Wererat bard

[MadLuke]

Hi guys,
just occasionally I wrote on this forum, and this is right one of those times. I am in deep existential crisis: female 8th bard, NE, heavily oriented to social skills (Diplomacy and Bluff), magic (Shadow Weave Magic), a little to thievery (stealth, sleight of hand and so on) and completely unable at combat.

Current situation: I got wererat licanthropy affliction and tonight (in game) is my first sull moon night. But I have a Break Enchantment scroll also, and even if I continually thought about it since last month (real), still I'm not able to take a decision about use the scroll or not.

Let's make it clear: licanthropy (rat especially) would be great to improve my thievery skills and make me able to get a minimum of combat skills. Bonus to Wisdom, DR and other stuff aren't bad, but I'm afraid this could:
1) make my life harder both on three nights a month (or even just due to harm) since unable to really control shapechanging, so unable to cast spell until the next day
2) distract me from my magic path since LEP +1 and 1 monstruos HD will make my character level raise by two, and at 10th gain new level (bard/caster level) is harder than at 8th, of course.

In the end: I'm not able to predict if this affliction is a real affliction or not for me. if I was a thief or fighter it absolutely would be considered as a bless, if I was a mage absolutely not, but the bard... So a mix of both of them..!

Opinions?

Hi, MadLuke.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I would recommend using the scroll. Character development is more fun if it's not forced, IMO.

 

[Greenfield]

Hmm. Generally, losing control of your PC for x days a game month is a bad thing. That part really depends on your DM, and how he/she wants to play it.

There is a skill listed in the MM to control shape shifting, but that will take up your available skills for several levels before it's worth anything.

Some play that, while you get the levels (and ECL adjustment), you don't get the Exp that goes with it. That is, to get your next level it's not just the 8000 exp for 8th to 9th v the 10000 exp for 10th to 11th. It's the 8000 + 9000 + 10000 needed to go from 8th to 11th.

That could effectively drive your character development to a halt.

And you get no Bardic development to speak of for any of that. You're just paying off for levels you didn't really want.

So I'd go ahead and shed that affliction. You can boost the stealth/thieving skills with the actual levels at least as well as you can with the template bumps.

 

[Empirate]

Does your character know she's afflicted? Does she know the scroll can cure her? What would she do? Would she allow herself to explore a more... bestial side to her character, including loss of control on the nights of the full moon, or would she abhor becoming a half-beast, half-human rodent-like?

Those are really the only questions I find important in your case.

 

[MadLuke]

Does your character know she's afflicted? Does she know the scroll can cure her? What would she do? Would she allow herself to explore a more... bestial side to her character, including loss of control on the nights of the full moon, or would she abhor becoming a half-beast, half-human rodent-like?

Those are really the only questions I find important in your case.

She knows everything since it hasn't been accidentally afflicted, instead she has been captured, bite, warned, and then she fled.


Now: my character is a very beautiful and seductive woman (Cha 19) and obviously she abhor be a monster, on the other hand, lycanthopes are night creatures and since she's a devoted follower of Shar...


Anyway, thanks for the advice.

 

[Herobizkit]

There is a possibility that your break enchantment might not even work...

The only other way to remove the affliction is to cast remove curse or break enchantment on the character during one of the three days of the full moon. After receiving the spell, the character must succeed on a DC 20 Will save to break the curse (the caster knows if the spell works). If the save fails, the process must be repeated.

There's also a potential involuntary change any time you're damaged in combat and a potential permanent alignment change involved before you get full control of said shape. It won't change you Lawful, though, so there's that. :3

Statistically, it could be more bother than it's worth. But you do get some benefits:

*+2 Wisdom. Physical abilities are increased by the animal form’s ability modifiers when a lycanthrope changes to its hybrid or animal forms.
*Low-light vision in any form.
*Scent in any form.
*+2 natural armor bonus in any form.
*DR 5/silver
*the ability to speak with rats/dire rats and give simple commands.

Overall, though, being a werething opens up so many plot and story possibilities... I'd say go for it, xp be damned. :3

 

[MadLuke]

In the end I decided to follow the Empirate advice, the wisest one, acting only according to my character background. And a woman like my bard won't ever desire to be a rat... A succubus, doppleganger, even a weresnake if exists (symbol of intrigue) or something that kind could be desiderable, not a rat, even if objectively stronger than now.


Thanks to all, bye, MadLuke.

 

[WbtE]

I recommend going with the scroll. The advantages of lycanthrophy are not worth the level adjustment. It's also likely that the social disadvantages are more than you might expect.

Either way, good luck!

 

[MadLuke]

I recommend going with the scroll. The advantages of lycanthrophy are not worth the level adjustment. It's also likely that the social disadvantages are more than you might expect.

Either way, good luck!

Indeed I did. Rolling a perfect 11+9 Will Save to recover from affliction also.