The helpfiles for the forms and when you get them are pretty decent.

As a shifter you want to rank fairly quickly up to your Tier 2 forms, the ones you get betweel 28-33 (I think) and as you then rank from there to your final forms, and you will want to because some forms will be viable PKers at midbie ranks but most aren't for solo PKing, make sure you enliven your control spells (fly, haste/slow, stone skin, pass door and control trans) with every shapeshift as you will have them at a reliable level before you get your final forms.

Shifters without controls mastered lose the ability to switch forms for different attributes (risk free) so get them mastered quick. To rank you can get away with fine leather gear and just get the hell away from any PK attempts and then when you have idle time or final forms you can start to gear for hps, saves and then str and dex, depending on form bonuses and greater enlivens which can give str and dex as well.

If it is your first shapeshifter I would advise you to go with defense major and offense minor. This will hopefully make you always useful to a group as a tank or as a damage dealer and make ranking easier. You will also, hopefully, get a regenerating form, which are not the be all and end all of shifters as a class, but as a new shifter being able to word or teleport away and then shift into regen form to survive nasty maledicts will be key. Damned handy for exploring too!

Bit vague in places, I know but check the helpfiles either in game or in the top right corner of the forums to check.

P.S. Horns of the Bull and one of the shell, hide, chitin or scales partial shifts is all you will need to get to your first form so don't really bother with the rest.


This is straight from the search function on the forum:

syntax: forms

Forms displays the forms a shapeshifter knows how to shapeshift into.
They become more skilled at these forms by doing those things these
forms do best. The different level of skill in a form are Clumsy, Adequate,
Competent, Skilled, Confident.

It is rumored that there exist some forms which are far more powerful than
the norm. It is more strongly rumored that the best way not to gain one
of these forms is to ask the Gods for one.

Shapeshifters gain their forms based on their level in the guild and whether
it
is a form in their major or minor focus.

| Major | Minor |
--------------------------------
Tier 1 | Lvl 42-44 | Lvl 47-48 |
Tier 2 | Lvl 28-30 | Lvl 31-33 |
Tier 3 | Lvl 20-22 | Lvl 23-25 |
Tier 4 | Lvl 14-16 | N/A |
--------------------------------

See also: SHAPEFOCUS, SHAPESHIFT, REVERT, ENLIVEN