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the trouble with lycanthropes
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<blockquote data-quote="ValhallaGH" data-source="post: 5727665" data-attributes="member: 41187"><p>That's actually the case - lycanthropes have the same HP in all forms. The quirk is that their ability scores, attack forms, DR, speed, and various special abilities change a lot between the various forms.</p><p>Which actually makes some sense to me. The fluff goal was to give them a mechanical reason to change into their beast or monster forms - better mobility, natural weapons, increased resilience, and more power are all good ways to encourage the transformation. But those differences make the creature a pain in the neck to DM.</p><p></p><p></p><p>I don't deny that fluff was involved - I wouldn't be surprised to learn that it was the primary contributor to the mechanics. Heck, I may even be wrong about the point - but since D&D designers almost never tell you what the goal of a mechanic is, I have to base deduction of the goal upon the design choices.</p><p></p><p>I would guess that the actual goal was to make the lycanthropes (terrible name for anything other than a werewolf) a bit tougher in all their forms. Human or animal, the werewolf is tougher than you'd expect - and hybrid is a giveaway about the horror you're facing.</p><p>The chosen method succeeds at that, though it is annoyingly complicated. A template that gives +X to various ability scores (including attacks), +Y natural armor in all forms, alternate forms (that supply Z weapons), DR in those alternate forms, +A hit points, and +B to saves would have been much easier, faster, and more fun. And is probably where you guys should go, depending just how much you're concerned with compatibility of were-creatures.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ValhallaGH, post: 5727665, member: 41187"] That's actually the case - lycanthropes have the same HP in all forms. The quirk is that their ability scores, attack forms, DR, speed, and various special abilities change a lot between the various forms. Which actually makes some sense to me. The fluff goal was to give them a mechanical reason to change into their beast or monster forms - better mobility, natural weapons, increased resilience, and more power are all good ways to encourage the transformation. But those differences make the creature a pain in the neck to DM. I don't deny that fluff was involved - I wouldn't be surprised to learn that it was the primary contributor to the mechanics. Heck, I may even be wrong about the point - but since D&D designers almost never tell you what the goal of a mechanic is, I have to base deduction of the goal upon the design choices. I would guess that the actual goal was to make the lycanthropes (terrible name for anything other than a werewolf) a bit tougher in all their forms. Human or animal, the werewolf is tougher than you'd expect - and hybrid is a giveaway about the horror you're facing. The chosen method succeeds at that, though it is annoyingly complicated. A template that gives +X to various ability scores (including attacks), +Y natural armor in all forms, alternate forms (that supply Z weapons), DR in those alternate forms, +A hit points, and +B to saves would have been much easier, faster, and more fun. And is probably where you guys should go, depending just how much you're concerned with compatibility of were-creatures. [/QUOTE]
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the trouble with lycanthropes
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