Baldanders, also called shifters, are marine creatures similar to dopplegangers, yet with several significant differences. In its original form, a baldander looks like a middle-aged man with the feet of a goat and a long serpentine tail ending in a fin. However, it is seldom encountered in this form. A baldander is able to take the exact form of any creature it kills, along with most of its abilities, including spells. In fact, a baldander seems to live only to acquire new forms.

A baldander usually carries a trident and a large book. The book is used to record every shape it has acquired along with any magical spells that were known by the creatures it has killed.

Strangely enough, a baldander can only acquire one form from a given species, although it can still acquire new spells by killing additional Magic-users of the same species.

A Baldander cannot acquire Clerical spells from their victims however.