Special Conversion Thread: Lycanthropes and their ilk

[Cleon]

Come to think of it, I remember there being AD&D stats for standard cobras in an old Dragon article. Did we ever convert those or are there existing 3E Cobra stats.

Let me check Echohawk's Index…

…okay, we have "Snake, Poisonous, Cobra" in Dragon #237 as one of the seven poisonous snakes in that entry. I vaguely recall we decided they weren't really worth the time considering they'd likely come out pretty close to the SRD Viper.

The Cobra in that entry is a 3 HD Medium-sized animal so would fix my "I don't like a Large hybrid form Werecobra" problem.

So I guess we could convert that AD&D Cobra into 3E and then turn that into a Werecobra.

Oh, hold on - the Index says Dragon 341 has 3.5 stats for a King Cobra. That might do. I'll pull out that issue and check its numbers.

There are also early edition stats for a Spitting Cobra in various sources. That might be worth converting - at least its ranged attack would make it a bit more interesting than a regular snake.

There are also a few cobras in specific campaign worlds - the Black Cobra and White Cobra of Mystara plus the Water Cobra of Nehwon - but from what I remember they're pretty much regular vipers in 3E terms.

 

[Cleon]

Oh, hold on - the Index says Dragon 341 has 3.5 stats for a King Cobra. That might do. I'll pull out that issue and check its numbers.

Said King Cobra is just a Large Viper Snake.

Oh well.

I'm starting to think that making a Werecobra as a standard Lycanthrope Medium Viper is the way to go.

If nothing else if we convert the Cobra in Dragon #237 I'd feel obligated to convert the other five poisonous snakes that we don't have 3E stats for (black mamba, boomslang, bushmaster, fer-de-lance & gaboon).

We've got more interesting creatures to work on!

 

[freyar]

Yeah, the werecobra just sounds like the usual lycanthrope template applied to a viper. I'd be willing to skip that until we're really down at the bottom of the conversion list, though premade lycanthropes are useful given the complexity of that template.

What else is on the lycanthrope list?

 

[Cleon]

Yeah, the werecobra just sounds like the usual lycanthrope template applied to a viper. I'd be willing to skip that until we're really down at the bottom of the conversion list, though premade lycanthropes are useful given the complexity of that template.

What else is on the lycanthrope list?

Ahem.

You're welcome to pick one from the Shapeshifter list:

Catwere, Devil Swine, Weredog, Weredolphin, Weredragon, Weregorilla, Weremako, Weremole, Wereowl, Werespider.

Of the above, the Catwere, Devil Swine, Weredragon, Weregorilla and Werespider are not regular lycanthropes.

The Catwere is a housecat that turns into a panther, the Devil Swine are monstrous humanoids with a charm gaze attack that turn into giant hogs, the Weredragon and Werespider are Dragon and Vermin versions of lycanthropes, and the Weregorilla has a few mechanical additions to a standard Ape lycanthrope - it transforms when in pain rather than moonlight, it has a terrifying roar special attack, and its bite's curse permanently transforms its victims into Dire Apes.

The others are standard lycanthropes except possibly the Wereowl (which might be based on the SRD Giant Owl).

Some of them use base creatures that aren't in the SRD or CC.

Weredog - uses Riding Dog as base creature.
Weredolphin - uses Porpoise as base creature.
Weremako - uses BECMI mako shark [New Monster].
Weremole - uses giant albino mole [New Monster].
Wereowl - uses man-sized snowy owl [either New Monster or SRD Giant Owl?]

EDIT:

So which one do you fancy?

 

[freyar]

Let's start with the catwere. That will be a least a bit of variety for this thread! It's not too similar to an elven cat or a changecat, though, is it? We should make sure it's distinct.

 

[Cleon]

Let's start with the catwere. That will be a least a bit of variety for this thread! It's not too similar to an elven cat or a changecat, though, is it? We should make sure it's distinct.

Sorry, I was misremembering.

The catwere is a housecat that turns into a human, but its humanoid form can make claw/claw/bite attacks and run & climb as quick as a cat. Furthermore, its natural predatory nature means its likely to hunt & eat people (including a catlike habit of "playing" with their victim).

Anyhow, I'll post the original stats:

 

[Cleon]

Catwere Original Stats

MEEKA
Meeka is an unusual creature, for she is not a human who has been infected with lycanthropy. Rather, she was born a common house cat and contracted lycanthropy from a werebeast in its animal aspect. Shortly afterwards, this quiet, black cat developed the ability to change shapes, assuming the form of a beautiful, raven-haired woman. Although Meeka is not an evil creature, her natural predatory nature has made her into a deadly enemy.

Meeka
Pathological Catwere, Neutral

Armor Class Movement Level/Hit Dice Hit Points THAC0 Morale	5 18, Climb 9 5 30 15 Average (10)	Str Dex Con Int Wis Cha	1 or 14 15 1 or 14 12 13 17
No. of Attacks	3
Damage/Attack	1d2/1d2/1d2 (2 claws/1 bite)
Special.Attacks	Surprise, rear claw rake (1d2/1d2)
Special.Defenses	Surprised only on a 1 or 2, hit only by silver and +1 or better magical weapons
Magic.Resistance	Nil

Appearance
In her normal form, Meeka appears as a slender cat with a glossy coat of short hair the color of midnight. Her eyes are emerald green, ringed by a flickering halo of gold. A series of scars runs down her right flank, reminders of the wound that made her what she is today. Although mostly hidden by her fur, these blemishes are still visible as defects in an otherwise perfect coat of black.

Meeka is as graceful and elegant in her human aspect as in her feline one. Her delicate body stands just an inch or so over five feet, but it is supple and well proportioned. Although her eyes are those of a human woman, they retain a cat’s green color. Her skin is dark and her features almost oriental. All in all, her unusual heritage gives her an exotic look that most men find alluring.

Combat
Basically, Meeka was grievously injured by a werepanther and then:

For several days, Meeka was on the verge of death. When she finally began to recover, she went back to her feline ways, unaware of the changes that were taking place inside her. As the wounds faded to scars, the dread disease spread throughout her body.

Two weeks later, when the moon grew bloated and amber in the sky above Valachan, Meeka underwent a transformation. No longer did she move about on four legs, slipping quietly from shadow to shadow as she hunted. For the next three days, she had the form of a human woman. Only the scars on her side remained to remind her of what she truly was.

Along with this change came a great increase in her mental faculties. Meeka was now as clever as any human. Her natural hunting instincts, however, had not changed. Within hours after her transformation, she made her first kill in human form.

In time, Meeka learned to be careful in her dealings with the human race. She soon learned some of their languages and customs, enabling her to move about in their society. She grew more careful in making her kills, aware that a trail of bloody bodies could lead to her doom.

Meeka also learned the nature of the rhythms that now control her life. Most of the time, she would remain in her feline aspect. But during the three nights of the full moon, she would become human from the moment the moon rose until the instant its last rays vanished.

Combat
Meeka is really only a dangerous enemy in her human form. As a cat, she shies away from human contact. In either of her aspects, Meeka is immune to damage by any weapon not made of silver or endowed with at least a +1 magical enchantment. She is also able to move with great agility and in almost total silence, imposing a –3 penalty on the surprise rolls of her victims. Her own keen senses make it possible to surprise Meeka only on a roll of 1 or 2.

Cat Aspect
While most cats have only a single Hit Die, Meeka’s intelligence and unusual physiology give her 5 HD. In her cat form, Meeka attacks with her front claws and keen teeth. Each of these attacks inflicts 1d2 points of damage. If both front-claw attacks find their mark, Meeka can then rake with her rear claws. Each successful attack with these inflicts an additional 1d2 points of damage.

In cat form, Meeka is able to climb trees and other such surfaces at half her normal movement rate. She does so to escape from danger or to set up an ambush.

Human Aspect
When in human shape, Meeka is a far more dangerous creature. The long fingernails, which appear at first glance to be the mark of a pampered woman, are actually deadly claws. In any given round, Meeka can attack twice with them, inflicting 1d4 points of damage with each blow that lands. She can follow up these attacks with a dangerous bite that inflicts an additional 1d4 points of damage.

Meeka never makes use of weapons. She is a natural hunter, and the use of knives, daggers, and the like is foreign to her. She is still very agile in her human form, having a movement rate of 18. While not as quick a climber in this aspect, she can scale sheer surfaces like trees at one third her normal movement rate.

 

[freyar]

Too bad it's a basically standard therianthrope!

We've got ability scores (more or less) and 5HD. I'd bump her Con up to 14 in both forms (since SRD cats have Con 10 anyway), and I'd boost the cat form's Str at least to the SRD cat's Str 3, as well.

 

[Cleon]

Too bad it's a basically standard therianthrope!

We've got ability scores (more or less) and 5HD. I'd bump her Con up to 14 in both forms (since SRD cats have Con 10 anyway), and I'd boost the cat form's Str at least to the SRD cat's Str 3, as well.

Some of the physical stats seem a tad low.

The SRD leopard seems an appropriate baseline and it has Str 16, Dex 19, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6.

Come to think of it, Leopards also have AC 15, the 3E equivalent of Meeka's AC 5.

 

[freyar]

Meeka is a lot smaller than a leopard, though, right? House cat size, I mean. I could see with going to Str 8, I guess, which is what a Tiny leopard would have. I can go with the higher Dex and Con 14 in all forms. AC 15 is ok, too.