Shapeshifters

Shapeshifters are a race of supernatural creatures who can take the form of anyone else.

Characteristics
Shapeshifter have been encountered by hunters and by Sam and Dean Winchester. They are human-like creatures that start out human, but later learn how to change their form to look like anyone they want. When exactly they learn is not consistent, some can learn from infancy, while others do not learn until much later in their lives. Due to starting off as humans, shapeshifters can have humans urges and vices, such as greed, lust, etc. They are also arguably the most human monsters there are. When a shapeshifter takes the shape of the person they choose to change into, they literally shed their skin, teeth and nails. When they change into the person's physical appearance, they access the thoughts of the person they are mimicking. Some shapeshifters are known to change their shape in a matter of seconds while others are known to take up to several hours. They can also take the forms of fictional charaters or inhuman charateristics, such as vampire fangs or werewolf claws. They can also alter their eyes so they resemble their retinal flare.

Powers and Abilities

 * Shapeshifting - Shapeshifters can take on a living or dead person's physical appearance by shedding their skin. When they change, they literally become the person they're mimicking, gaining everything, including fingerprints and DNA; they can also mimic wounds, even very serious ones. Once a shapeshifter transforms into that person, they can access the thoughts and memories of the person they are mimicking provided that the person is still alive.
 * Superhuman strength - Even though they appear human, shapeshifters do possess amazing physical strength. They can easily overpower human beings.
 * Superhuman speed - Shapeshifters seem to be able to run faster than humans; on several occasions, shapeshifters have managed to easily escape from pursuers. One was able to run faster than a gun could be aimed.
 * Superhuman agility - They possess quicker reflexes than tyical humans. One of them was able to dodge a bullet, jump out of a house without hurting itself, and left a bloody footprint on a telephone pole, indicating it can climb it.
 * Regeneration - As they can change their form easily, shapeshifters can heal non-fatal wounds, and even replace body parts.

Weakness

 * Silver - They can be killed by a silver bullet or silver blade to the heart. Lesser hits will hurt them, possibly driving them away from the fight. Silver-caused cuts reacts with them, similar to how iron reacts with demons.
 * Retinal flare - They are identified by a retinal flare that shows when they are filmed.
 * Iridium - It has never been used against an ordinary shapeshifter due to the fact that it's extremely rare and very expensive, but since it's capable of harming the Alpha Shapeshifter, it can be assumed that it can harm ordinary shapeshifters as well.
 * Vamptonite - Edgar states that the Leviathan additive is engineered to kill shapeshifters in addition to Vampires.

Known Shapeshifters

 * Alpha Shapeshifter (Deceased)
 * Movie-Monsters Shapeshifter (Deceased)
 * Bobby John

Appearances

 * Season 1
 * Skin


 * Season 2
 * Nightshifter


 * Season 4
 * Monster Movie


 * Season 6
 * Two And A Half Men
 * Caged Heat

Trivia

 * Hunters usually shorten shapeshifter names to just "shifters."
 * Shapeshifters sometimes make their lairs in the sewers.
 * Although they have never been seen doing, or implied they intended to, it has been indirectly stated that at least some shapeshifters eat humans, much like several others monsters.
 * Shapeshifters, along with Rugarus, are one of the few monsters shown so far that reproduces almost solely by sexual contact with a human. The offspring that results is assured to be a shifter.