| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
The Lycanthrope is one of the most confusing templates in the Bestiary books. This confusion is compounded by obvious omissions in the template itself, poor choices for examples, sometimes numerous errors in a single stat block, and the inexplicable exclusion of an example of the creature in animal form. After reading, re-reading, googling, and searching the forums for answers, I decided to take it upon myself to create "The Definitive Lycanthrope Template". This has been put together by information provided in the books, details I have gleaned elsewhere online, deductive reasoning based on official examples, and in some cases my own interpretations and use of common sense.
If I've made a mistake, or you disagree with anything stated below, please feel free to say so!
DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with Paizo (or any other company, for that matter), and this work is provided as one person's interpretation of the template. It is provided in the hopes that it will make someone else's life a little easier when it comes time to do a lycanthrope in their game.
Assumption #1: Lycanthropes are humanoids with the ability to turn into animals and animal-humanoid hybrid shapes (Bestiary p.196). This means that when they change into their animal form, they are not becoming that animal...they are simply assuming its form. This assumption was instrumental when creating the guidelines for the creature's animal form.
Assumption #2: 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. (Bestiary p.196). I have assumed that "Special Attacks" refers to anything on the special attacks line of the stat block, "Qualities" refers to anything on the SQ line of a stat block, and "Abilities" refers to anything beneath the "Special Abilities" header of a stat block, or anything explained in "Universal Monster Rules" section of the Bestiary (p.297-306), subject to interpretation and common sense.
Creating a Lycanthrope
"Lycanthrope" is an inherited (for natural lycanthropes) or acquired (for afflicted lycanthropes) template that can be added to any humanoid.
Challenge Rating: Same as base creature or base animal (whichever is higher) +1.
Alignment: Based on what I have found, there is no alignment shift due to simply becoming an afflicted lycanthrope. However, the actions one takes in the various forms could cause an alignment shift, subject to the GMs interpretation. For natural lycanthropes, I suggest using the alignments provided in the various example lycanthropes in the Bestiary books. (As two alignments are given in the Werebear example (Bestiary 2 p.181), I suggest you choose the one most suited for your situation.)
Type, and Subtype(s): The humanoid (hereafter referred to as the base creature) gains the shapechanger subtype. The lycanthrope takes on the characteristics of some type of animal (referred to hereafter as the base animal) within one size category of the base creature's size.
- Important Note #1: The lycanthrope has the same type and subtypes in all three forms.
- Important Note #2: Despite the example wererat give in Bestiary p.197, lycanthropes should NOT gain the augmented subtype!
Size: In humanoid form, the lycanthrope maintains the size of the base creature. In animal form, the lycanthrope maintains the size of the base animal. In hybrid form, the lycanthrope is the same size as the base animal or the base creature, whichever is larger.
- Important Note #1: The size change should incorporate some (but not all) of the normal adjustments a size change would normally incur. On page 296 of the Bestiary, apply the changes stated on Tables 2-3, but ignore Table 2-2.
- Important Note #2: Equipment does not meld into the hybrid form, and resizes if necessary based on the new form. Should this happen, take note of the damage change to weapons based on size. (Medium and Small are listed on the standard equipment table; adjustments for Tiny and Large weapons are given on Table 6-5 on page 145 of the Core Rulebook.)
Senses: In all of the lycanthropes forms, it gains low-light vision and scent. If the base creature possesses any other special senses (such as darkvision or tremorsense), it retains these in all of its forms. If the base animal possesses any special senses that the base creature does not, the lycanthrope retains these special senses in its animal form and hybrid form, but does not gain them in its humanoid form.
AC: In hybrid or animal form, the lycanthrope has the natural armour bonus of the base animal increased by +2.
- Important Note: Since equipment does not meld into the hybrid form, a lycanthrope in hybrid form will gain the natural armour bonus plus any armour and shield bonuses from equipment!
Hit Points and Hit Dice: In all three forms, the lycanthrope will use the Hit Dice of the base creature. The hit point total will vary based on a changing Constitution score from form to form, but will always include any favoured class bonuses the base creature may have, or bonuses from feats such as Toughness that the base creature may have. (See Feats, below.)
Saving Throws: In all three forms, the lycanthrope will use the base saving throw bonuses of the base creature. The actual saving throw bonuses will change based on changing ability scores, but will always include any bonuses from feats such as Iron Will that the base creature may have. (See Feats, below). Any racial bonuses the base creature may have (such as an elf's bonus against enchantment spells and effects) are maintained in all three forms. Any racial bonuses the base animal may have should be applied to the lycanthrope's hybrid and animal forms only.
Defensive Abilities: A natural lycanthrope gains DR 10/silver in animal or hybrid form. An afflicted lycanthrope gains DR 5/silver in animal or hybrid form. Any defensive abilities possessed by the base creature (such as spell resistance or immunities) are maintained in all three forms. Any defensive abilities possessed by the base animal should be applied to the lycanthrope's hybrid and animal forms only.
Speed: Same as the base creature or base animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using. Hybrids use the base creature's speed.
Important Note: Since equipment does not meld into the hybrid form, a lycanthrope in hybrid form could be slowed down due to the armour it is wearing.
Melee: A lycanthrope gains natural attacks in animal and hybrid form according to the base animal.
Important Note: If the lycanthrope is using manufactured weapons in its hybrid form, it may be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the "Natural Attacks" section of the Universal Monster Rules (Bestiary p.301).
Space/Reach: In humanoid form, Space/Reach is the same as the base creature. In animal form, it is the same as the base animal. In hybrid form, Space/Reach should be the same as most humanoid creatures of the same size. This would be 5 ft./5 ft. for Small and Medium lycanthropes, and 10 ft./10 ft. for Large lycanthropes.
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 and scent (see Senses, above), as well as the following:
Change Shape (Su): This section remains relatively unchanged from the Bestiary (p.196) except for adding the following: "If the lycanthrope's size in hybrid form is different from its size in humanoid form, its equipment changes size to match the lycanthrope's new size when it changes to hybrid form."
Important Note: Missile weapons such as crossbows, bows, and slings do damage as the larger weapon, unlike "Enlarge Person" which reduces the missile once it is fired by the enlarged creature. (This is a personal opinion, but the Polymorph section of Chapter 9 (p.211-212) seems to bear this out.)
Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Unchanged (see Bestiary p.196).
Lycanthropic Empathy (Ex): Unchanged (see Bestiary p.196). (See also Skills, below.)
Ability Scores: Unchanged (see Bestiary p.196).
Base Attack Bonus: In each of its forms, the lycanthrope uses the Base Attack Bonus of the base creature.
CMB/CMD: In each of its forms, the CMB and CMD is calculated using the base creature's Base Attack Bonus, adjusted (where applicable) for Strength, Dexterity, and size. Any adjustments the base creature has to these (such as from feats like Improved Grapple or Dodge) still apply in all the lycanthrope's forms. Any adjustments the base animal has applies to both the lycanthrope's animal and hybrid form, subject to common sense. (For instance, a werewolf's wolf for has a bonus to CMD for having more than two legs; this would not apply to the hybrid's CMD, as it only has two legs.)
Feats: In all of the lycanthrope's forms, it uses the feats of the base creature. If the base creature has racial bonus feats (such as a human's bonus feat at 1st level), these feats apply in all of the lycanthrope's forms. If the base animal has racial bonus feats, these do not apply in any of the lycanthrope's forms. (The animal form of the lycanthrope is simply taking on the FORM, not becoming the animal.)
Skills: In all of the lycanthrope's forms, it uses the skills of the base creature. Some of these skills may be modified based on changing ability scores. If the base creature has any skill bonuses (such as an elf's racial bonus on Perception checks), the lycanthrope applies these bonuses in both its humanoid and hybrid forms, but not its animal form. If the base animal has any skill bonuses, the lycanthrope applies these bonuses in both its animal and hybrid forms, but not its humanoid form. If both the base humanoid and the base animal have racial bonuses in the same skill, they do not stack in hybrid form, only the better of the two applies. If the base animal uses a non-standard ability score to modify a skill (such as a Dire Rat using Dex instead of Str for Climb and Swim checks), this can be used as an optional choice in the lycanthrope's hybrid form only if the hybrid form is the same size as the base animal; otherwise, it uses standard ability scores to modify the skills. Furthermore, if Diplomacy is not listed, it should be added, noting the conditional bonus for Lycanthrophic Empathy (in hybrid and animal forms for afflicted lycanthropes, in all forms for natural lycanthropes).
Important Note: My choice of how to handle creatures using non-standard ability scores to modify a skill was a personal choice, I really have nothing in-game to back it up.
Important Note: Bonus skill points, such as those gained by a human, still apply in all the lycanthrope's forms.
Languages: A lycanthrope retains the understanding of all the base creature's languages, but most animal forms will lack the proper biological construction to use language.
Important: It is up to your GM whether or not a were-parrot can speak in animal form.
SQ: In addition to Change Shape and Lycanthropic Empathy, any special qualities possessed by the base animal should be included for the lycanthrope's hybrid and animal forms. Likewise, for afflicted lycanthropes they should add the following special quality:
Involuntary Change: In addition to the involuntary change an afflicted lycanthrope suffers each full moon, whenever an afflicted lycanthrope in humanoid form is injured, it must succeed on a DC 15 Will save or involuntarily change into its animal form. This is a full-round action, which consumes the lycanthrope's next turn in the round (if applicable). If the afflicted lycanthrope is aware of its condition, it may attempt to return to humanoid form as normal (DC 20 Constitution check, full-round action) if it wishes. An afflicted lycanthrope who is not aware of its condition will remain in animal form until the next sunrise or after 8 hours of rest, whichever comes first, at which time it automatically reverts to its humanoid form.
Important Note: This is an amalgamation of the Lycanthropy rules (see Bestiary p.196 (Lycanthrope)) and the Werewolf Lycanthropy curse (Core Rulebook p.557).
Gear: Any gear the lycanthrope wears in humanoid form melds into the animal form, but not the hybrid form. If the hybrid form and the humanoid form are not the same size, the equipment resizes itself to match the lycanthrope's new size.
----
Happy New Year everyone!
Taffer