Shifter

Shifters, also known as the weretouched, are one of the races inhabiting Eberron. With both humans and lycanthropes among their distant ancestors, shifters possess just a small portion of their forefathers' shape-shifting abilities. They cannot transform wholly into an animal but can instead shift parts of their body to become animal-like for short periods of time. In 832 YK, the Church of the Silver Flame led an inquisition to wipe out all lycanthropes in Khorvaire, and shifters got caught up in it. The inquisition lasted fifty years, killing most lycanthropes and driving the survivors deep into the Eldeen Reaches.

Shifters resemble humans but with more animal-like features. Their bodies are physically fit and lithe and they tend to move around in an animal-like manner, such as crouching, springing and leaping. Like cats, they have wide flat noses with large eyes, pointed ears, and claw-like nails on both their toes and fingers. Their hair is thick and worn long and some have long sideburns to match. Longtooth shifters claim that werewolves are their ancestors and hence hey have canine features while the razorclaw shifters claim weretigers to be their ancestors and thus they display feline features.

Personality

Shifters commonly have chaotic personalities and experience extremes in their emotions. They are often temperamental and are liable to change moods in swift and dramatic fashion. Shifters find it difficult to control their emotions, especially in stressful situations. Some have learned to control their emotions however, it is obvious to others that they're finding it difficult to do so. A shifter's personality is influenced by its animal nature, and those who have a tie to a predator may have a similar challenging and self-reliant personality.

The shifter mind-set is built up around the idea of being self-sufficient and being able to conjure inner strength in times of need rather than relying on one's allies. Shifters can seem overly cautious or constantly ready for future events. A common saying among shifters is "preparing for the journey yet to come", which reflects how they believe the world can change instantly and how important it is to be prepared to avoid the danger that those changes can bring.

Shifters believe that the reward for independence is freedom and thus they feel uncomfortable around those who attempt to impose their will and beliefs upon others. It is also common for a shifter to feel restricted in a human settlement with its rules and law enforcement.

Due to their predatory instincts, shifters can't help acting or thinking like animals and think in terms of hunting and prey. Like wolves, longtooth shifters feel the urge to form 'packs' with companions, whether they be family or even a group consisting of no other shifters. They make useful companions as they work well in teams, capable of coordinating attacks and will come to the rescue of any of pack members.

Razorclaw shifters are more independent, self-reliant, and adaptable than their longtooth cousins. They're just as loyal to their group as longtooth shifters, but they expect their companions to be just as self-reliant and capable as they are. Razorclaw shifters strive to carry their own weight within their groups.

Shifters are accustomed to distrust and don't expect better treatment from the other races, though some try to earn trust with their companions through good deeds. Most shifters are neutral and are concerned more with their survival than ethics and morals.