lycanthrope ECL?

[Caliban]

This is a useful thread. One of my party members has just become infected, and I (as the DM) have a couple of questions for you:

1. What benefits does the character get when in human form? (ie. DR 15/Silver, natural AC bonus, etc).

His type changes to "Shapechanger", he get's +2 natural armor, +4 on Spot, Listen, and Search, and +2 on Will and Fort saves. He doesn't get anything else unless he changes.

2. In the (fairly likely) event that the rest of the party decides to kill him and he has to change in self defence, will he still be able to cast his spells in hybrid form? (Invisible, hasted werewolf, ugh!)

Yup. He just won't be able to cast in the animal form, unless it's a silent and still spell.

 

[0-hr]

I believe that you can use the Lyncantropic Empathy in humanoid form as well.

 

[Voadam]

There is another benefit if the character is low level and the animal has a bunch of HD.

from the srd:

Hit Dice: Same as the character or animal, whichever produces the higher hit point total. If the lycanthrope’s number of Hit Dice is important, as with a sleep spell, use the character’s or animal’s number of Hit Dice, whichever is greater.

 

[Voadam]

This is a useful thread. One of my party members has just become infected, and I (as the DM) have a couple of questions for you:

1. What benefits does the character get when in human form? (ie. DR 15/Silver, natural AC bonus, etc).

2. In the (fairly likely) event that the rest of the party decides to kill him and he has to change in self defence, will he still be able to cast his spells in hybrid form? (Invisible, hasted werewolf, ugh!)

from the srd:

Wererats, weretigers, and werewolves also can assume a bipedal hybrid form with prehensile hands and animalistic features.

Since the head is wolf they can not speak or use verbal components.

Since the hands are prehensile they can use somatic components.

 

[Voadam]

Caliban

Do you have a rule reference that alignment change means a character is now an npc? Is that how you run helms of opposite alignment? I thought alignment change = npc was only a rule in previous editions but I haven't scoured the DMG looking.

I think it would be more fun as a curse the character must RP as opposed to taking away the character entirely. Of course I do allow evil PCs and continuing to play after being turned undead in my game as well.

 

[Caliber]

Remember an Afflicted is unable to use his Hybrid form unless he fully accepts the Curse. Otherwise he is limited to the animal form (and he cannot change to it willingly anyway.)

While I do allow Evil PCs, I would likely make any character who is Afflicted and chooses to accept his curse into a NPC, and heres why.

First of all, if a character is Afflicted and decides to utilize the Curse to his betterment, he is gaining a number of powers for no ECL investment. He'll have to spend Skill Points to use it effectively, but its not enough of an investment.

Secondly, even if he doesn't even change his alingment (ie, he already was Chaotic Evil or some such) the new Lycanthrope Alingment is more bestial and animalistic.

 

[Caliban]

Caliban

Do you have a rule reference that alignment change means a character is now an npc? Is that how you run helms of opposite alignment? I thought alignment change = npc was only a rule in previous editions but I haven't scoured the DMG looking.

I think it would be more fun as a curse the character must RP as opposed to taking away the character entirely. Of course I do allow evil PCs and continuing to play after being turned undead in my game as well.

From what I have read here, it sounds as if you aren't treating it as a curse at all. Just a temporary inconvenience for the PC, until they spend enough skill points to reliably control it. That's not a curse, that's the definition munchkin gaming.

I don't allow evil PC's in my game. Therefore, if you're PC turns evil, he is an NPC. If I trust the player, I will allow him to keep running it without telling the other Players (assuming they aren't already aware of his change), but I will reserve the right to step in at any time if I don't believe he is truly roleplaying the alignment change.

Once the other PC's find out, the "Evil" PC is generally either captured and cured (if possible), or escapes and then becomes a true NPC. The player of that PC creates a new character and the PC's have a new villain to contend with down the line.

As I've said before, I'm not absolutely opposed to a lycanthropic character, but it should either be a natural lycanthrope, or it should require a lengthy process of the PC gaining control of the curse, without ever giving in.


Thus, a prestige class with levels equal to the ECL of the were-form, that gives them more control over their curse until they master it in the final level. This puts them on par with a natural Lycanthrope who had to take an ECL adjustment. This would still have grave consequences for the character, as they would have to pay the price every time they lose control and kill an innocent. It's very possible that they would be killed or hunted as a murderer, unless their companions are very watchful and very lucky.

 

[kreynolds]

Remember an Afflicted is unable to use his Hybrid form unless he fully accepts the Curse.

Where does it state this? I can't find this limitation.

Otherwise he is limited to the animal form (and he cannot change to it willingly anyway.)

Actually, an afflicted lycanthrope can indeed willingly change into either animal or hybrid form, but their alignment is permanently changed. This is described in the Control Shape sidebar on page 218 of the MM.

I might be reading the wrong section though. If so, let me know.

 

[Caliber]

You are exactly right Kreynolds.

When I said Accept the Curse, I meant take the permenant alignment change and risk becoming an NPC (DMs will vary)

If a character still Fights the Curse (ie, doesn't take the alignment hit) then they can only resist changing to animal form and attempt to change back into human form. Hybrid form is off limits, and even using animal form advatageously.

 

[0-hr]

Where does it state this? I can't find this limitation.

Heh, I typed up the exact same thing. Then I read the MM again and found it. Though I suspect that they meant "hybrid or animal" where they say "animal", the literal text does support the "animal only" view, at least in some of the text.
MM pg.219

...must succeed at a Control Shape check to resists changing into animal form...

pg.218

The afflicted character must make a check at moonrise each night of the full moon to resists resists involuntarily assuming animal form

but there are also the following:

pg.218 An involuntary change to animal or hybrid form ruins the character's armor.
...
the character becomes aware of the affliction and can now voluntarily attempt to change to animal or hybrid form
...
on a failed check to return to humanoid form, the character must remain
animal or hybrid form until the next dawn

So in one place it says that all involuntary changes result in animal form. But then later it indicates exactly the opposite.
Voluntary change can result in either form though, that much is not contradicted.