Special Conversion Thread: Lycanthropes and their ilk

[Cleon]

Looks great. Once Shade gets it into homebrews, we can move on.

The only remaining werebeasts in the article are the Werebadger, Werejaguar and Wereleopard, which I believe are already covered.

Unless the extant versions are wildly different, of course.

 

[Cleon]

I've just noticed that Echohawk's Monster Index doesn't include any of the Werecreatures from Dragon #40 listed.

Also, I've found another unconverted lycanthrope from a Dragon magazine, the Werejaguar from the Mechica adventure in issue #70.

The Mechican Werejaguars are all Jaguar Priest clerics of Tezcatlipoca, with spellcasting ability in human or hybrid form, and use non-standard shapechanging.

 

[Cleon]

Would it be worth the trouble changing the Weresheep so it uses slams and gores like the werebison? I'd rather keep the bite attack (including its lycanthropy vector) as the Enworld Giant Sheep conversion has a bite attack.

e.g.:

Sheep Form
Attack/Full Attack: Gore +10 melee (1d8+9); or bite +9 melee (1d8+6)

Hybrid Form
Attack: Gore +10 melee (1d8+9); or slam +9 melee (1d6+6); or quarterstaff +9 melee (1d6+9)
Full Attack: Slam +9 melee (1d6+6) and quarterstaff +4 melee (1d6+3) and bite +4 melee (1d8+3); or 2 slams +9 melee (1d6+6) and bite +4 melee (1d8+3); or sling +3 ranged (1d6+6)

Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid or giant hit by a weresheep’s bite attack in animal or hybrid form must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or contract lycanthropy.

 

[freyar]

You seem to have lost the gore in the full attack line for the sheep. Not sure I want 3 different natural attacks, though. Could we give it two primaries (gore and bite) and drop the slams?

 

[GrayLinnorm]

You've probably heard that 5th edition is a go. Hopefully they'll handle lycanthropes like they did in 1/2e.

 

[freyar]

You've probably heard that 5th edition is a go. Hopefully they'll handle lycanthropes like they did in 1/2e.

Indeed. I wonder if we'll finish our work here before it's launched; sounds like they're opening playtests very early in the design cycle.

 

[Cleon]

You seem to have lost the gore in the full attack line for the sheep. Not sure I want 3 different natural attacks, though. Could we give it two primaries (gore and bite) and drop the slams?

Like this you mean?

Full Attack: Quarterstaff +4 melee (1d6+9) and bite +4 melee (1d8+3); or Gore +10 melee (1d6+9) and bite +4 melee (1d8+3); or sling +3 ranged (1d6+6)

Hmm, I'm undecided at the moment. While I can see advantages to the above I quite like the slams/claws.

I'll think about it.

 

[Cleon]

You've probably heard that 5th edition is a go. Hopefully they'll handle lycanthropes like they did in 1/2e.

My understanding was there weren't going to be that many changes from 4E, but I freely admit I haven't been keeping track of developments.

 

[freyar]

Like this you mean?

Full Attack: Quarterstaff +4 melee (1d6+9) and bite +4 melee (1d8+3); or Gore +10 melee (1d6+9) and bite +4 melee (1d8+3); or sling +3 ranged (1d6+6)

Hmm, I'm undecided at the moment. While I can see advantages to the above I quite like the slams/claws.

I'll think about it.

It's mostly just about not giving it too many natural attacks vs other lycanthropes.

My understanding was there weren't going to be that many changes from 4E, but I freely admit I haven't been keeping track of developments.

Well, they're talking about trying to bring back players of all editions, but it's not clear yet what that functionally means. It's still extremely early.

 

[Cleon]

It's mostly just about not giving it too many natural attacks vs other lycanthropes.

So would you like the "Quarterstaff +4 melee (1d6+9) and bite +4 melee (1d8+3); or Gore +10 melee (1d6+9) and bite +4 melee (1d8+3)" version in the Weresheep working draft?

Well, they're talking about trying to bring back players of all editions, but it's not clear yet what that functionally means. It's still extremely early.

Yes, I've just spend a few evening reading through the rpg.net forums to try to get some idea what's going on with the new edition. My conclusion was none of them knew, but it didn't stop them speculating!

While "one edition that pleases fans of all previous editions" is a laudable goal, I fear it's something that's awfully difficult to realize.