Does minor shape shift qualify for warshaper?

Question

Does minor change shape, as in the changeling ability or the shaper psion ACF, qualify a character for the warshaper prestige class?

Answer 1

No.

Four of the five options for qualifying for warshaper’s Special requirement involve having some specific form of shapeshifting: change shape supernatural ability, polymorph as a spell-like ability, polymorph as a spell, or wild shape or similar class feature. Minor change shape is a supernatural ability, but it’s not the “change shape” supernatural ability as found on the aranea, hound archon, barghest, doppelganger, rakshasa, or slaad monsters indicated in Complete Warrior’s examples.

However, changelings (but not necessarily shaper psions) do meet the Special requirement. That’s because there is a fifth way to qualify:

• Shapechanger subtype (lycanthropes, phasm).

Per Eberron Campaign Setting pg. 13,

Changeling Racial Traits

• Shapechanger Subtype: Changelings are humanoids with the shapechanger subtype.

Thus, a changeling qualifies for warshaper.

As for the shaper psion, I would argue that metamorphosis should qualify a shaper for warshaper just as well as polymorph (but this would be a houserule you would have to ask the DM for; I just can’t imagine a reasonable DM denying it). Warshaper arguably remains a poor class for them, however, as it does not progress manifesting ability, and seven levels of shaper to qualify for metamorphosis is a lot to ask for someone primarily interested in warshaper.