Were-Bear PC?

[Yellow Sign]

I am building a 10th level character for THE CITY OF THE SPIDER QUEEN. I am thinking about a 4th level Barbarian/Were-Bear. Does anyone have a were creature character? I would like some imput from people on how to go about building the character. Thanks

 

[Oni]

Ok, If I am understanding this correctly a Werebear character cannot be brought into the game until 4th level or higher. However as you have to have as many levels in a character class as a wearbear has HD that means you have to be at least 6th level before you can actually play one (this is according to the special rules for lycanthropes on page 23 of the DMG). As I understand it they are saying 6th level barbarian werebear = a 10th level barbarian. If you are using the the DMG rules, and because werebear is a template that means that you have a character that has the equivalent of a 6th level amount of xp (which is broken if you ask me). If you use the ECL method from the FRCS then the technical level of the character is 10.


Con is your most important stat, since you are going to be taking an HP hit for being 4 levels lower than everyone else, and that is important if you are going to be a front line fighter.

[edit: oops, gave the wrong page number]

 

[Mr Fidgit]

i've never had a were-PC, but here are some thoughts...

first, the DMG says the were-bear ECL is +4. are you using a different ECL chart?

if your DM will allow equipment from other books, OA has some good equipment for shapechangers. Shapeshifting armor changes the armor's magic bonus to a deflection bonus in other forms (+1 chain mail would give a +1 deflection bonus to AC in bear form). MP is +1

Wild armor or shields give the entire armor bonus in other forms. (+1 chain mail would give a +6 bonus in bear form). MP is +2

 

[Yellow Sign]

From what I understand 4th level Barbarian Were-Bear would be equal to a 10th Level character. The Were-Bear is a 6 hit die creature. So my hit points would be 6d8+Con Bonus for the were bear and 4d12+Con bonus for the barbarian.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

hit dice don't necessarily determine Effective Charcter Levels, Yellow Sign. you should check the DMG (pg 22) about using monsters as characters

 

[Mr Fidgit]

two other OA notes...

a Furious weapon (MP +2) increases the rage of a character (who has that as a class ability) to +6 Str and Con, +3 Will saves

Wilding Clasp is a small gold chain that, when attached to another item, prevents it from being melded into a shapechanger's new form (you could attach it to an amulet and still use that amulet in bear form) (MP: 4000 gp)

 

[Yellow Sign]

I believe that the WereWolf is ECL +4 and the WereBear is ECL +6.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

the DMG says a werewolf is +3, and werebear is +4

unless you're using another source. i've heard Dragon magazine has printed ECL lists, but i've never seen them...

 

[Yellow Sign]

Ok cool, I must have read it wrong this morning. WOW thats alot of hit points. 6d8+6d12 for a Werebear/6th level Barbarian..humm....18 Strength, +4 Rage, +16 in Wereform=38 Strength!!!!!!! 16 Con, +4 Rage, +8 in Wereform=28 CON!!!

 

[Oni]

You don't add together the HP for being a barb and a werebear.

"Hit Dice: Same as the character or animal, whichever produces the higher hit point total. If the lycanthropes's number of Hit Dice is important, as with a sleep spell, use the character's or animal's number of Hit Dice, whichever is greater." MM pg217 under creating a lycanthrope.