First major form comes somewhere around 45. Let's say that becomes 42. As a human shifter, you can use your lion form on people at rank 33. Rank 33's will not be able to handle a lion. And yes, rake does appear to lag.

My problem with shifters isn't their power or lack of power. It is the lack of technique involved in most shifters' fighting. Someone who kills with a lion doesn't normally do more than rake and hope the enemy keels over dead, or prep and do it. I'd like to see forms get more useful attacks but have pure power reduced a little. Taking a lion as an example...

Perhaps let lions get their claws dirty on a corpse, giving their claws a short duration disease special attack (to follow). However, take away rake and give them claw swipe, which just hits with one claw for lowish damage (say dismembers), but causes a little bleeding, and also a short duration disease (say 3 hours) if the lion has clawed a corpse recently. Also give them claw bat, which is a one round lagging attack that doesn't do that much damage. Let rake become more similar to backrake, but only doable on foes that are prone (e.g. have been bashed, or are resting when the lion catches them). Give the lion a roar attack that has a small (say 20%) chance of deafening. Give him a snarl that lowers morale can has a small chance of making an oppoent flee.

In return, tone down his overall power so that he hits less often or for less damage, and then allow him to give to cover maladictions in form. At present, I really don't think there is a lot of skill involved in most shifter pk (and there wasn't when I played my shifters either!).