: No shape-shifters(!), but actually a temp agency. The duplicates that start appearing are seemingly actually more competent than the original. The company in question serves notice against the original hero, accusing them of being the fake copy.
4) Over the Cuckoo's Nest: The hero is going about their business when they're confronted by a copy of themselves who accuses them of being a nefarious replacement. The thing is, this interloper has information consistent with you being the replacement...
-- Variations: The hero in question actually is the replacement, albeit not necessarily nefariously (an amnesiac alien who imprinted, a failed protoplasmic copy who remained heroic, a celebrity impersonation gone wrong). Alternate universe duplicates are actually involved. Both stories match up, providing the hero with seemingly two different histoies which are both valid.

[Doctor Devious]

Bait and switch: a villian is seen (or the PCs interrupt / villian escapes) committing an unusually nasty crime. PCs start a search, with some clues coming other reports / news reels / whatever. PCs catch up with villian - battle ensues - at some point (during or after) realising the villian has been stiched up. Meanwhile, shapeshifter is raiding the villains HQ / taking over the villians "turf" / commiting some other crime /etc.

[Bladewind]

6.

I'm lobbing Kryptonite and he's still coming !!!

The characters assume the identities of similarly powered heroes so that their opponents are tricked into using things that should serve as weaknesses only to find these weaknesses to be ineffective !

[FuzzyBoots]

7) I didn't think you were into that freaky stuff...: Pictures, possibly video, surface of the hero doing some very naughty things with various people, farm animals, and mechanical implements. There's no blackmail attempts, just occasional media found in the stashes of criminals they bust. After some detective work, they find that the source of the pictures is a shapeshifter who's doing pay for play. Worse, what they're doing isn't illegal! (the hero identity may not be legally protected from copying. They may be sourced in another country. They might just have an in with a judge. They might be claiming Fair Use) Now, the heroes have to figure out how to convince this young actor to stop...
Variations: The pictures and videos are merely embarrassing rather than prurient. The shapeshifter in question did this some time ago and some of the "official" pictures are actually of the shapeshifter, who claims the superhero has been profiting off their image without permission.

[Kevin_MacTaggert]

wow some of these are truly evil

VIII : The PCs are contacted by a " reliable NPC " who tells them of some wicked plot by a villain to (fill-in-the-blank), so the PCs spring into action, chasing down clues and other NPCs who can give them info on the plot. It ends with the PCs defeating the villain, then later realizing they were duped by the Shape-Shifter every step of the way, as he/she/it impersonated a string of people to keep the PCs in the dark, until it was too late! The Shape-Shifter wanted a dangerous rival taken off the board - thanks, Capes!

[Kevin_MacTaggert]

9: A shape-shifter kidnaps a local official and OUTLAWS superheroes, making their task that much more difficult, as tehy seek to defeat the BBG and restore order

[saint_matthew]

10. Sex is a great motivator
A shape changer who is also a lady of the night and not in the cape and cowl way (unless thats your kink, but it'll cost ya extra), is a favourite of the local super villain community (who all have serious issues & have trouble with long term relationships). Unfortunately this shape shifter has seen or heard something she wasn't meant to (either from a drunk client, during pillow talk, or by being mistaken as someone else) & comes to the heroes for help.

Modification: A villain has paid her to act as his or her sidekick in a caper, to try and distance his secret identity from his costumed identity. Change Villain for Hero & it works just as well.

Note: Plot stolen from both Sensational Spiderman & Wildcards

[mattador]

11. Sex Part 2: The villain poses as the hero and sleeps with his wife, then tells him about it just to be a $%^#!

12. Sex Part 3: Actually the villain also sleeps with the hero, posing as his wife. Crying Game!

[Bladewind]

13. Combat machine

The shapeshifter uses his powers to greatest advantage. Flight, strength... in rapid succession to keep the heroes off balance.

14. How many shifters?

The secret society that the heroes have been fighting turns out to be one person. The shifter is also a duplicator!

[KGS]

15. Wait... What?

(reverse of the above)

One guy who appears in different forms several times and claims to be a shape-shifter turns out to actually be a bunch of different people using the same name.

[Kevin_MacTaggert]

16. Maybe as a good chase scene - the Shape-shifter steals something and leads the heroes on a wild chase, changing form as she goes to throw the PCs off, but the shifter has a certain Quirk that allows the PCs to spot her ( always has a limp, a certain eye color, speech impediment, ect. )

[Belial666]

XVII - In Soviet Russia...

...the shape-changer changes you! That's right; this gal has no ability to change her own shape (or so she claims) but she can definitely change the shape of others in many ways. From polymorphing heroines into hideous hags, to giving famous heroes the face of their enemy so authorities will hunt them down to protecting villains by changing their identity.

[Kevin_MacTaggert]

XVIII :

The Shapee-Shifter learns the PCs secret identities! Then confronts the PCs when they are alone, appearing as their teammates and turning the heroes against each other!