Epic question ;) epic PC is infected by lycanthropy ...

[Sunseeker]

Honestly, don't give her all of this.

What really makes a weretiger?

In normal form?

Nothing. Maybe animal empathy but, at this level, who cares? Just give it to the PC as a freebie. It's not going to change the game.

In animal or hybrid form:

Natural armour bonus, bite attack and damage reduction.

At this level, and considering how sub-optimal this PC is, I'd give it to her for the cost of a single level prestige class.

For a second level? Pounce is just the equivalent of an epic-level feat from the ELH and rake is just another sub-optimal natural attack. Fine, throw those in as well.

For a third level? Maybe half those ability score bonuses but only in animal form. Hybrid form doesn't cut it.

Frankly, if my player picks up some sort of template outside of their own volition, They gain all the benefits/drawbacks of that template with no adjustment. They didn't want it, why should they be penalized for it? Likewise at high level, most templates are pretty meaningless statistically anyway. What's a couple +2's and a cool were-form really going to bring you vis-a-vis a CoD at that level? Nothing that's what.

 

[Halivar]

What's a couple +2's and a cool were-form really going to bring you vis-a-vis a CoD at that level? Nothing that's what.

I'm sympathetic to this idea, except you do also get the extra HD, and feats commensurate with that.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

Frankly, if my player picks up some sort of template outside of their own volition, They gain all the benefits/drawbacks of that template with no adjustment. They didn't want it, why should they be penalized for it? Likewise at high level, most templates are pretty meaningless statistically anyway. What's a couple +2's and a cool were-form really going to bring you vis-a-vis a CoD at that level? Nothing that's what.

Frankly, I agree with you. My initial response was more of a milksop than what I truly thought: it's a monk. Monks suck (especially at epic levels). Give the monk as many templates as are required to stop it from sucking. A few extra hit dice and various bonuses? That's reducing the suck, not boosting the awesome.

 

[Dark Dragon]

Frankly, if my player picks up some sort of template outside of their own volition, They gain all the benefits/drawbacks of that template with no adjustment. They didn't want it, why should they be penalized for it? Likewise at high level, most templates are pretty meaningless statistically anyway. What's a couple +2's and a cool were-form really going to bring you vis-a-vis a CoD at that level? Nothing that's what.

Hmm, I consider this somewhat fair as well IF the PC gets a template by force (i.e., without wanting it), but it is different if the PC just seizes the opportunity to get buffed with a cool template (i.e., a voluntarily acquired template). This is the case in my group with the mnk/ftr/drd.

To keep things somewhat balanced (and to refrain the other players of trying to get infected with cool templates as well), that weretiger PC will get a +X LA, with the 'X' still needs to be determined.

Some info about the party: the group is epic with levels 24 to 25, but it is far away from being optimized:

human LN mnk 12/ftr 4/drd 8 (Selune)
human LG clr 14/mnk 7/pious templar 4 (Ilmater)
human CN ftr 25, specialized in fighting with greatswords, and uses a +4 shocking greatsword
elf CN rog 2/warmage 6/daggerspell mage 8/favoured soul 8 (Rillifane)
human LN mnk 2/wiz 11/enlightened fist 10/dragon disciple 2 (Azuth)
brass dragon (CG, very young, 10 HD) brd 4/spellfire channeler 6 (ECL 24)

That's why I'm hesitating to give the weretiger template without any or a too low LA. In fact, the mnk/ftr/drd is nearly as good as the ftr, because she is more versatile in overcoming DRs, more attacks per round, grappling options, and her Amulet of Mighty Fists +6 (making her unarmed strike an epic weapon). She and the ftr make up the frontline in combat, and if buffed by the wizard and cleric, they dish out a good amount of damage.

Further, it is a Faerûnian campaign with low amounts of magic items, including epic stuff. So far, the party has only three offensive epic weapons: the Amulet of Mighty Fists, very recently they got two +6 longswords (soul binding) from two defeated Hoary Hunters, and the cleric is attuned to the Timepiece of Klorr (an evil artefact that is slowly poisoning his mind, but offers some nice offensive and defensive powers). A few stat buff items exist in the group, but they are +2 or +4 only. Every party member got three [Draconic] feats as bonus feats during the campaign so far.

 

[Halivar]

If the player acquired the template voluntarily, then I would definitely require him to advance the weretiger prestige class. Otherwise this is total player cheese, and likely to rob fun from the other people at the table as they watch their weretiger monk friend (throw in VoP and you have a completely [albeit awesomely] broken build) kill everything without any help from the rest of the party.

A steady leveled progression is a balanced approach that will prevent this game from escaping you into the realms of monty haul.

 

[Sunseeker]

I'm sympathetic to this idea, except you do also get the extra HD, and feats commensurate with that.

The HD improvement and feats remain insignificant in comparison to normal class features by 20th+ level. When you're rocking 150 HP at minimum, bumping that up to 200(d10 x20) or 240 (d12x20) is not going to significantly alter your gameplay against foes who deal 20d6 or "half health" damage on a regular basis. And you gain what, 2 feats? If you don't have your choice feats by 20th level, it's unlikely that an extra 2 are going to seriously make any difference. Few builds are so feat heavy that they need 12 feats to be awesome. Classes that require that many feats to get good are classes that are using feats to merely make up for initial suck.

Hmm, I consider this somewhat fair as well IF the PC gets a template by force (i.e., without wanting it), but it is different if the PC just seizes the opportunity to get buffed with a cool template (i.e., a voluntarily acquired template). This is the case in my group with the mnk/ftr/drd.

To keep things somewhat balanced (and to refrain the other players of trying to get infected with cool templates as well), that weretiger PC will get a +X LA, with the 'X' still needs to be determined.

Oh I certainly agree. If your player WANTS to get some template, outside of giving all your players equivalent benefits, or at least ones they feel are equivilent (by this I mean: Bob gets to be a weretiger, and Jimmy gets wings, or extra arms. These are not equal benefits, but Bob and Jimmy may feel that they have each been awarded fairly, regardless of power).

Some info about the party: the group is epic with levels 24 to 25, but it is far away from being optimized:

human LN mnk 12/ftr 4/drd 8 (Selune)
human LG clr 14/mnk 7/pious templar 4 (Ilmater)
human CN ftr 25, specialized in fighting with greatswords, and uses a +4 shocking greatsword
elf CN rog 2/warmage 6/daggerspell mage 8/favoured soul 8 (Rillifane)
human LN mnk 2/wiz 11/enlightened fist 10/dragon disciple 2 (Azuth)
brass dragon (CG, very young, 10 HD) brd 4/spellfire channeler 6 (ECL 24)

That's why I'm hesitating to give the weretiger template without any or a too low LA. In fact, the mnk/ftr/drd is nearly as good as the ftr, because she is more versatile in overcoming DRs, more attacks per round, grappling options, and her Amulet of Mighty Fists +6 (making her unarmed strike an epic weapon). She and the ftr make up the frontline in combat, and if buffed by the wizard and cleric, they dish out a good amount of damage.

Personally, I would favor a +2 LA. It's pretty standard for mid-range templates.

Further, it is a Faerûnian campaign with low amounts of magic items, including epic stuff. So far, the party has only three offensive epic weapons: the Amulet of Mighty Fists, very recently they got two +6 longswords (soul binding) from two defeated Hoary Hunters, and the cleric is attuned to the Timepiece of Klorr (an evil artefact that is slowly poisoning his mind, but offers some nice offensive and defensive powers). A few stat buff items exist in the group, but they are +2 or +4 only. Every party member got three [Draconic] feats as bonus feats during the campaign so far.

I was always under the impression Faerun was fairly high-magic, but I admit to never really playing the setting. But I think +2 would be fair.

Otherwise you could always give it to him for free, and plan some equivalent bennies for the rest of the party down the road. That's what I do since usually a couple of players will start drooling over some sort of template or some other goodie. I take players aside, ask them if there are any sorts of "special" things they'd like to get based on their background/class/character and find ways to work in achieving those things.

EX: My cleric wanted wings. So I devised a sunken cathedral in some forsaken swamp for the party to go devling in where she would be tested by her god, if she succeeded, she got beautiful angelic wings. If she failed, she got black, devil-looking wings(she didn't know this last part mind you).