number of feats for an afflicted werebear?

[QuaziquestGM]

One of my players needs a replacement PC and wants a Goliath afflicted werebear barbarian.

As the character was newly 2ed level when bit, how many feats does he get?

I'm thinking that no feats should come with the template as he hasn't had time to learn them yet, but he may learn them when he earns a new character level.

He is thinking that the acquired template comes with bonus feats due to the hit die.

Advice? Clarifications?

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

According to the template, the character should have three feats total: The one he gained at 1st level, plus one for his 3rd and 6th HD, gained from the animal HD he acquired through the template. However, these feats should be "bear" feats, as in the player's choices for these feats should be limited to those listed for a brown bear (Endurance, Run, Track). As per the lycanthrope template, he also gains Iron Will as a bonus feat. Since he's afflicted, I'd also strictly enforce use of the Control Shape skill, making it difficult to change form, or to resist changing form during the full moon or when injured.

 

[Dread Polack]

I agree with crazypixie, but want to add a little:

He's suffering from the level adjustment as it is, so he should definitely get the feats granted by the hit dice. (Remembering that Feats are based on total hit dice, not ECL...) I think if the feats are Endurance or Run, they don't necessarily have to be learned.

On the other hand, if you're trying to mitigate the sudden jump in ECL he's getting from being a Wear-bear, you could hold off on granting him all the feats or abilities at once by handing them out as he hits certain XP thresholds, i.e. leveling up.

You could try turning the wear-bear into a pseudo-class like they do in that one book who's name I can't remember...

Dread Polack

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

The retired series of articles on wizards.com called Savage Progressions did each of the basic lycanthrope types as a "template" class. There was also an issue of Dragon that did the same thing, with a slightly different progression approach.

 

[Dread Polack]

Savage Species!! That's the book...

Thanks dude.

Dread Polack

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

I would also recomment the Savage Progression articles or, if your more interested in a much more balances and detailed approach, the Curse of the Moon pdf by Sean Reynolds...

He uses an elegant system that avoids the whole LA issue.

 

[Zzyzx]

Savage Progressions Archive
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/sp

 

[frankthedm]

However, these feats should be "bear" feats, as in the player's choices for these feats should be limited to those listed for a brown bear (Endurance, Run, Track).

Feats listed in a monsters entry are the typical ones its species has. Only bonus feats are set in stone. Even an normal bear might have different feats. Neither players or DMs need to stick with the sub-par feat selections of the monster manual when so many better splat feats are available.

Feats
The line gives the creature’s feats. A monster gains feats just as a character does. Sometimes a creature has one or more bonus feats, marked with a superscript B (B). Creatures often do not have the prerequisites for a bonus feat. If this is so, the creature can still use the feat. If you wish to customize the creature with new feats, you can reassign its other feats, but not its bonus feats. A creature cannot have a feat that is not a bonus feat unless it has the feat’s prerequisites.

 

[frankthedm]

Advice? Clarifications?

Now you know that is a 11th level character right?

1 ECL from goliath race
6 HD from brown bear
2 ECL from infected lycantrope
2 Character levels

A black bear lycantrope would only be an 8th level character, but that requires you the DM to aprove there being blackbear lycantropes, rather than the iconic brown bear lycantrope.

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

Feats listed in a monsters entry are the typical ones its species has. Only bonus feats are set in stone. Even an normal bear might have different feats. Neither players or DMs need to stick with the sub-par feat selections of the monster manual when so many better splat feats are available.

Feats
The line gives the creature’s feats. A monster gains feats just as a character does. Sometimes a creature has one or more bonus feats, marked with a superscript B (B). Creatures often do not have the prerequisites for a bonus feat. If this is so, the creature can still use the feat. If you wish to customize the creature with new feats, you can reassign its other feats, but not its bonus feats. A creature cannot have a feat that is not a bonus feat unless it has the feat’s prerequisites.

I tend to come at these kind of scenarios from a DM's perspective (I DM pretty much exclusively). If I were this player's DM, I'd allow a little more leeway in feat selection for a natural lycanthrope than I would an afflicted. An afflicted lycanthrope spends a variable period of time unaware of its affliction, with its animal side taking over (rendering it an NPC) during the full moon. As such, things like feats and skills tend to be heavily influenced by the animal side's instincts.

From a pure PC optimization stand point...yeah, you could go for whatever feats you want. I'd still check with the DM though.