You're welcome to pick one from the
Shapeshifter list:
Catwere, Devil Swine, Weredog, Weredolphin, Weredragon, Weregorilla, Weremako, Weremole, Wereowl, Werespider.
I guess we should also consider whether to both doing an ordinary "Werecobra" using the standard Lycanthrope template on the SRD
Large Viper or maybe stretch the rules and apply it to the CC's magical beast
Giant Cobra conversion?
We've already done a few Magical Beast werecreatures with the Greater Wererats, after all.
The problem I have is that while both produce a Werecobra with the right Hit Dice (namely 4) the template would produce a Large sized Hybrid form, which doesn't seem right.
Here's a Homebrew of a Large Viper Lycanthrope I happen to have lying about. I'm thinking a 2 HD Medium Viper would work better as a base creature.
Wereviper, Human Form
Medium Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 plus 3d8 (18 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+4 chainshirt, +2 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+4
Attack: Rapier +4 melee (1d6+1/18–20) or composite shortbow [+1 Str] +3 ranged (1d6+1/×3)
Full Attack: Rapier +4 melee (1d6+1/18–20) or composite shortbow [+1 Str] +3 ranged (1d6+1/×3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Alternate form, viper 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: X
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Iron Will (B), Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Temperate marshes
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3
Wereviper, Viper Form
Large Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 plus 3d8 (18 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
Armor Class: 17 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+8
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d4+1 plus poison)
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d4+1 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Curse of lycanthropy, poison
Special Qualities: Alternate form, viper empathy, damage reduction 10/silver, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: X
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Iron Will (B), Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Temperate marshes
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3
Wereviper, Hybrid Form
Large Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 plus 3d8 (18 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+8
Attack: Rapier +5 melee (1d8+1/18–20) or claw +5 melee (1d6+1) or composite shortbow [+1 Str] +5 ranged (1d8+1/×3)
Full Attack: Rapier +5 melee (1d8+1/18–20) and claw +0 melee (1d6) and bite +0 melee (1d8); or 2 claws +5 melee (1d6+1) and bite +0 melee (1d8); or composite shortbow [+1 Str] +5 ranged (1d8+1/×3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Curse of lycanthropy
Special Qualities: Alternate form, viper empathy, damage reduction 10/silver, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: X
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Iron Will (B), Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Temperate marshes
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3
The Wereviper 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
Tactics.
Alternate Form (Su): A wereviper can assume the form of a viper or a viper-humanoid hybrid.
Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid or giant hit by a wereviper’s bite attack in animal or hybrid form must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or contract lycanthropy.
Viper Empathy (Ex): Communicate with vipers, and +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based checks against vipers.
Poison (Ex): A wereviper in animal form has a poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Con, Fort DC 12. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Skills: Werevipers have a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks.
A wereviper in animal form can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. Werevipers use either their Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher.
A wereviper in animal form has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
