They’ve been my main class in the 17 or so years I’ve been playing. I’ve hero’d around 35 of them.

18 have been utility majors which in my opinion is hands down the only major focus any shifter should take. The enlivens are just incredible, mainly stride of the cheetah.

And for all future howler monkeys out there, I would say it’s tied for first place with cheetah now for best utility form.

Even if it didn’t have deafen, it’s been buffed to 24 dex. I had one when it had 21 dex and it’s insane how much better the form is. Icing on the cake if you have another buff to juice it’s dam roll (Wolverine frenzy/Chestbeat was +12 damroll). Face smash lag is amazing and works more often then not. I didn’t get to test pummel, but it seemed to hit more the more injured I was/4 round lag. Having regen on shifters is SO overrated, if anything I dare say if you have a regen defense final it’s a complete waste of a form. Having nap on howler is SO op and way better. With calmed mind and resolve of the mandrill I could enl slow/nap and not only instantly start healing but also you GAIN mana while in form and sleeping(About 3-4% a tick).

Just figured I’d throw that info out there for some day in the archives when someone gets howler and almost makes the mistake of rerolling it.

Also, be relentless with prepping. Protection from ethos, resist positive/negative when someon has shadow daggers etc, ferocity potions in the consortium, resist cold/fire/lightning talismans in violet... there’s so many preps out there that make shifters head and shoulders above the rest if you use them, but I never see people doing it. Whoever found my prep chest in the Fort probably had to hit enter I had so many.

Anyways, pm me any questions and I’ll be happy to help anyone the best I can. CF needs more loving helpful people. And that’s coming from an old man who was a douchebag on here quite often.