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Primal Fury
2009-08-26, 12:53 PM
Since I loved the Moonspeaker PrC so much, I figured I'd toy with the adaptation metioned near the end of it's entry: Namely the idea of a lycanthrope moonspeaker. For those of you who don't know, the Moonspeaker is a prestige class that is only available to shifters who practice divine magic (i.e. druids, clerics, high-level rangers, favored souls etc.) and, in my opinion, one of the only PrC's out there that is filled with awesome from start to finish. And before I forget, it's in Races of Eberron.

Since part of the moonspeaker's focus is on the honing of their shifting abilities, I figure lycan's would function in much the same way, gaining bonuses to their human form based on their animal and hybrid forms. But this brings up a problem: While it does improve their human form, it decreases the usefulness of their animal and hybrid forms. Should they get their entire attirbute bonus or only a portion of it.

Another thing I was wondering about is the acquisition of shifter feats. Technically speaking, lycan's already have all the shifter traits attributed to their chosen animal (with the exception of... that one trait that increases the users wisdom). Would the creation of custom feats be needed to create the same effect? (I hardly think that, with the stuff shifters have, their progenitors, who are supposedly better at it, should have so little shapeshifting refinement abilities.)

My final thought is the capstone. I was thinking of allowing the final level to upgrade the lycan's template to "Lord" status (their animal form becomes a dire version of whatever animal they first chose, or possibly horrid if things had gone that far already). Now I don't no way, but the 13th moon of Eberron is aligned with evil for some reason, possibly because of it's connection to Xoriat (my knowledge of this particular settings lore is a bit shakey.) But I was thinking this moon could serve it's purpose as the capstone for fluff reasons.

What are y'all's thoughts on this here idea? :smallsmile:

Cieyrin
2009-08-26, 01:50 PM
I'd probably move towards them gaining Legendary Animal form over Horrid, as Horrid animals aren't exactly natural, they're bred for war by the druids.

Primal Fury
2009-08-26, 03:23 PM
Legendary animal??? Are you sure that's not pushing the envelope a bit? I mean I can understand the whole "Horrid animals not being natural" thing, but... maybe there's somthing more reasonable between "Dire" and "Legendary". I actually got a hold of the Immortals Handbook not too long ago, so maybe...

Primal Fury
2009-08-26, 08:18 PM
Okay, Legendary animal it is now that I've given it seom thought. And I was thinking about making that the capstone, rather than the dire version of the creature. It makes sense too, as within many tribes (both real and supernatural) the largest and strongest members are usually warriors of some sort or even chieftans, and rarely concern themselves with matters beyond the physical. (I certainly hope I'm not perpetuating some sort of stereotype by saying that) :smallredface:

Cieyrin
2009-08-27, 10:35 AM
Well, given you get it at 20th level or so, I don't think it's asking too much, given you have to Druid your way to it. It's practically early epic by that point, so they should be awarded for their dilligence.

Primal Fury
2009-08-27, 10:56 AM
Boom. Flash of inspiration:

(Lycan Variant of Moonspeaker Shifting gained at level 2): The *moonspeaker* gains the ability to cast spells in their animal and hybrid forms as though they had they Natural Spell feat. If they already possess this feat, or pick it up later, they then gain a bonus to their caster level equal to half their *moonspeaker* class level in those forms (rounded down.)

(Lycan Variant of Shifter Integration): They gain any one of their ability bonuses to their humanoid form (though any attirbute can be chosen, the bonus itself cannot be greater than +6), and can choose one trait to add as well (natural armor, one natural weapon, speed bonus, new type of movement speed [flying, swimming, burrowing] etc.) They gain this bonus again at level 11.

(Lycan Variant of Extra Shifter Trait): They gain an entirely new animal form they can chagne into (tiger, bear, wolf, shark etc), but they do NOT gain a new hybrid form. The caster level bonus granted by the *lycan moonspeaker shifting* ability is cut in half when using one of these new forms.

And as I said earlier, the capstone is the whole Legendary animal thing. And the Knowledge (nature) requirement would be lowered to 10 to account for the 13th moon.

EDIT: Crap. Forgot about the damage reduction thing... Okay I am of the opinion that rather than damage reduction, lycan's should simply take extra damage from silver weapons. This is obviously needed to balance the template for PC use. That being said, the *lycan moonspeaker* gains damage reduction/silver equal to half their caster level in their animal and hybrid forms. The gain DR in their humanoid forms as well, but this is equal to half that of their animal and hybrid forms.