Were-creatures Opinion Poll - Sorta

[LamentoftheLost]

Is there any reason why most therianthropes are evil?

Would it be a serious game changer to assume that they would really have some variation in alignment? (I know in D&D for example that some ELVEN werewolves were good, but that apparently didn't apply to human ones, ever.)

Would it break anything to assume that all therianthropes have the normal alignment variation? Or would it better just to make an exception every now and then? (I'm thinking of a quasi-Drizzt type person here. Perhaps the good ones are *usually* forced to conform to the 'norm.')

[ericthecleric]

For your own games, you can give them whatever alignment you want.

[Buri]

Alignments are descriptive of the race as a whole. They are not prescriptive of each, individual member.

[Ranax]

Lycanthropes contract evil the same way vampires do. I think it comes from the uncontrollable lust for blood that both races have historically had.

I'd say that if someone received Lycanthropy via a unique source, like a boon from a moon god or something, they may not get the blood lust that comes with the disease. You could also have one who atoned or beseeched a goddess of peace to calm their blood lust.

There are plenty of ways to go about it.

[Buri]

I'm playing a LG weretiger in a Rise campaign. He was a natural lycanthrope, though. His values came from his tribe being from the Lands of the Linnorm Kings who value honor and family. He's more quick to engage in a fight especially against an evil foe. It's a great roleplay piece.

[thegreenteagamer]

I don't know about all weres, but all wererat ninjas named Splinter are good.

[MMCJawa]

LamentoftheLost wrote:

Is there any reason why most therianthropes are evil?

I suspect because therianthropes trend toward being evil in a lot of the folklore/horror fiction which they are based on.

[Srial]

I think it's half the folklore, and half for game mechanics reasons. The game designers don't want every pc running out and tyring to get infected for an easy power boost with little downside. Making them almost all evil and taking away control from the PC when they change was their way of reinforcing this is a 'curse'.

I really don't think it hurts the game to have some therianthropes be of non-traditional alignments though. Lots of great stories can come from tweaking or outright breaking the mold.

[LamentoftheLost]

My idea on the matter, now that I see a few answers, is that it should depend on the how and why one becomes afflicted. For example, if you volunteer to be afflicted, that should have a bearing on your alignment change, if any, based on your intentions. (If you go to an evil were to be changed for whatever reason, that creature's alignment will still tug yours in some way.)

If you are afflicted against your will, than it should have a stronger negative consequence. You were likely afficted by an evil character and therefore aquired those 'genes' for lack of better term.

Natural weres on the other hand, conform to the racial norm except in extreme cases. The Drizzt-Effect.

[Taku Ooka Nin]

Basically the issue is this:

Addendum 2: Nowhere in the Lycanthrope Template does it say the Base Character's alignment changes if he shifts into hybrid/animal form or voluntarily contracts the disease/curse.

For instance, a Lawful Good Fighter who is bitten by a Natural Born werewolf does not become Chaotic Evil, but instead he becomes Neutral when he first shifts into wolf form involuntarily. If he makes the will save he can then voluntarily shift into hybrid of animal form, and these voluntary shifts neither change his alignment, nor force him to forget who he is.

Natural Born lycanthropes can choose their alignments.
Werewolves are typically chaotic evil and worship Jezelda, but at the same time there is Ashava who is the god of goodly Lycanthropes (werewolves.)

Addendum:
There are the skinwalkers, which are closer to what the Were community is after. The shift between the "base" that could look like pretty much any race, and the "creature" form that could possibly be any animal, is skin deep. Furthermore the appearances in Blood of the Moon is just one idea as to what these skinwalkers look like.
If you wanted a skinwalker that is descendant from werecats could like look an anime cat-girl. The penalty to charisma would apply because people who are not in love with anime will see this human with a real cat-tail, real cat ears, no human ears, and fall into the uncanny valley.