Alter Self allows changing into the form of any small or medium humanoid. Would this include the hybrid forms of lycanthropes, such as the wererat or werewolf?

I can't find anything that would suggest not, but it somehow seems against the intent of the spell.

Seems a perfectly reasonable use of the spell to me. I might rule that a player has to have actually seen one, or at least make a Knowledge Arcana roll to have read about them in an illustrated bestiary, but I don't see a huge problem with it.

*Checks.*

The HD limit's gone, so that's not a worry. Lycanthropes are indeed of the humanoid type, so that's not a worry. The bonuses are all standardized, so there's not a balance worry.

Nope, nothing wrong with it at all. Just mind that you stick to the small and medium werecritters; no werebear form out of Alter Self.

Providing the creature possesses the humanoid subtype. Keep in mind though that you need a piece of the creature whose form you plan to assume. Taking it from a slain one doesn't count either, lycanthropy is a curse and death lifts that curse restoring them to their human form. The piece would need to be acquired while the lycanthrope was in one of its form other than 'human'. A tooth, claw, or clump of fur.

Considering the rarity of lycanthropes this material component is worth more that the amount covered by the 'Eschew Materials' feat. A material component consists of one or more physical substances or objects that are annihilated by the spell energies in the casting process.

Personally I'd say yes to the shape, but obviously the PC would not gain any benefit of lycanthropy outside what the spell specifically states. They'd also need the appropriate feats to take full advantage of the beasts claws and fangs and they'd also need the material component.

Joys of the spell component pouch. Comes complete with ready live spiders, lycanthrope fur, illithid brains, tarrasque hearts, and relics.

Would this include the hybrid forms of lycanthropes, such as the wererat or werewolf?

No, Templates are out, see p212.

Providing the creature possesses the humanoid subtype. Keep in mind though that you need a piece of the creature whose form you plan to assume. Taking it from a slain one doesn't count either, lycanthropy is a curse and death lifts that curse restoring them to their human form. The piece would need to be acquired while the lycanthrope was in one of its form other than 'human'. A tooth, claw, or clump of fur.

Considering the rarity of lycanthropes this material component is worth more that the amount covered by the 'Eschew Materials' feat. A material component consists of one or more physical substances or objects that are annihilated by the spell energies in the casting process.

Personally I'd say yes to the shape, but obviously the PC would not gain any benefit of lycanthropy outside what the spell specifically states. They'd also need the appropriate feats to take full advantage of the beasts claws and fangs and they'd also need the material component.

Would revise this spell before allowing it in my game because 'piece of a creature,' aside from being weird, is imprecise. I would argue that hair, fur, or nail would not qualify as a 'piece of a creature,' since it isn't (and never was) living tissue. It's not a 'piece' of the creature. I don't lose a piece of myself when I cut my hair or nails. Although you could argue that there is probably some once-living matter on the hair, if you have the follicle and not simply the structural protein that we call hair. Would revise to require 'hair or fur,' or perhaps 'a bit of flesh,' which would encompass reptilian humanoids and other non-mammalian creatures.

Hartbaine wrote:

Providing the creature possesses the humanoid subtype. Keep in mind though that you need a piece of the creature whose form you plan to assume. Taking it from a slain one doesn't count either, lycanthropy is a curse and death lifts that curse restoring them to their human form. The piece would need to be acquired while the lycanthrope was in one of its form other than 'human'. A tooth, claw, or clump of fur.

Considering the rarity of lycanthropes this material component is worth more that the amount covered by the 'Eschew Materials' feat. A material component consists of one or more physical substances or objects that are annihilated by the spell energies in the casting process.

Personally I'd say yes to the shape, but obviously the PC would not gain any benefit of lycanthropy outside what the spell specifically states. They'd also need the appropriate feats to take full advantage of the beasts claws and fangs and they'd also need the material component.

Would revise this spell before allowing it in my game because 'piece of a creature,' aside from being weird, is imprecise. I would argue that hair, fur, or nail would not qualify as a 'piece of a creature,' since it isn't (and never was) living tissue. It's not a 'piece' of the creature. I don't lose a piece of myself when I cut my hair or nails. Although you could argue that there is probably some once-living matter on the hair, if you have the follicle and not simply the structural protein that we call hair. Would revise to require 'hair or fur,' or perhaps 'a bit of flesh,' which would encompass reptilian humanoids and other non-mammalian creatures.

I would argue that hair or nail would be sufficient for the idea behind the component. Think about it, we use hair or fingernail clippings for DNA matching all the time (I'm a geneticist, so I can guarantee you we have tons of DNA in our hair) and so if you can get the DNA of a creature from their hair, why couldn't you use it to absorb their "essence" or whatever and turn into them?

No, Templates are out, see p212.

James is correct; polymorph effects specifically exclude creatures with templates, unless the individual ability or spell states otherwise:

SOURCE

Unless otherwise noted, polymorph spells cannot be used to change into specific individuals. Although many of the fine details can be controlled, your appearance is always that of a generic member of that creature's type. Polymorph spells cannot be used to assume the form of a creature with a template or an advanced version of a creature.

Alter Self allows changing into the form of any small or medium humanoid. Would this include the hybrid forms of lycanthropes, such as the wererat or werewolf?

No, if you take the form of a humanoid (shapechanger), you don't get its Change Shape ability. edit: Also, what others said about templates.