D&D General why do we lack a canine race?

[BookTenTiger]

When I was playing around with a doggy species, I focused on their skill in teamwork. They could use the Help Action better, flank easier, etc. Also they had really good noses.

 

[RoughCoronet0]

I think one way that could differentiate werewolves and a canine race is a focus on howling.

A canine race with a thunder or psychic howl as a breath attack would separate them from the teeth and nails of the werewolf.

I mean, people love dragonborn.

I like the idea of some sort of powered up howl attack, or howling based abilities similar to something like Skyrim’s werewolves, but I’d more likely make it a werewolf thing as howling is more associated with wolves while barking is more of a dog thing. Maybe allow a canine PC species to unlock a couple of howls via a feat for those that tap into the raw power of their more primal ancestors, as a nod to how certain species of dogs are more prone to howling more naturally then others like the Siberian Husky.

Because it is thematically confused and destroys the horror aspect of the werecreature. If you don't see it that way, then you don't and I doubt we can come to an understanding.

I think you could still have both and keep the horror aspect of the werebeasts if you make the Lycanthrope curse the equivalent of a human getting cursed by vampirism. So species like humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, gnomes, goliaths, and so on are typically susceptible to Vampirism while the beast species are the ones typically affected by Lycanthropy. You could still have the occasional human contract Lycanthropy and the rare beast species contracting Vampirism but it’s far more unusual and therefore invoke greater fear in such a circumstance.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Worghest

Worghests were planetouched, native outsiders descended from the breeding of goblins and barghests. Worghests often lived as feared and respected warriors in orc and goblin tribes, disdaining positions of power in favor of the freedom of the hunt. Worghests descended from barghests and goblins...

forgottenrealms.fandom.com

The worghest is a planetouched race mixture of goblin and barghest.

D&D has got several hound-like monsters.

 

[Alzrius]

I like the idea of some sort of powered up howl attack, or howling based abilities similar to something like Skyrim’s werewolves, but I’d more likely make it a werewolf thing as howling is more associated with wolves while barking is more of a dog thing. Maybe allow a canine PC species to unlock a couple of howls via a feat for those that tap into the raw power of their more primal ancestors, as a nod to how certain species of dogs are more prone to howling more naturally then others like the Siberian Husky.

Fun fact: The Catgirl Handbook (affiliate link), from Drop Dead Studios, had purring feats that felinoid PCs could take, creating different effects as a result of purring in different ways.

 

[Corinnguard]

D&D has got several hound-like monsters.

Like the Moon Dog. Moon dog

Moon dogs possessed a wide variety of abilities, including a number of magical and spell-like ones. Among others, they could always detect evil, magic, traps, and invisibility. By licking a wound, they could slow poison, remove disease, or even completely heal a minor one.[1][2]

Moon dogs could dispel illusions by whining. By barking, a moon dog could dispel evil. When one bayed, it instilled fear in all evil creatures within 80 feet of it. And when a moon dog howled, all evil creatures within 40 feet of it were damaged and possibly dismissed. The more than one moon dogs were howling, the dismissal effect was that much harder to resist.[1]

Imagine a Planetouched individual of Moon Dog descent doing some of these. A Moon Dog version of the Worghest.

 

[Alzrius]

Like the Moon Dog. Moon dog

Moon dogs possessed a wide variety of abilities, including a number of magical and spell-like ones. Among others, they could always detect evil, magic, traps, and invisibility. By licking a wound, they could slow poison, remove disease, or even completely heal a minor one.[1][2]

Moon dogs could dispel illusions by whining. By barking, a moon dog could dispel evil. When one bayed, it instilled fear in all evil creatures within 80 feet of it. And when a moon dog howled, all evil creatures within 40 feet of it were damaged and possibly dismissed. The more than one moon dogs were howling, the dismissal effect was that much harder to resist.[1]

Imagine a Planetouched individual of Moon Dog descent doing some of these. A Moon Dog version of the Worghest.

That reminds me of the one time I've ever seen moon dogs referenced in D&D fiction. It was one of the Planescape novels (Blood Hostages, I think), where, upon going to Sigil for the first time, one of the main characters is overwhelmed by the place, and looks for something familiar. He spots a dog nearby, going over to it with a sigh of relief and says "I'm sure glad to see you, boy."

The dog, in response, gives him a quizzical look and says, "Excuse me? I've never seen you before in my life. And I'm not a boy, I'm a bitch." At which point the thoroughly unnerved character has to be extricated from the situation by his much smarter uncle, who gives him a quick lecture about moon dogs.

 

[Tonguez]

I think you could still have both and keep the horror aspect of the werebeasts if you make the Lycanthrope curse the equivalent of a human getting cursed by vampirism. So species like humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, gnomes, goliaths, and so on are typically susceptible to Vampirism while the beast species are the ones typically affected by Lycanthropy. You could still have the occasional human contract Lycanthropy and the rare beast species contracting Vampirism but it’s far more unusual and therefore invoke greater fear in such a circumstance.

still doesnt work. horror is visceral and when you have a wolf-man as friends and party members, it becomes harder to view another wolf-man as ‘monstrous‘ - especially in RPGs where the ‘body horror’ aspect of lycanthropy is mediated via the DMs description.
Its the same issue of Orcs being monsters, while dragonborn and tieflings are friendly party members.

I’ve used Benandanti imc, good werewolves who serve as defenders of their communities, but theyre respected heroes not scary monsters.

 

[Minigiant]

still doesnt work. horror is visceral and when you have a wolf-man as friends and party members, it becomes harder to view another wolf-man as ‘monstrous‘ - especially in RPGs where the ‘body horror’ aspect of lycanthropy is mediated via the DMs description.
Its the same issue of Orcs being monsters, while dragonborn and tieflings are friendly party members.

I’ve used Benandanti imc, good werewolves who serve as defenders of their communities, but theyre respected heroes not scary monsters.

But orcs aren't monstrous in D&D. Not anymore.

I really can't get how you can't describe a werewolf as a scary 7ft monster with muscles barely contained in its ragged fur and sharp fangs jutting out its maw and dogman as a 5'5" furry guy with puppy eyes, a panting tongue, and flappy ears in scale armor.

 

[Tonguez]

But orcs aren't monstrous in D&D. Not anymore.

I really can't get how you can't describe a werewolf as a scary 7ft monster with muscles barely contained in its ragged fur and sharp fangs jutting out its maw and dogman as a 5'5" furry guy with puppy eyes, a panting tongue, and flappy ears in scale armor.

Because Lupin - Dogman or werewolf?
View attachment CED89416-7A4C-4598-B01D-E58C1AC1E7E8.webp

 

[Mind of tempest]

Because it is thematically confused and destroys the horror aspect of the werecreature. If you don't see it that way, then you don't and I doubt we can come to an understanding.

you have no idea how to make something feel just flat unnatural do you, a wolf person would look at a werewolf as some horrific abomination something like itself but utterly wrong a wolfiod abomination so to speak.

still doesnt work. horror is visceral and when you have a wolf-man as friends and party members, it becomes harder to view another wolf-man as ‘monstrous‘ - especially in RPGs where the ‘body horror’ aspect of lycanthropy is mediated via the DMs description.
Its the same issue of Orcs being monsters, while dragonborn and tieflings are friendly party members.

I’ve used Benandanti imc, good werewolves who serve as defenders of their communities, but theyre respected heroes not scary monsters.

given a wear wolf does not suffer the lattice of compromise a wolfperson would need to be built either by nature or gods, a werwolf would lack almost everything no essential to it being a murder machine it would be bigger and unnatural like compare the werewolf from an american werewolf in london and tell me you would ever confuse it for a normal wolf if they where next to each other.