Shapeshifters that can take human appearances in fantasy novels

[OP1000]

What are the types of shape shifters that can change their appearance to look like humans in fantasy novels?
Note: They have to be known primarily for their ability to change their appearance.

 

[JayDirex]

What are the types of shape shifters that can change their appearance to look like humans in fantasy novels?
Note: They have to be known primarily for their ability to change their appearance.

Who is the god of shape shifting?


Loki is the god of trickery, deceit, and shape-shifting. His appearance is often creepy and spider-like, and he is usually depicted with a fishing net or a knot. Loki was the son of Fárbauti, a giant, and Laufey, a woman of unspecified divinity.

you don't have to use Loki, but a trickster is good.

Also, depending on the lore, more powerful vampires can shift, but it's more parlor trick than staying permanently in the other form.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

Skin walkers?

 

[TroubleFait]

There's a good part of Everybody Loves Large Chests about doppelgangers who infiltrate society from the shadows.

 

[Jovilynx]

Kumiho, kitsune, tanuki, White Snake, kelpie, Engkanto, those come to mind first

 

[StrongArm]

changelings - small woodland monsters that steal babies and replace them with themselves

 

[RepresentingCaution]

Iktomi, Coyote, Kokopelli

 

[Cipiteca396]

Succubi are a good one. Technically they're more well known for *other reasons* though...

That's true for most humanshifters. Even the ones that can do it usually only have it as a side note tacked onto their skillset. Dragons are one of many good examples. Turning into humans is really, really low on the list, but common enough.

Even creatures that do have humanshifting as their primary ability are usually more known for what they do while shaped, like Doppelgangers stealing people's lives.

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HumanDisguise

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Humanshifting

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Doppelganger

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If you were asking about shapeshifters in general, and the humanshifting component was incidental, that's my bad.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Changeling
Skinwalkers
There is at least one identity thief based creature in each region of the earth. All with different names, weaknesses, and identifying features.

 

[NotaNuffian]

Any creature/ demon that knows how to cast Disguise? Chinese folklores like to do that shit with all the animals knowing divine/ dao arts and shapeshifting is a must-learn because mAn iS tHe BeSt FoRm.

Egoistic, aren't we?

 

[Shard]

Very few things have shapeshifting as their primary trait, rather it is almost always just one facet of the many things that define them. My personal favorites are the various fox spirits, though those are more of a really damn good illusion than actually shifting. I'd say the ones I know best that fit your request for "primarily known for their shapeshifting" would be skinwalkers ('evil' shamen/medicine men) along with changelings (fae that replace human children) and doppelgangers. If you accept it not being the primary thing they are known for, you go from a handful to several hundred.

 

[T.K._Paradox]

The original vampire was a bloated corpse spirit that would take the form of an attractive human in your dreams and would suck your soul from your body as you slept.

Hag's and all forms of fae take human shapes to help trick or lure in unwitting human victims.

The Wendigo would cast illusionary appearances and mimic peoples voices to lure in its prey. Also as part of their curse they never stop growing, or being sneaky. Imagine a monster the size of pine trees being able to stalk and hide from you.

Angels are also capable of taking human or humanish form. Given the fact they look more metal than Satan ever could I makes since why they would pretend to be human.

Shades or 'shadow people' will also take more familiar forms.

And finally any form of Anthromorph works, think reverse werewolf.

 

[georgelee5786]

Vampires if you count their bat form as their real form

 

[APieceOfRock]

My 'uncle' John. He killed my actual uncle and underwent plastic surgery to take over his life. Please help, no one in my family believes me. They're calling me crazy! GET OUT OF MY HEADGET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD

 

[Deleted member 54065]

The industrial/corporate night shifter. Takes a human form, but is actually a zombie inside. And they are a favorite staple of isekai fantasies.

 

[CarburetorThompson]

Changelings in D&D’s Eberonn setting are pale lanky human like creatures, with white hair and eyes with out irises.

 

[OP1000]

Shades or 'shadow people' will also take more familiar forms.

What are shades?

 

[Cipiteca396]

What are shades?

A shade is the soul of a departed person who went to dwell in Hades after death.

Since the Greek variant, it's also become a label for any kind of Spirit, and especially a malevolent one since its name is so closely linked to Shadow.

Personally, I think of shades as the spirits of the dead who are tightly bound to a particular mortal but not malevolent, allowing for the second use that I blatantly ripped off from Eragon: A collection of such spirits that act to protect and empower a person important to them.

 

[T.K._Paradox]

What are shades?

Whilst someone brought up the Greek variant the shades I am referring to those live in a 'in between' from our reality and the next.

Some being more passive than others, people that take strong psychedelics sometimes see them.

Just thought a little modern mythology would help shake things up a bit.

 

[Deleted member 68927]

You can have even a Dragon shifter if you'd want. That is what I am abusing in my current project.