From: parkerma@NeXTwork.Rose-Hulman.Edu (Mark A. Parker)
Subject: Re: Lycanthropes, shape changers , and werebeings.
Organization: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 02:51:01 GMT


In article <1992Sep10.160158.11095@njitgw.njit.edu> msh9848@hertz.njit.edu  
(Matthew) writes:

> 	I have been thinking of creating a subrace of humans who are 
> shape changers. There would be different groups of humans who would  
specialize
> in certain animal species.
	I had toyed with this idea myself. The race I had about was more  
like an elf (gee, imagine that). Categories for animals would have been  
avians (fliers, these would live generally anyplace high), land animals  
(general low-landers), and aquatic animals (fresh- and salt- water).  
Darkcrawlers (worms, spiders, aboleth, and other subterranean things)  
would have formed a sort of Drow for these people.

> 	1. How to balance this kind of thing with other players? 
	You'll probably have to handpick what animals/monsters the  
character can turn into yourself. If the player has suggestions, you'll  
have to judge for yourself if these are too powerful for the group or  
campaign you're running. You can also set some restrictions on the class:  
limiting weapons he/she can use, amount of treasure and magic items he/she  
can have at one time, alignment restrictions, low hp per level, even  
something really nasty as not being able to accept healing from a cleric  
outside his own race (along with the stipulation that said clerics are not  
allowed to go on adventures) would all be acceptable. Since this is a  
personal effect, armor, clothing, weapons, and gear would not change (and  
could very well be destroyed) when the character changed.
> 	2. Whether or not the individual would have total control of his 
> 	ability or if control would increase as his/her class level  
increased?
	See below.
> 	3. Whether or not to make this a simple human ability or a  
separate
> 	class?
	If this is going to be a simple human ability (meaning he/she also  
gets to take up a class to go with this ability), the character should be  
limited to one animal. Check out Hengeyokai in the Oriental Adventures  
hardcover book for more on this.
	If this is a class, a good setup would be to make it something  
like a mage. At certain levels he/she has access to different shapes, i.e.  
through practice and training he/she learns to morph his/her body into  
something new. Each shape could be assigned a level (like each mage spell  
has a level), and you could work out a chart as to how many times a day  
the person could assume that level of forms.
	If (as your title suggests) you are using actual lycanthropes,  
changes should start out involuntarily, affected by the phase of the moon  
and times of incredible stress. During these times, the changes and  
actions of the character should be uncontrolable. As level increases (or  
time progresses, whichever you prefer), the character should learn 1. How  
to control his/her actions while in the were-form   2. How to control  
involuntary changes   3. How to change voluntarily into his/her were-form.  
From the original rules, armor is destroyed during the change (Any  
clothing is probably shredded as well). Gear and weaponry will be left  
behind, unless the character has learned how to control his actions. The  
Avatar Trilogy features a were-panther as one of its main characters,  
should you want a source for ideas.
	Hope this helps.
						Mark Parker

"This shall now be termed as Mistake Number Four."
	Zdellett Saud, upon entering a gate that led to the lair of  
Tahkisis.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd