Hi,
I'm currently building a lycanthrope NPC and have some questions about the stats and other abilities of lycanthropes. The creature in question is a human natural weresnake (emperor cobra).
Let's assume the base stats (pre-lycanthrope human) to be:
STR 15, DEX 13, CON 14, INT 12, WIS 10, CHA 10
After the template it should be (human form):
STR 15, DEX 13, CON 14, INT 12, WIS 12, CHA 8
The emperor cobra has:
STR 22, DEX 15, CON 18, INT 1, WIS 17, CHA 2
1. What stats does he have in hybrid/animal form?
STR 24, DEX 15, CON 20, INT 12, WIS 17, CHA 8 OR
STR 22, DEX 15, CON 18, INT 12, WIS 17, CHA 8 OR
STR 22, DEX 15, CON 18, INT 12, WIS 12, CHA 8 ?
Creating a Lycanthrope wrote:
Ability Scores: +2 Wis, –2 Cha in all forms; +2 Str, +2 Con in hybrid and animal forms. Lycanthropes have enhanced senses but are not fully in control of their emotions and animalistic urges. In addition to these adjustments to the base creature's stats, a lycanthrope's ability scores change when he assumes hybrid or animal form. In human form, the lycanthrope's ability scores are unchanged from the base creature's form. In animal and hybrid form, the lycanthrope's ability scores are the same as the base creature's or the base animal's, whichever ability score is higher.
1.1. Does the +2 STR/CON apply to both (animal, human) scores, or only to the human ones to determine the higher one?
The stats for the werewolf (base: wolf) and wereboar (base: boar + rage) suggest the former, while the werebear (base: grizzly) and weretiger (base: tiger) suggest the later.
1.2. Does this only affect physical ability scores (STR, DEX, CON) or all scores?
I would say only the physical ones, but RAW suggest all scores.
2. What special attacks/abilities does he get in hybrid/animal form?
Creating a Lycanthrope wrote:
Special Attacks: A lycanthrope retains all the special attacks, qualities, and abilities of the base creature. In hybrid or animal form it gains the special attacks, qualities, and abilities of the base animal. A lycanthrope also gains low-light vision, scent, and the following:
According to this, I would say "all of them" (i.e. the poison bite). Though the change shape ability lists polymorph as the "base spell" which would not grant poison. But when we look at the wererat (disease) and the weretiger (rake) it seems that the quote above overrides the spell's limits.
2.2. Does this include racial skill modifiers and bonus feats?
In the case of an emperor cobra:
Racial Modifiers: +8 Acrobatics, +4 Perception, +4 Stealth.
I would say "No" and none of the stat blocks suggest otherwise.
2.1. How are the DCs calculated?
Again, the wererat suggests that (in contrast to the polymorph magic rules) the DC is according to the "normal rules" (i.e. 10 + 1/2 Total HD + Ability Modifier) and not 15 (10 + spell level of polymorph) + "Casting Ability Modifier"
3. Less rule, more flavor: How would the hybrid form look like?
Creating a Lycanthrope wrote:
Change Shape (Su) All lycanthropes have three forms—a humanoid form, an animal form, and a hybrid form. Equipment does not meld with the new form between humanoid and hybrid form, but does between those forms and animal form.[...]
This suggests that the hybrid form is more human than animal. Therefore the hybrid form should have arms and legs.
Personally I would tend towards keeping only the arms and meld the legs (and boots etc.) into the snake-tail.
Edit: As a side note, the lycanthropes in the bestiary 2 seem to have a CR of one less than they should have (Challenge Rating: Same as base creature or base animal (whichever is higher) + 1).
