Shift

Shift and Unshift is an ability in Among Us that is exclusive to Shapeshifters.

Shift

Upon pressing the Shift button, the Shapeshifter is shown a list of players that they may transform into; the Shapeshifter can choose to appear as any player that was alive at the beginning of the current round. An animation of the Shapeshifter transforming into the selected player plays as they encase themself in a cocoon and transform into an exact copy of the selected player (including name, color, cosmetics and pets) upon hatching. The shapeshifting animation is visible to all players. The Shapeshifter can still kill, Sabotage, and travel through vents while transformed.

During discussion time, the Shapeshifter will appear as their original self regardless of whether they are transformed or not.

When in a vent, on a ladder, on the zipline, or on the moving platform, the ability to Shift becomes unavailable.

Unshift

Upon transforming into another player, the Shift button changes to "Unshift". Clicking the button allows the Shapeshifter to transform back into their original self. If this is not done manually, the Shapeshifter automatically transforms back after some time. Depending on the lobby options, this can be between 5–30 seconds, or indefinite. After Unshifting, the Shapeshifter must wait a minimum of five seconds for the Shift ability to become available again.

The ability to Unshift when on a ladder, on the zipline, or on the moving platform becomes unavailable, and the Unshifting timer is paused. When in a vent, the timer continues to run but the ability to Unshift becomes unavailable.

At the end of a Mushroom Mixup on the Fungle, the Shapeshifter reverts to its original appearance even if it was transformed before the Sabotage.

Shapeshifting Evidence

After Shifting or Unshifting, physical evidence is left behind (specifically, the tentacles that surround the lower points of the cocoon during the transformation), alerting other players that a Shift occurred in that area. This can be turned off in the lobby options by leaving "Leave Shapeshifting Evidence" unchecked; turning off evidence does not prevent the bubble from appearing around the Shapeshifter when its ability is activated. Evidence left by the Shapeshifter persists until a meeting takes place. If the Shifting timer runs out when a player is in a vent, no evidence is left.

The Mushroom Mixup Sabotage on the Fungle immediately negates the Shapehifter's ability, causing the Shapeshifter to unshift without leaving evidence.

Trivia

• The menu used to select which player to transform into is based on the emergency meeting interface.
  • Before it was added to Among Us, it was based on the Vitals interface.
• The bubble/cocoon that surrounds the Shapeshifter while transforming changes to match the Shapeshifter's unshifted color.
• Before version 2021.12.14, Shapeshifters were only able to transform into Crewmates and could not transform into other Impostors.
• If a player unshifts while they are automatically unshifting, they will unshift twice.
• In an older version of Among Us, the cocoon's color would match the color of the person being shifted into.

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