Archive: Overwatch Shapeshifter AU

In this AU, normal human doesn't exist. Instead, all the predator animals can switch between their animal and human form. There are few exceptions of herbivore shapeshifters (the omnic in game) that also have the ability to shift between human and animal. All the other animals are considered prey and, therfore, eaten.

It's a natural process, simple as walking. They instinctevly learn how to do it and it's not painful at all.

The animal form is used mostly for hunting, tracking preys and to fight. The human form is used to cook, build and to mate. They can actually try, for example, to cook in animal form, but the result won't probably be good ahah

Being mostly carnivorous or omnivoous, they mostly survive by hunting preys. They mostly cook their food even if it's not uncommon for a loner to eat raw meat in animal form. There are some that are vegetarian by choice and, even if their animal form might be a carnivore animal, they are not affected by the lack of meat in their diet.

They conjure clothes on themselves, kinda like magic. A shifter can decide what to wear and create it over itself like a layer of coating. The conjured clothes feels real and can be touched but they’re more aesthetic than anything. Tracer goggles, for example, are conjured and not useful.

They DO NOT mold metals but they do use a lot of natural materials like clay, wood, stone and pelts. They can also use the fire to cook their food :D

Natural remedies and a lot of medical herbs. They can make needles out of bones to sew and use fire to cauterize. Lucio is also a big supporter of "healing with positive thinking" ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ🌺

They do, both male and females of every kind of Shapeshifter

A shapeshifter in heat become more receptive towards the attentions of others, or more prone to seek attention. Keep in mind that the sentiment of a shifters are what actually make it interested in others, otherwise they'll just pass the heat alone and have fun with themselves :) For example, ShifterA is in heat and in love with ShifterB. ShifterC make a move on ShifterA. ShifterA will refuse because it have no interest whatsoever in ShifterC, but it's probably that it will go to ShifterB and straight up confess their feeling for them because the heat kind of gave it the "drunk courage" ahah Also, there are some main differences linked to the category of Shifter: Alpha: They'll try to bite the neck of their lovers as they keep an ancestral instinct to do so. Beta: They can become extremely romantic. Like, A LOT. Omega: They can become oversensitive both phisically and emotionally.

The courting differ between the kind of animal form that they have. For examples: Wolves are know to make serenades at night, with the moon in the background. Cats will loudly request for attentions. etc.

No, they work like human beings.

The idea that we came up with is that during the pregnancy female shifters can’t swap to their animal form and that’s why they’re pretty vulnerable. The pregnancy last 6 months and usually shifters make sure to have the support of a companion or to be in a solid group before having a baby, because for that lapse of time they do not hunt. When a baby shifter is born is always in human form, the animal form came up later (around one/two year)

Female shifters actually have a estrous cycle like animals, so they do not bleed everywere. YAY!

If their animal forms are of the same specie or compatible species, yes. But they almost always use their human form to mate.

embers: Morrison, Hanzo, Tracer (and McCree when the story start) Leader: Jack Morrison Biome: Savannah While Morrison was traveling alone (after leaving the Blackwatch Clan) he asked to Junkrat, the last survivor of the Junkers Pack, if he could establish his territory in his land, and Junkrat said yes (and later completely forgot about it <.<) Hanzo join the group because Morrison saved his life and then Tracer join because she got lost during a storm and have nowere to go. They're actually not enough to be properly called a "Clan" but Tracer wanted to name the group so bad, so... Housing: They have a big yurt where Tracer, Morrison and Hanzo sleep in separate beds. When McCree join the clan Hanzo have to share his bed with him while they built another bed for him.

Members: Mercy, Lucio, Genji, Zenyatta, Bastion + tons of other birds Leader: Council of birds Biome: Savannah Oasis The Waterhole Flock have the most fertile territory and is a declared neutral zone, a sanctuary where anyone can come to seek help and rest. It’s forbidden to engage any kind of battle there. Everyone is welcome to ask for help and they'll recieve it no matter what. If somebody try to engage fight there's Genji that is like the "bouncer" of the place. Housing: The sedentary waterhole flock have tree houses that can be reached only with wings (or if you are a swift tiger like Genji lol)

Members: Moira + a lot of canines ex. members: McCree Leader: Unknown Biome: Temperate Desert One of the biggest and untidy groups of shifters. They’re all canines and a lot of them are alpha, which cause great trouble because they all want to rule. They usually move in small group to plunder in others territory so they have a lot of enemies and are known to bring trouble. They hunt in hunting groups and are known as theifs, people avoid them. Power here is measured on a physical level and that's why they're often ruled by an alpha. Their social scale put alpha's in the first place, then betas and then omegas. It's usual for them to change leader as, who kill the leader can become leader itself. All the members of the Deadlock Pack have their arm branded with the skull symbol. The mark is more like a scar since that it’s made with fire. Nobody can leave the pack, traitors will be branded with the "mark of traitor" They also have a big problem with overpopulation. Housing: They live in the natural caves of canyons, they’ve put some red curtains on the edge of the entrance and inside they have furniture and stuff. The boss cave have a white curtain as door.

ex. members: Genji, Hanzo ex. leader: Sojiro Shimada. members: A lot of other felines shifters leader: Now is ruled by a council. Biome: Alpine tundra The Shimada Clan is and all felines group located on top of a mountain and is one of the strongest and proudest clan, but it’s really conservative and doesn’t think about expanding its borders at all. They have little to no contact with other clans, that make them very suspicious about strangers. They’re more focused on defending their reign and appear terribly powerful to the others. The Shimada Clan is the only one with a royal family, so the leading role pass from father to the firstborn, and those firstborn have always been alpha, rarely beta… but never omega. Now omegas are actually cool because they’re really smart and that makes them great strategists, but the close mentality of the Clan saw the whole “being an omega” fact as a disadvantage, because omegas are also the most empathic being and are really influenced by their own sentiments. The difference between alpha/beta/omega is not really important unless we are talking about the royal family. Housing: The Shimada Clan is one of the clans with the most complex architecture. They’ve fancy houses built on the edge of the rock, all around the mountain. Hanzo and Genji had a royal palace back when they were princes.

members: Widowmaker, Reyes, Sombra + other shifters leader: Widowmaker biome: Savannah / swamp Widowmaker (along with Gabe and Sombra) destroyed the Los Muertos Clan and took control over the ex.Talon Clan offering a choice to the members: join her or die. Reyes and Sombra are like her right hand man and woman, so their decisions are important over the clan members when Widowmaker is not there. housing: They have stilts houses with tall stairs to get there as the scenery is prettly tangled up with the flora and in this way they can see their enemies from far away.

ex. members: Doomfist + other shifters leader: Unknown biome: Savannah forest The lack of water in the territory make them always trespass borders and pick up fights with other clans in order to get something to drink (especially with the Blackwatch Clan which was the nearest and with a lot of water!). They have a leader and the others follows. housing: They have stilts houses with tall stairs to get there as the scenery is prettly tangled up with the flora and in this way they can see their enemies from far away.

ex. members: Sombra + a lot of other shifters ex. leader: Unknown biome: Swamp/forest The Los Muertos Clan is one of the few Clan that put males before females in the social rank. Males are hunters, females are plants/roots/etc. collecters. They're also one of the few Clan split in little tribes that all obey to the leader of all, but in the meantime they manage themselves. Since that they live in a very wet territory they built their camps underground, using ancient caves, were it's more simple to keep the place heated and dry. They all paint themselves with bright natural colors to be more visible in the darkness underground, and have traditional war paints. housing: They have an underground system of shelters in natural rock caves which is kind of similar to the one that the deadlock has. Fall of the Clan: Widowmaker freaking annihilated them with the help of Gabe. Sombra poisoned the ex leader and assured them their victory.

members: Mei, Zarya, D.va, tons of penguins and other shifters leader: Mei biome: Artic Tundra The Blizzard Clan is the only one that have acces to the sea (called "Sour Water") and, even if the land is almost always covered by snow, they're one of the whealtiest Clan off all. Their rich comes from salt which they collect and then trade with other clans. Salt is used to preserve meat so, in a world of hunters, is really important and the Blizzard Clan is the only one that have acces to it. Here omegas are really well-seen as they need a lot of intelligence and strategy to survive the winter, they can't just PUNCH THE SNOW!! housing: Igloo-like houses.

ex.members: Junkrat + other afican wild dogs shifters biome: savannah The Junker Pack is another "all canine" group, to be precise, is all made of African Wild Dogs like Junkrat. Fall of the pack: This Pack was destroyed during a big fire, the only survivor was Junkrat.

members: Junkrat, Roadhog leader: Tecnically, Roadhog. biome: mud pit They're not really a Clan, they don't really have a territory. Roadhog just built a shed near a mud pit because he enjoy the presence of piglets and boar that went there to bathe. Then Junkrat joined up and suddently they became this weird family with tons of adopted piglets, they're the crazy-cat-lady of this setting. They don't really have borders to defend and they hunt where they want because I dare to say no to a shifter big as Roadhog. housing: Roadhog owns a shed that miraculously still haven’t fall down. He decided that Junkrat was allowed to come in only after 3 months of him sleeping on the porch.

ex. members: Gabe, Jack, Ana, Reinhardt, Pharah, Mercy ex. leader: Gabriel Reyes biome: Savannah The Blackwatch Clan was the one that had control over the Waterhole Oasis before the WaterHole Flock was created. The Clan had to fight constantly to keep his borders as their territory, being one of the most fertile and with a lot of water, was really great and a lot of shifter wanted it. This lead to a lot of conflict especially with the nearer clan, the Talon Clan. The constant conflict ended up creating tension between the Clan members. Fall of the Clan: After a big fight, Jack "kills" Gabe and should be the new leader. But the way he got to the role is too heartbreaking for him so he decide to leave after just a couple of days of command. The Clan got dispatched when Jack left and the remaining members formed the Overwatch Clan.

Members: Ana, Reinhardt, Pharah, Torb and his 1000 sons. Leader: Ana Biome: Boreal forest They're a big family that live in the woods, like the "sauna guy & family" from Frozen. Housing: They have Torbjorn, so they have this beautiful wooden house that is like the bungalow for the perfect dream vacation in the mountains. TORB CAN.

ex. members: Amelie (Widowmaker), Gerard + other shifters leader: Unknown biome: Rain forest A really mysterious Clan setted in the deep of the Black Jungle. Little bit we know, but from the near Deadlock Clan there are legends of creatures with fangs that will snach you if you go to drink at the Mirror Pond alone. housing: Unknown. Fall of the Clan: The Los Muertos Clan moved a powerful attack to conquer their land, taking no prisoners and showing no mercy.

members: Mondatta + other herbivores shifters ex.members: Zenyatta leader: Don't have one. biome: Grassland Not really a Clan so they don't have borders or an area where they're located. They're just a really big group of herbivore shifters that teamed up to be more recognizable to other shifters. Really peaceful peoples :) housing: They sleep under the stars :D

It’s mostly an “attitude” thing. Alpha are usually more prone to start a fight, even for little things. They like to resolve issues with some kind of challenge (not necessary a war, it could also be just a playful race or something similar). They’re kinda hot-headed and it’s really difficult to make them change their mind about something. They also don’t like to take orders. Beta have a “group mindset” so they tend to defend those around them rather than conquer. They try to reason with the enemy before commencing an attack but if it’s necessary they’ll not hesitate to fight, especially if it means to protect their group. They care to make things work well. Omega on the other hand have the attitude to search for others approval and avoid fights if they’re not really necessary. They’re really smart and usually over-thinkers. Their intelligence can lead them to be really good strategists or extremely emphatic beings (like Lucio, for example). In the end they’re identified as alpha, beta or omega as result of their most prominent trait, but some of them are kind of “mixed” as result of their life experience (acquired before adulthood). McCree, for example, is alpha with beta traits. While he was in the Deadlock Pack he had to bow his head and put apart his cockiness in order to survive. His attitude shifted more to defense than offence (but he still never refuse a brawl). Or Hanzo, born with omega traits, had to fight his way to keep his rank at the top of the Shimada Clan, so he actually act a lot more like and alpha… on the outside. As a side note clans, packs and flocks are usually led by an alpha due to their tendency to assert their opinions. Morrison is an exception.

If you want to be sure of the "rank" of someone, look at the theet. Alpha, beta and omegas have different canine theet that make them recognizable at first sight! Other than that: Alpha have stronger muscles. That don’t necessary make them more bulky. Tracer, for example, have really strong muscles that let her run at high speed without auto-combusting in place, while Roadhog muscles actually make him really bulky and allow him to crush almost anything without effort. Beta are made for resistance, so their physical structure allows them to absorb impacts better or endure longer fights. They’ll be the last to go down and that (+ their attitude) makes them really prone to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the group. Omega are usually more slim and agile, they’re made to dodge attacks. They can actually be really dangerous because when they attack is always when they have a clear advantage as you are probably already in their trap.

All shifters goes in heat it doesn't matter if they're alpha, beta, omega, male or female. It's a thing that everyone does (meaning that they have some phases when they’re more receptive towards others attentions, nothing more) and in that phase they have some specific differences: Alpha have the bad habit to bite, especially on the neck and under the chin. It’s an ancestral behavior used to express dominance and they never lost it. The others don’t usually do that. Not every Alpha necessarily bite, but it’s common that they do so. Usually, it’s an instinct that kicks in but they can also like… bite a pillow instead of the neck. Beta will court the shit out of you, even if you’ve been a couple for 20 years. Serenades, gifts, flowers, they’ll do their best to impress their mate as best as they can… wich can be really romantic or really annoying. Omega are over-sensitive and their tendency to overthink stuff lead them to fantasize a lot… and stuck them in really embarrassing situations when their body react to said thoughts. If they’re lucky they’ll just end up flustered without reasons.

It doesn’t matter if the parents are alpha/beta/omega, the kid can be born randomly as one of the three. If in your family tree there are more alpha there might be an higher chance that the kid will end up being alpha (and same with the others). For example, the Shimada leading family was made of alpha from so many generation that was really rare to have a beta descendant and even less chance to have an omega… that’s why Hanzo had a really rough start. When they’re babies there’s no way of telling apart from the different categories but as they grow up their personality can give away hints of what they’ll end up being. When a shifter change his teeth it will sprout new canines and those will be the recognizable thing to tell which trait is the strongest in the shifter. Some traits can also be developed before adulthood, due to the setting where one grow and its experiences. [>>see mixed-traits]

The main trait of a shifter can be told for sure if you look at its teeth, so one discover for sure what it is when it change’s teeth. Alpha have two canines, Beta have canines similar to ours but bigger and sharper, and omega have thin retractile canines that kind of work like feline’s claws (they look like sharp canines on rest but they also extend when they bite). They all have it in human form, no exception. In animal form the only exception are birds because they don’t actually have teeth. Herbivores shifter instead do have the canines in animal form, it’s a thing that other shifter can use to tell them apart from other normal herbivores.

Some shifters may have what are called "mixed traits" so they can end ub being, for example, a alpha with beta traits or an omega with alpha traits. There are two ways for a shifter to have mixed traits: - Be born with both traits. A shifter is born with both traits but one os more dominant over the other. He'll develop the canines of the most prominent trait but he'll also have some aspects of his secondary trait. Example: (Jack) He’s born with both traits but one is just more dominant over the other. The main trait can be recognized by looking at a shifter’s teeth (Alpha have two canines, Beta have a regular set of theet and Omega have really small canine that, when in use, act kind like claws so they “grow out”. I don’t know how to say it better, sorry ahaha). So, let’s say that Morrison is 60% beta an 40% omega so he develop beta’s teeth. Physically he look like a beta: strong, resistent and with a lot of stamina. He’s also really prone to sacrifice himself to favor the group and have a strong group mindset. Courting stuff: Romantic as hell as a beta.But on mental level he also take a lot from his omega trait so he’s a natural overthinkerand worry a lot more than he should be. This + beta attitude = You are all my children now, I will protect you and I’ll be sure that nothing bad happen to you. - Develop a secondary trait as result of their life experience (acquired before adulthood) If a shifter is forced to change its nature to adapt during childhood it might develop a secondary trait that will make his attitude shift. Example: (McCree and Hanzo) McCree, for example, is alpha with beta traits. While he was in the Deadlock Pack he had to bow his head and put apart his cockiness in order to survive. His attitude shifted more to defense than offence (but he still never refuse a brawl). Or Hanzo, born with omega traits, had to fight his way to keep his rank at the top of the Shimada Clan, so he actually look a lot more like and alpha… on the outside.

Alpha+ means that the alpha traits are doubled. They'll have more muscle power and usually kill their opponents without thinking it twice. Example (Widowmaker): Let’s take Reyes (normal alpha) and Widowmaker (alpha+) as a comparison example. Reyes have strong muscles that provide him an explosive power, Widow’s muscles provide her both power and swiftness, meaning that she can prowl very well before and attack. Reyes would be really loud in comparison.Regarding the attitude trait, a basic alpha love to fight but rarely kill their opponent, submission is enough for them. Widowmaker instead like the moment of killing more than the fight itself. She’s basically really dangerous. Alpha + of the story: Widowmaker, Doomfist Also, Omega and Beta can have the + attribute too. Omega + are extremely strategic and calculate every move and every step. They're terribly good at reading the body language of others and can understand everything about a person at first glance. In heat they'll probably be a mess tho. Beta + are the ultimate defense player. They can take a tremendous amount of hits before going down and they have a lot of stamina. They might be a little hyperprotective tho and sometimes they might see their own sacrifice more useful than other solution to save others of its clan. Like in the classic scene where one jump in front of the person that is being attacked instead of blocking the hit in another way or simply pull away the one in danger.

Hanzo ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ omega with alpha traits (aquired) McCree ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ alpha with beta traits (acquired) Tracer ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ alpha (in her very own way xD) Morrison▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ beta with omega traits Reyes ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ alpha Widowmaker▪ ▪ ▪ alpha+ Sombra ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ beta with alpha traits Junkrat ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ omega Roadhog ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ alpha with beta traits Genji ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ alpha Mercy▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ beta Lucio ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ omega Ana ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ beta Phara ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ alpha Reinhardt▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ beta Torbjorn ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ alpha Mei ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ omega Zarya ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ beta D.va ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ alpha Symmetra▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ omega Winston ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ beta Efi ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ omega Orisa ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ beta Zenyatta ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ omega Bastion ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ beta Other Characters that doesn't have a ref sheet: Doomfist ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ alpha+ Moira ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ omega with alpha traits Maximilian ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ omega Lynx ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ omega Emily ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ beta Gerard ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ alpha Brigitte▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ beta

The Out-thinkers are a category of shifters who are able to handcraft useful items that goes to the advantage of their own persona. They’re basically the crafters/inventors of this world. Winston, for example, created a pair of glasses for itself. Those glasses aren’t conjured (like clothes) so when he shift from human to animal the glasses will still be there. Same with Junkrat peg leg: he take it off and hide it before shifting in animal form ^^

Junkrat: Probably one of the smartes out-thinkers around. His ability is what kept him alive while he remained alone. He can set up complex traps and he built himself the leg that he lost. Winston: Creative and curious, he travel all the world with Tracer by his side to discover all kind of new things. He's really great at solving problems by inventing tools that nobody have seen before, like his own glasses to see better. Sombra: Her out-thinker ability is focused mostly on poison-making. She's able to create the most dangerous weapons. Efi: A really young out-thinker that like to paint and make instruments <3 Moira: She’s kinda like Winston, one that seeks knowledge and creates solutions for problems… only thing is, that her curiosity often really kills the cat. She use her ability to be the healer of the Deadlock Pack... she’s efficient, 50/50 luck with her. She could make your condition worse if she’s interested in sees the reaction of your body, or she could simply heal you, and she’s good at it.

Shifters start to change form when they’re between babies/children. There is not a specific age and it happens naturally, like after a sneeze ahah

With puberty, they change their canines teeth and grow out the new ones that will be different depending on if they’re alpha, beta or omega; so it’s still and significant moment :)

It’s impossible for shifters to have a non-shifters child as “normal humans” do not exist in our story. Shifting is not a power that they acquire, it’s just a part of what they are :)

They do, but the transformation between animal and the human form is so quick that the mid-form is actually never visible.

It’s a natural process, simple as walking. They instinctively learn how to do it and it’s not painful at all.The morphing process is so quick that is almost invisible to see :D