Lycanthropes and Armor

[FireLance]

Two questions:

1. Can a lycanthrope in hybrid form wear armor? All the sample lycanthropes in the MM and the SRD seem to lose their armor in hybrid form.

2. What happens if an afflicted lycanthrope makes an involuntary change into an animal form the same size or smaller than his natural form while wearing armor? I assume the armor is not destroyed, but is the lycanthrope hindered by the armor in any way?

Thanks in advance.

 

[shilsen]

Two questions:

1. Can a lycanthrope in hybrid form wear armor? All the sample lycanthropes in the MM and the SRD seem to lose their armor in hybrid form..

Nope. The form change is apparently variant enough for armor to not be usable.

2. What happens if an afflicted lycanthrope makes an involuntary change into an animal form the same size or smaller than his natural form while wearing armor? I assume the armor is not destroyed, but is the lycanthrope hindered by the armor in any way?

There are no rules for this, so you'd have to come up with something which works for your group.

 

[Voldrath]

By the rules the armor is destroyed.

Moving into house rules territory:

I've ruled that changing into hybrid or animal forms that are smaller than the norm but still the same size catagory (wererat) damages the armor but dosen't out right destroy it. I treat it as half armor bonus and +1 armor check

For animal forms that are a full catagory smaller I leave the armor undamaged but treat them as entangled. They can escape the armor by bursting out (STR) or making an escape artist check 20-30 depending on the armor.

 

[rowport]

By the rules the armor is destroyed.

Voldrath-

Could you point me to the rules citation where this is stated? It is not that I do not trust you, but I do not see this in the Lycanthrope description in the MM. I am specifically wondering about the "destroyed" part.

 

[Wolffenjugend]

There are detailed rules for lycanthropes wearing armour and changing forms in the 2E book, Van Richten's Guide to Lycanthropes (Ravenloft). The werebeast suffers damage if changing into a larger form and wearing armour and there is a chance, IIRC, that the armour is destroyed.

You could use those rules as precedent for creating your own house rules.

 

[Senior Bobo]

From the Changing Form section under lycanthropes

Changing to animal or hybrid form ruins the character’s armor and clothing (including any items worn) if the new form is larger than the character’s natural form.

Emphasis mine.

The armor survives the change if the hybrid form is the same size as the base form or smaller. Personally IMC I allow lycanthrope hybrids to wear any light armor just fine while switching back and forth between the two. I don't see any rules reason why they can't.

During a switch to animal form larger then the base form the armor is either destroyed (if non magical) or has to make a DC15 fortitude resist destruction (if magical as per the SRD).

My house rule for damage (I can't find any in the SRD). Whether the armor is destroyed or not it does it's Armor bonus amount in damage, and if still intact entangles the animal. If the animal is as large or larger then the humanoid I require a strength check or escape artist check (DC 15 + armor bonus) to escape. If the animal is smaller they can escape the armor as a move equivelent action.

 

[rowport]

From the Changing Form section under lycanthropes



Emphasis mine.

The armor survives the change if the hybrid form is the same size as the base form or smaller. Personally IMC I allow lycanthrope hybrids to wear any light armor just fine while switching back and forth between the two. I don't see any rules reason why they can't.

During a switch to animal form larger then the base form the armor is either destroyed (if non magical) or has to make a DC15 fortitude resist destruction (if magical as per the SRD).

My house rule for damage (I can't find any in the SRD). Whether the armor is destroyed or not it does it's Armor bonus amount in damage, and if still intact entangles the animal. If the animal is as large or larger then the humanoid I require a strength check or escape artist check (DC 15 + armor bonus) to escape. If the animal is smaller they can escape the armor as a move equivelent action.

Thanks, Bobo! That was my interpretation as well, but wondered if there might be another Sage ruling that superceded the "larger" rule.

 

[Brekki]

If your base race is the same size or bigger than your lycanthrope part there is no problem, you can wear the armor in hybrid shape.

 

[shilsen]

If your base race is the same size or bigger than your lycanthrope part there is no problem, you can wear the armor in hybrid shape.

But none of the lycanthropes in the MM which meet this criterion do so, even if they were using armor in their normal form. An oversight?

 

[Voldrath]

Emphasis mine.

I reread that passage three times before i saw the 'if'.
Selective blindness perhaps.

Oh. And I just stole your escape DC.