Slouching Towards Lycanthropy

[tortiekat]

So one of the PCs in my game got bitten by a weretiger. The player is really excited about trying out lycanthrope, and I was willing to go there. We've had some time off since last session (in-game and in 3D) and have begun haggling over how he can learn to have more control over the curse.

The problem being, of course, that there doesn't seem to be any RAW in Pathfinder for such a project. I proffered a "wild shape like" stage leading up to full control, but that didn't seem to fly. I'm a bit leery of giving a full caster what turns out to be a pretty sweet set of buffs, but I'm unsure how to move from pure curse to something he can reasonably control. My original idea was a feat or spell, but he suggested some kind of level progression which I'm actually leaning towards.

Does anyone have any thoughts on how we can proceed? Or can point me towards some source material for ideas?

[Anguish]

I'd have to suggest it's worth looking at Curse of the Moon by Sean K. Reynolds. It can easily be retrofitted into Pathfinder and it presents much more sensible rules for PCs and lycanthropy than the Bestiary.

[Sowde Da'aro]

Its 3.5 but if you alow it...
Control Shape (Wis)

If you have contracted lycanthropy and are aware of your condition, you can learn Control Shape as a class skill. (If you are an afflicted lycanthrope not yet aware of your condition, you can attempt Control Shape checks untrained.) This skill determines whether you can control your shape. If you are a natural lycanthrope, you do not need this skill, since you have full control over your shape.
Check
Involuntary Change
You must make a check at moonrise each night of the full moon to resist involuntarily assuming animal form. If you are injured, you must also check for an involuntary change after accumulating enough damage to reduce your hit points by one-quarter and again after each additional one-quarter lost.
Involuntary Change Control Shape DC 25
Resist involuntary change
On a failed check, you must remain in animal form until the next dawn, when you automatically return to your base form. If you are aware of your condition, you may make one attempt to return to humanoid form (see below), but if you fail, you remain in animal form until the next dawn.
Voluntary Change
In addition, if you are aware of your condition, you may attempt to use this skill voluntarily in order to change to animal form, assume hybrid form, or return to humanoid form, regardless of the state of the moon or whether you have been injured.
Voluntary Change Control Shape DC
Return to humanoid form (full moon1) 25
Return to humanoid form (not full moon) 20
Assume hybrid form 15
Voluntary change to animal form (full moon) 15
Voluntary change to animal form (not full moon) 20
For game purposes, the full moon lasts three days every month.
Action
Voluntary changes are standard actions.
Try Again
You can check to resist an involuntary change once each time a triggering event occurs.
You can retry voluntary changes to animal form or hybrid form as often as you like. However, on a failed check to return to humanoid form, you must remain in animal or hybrid form until the next dawn, when you automatically return to humanoid form.
Special
If you are an afflicted lycanthrope, you cannot attempt a voluntary change until you become aware of your condition (see Lycanthropy as an Affliction).
Ninja'd...

[tortiekat]

Awesome, I might look at the SKR thing. I use a modified version of his Step-based experience in my game, so there's precedent.

Right after I posted, I grabbed my PDF of Savage Species and that led me the same place you went, Snow. But thanks for sparing me the need to OCR it!

[Selgard]

The thing you need to watch out for, imo, is the rest of the group.

Lycanthropy is designed to be a curse. Its a negative, not a benefit.

If you make it fairly easy to control, then hack slash hack slash.. now you have a /group/ of were tigers. And if you thought a caster having those stats was annoying wait until you see the barbarian, ninja, and fighter, all Furring out and going to town in hybrid form.

I'd very strongly advise against letting the PC keep the template as any sort of bonus unless the rest of the group is getting some similar "compensation" for the power boost.

just my .02.

-S

[Mojorat]

About what Selgard said, Unless his moments to use it beneficially are extremely controlled or plot oriented, he will just over-shadow the other players. Leave the were tiger state something to be feared or terrified of becoming. His fellow adventurers should be afraid if he looses control.. perhaps have him at one of them just to demonstrate.

If you do decide to be nice, have him go through a /very/ long period where he has no control or make getting control a major plot centric thing but...

ultimately it is a ginormous power boost that if not balanced with thigns like lower class levels or the entire negative aspect of being a were creature... it will just backfire.

[Netromancer]

I've always preferred the "Oh, God. I woke up and my family is all dead and I'm covered in blood." Lycanthropy over the "Dude, I can turn into a <insert animal type here>. Awesome." type of Lycanthropy.

But in all seriousness, unless you want that to be the focus of your game, (and granted, you might) I've always found it alot more fun for the group to quest for ways to stop the curse rather than propagate it.

I agree with Selgard. He put it pretty plainly.