Poll: Shapeshifting or Summoning?

[Lt._nefarious]

I'd choose shape shifting and shape shift into a skinny lady, putting all the excess weight into boobs and butt and have fantasies about myself...

And besides, I can still get away with crimes by shape shifting myself a different face or into a massive squirrel... Or even making myself skinnier and putting the extra weight I have to use into a giant ass blade on my arm Alex Mercer style...

 

[Benni88]

Gots to be Summoning.

If I was a shapeshifter, I'd turn into something cool and be like "yo guise! check out how awesome i look! guise? aw...."

However, If I were a summoner. I could do anything and have my daedric, astral, familiar bro give me mad props for it.

Summoners win, Shapeshifters forever alone.

Peas.

 

[Thistlehart]

Shapeshifting.

The potential pros outweigh the cons and established limits when laid next to Summoning.

Turning fat to muscle the quick and easy way

 

[Sable Gear]

I'd go with the shapeshifting. I could still turn into animals/people of the right size, they'd just have my mass. So I'd be a a 60 kg beagle, or a 60 kg grizzly bear. I just wouldn't be able to crush anyone to death with my giant bear ass.

Nice loop-hole, I like this. I was going to pick shapeshifting anyways, I'm small enough to shift into some pretty useful animals; a big dog, a condor or a really big eagle, a cheetah...

 

[TheOrb]

Shapshifting.
Admittedly, being a werewolf would be less threatening, but it still would be awesome!

 

[VladG]

Certainly shapeshifting. Summoning under the original conditions is just too limiting and one assumes that whatever you can summon, you can shapeshift into to achieve (more or less) the same goal.

Shapeshifting even under the original conditions is extremely versatile. Flight should be possible as well as effective concealment by spreading your mass over many bodies (though control might be an issue... but an insect like hive-mind perhaps?)

Even if that wouldn't work... travel forms should be easy enough, body doubling, maybe partial shapeshifting to boost specific physical attributes...

 

[Zaldin]

With the given conditions it has to be shapeshifting. Summoning a being that may or may not obey your orders just isn't practical. Turning into a rather bigger than normal spider and freak people the fuck out, now that's entertainment.

 

[blackrave]

Shapeshifting, for sure
1. Being able to change own look without hassle of getting a haircut, tattoo, plastic surgery or even gender change operation, would be pretty practical
2. I'm pretty big dude (100kg) but being able to shape into a tiger or dolphin would be awesome
3. Am I limited to existing animals? Because shifting into creature simply out of my imagination would be great too (Hey ladies, who wants to try sex with a tentacle monster?).

 

[xPixelatedx]

Being something else would be far more interesting and enlightening an experience then simply summoning something else.

 

[teebeeohh]

shapeshifting since summoning something i can not force my will onto completely gimps that, with that condition a pile of money to hire somebody is better, since i can make them commit crimes for money.

and even with limitations, i can look like anybody which was always kinda the point for me. and i can use my powers of shapeshifting to make money to hire people to do shit for me, so no reason to take summoning.
oh and i will never have to work out, that's nice

 

[johnnyLupine]

The thing which I can choose to summon, can it be smaller than my own mass or did you forget to add that condition?

This might just be me and the tiny box I think inside of but summoning and final fantasy sort of go hand in hand and I think I?ve found a summon which follows your rules, it might be a little too cute and/or effeminate but anyone who does laugh will have to use a megaphone for me to hear them from the top of my money fortress.

I?m going to go with the carbuncle, FF9 style. It can grant me a variety of abilities depending upon what sort of stone I happen to be holding. In a fight? Use a moonstone, which I assume is just a hunk of moon rock and be wrapped in a protective barrier. Need to do something discreetly? keep a diamond on your person and be made invisible, if things become too dangerous just break out your emergency emerald and run like the wind, or alternatively take the mother of all run ups and give the aggressor a kicking they won't soon forget. So in theory a seemingly innocent..whatever it is..can help me become a nigh indestructible mercenary of ultimate kickass, just as long as I only work for decent folk..Which I assume excludes the governments of the world. Chances are id have to be pretty secretive about who I am and how to contact me, kind of like a one man A-team but more successful.
The only downside is the cost associated with getting hold of these precious stones to begin with but I have a solution. I?d be able to summon a green floating..Squirrel..dog..rabbit thing, the kids love squirrel..dog..rabbit things and I?d be willing to bet their parents would shell out good money to let them go see one.

Edit: I don't actually remember any of the other games providing a summon which does anything more than reflect but if there is one which has a variety of abilities then ignore the 'ff9 style' bit of the post and assume I meant 'which generates more than one effect' I admit my memmory is failable and is composed from experience from no game before 6 or after 12.

 

[JagermanXcell]

Shapeshifting is cool and all, but it'd be a bit overplayed to pick it.
Now summoning would be interesting, something has always interested me about having an opposite persona of myself.

Specifically: A female counter part of myself, we share same views and likes but she has more free will to do what she wants almost like an alter ego. I'd summon her when I need help with something, and never abuse her for my own personal gain, if I did that it would probably end with one of us killing the other, wouldn't want that now. She 'd keep me company, and we'd probably spend hours that I'm not with my friends playing video games or watching movies and critique. Plus letting her tag along with my friends would make for some fun times. No catch just a simple companion who just happens to be just like me but with breasts.

Much more interesting than shapeshifting imo.

 

[el_kabong]

Shapeshifting. If only for the ability to disguise yourself as anyone (more or less). I'd start framing reality TV stars for crimes that will lock them up for years.

 

[Something Amyss]

Shapeshifting. I want to be able to sprout angelic wings so I can screw with religious folk.