Werewolves Without Weapons?

[Gonturan]

Does anyone have a suggestion for a quick mechanical adjustment that would allow a GM to remove the greatswords and longbows etc. from the werewolves in Chapter 3, without reducing their CR?

I feel that natural attacks are better for the mood and genre, plus they always carry the inherent risk of infection. However, I'd rather not re-do all the wolves' stats if I can avoid it. Thanks!

[Josh Hodges]

Spoiler:

Aspect of the Beast is a very helpful feat for this. Beyond that... none of my players are doing anything with metal or sundering, so I'm just making all the nonmagical armor into "plot" armor. As to the bows, I'm simply going to have the archers do their archery in humanoid form, not hybrid. I'm leaving the antipaladin with all his gear, because he's a bizarre special case. I'm going to have to move a lot of treasure around, and will probably still have to fudge some more numbers, but I think I'll be able to get this to work somehow. Also I'm doing everything I can to avoid sharing most of the werewolf art in the module with players, because it's just too silly and WOW-esque for my taste. So the simplest fix is to swap a few feats to make them useful for weaponless combat, and just fudge the AC. Alternately, substituting in alternative +AC items is a good way to sneak back in some of the treasure you're eliminating.

[ShadowcatX]

Personally, having played white wolf (and watched werewolf movies) before I played dnd, I can't picture a werewolf without claws. I give mine a pair of claws (primary natural weapons mind you) and call it a day.

[Screenmonkey2099]

Just get rid of the physical weapons and have the claws do the same damage as if they were wielding them?

Remember rule #1, there are no rules.

[Josh Hodges]

Screenmonkey2099 wrote:

Just get rid of the physical weapons and have the claws do the same damage as if they were wielding them?

Remember rule #1, there are no rules.

This also works. Fortunately the statblocks show some restraint, and this approach won't lead to a wolf with a flaming left claw and a shocking right claw or anything similarly silly.

[Helaman]

I intend on doing away with weapons... and a lot of the class levels too. They'll substitute with increased HPs and AC and actually being intelligent and using hunting tactics.

[Selgard]

Don't forget when you are ditching gear to make up for it with either gold or other loot on them, or other loot elsewhere in the near future (or past)- if you are intending to go by WBL.

(not that you should, or shouldn't.)

-S

[Helaman]

good point