Magical shapechanging as Evocation or Thaumaturgy?

[sinker]

Of note it does say "focusing on" those abilities, not exclusively limited to. I don't really see a balance issue with allowing someone to buy shapeshifting abilities with modular abilities, mostly because it costs two extra refresh anyway.

I suppose someone with all of their refresh put into modular abilities might be a little ridiculous if they tried to rearrange their powers to be everything, but they do have to justify the power with their High concept, and if they do actually do something like that then it would be up to the table to call foul.

[Sanctaphrax]

I'd prefer not to see spells or potions duplicating shapeshifting. Shapeshifting is pretty awesome, and well worth its cost. Somehow it seems to cheapen it if a wizard can access it without the appropriate powers.

PS: Deadmanwalking's stats for Listens To Wind:

Name: Listens-To-Wind

Aspects:
High Concept: Senior Council Wizard
Other:
Little Brother;
Illinois Medicine Man;
Patient and Quiet;
I See Ley Lines;
Friend of the Blackstaff and  Martha Liberty;
Gonna Kick Your Ass Up Between Your Ears;

Skills:

Fantastic: Discipline, Lore,
Superb: Conviction, Endurance,
Great: Empathy, Presence, Rapport
Good: Alertness, Athletics, Contacts, Investigation, Scholarship,
Fair: Deceit, Fists, Intimidation, Survival, Weapons,
Average: Burglary, Craftsmanship, Performance, Resources, Stealth,

Powers:

Refinements [-14]
Evocation [–3]
Thaumaturgy [–3]
The Sight [–1]
Soulgaze [+0]
Wizard’s Constitution [+0]
True Shapeshifting [-4]
Modular Abilities [-9]

Total: -34 Refresh

Powers:

Evocation: Elements (Water, Fire, Earth, Spirit);
Power (Earth +3, Spirit +5, Fire+2)
Control (Earth +1, Spirit +4, Fire+1)
Thaumaturgy:
Control (Summoning and Binding +1, Biomancy +3)
Complexity (Divination +1, Summoning and Binding +2, Biomancy +4)

Focus Items:
Wizard’s Staff (+1 Offensive and Defensive Power and Control with Spirit)

Enchanted Items:
Bead Necklace (8 shift Block or Armor 4, 3 times per session) [4 Enchanted Item Slots]

Stress:

Mental: OOOO (+1 Minor Consequence)
Physical: OOOO (+1 Minor Consequence)
Social: OOOO
Armor: By spell or item effect.

He does 11 shift Offensive and Defensive Evocations casually (those both drop to a mere 10 without his staff). He can shape shift into forms granting any 7 points of Physical Powers (for example, a huge bear would be Inhuman Strength, Inhuman Toughness, Hulking Size, and Claws) as a supplemental action, and can up selected skills to Fantastic casually while doing so.