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What new lycanthropic strains would you want to see in print? I know a few of mine and I know other gm's have to have some that they love to play with that aren't in a paizo book yet so why not have a thread to show them off and with any luck give some gm's some new ideas to toy around with. So without further adeu here are a few of mine.
Weregorilla
Alignment: CE
Info: Found in the depths of the darkest jungles these primal warrior embody the brutality and might of their savage blood. Often fighters or barbarians these Lycanthropes often lead barbarous tribes of humans, charu-ka, and derhii on bloody raids for dominance throughout their homelands.
Weredog
Alignment: LG
Info: Also refered to as The Dogs of War, these lycans are a rarity amongst their kind. Know for their loyalty and retaliative weakness when compared to other lycanthropic breeds these lycans join together and seek to help those in need when they can aiming to protect humanity from both outside threats, other lycanthropes, and the spread of their own disease. These lycans try to keep their condition as secret as possible and aim to only use their abilities when absolutely necessary.
I think weregorillas should be neutral, not CE.
Werebat
Wereshark
Werecroc
Weremammoth (giants only)
Ninja Wereturtle
Werebat
My vote goes to this one.
Though a ninja wereturtle sounds fairly good too.
Weremare.
I don't like the idea of therianthropic species havign alignments aside from Neutral by default. When you contract the illness you turn into essentially a wild animal. Not malevolent, but with no conception of morality or ethics, preying on whatever creature you happen across.
Over time, yes, someone could learn to control these powers, but having someone who is a Weredog spontenously become moral when they turn into a weredog and protecting the weak? It's not a weakness at that point, and it ends up just messing with characters.
Maybe some werewolves who are particularly moral and learn to control their powers become weredogs, or the weredogs are wild dogs and then eventually learn their powers..
I don't like the idea of therianthropic species havign alignments aside from Neutral by default. When you contract the illness you turn into essentially a wild animal. Not malevolent, but with no conception of morality or ethics, preying on whatever creature you happen across.
I agree with you, but... that's not the way Lycanthropy generally plays out. Wolves are neutral creatures - they're just animals. But werewolves are CE, Werebears are LG, and others are different alignments. It's weird, but lycanthropes do tend to have associated alignments with them.
That may only apply to afflicted lycanthropes, i.e. when they transform they lose control and go to the alignment of the one that cursed them. I would figure natural lycanthropes just have whatever alignment they want, as per a normal character or NPC. Not sure on that, but the different species do have different alignments, for some reason.
Edit: typo
The alignments are in place because lycanthrope is a curse as well as a disease. You are cursed with a compulsion to act in a certain manner and have no control over it. That's why there is an alignment associated with them.
Personally, I only apply that to afflicted variations, and natural lycanthropes are not the cursed kind (and consequently do not pass on the condition through biting).
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for what it is worth, were-bats, Were-crocs, and Were-sharks have already been statted up by Pathfinder
Personally, I only apply that to afflicted variations, and natural lycanthropes are not the cursed kind (and consequently do not pass on the condition through biting).
I do think that makes a lot of sense, but weirdly, it sounds like it is supposed to be the opposite.
Curse of Lycanthropy (Su) A natural lycanthrope's bite attack in animal or hybrid form infects a humanoid target with lycanthropy (Fortitude DC 15 negates). If the victim's size is not within one size category of the lycanthrope, this ability has no effect.
@ MMCJawa: Really? Awesome.
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Wereraccoons
This lycathropic affliction is prevalent mainly with small humanoids such as halfings, gnomes, kobolds, and goblins. They take the form of a raccoon whenever there is a NEW MOON (when the night is its darkest). They become consumed by hunger and greed and become Chaotic Neutral. They then sneak into houses and barns to eat as much unattended food as they can stomach and make off with as much expensive items and money as they can carry. Often, the afflicted wake with painfully full bellies and their beds are loaded up with the stolen goods of their neighbors, and they have no memories of their theft. Wereraccoons only attack when cornered or attacked first. They usually flee when caught if they can manage an easy escape.
Crazy me says "Where's my weredragon?"
(On the other hand, I feel the Half-Dragon template is... inadequate.)
Personally, I only apply that to afflicted variations, and natural lycanthropes are not the cursed kind (and consequently do not pass on the condition through biting).I do think that makes a lot of sense, but weirdly, it sounds like it is supposed to be the opposite.
Curse of Lycanthropy (Su) A natural lycanthrope's bite attack in animal or hybrid form infects a humanoid target with lycanthropy (Fortitude DC 15 negates). If the victim's size is not within one size category of the lycanthrope, this ability has no effect.
Right, but that's not how I run it. ;) Makes more sense to me to do it that way because I can't understand why lycanthropes would be "naturally" cursed.
A child born to lycanthropes carries the curse also...? That's stretching it for me. I would still consider the child "afflicted" rather than "natural." All house ruling obviously.
@ Foghammer: Agreed, I do think it makes more sense that way. If Lycanthropes ever show up in games I run, I may make the same change. Seems a lot more fitting.
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The alignments are in place because lycanthrope is a curse as well as a disease. You are cursed with a compulsion to act in a certain manner and have no control over it. That's why there is an alignment associated with them.
Personally, I only apply that to afflicted variations, and natural lycanthropes are not the cursed kind (and consequently do not pass on the condition through biting).
This. Basically I look at it as as much an infection of the mind and soul as one of the body. To me the animal you turn into isn't so much linked to an animal as it is the representation of the disease. The whole idea behind werewolves was that the wolf was the most evil, malicious, and destructive creature they could imagine and to have a disease that turned a man into a cross between themselves and the monster was one of the most terrifying things they could imagine. For lycanthrope it wasn't about the wolf but the uncontrollable beast it represented. Now once we get into D&D and pathfinder where we get different strains the idea is that each one represents this fury or evil in it's own way through its creature choice. It's why the werebear got an alignment change which feels much better in my book and why we have only one lawful option in all of them.
The other option I would put on the table is region as well. I mean if the disease is meant to present as an embodiment of a societies fear of the fury of nature then it would present as a monster they know of and are afraid of. Case and point I don't think we would see many werewolves in mwangi as there aren't really wolves there to be afraid of but there would be things like gorillas, jaguars, and crocodiles. So with that in mind lycanthrope there would probably be more likely to be those creatures then wolves.
Werebears are LGIn Pathfinder, they are actually CG per the Bestiary 2. ;)
Human natural werebear ranger 4
LG Large humanoid (human, shapechanger)
I was gonna say, 'But I specifically looked...' :P
Edit: Well now, that's funny. The PRD lists them as LG, while the printed bestiary lists the human form as CG, and the hybrid form as LG. Interesting.
This is coming from the world of darkness, but I was a huge fan of nuwisha (werecoyotes). They are super-stealthy tricksters. As far as alignment, any chaotic.
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Werebears are LGIn Pathfinder, they are actually CG per the Bestiary 2. ;)Human natural werebear ranger 4
LG Large humanoid (human, shapechanger)I was gonna say, 'But I specifically looked...' :P
Edit: Well now, that's funny. The PRD lists them as LG, whle the printed bestiary lists the human form as CG, and the hybrid form as LG. Interesting.
Weirdness. Yeah, I was gonna say, I opened my pdf and looked through it and saw that it was CG. I also just now looked again and saw what you saw. Hybrid as LG. (Shrugs) Typo maybe?
Weirdness. Yeah, I was gonna say, I opened my pdf and looked through it and saw that it was CG. I also just now looked again and saw what you saw. Hybrid as LG. (Shrugs) Typo maybe?
I would guess typos somewhere in there, but now I'm unsure which was supposed to be the original intent.
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Weirdness. Yeah, I was gonna say, I opened my pdf and looked through it and saw that it was CG. I also just now looked again and saw what you saw. Hybrid as LG. (Shrugs) Typo maybe?I would guess typos somewhere in there, but now I'm unsure which was supposed to be the original intent.
Same here. Maybe we can get an official answer somehow.
Were-bats are in broken moon, Were-crocs are in skull & shackles 3 i believe, and were-sharks are in isles of the shackles respectively.for what it is worth, were-bats, Were-crocs, and Were-sharks have already been statted up by PathfinderWhich book are these in?
Are they in the SRD?
I vote for werebadgers or werewolverines.
I suppose when I look at the alignment in entries I always just assume that for the specific individual stated, not the race as a whole unless the entry later says so, but that's just me.
That being said, I think only predatory animals work for the disease, since they're the only ones that come along with a risk of doing things/hurting people you wouldnt normally want to.
from folklore, I think were-leopards, were-hyenas, and were-snakes are the big misses. Maybe were-owls.
Were-bats are in broken moon, Were-crocs are in skull & shackles 3 i believe, and were-sharks are in isles of the shackles respectively.for what it is worth, were-bats, Were-crocs, and Were-sharks have already been statted up by PathfinderWhich book are these in?Are they in the SRD?
I vote for werebadgers or werewolverines.
Werebadger don't care. Werebadger don't give a sh*t
(i am so sorry everyone)
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I suppose when I look at the alignment in entries I always just assume that for the specific individual stated, not the race as a whole unless the entry later says so, but that's just me.
That being said, I think only predatory animals work for the disease, since they're the only ones that come along with a risk of doing things/hurting people you wouldnt normally want to.
For me it's that that's the alignment the typical victim takes on after carrying the disease for a while and the alignment they take when they are in the hybrid or animal form. Now with time exceptional individuals (like PCs)might be able to rise over the urges that come with lycanthrope but the usual victim gets driven towards the alignment of their affliction.
As for the predatory animals thing yeah that used to be the case I remember in 3.5 the monster manual stating that the animal forms can only be from carnivores, omnivores, or scavengers. I don't know if they reprinted that though.
Were-birds. Particularly raptors. Eagle, hawk, falcon, etc.
More were-reptiles. Big lizards (monitors, etc.) and snakes.
Were-dinosaurs.
The human entry probably doesn't carry the alignment because they are only compelled to the alignment while in hybrid or animal form. Remember, most werewolves don't know they are werewolves until they find the evidence, and most are repulsed by it. Some, of course, relish in the idea, but most people panic because they know they will be hunted.
EDIT: Whoops. I didn't refresh the page when I got the computer back out after class this morning. Not ninja'd, just slow.
Technically, Pathfinder's lycanthrope template doesn't say anything about alignment changes after you become infected. The alignments only really determine the tendencies of natural lycanthropes, and even then those alignments aren't set in stone since the werewolf entry says that good aligned werewolves exist.
I think this was to prevent weird things like infected werebears becoming chaotic good.
Were-squid, Were-platypus, Were-komodo, Were-owlbear, Were-unicorn, Were-Jason Alexander, Were-Snooki...ok that last one is too scary to even consider throwing at my players.
What kinds of birds would you want to see and what alignments? Remember the hard part is that they need to be within 1 size category of the afflicted creature.Were-birds. Particularly raptors. Eagle, hawk, falcon, etc.
More were-reptiles. Big lizards (monitors, etc.) and snakes.
Were-dinosaurs.
I'm not picky on the alignments, but I listed the birds I'd like. Pretty sure the bigger ones are big enough for standard humanoids. Eagles are Small, Giant Falcons are Large, Giant Vultures are Large.
Weresloth. On the one hand, just for laughs, on the other, I direct you the megatherium for giant ground sloth awesome megafauna action.
Technically, Pathfinder's lycanthrope template doesn't say anything about alignment changes after you become infected.
Hmm... I thought I had read somewhere that you did get a different alignment when you shifted (for afflicted that is). I thought it was part of the whole 'is under control of the GM' thing. But maybe I imagined that part.
The alignments only really determine the tendencies of natural lycanthropes, and even then those alignments aren't set in stone since the werewolf entry says that good aligned werewolves exist.
Yeah, it's clearly not the same in all cases, but I thought that was only for natural ones, and that afflicted got their alignments changed a bit when transformed. Again though, maybe I just made that up. I'll have to see if I can find anything about it.
On topic... Why are there no weredinosaurs? Or have I simply missed them?
Weretyrannosaurus = End of all things
ok now i want to do a bloody roar style campaign.
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Personally, I've always wanted Were-vermin. Not tiny bugs, but something along the lines of the Aranea. Man to cockroach has been done famously in literature... why not RPGs?
Werebeetle, werecentipede, werescorpion. All of these would fit into many styles of campaign and provide a lot of creepiness.
Technically, Pathfinder's lycanthrope template doesn't say anything about alignment changes after you become infected.Hmm... I thought I had read somewhere that you did get a different alignment when you shifted (for afflicted that is). I thought it was part of the whole 'is under control of the GM' thing. But maybe I imagined that part.
The alignments only really determine the tendencies of natural lycanthropes, and even then those alignments aren't set in stone since the werewolf entry says that good aligned werewolves exist.Yeah, it's clearly not the same in all cases, but I thought that was only for natural ones, and that afflicted got their alignments changed a bit when transformed. Again though, maybe I just made that up. I'll have to see if I can find anything about it.
That was the way 3.5 handled it. PF simply dropped that portion of the Lycanthrope curse.
How about instead of the character being forced to adapt the alignment of the were-creature, it is the other way around?
So the curse only awakens your "inner animal" and you turn into the creature that fits alignment and personality best?
So a noble Hero guy bitten by a Werewolf could turn into a Werebear, while the cowardly and selfish thief of the group would turn into a wererat.
Also Weredonkey :)
Transformations of humans into donkeys are a common theme in fairy tales.
I don't like the idea of therianthropic species havign alignments aside from Neutral by default. When you contract the illness you turn into essentially a wild animal. Not malevolent, but with no conception of morality or ethics, preying on whatever creature you happen across.I agree with you, but... that's not the way Lycanthropy generally plays out. Wolves are neutral creatures - they're just animals. But werewolves are CE, Werebears are LG, and others are different alignments. It's weird, but lycanthropes do tend to have associated alignments with them.
That may only apply to afflicted lycanthropes, i.e. when they transform they lose control and go to the alignment of the one that cursed them. I would figure natural lycanthropes just have whatever alignment they want, as per a normal character or NPC. Not sure on that, but the different species do have different alignments, for some reason.
Edit: typo
The way I do it is afflicted totally get the forced alignment thing. Naturals usually are raised by other naturals. So they are taught and that alignment is reinforced. However, in "Classic Monsters Revisited" it talks about a small rare group of GOOD werewolves. So, I see that as meaning that small community teaches their children to be good. Basically nature is strong, but nurture can defy it. Like I have a werewolf character that is Chaotic Good because she was actually raised in Alkenstar. Hence, she was never really a werewolf until she left the Mana Wastes, and by then she was taught to be a good person. She did have some trouble at first just like an afflicted werewolf would as the curse reared it's evil head, but she was able to overcome the impulses after a few months. Then her aunt (who is after her, as an Inquisitor of Jezelda she is hunting her down to either convert her or kill her) is Lawful Evil (she has the heretic archetype, which is part of her justification for the invalid alignment. In her mind, all werewolves must worship Jezelda, any that don't should be converted or die. So, lawful fits her)
As for new weres, I've always liked to make werecheetahs in my game...
Oh and just cause nobody has said it, honey badger don't care! So, by that note were-honey badger TN. Totally.
EDIT: Ah i see someone did say it, though they left out the honey part LOL. :)
How come we've never seen were-humans for animals? They could be threats in a goblin campain, a bunnyian (elf=elven,bunny=bunnyian or something) were-dwarf anyone? Nothing screams revenge better than bambi as were-conan.
There is. In Pathfinder there is the Jackalwere then there is a 3rd party supplement that expands them to other animals.
Spiders, Platypi.