Special Conversion Thread: Lycanthropes and their ilk

Cleon

Legend
We can also tackle the Loup Du Noir from MCA1 and the Greater Wererat from Dungeon.

That said, I'd rather finish off the Dragon Mag ones first. How about the Wereleopard?

Suits me.

I'm assuming you mean the Dragon #40 one rather than The Ravenloft Appendix III version, since that's already got officially approved 3E stats.
 

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Cleon

Legend
Shouldn't they translate into the same thing under the standard 3.5 template?

No, they're quite different.

The Ravenloft "true wereleopard" has no shapechanging ability, it always looks like a leopard-human hybrid. They were originally leopard who were cursed into this form. They turn humanoids into "transformed wereleopards" with their lycanthropic bite, who they hunt down and devour, although they may keep a few as slaves (who are usually eaten eventually). They have a special "hamstring" attack that halves the victim's speed.

The Dragon #40 version can use the standard template, though.
 

Shade

Monster Junkie
Wereleopard
No. Appearing 1-2
Armor Class 6
Move 12”
Hit Dice 4+2
% in Lair 5%
Treasure Type C, Q×5
No. of Attacks 3 (5)
Damage/Attack 1-6/1-3/1-3
Special Attacks 1-4/1-4 rake, surprise leap
Intelligence Very
Alignment Neutral
Size M

Wereleopard. A solitary hunter found in jungles, near a particular village or two, it can surprise its prey on a 1-3 and leap up to 15’ from a crouch. It is the least powerful of the werecats.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #40 (1980).
 

freyar

Extradimensional Explorer
You mean they're not really wereleopards but are just called that? ;)

As for the Dragon version, I don't see anything unusual. I'm guessing the leap was possessed by regular leopards in 1e also.
 


freyar

Extradimensional Explorer
Let's see. The SRD badger has

"The badger is a furry animal with a squat, powerful body. Its strong forelimbs are armed with long claws for digging."

I guess that's flavor. Dire Badger definitely only has flavor.

How about this? "This is an unusually stocky gnome with wide shoulders and powerful arms." Or something based on that that Cleon will improve. ;)
 

Cleon

Legend
While transferring the werebadgers to Homebrews, I noticed we never game them descriptive text. We did give the wereweasel a description.

I just got fed up writing "a furry with a bestial head". What do you want? :mad:

An anthropomorphic badger.

A creature half-man, half-badger but all-gnome.

It's a badgerman with a badger head on a humanoid body. What do you think a werebadger looks like.


:p

I suppose you could stick in the following:

A stocky, furry humanoid with the striped head of a badger.
 

Cleon

Legend
You mean they're not really wereleopards but are just called that? ;)

Basically, yes.

They're more like a leopard version of a wolfwere, except they don't even shapechange.

As for the Dragon version, I don't see anything unusual. I'm guessing the leap was possessed by regular leopards in 1e also.

Yup, the 1977 Monster Manual has "Leopards can spring 20’ upwards or ahead 25’."

Anyhow, I'll start a Working Draft for the "regular" Wereleopard, and we can worry about the Ravenloft version later.
 

Cleon

Legend
Wereleopard Working Draft

Wereleopard

Wereleopard, Human Form
Medium Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 plus 3d8+9 (28 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+3 studded leather armor, +2 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+4
Attack: Spear +4 melee (1d8+1/×3) or spear +3 ranged (1d8+1/×3)
Full Attack: Spear +4 melee (1d8+1/×3) or spear +3 ranged (1d8+1/×3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities: Alternate form, leopard empathy, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +3
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Balance +0, Climb +1, Handle Animal +3, Hide +1, Jump +1, Listen +6, Move Silently +1, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Iron Will (B), Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Warm forests
Organization: Solitary or family (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3

Wereleopard, Leopard Form
Medium Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 plus 3d8+9 (28 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 17 (+4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+7
Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d6+4)
Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d6+4) and 2 claws +2 melee (1d3+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Curse of lycanthropy, improved grab, pounce, rake 1d3+2
Special Qualities: Alternate form, leopard empathy, damage reduction 10/silver, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +3
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 19, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Balance +12, Climb +12, Handle Animal +3, Hide +9*, Jump +16, Listen +6, Move Silently +9, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Iron Will (B), Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Warm forests
Organization: Solitary or family (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3

Wereleopard, Hybrid Form
Medium Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 plus 3d8+9 (28 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (+4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+7
Attack: Spear +7 melee (1d8+6/×3); or claw +7 melee (1d4+4); or spear +7 ranged (1d8+4/×3)
Full Attack: Spear +7 melee (1d8+6/×3) and bite +2 melee (1d6+2); or 2 claws +7 melee (1d4+4) and bite +2 melee (1d6+2); or spear +7 ranged (1d8+4/×3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Curse of lycanthropy
Special Qualities: Alternate form, leopard empathy, damage reduction 10/silver, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +3
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 19, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Balance +12, Climb +12, Handle Animal +3, Hide +9*, Jump +12, Listen +6, Move Silently +9, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Iron Will (B), Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Warm forests
Organization: Solitary or family (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3

An athletic, muscular humanoid with the head, claws and tail of a great cat. The creature's skin is hidden by lush fur, creamy white on its belly, golden with black spots elsewhere.

The wereleopard presented here is a 1st-level human warrior and natural lycanthrope, using the following base ability scores: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8.

COMBAT

A wereleopard will try to ambush opponents, ideally from behind. They mostly use their spears to make ranged attacks, favoring their claws and fangs for melee. Wereleopards are secretive and prefer to kill in leopard form, since witnesses often mistake them for mundane animals. This allows the lycanthrope to hide in human guise when hunters search for the "man-eating leopard". Wereleopards normally only fight in hybrid form when they are confident about leaving no survivors or if their true nature has already been exposed.

Alternate Form (Su): A wereleopard can assume the form of a leopard or a leopard-humanoid hybrid.

Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid or giant hit by a wereleopard’s bite attack in animal or hybrid form must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or contract lycanthropy.

Leopard Empathy (Ex): Communicate with leopards, and +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based checks against leopards.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a wereleopard in leopard form must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can rake.

Pounce (Ex): If a wereleopard in leopard form charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +7 melee, damage 1d3+2.

Skills: In leopard or hybrid form, wereleopards have a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb and Jump checks and a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks. It can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.

*In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus of a wereleopard in leopard or hybrid form improves to +8.
 
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