Special Conversion Thread: Lycanthropes and their ilk

[Cleon]

Thanks for the nudge. I originally excluded the creatures in CotN: Werebeasts from the index because they are all unique creatures rather than generic lycanthropes, but I've make a note to add them in the next index update.

Will you be doing CotN: The Created too?

 

[Echohawk]

Will you be doing CotN: The Created too?

Yeah, I've added the thirteen unique creatures from each of the four CotNs into the index (but not all of the other NPCs from those books).

 

[Cleon]

Yeah, I've added the thirteen unique creatures from each of the four CotNs into the index (but not all of the other NPCs from those books).

Just out of curiosity, what did you do with the "Wererat Crewman" in Captain Sang's entry. While the Cap'n is just a standard wererat, his followers have different stats - their numbers are the same as a standard AD&D giant rat.

I thought about adding them to the Lycanthrope conversion list, but I didn't see much point. We've got enough Wererats already!

 

[Echohawk]

I didn't notice that the crewman were different when I looked over De Sang's entry, but I agree they are different from normal wererats. I think I'm going to index "wererat crewman" as a variation of a normal wererat.

 

[freyar]

Too many wererats! Arggghhh!!!! Thank goodness whoever was so fond of spider-beasts never got into lycanthropes as well...

Cleon, I'm ok with extending DR to humanoid form. For summoning, what about a variant of this from the vampire?

Children of the Night (Su): Vampires command the lesser creatures of the world and once per day can call forth 1d6+1 rat swarms, 1d4+1 bat swarms, or a pack of 3d6 wolves as a standard action. (If the base creature is not terrestrial, this power might summon other creatures of similar power.) These creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the vampire for up to 1 hour.

 

[Cleon]

I didn't notice that the crewman were different when I looked over De Sang's entry, but I agree they are different from normal wererats. I think I'm going to index "wererat crewman" as a variation of a normal wererat.

Sounds reasonable.

 

[Cleon]

Too many wererats! Arggghhh!!!! Thank goodness whoever was so fond of spider-beasts never got into lycanthropes as well...

No, it's a crying shame we don't have multiple different versions of the werespider.

Cleon, I'm ok with extending DR to humanoid form. For summoning, what about a variant of this from the vampire?

Yes, I was thinking along those lines. The original 1977 Basic Set says wererats summon rats "as a vampire". Here's some comparisons of various BECMI wererats' summoning abilities:

PC4 Night Howlers (1992)Special Ability VII: Can summon 1d2 giant rats (or 10d2 normal rats). Rats arrive in 1d4 rounds if in the immediate vicinity; otherwise 1d4 turns. At 2nd-level, the wererat can summon 1d4 giant rats (10d4 normal rats); at 4th level 1d6 (or 10d6); at 6th level 1d8 (or 10d8); and at 8th level 1d10 (or 10d10). Every 4 levels thereafter, add 1d10 (or 10d10).

Dungeon #14 The Wererats of Relfren (1988)
Wererats and greater wererats can summon and control 1-2 rats or giant rats each, with summoned creatures arriving in 1-4 rounds to obey all commands.

D&D Basic Set (1977)
can summon 10 to 100 rats as a vampire.
​

So how about:

Summon Rats (Su): Once per day a ratwere can call forth 1 rat swarm or a pack of 1d6+1 dire rats as a standard action. These creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the ratwere for up to 1 hour.

Incidentally, in some versions of BECMI more powerful wererats can summon and control lesser wererats. We can give that power to the Wererat Lord we're converting later.

 

[freyar]

So does this mean we need to do a wererat crewman later, or as an underbar or something?

Your version of Summon Rats looks great! I'll agree to adding ratwere/wererat summoning to the lord when we get there.

 

[Cleon]

So does this mean we need to do a wererat crewman later, or as an underbar or something?

I'd be OK leaving the Wererat Crewman in the "too trivial to bother with" pile.

They're not Ratweres, but human pirates who have been cursed to turn into giant rats (with DR/silver) when they leave their ship.

In 3E terms, I'd simply use the SRD Wererat stats for them and say they apply the "Wererat, Human Form" on their ship and "Wererat, Dire Rat Form" when disembarked. They don't have a hybrid form.

Your version of Summon Rats looks great! I'll agree to adding ratwere/wererat summoning to the lord when we get there.

Updating the Ratwere Working Draft.

 

[Cleon]

Updating the Ratwere Working Draft.

OK then, that really only leaves the "Ratwere Plague" SA.

I'm in favour of sticking true to the "transforms humans and giant rats, kills normal rats and demi-humans" of the original, since (a) it helps distinguish it from SRD wererats and (b) it's nasty.