Hengeyokai Questions

[ZamielVanWeber]

Some quick questions about Hengeyokai:

1) The book, the web errata, and the Dragon magazine update list NOTHING about the human form. Is there a reason to even remember it exists? Are you forced to return to it?

2) Does the ability of an animal form hengeyokai to speak with animals of its own kind count toward verbal components? No, surrogate spellcasting is not an option.

[Warior4356]

What book?

[ZamielVanWeber]

Derp, I had my face in the book and forgot to mention: Oriental Adventures.

[Warior4356]

Ah thanks im sorry i dont have that one :(

[Amnestic]

Some quick questions about Hengeyokai:

1) The book, the web errata, and the Dragon magazine update list NOTHING about the human form. Is there a reason to even remember it exists? Are you forced to return to it?

Blending in with humans? Some people get antsy about animal-people. People might mistake you for a Lycanthrope, for instance. Sometimes it's just easier to drop back to human rather than deal with the stares, the attitudes, the whispered conversations...



2) Does the ability of an animal form hengeyokai to speak with animals of its own kind count toward verbal components? No, surrogate spellcasting is not an option.

I'd say yes.

[Gwendol]

Just as a druid in animal form needs Natural Spell to be able to cast, so does a spell-casting Hengeyokai. You'll need surrogate spellcasting from Savage Species in order to complete vocal and somatic components of a spell. If the spell requires material components you can use any that you can hold, but I suggest discussing this with the DM beforehand, as retreiving material components may become an issue (I DM'd a sparrow hengeyokai, that naturally couldn't hold much in terms of material components. He used mage hand quite a lot).

Speaking with animals does not in my mind mean you can complete the vocal components of a spell.

Hengeyokai are described as intelligent, shape-changing animals.

[Darrin]

Speaking with animals does not in my mind mean you can complete the vocal components of a spell.

Actually it does. Any language will work for spellcasting. For somatic components, though, you need hands, as per the PHB. That's what Surrogate Spellcasting is for. You need to check with the DM on this, though. He may (or may not) be flexible on what counts as hands/language.

[Gwendol]

Really? So the grunts and squeaks of a badger are enough for spellcasting? Badger isn't a language, in the sense of the game at least. I wouldn't be too sure about that, at least check with your DM. Eschew materials is also a good feat to have in order to rid yourself of the hassle of keeping track of material components while in animal shape.

[Vaz]

Surrogate Spellcasting is the best usage as you can cast Silent and Stilled for free; however, you do need decent Wisdom for it, and Wisdom is frequently a dump stat if it's not utilised as the caster base or have abilities keyed off of it. However, Planar Handbook has the Nonverbal Spell feat which does the non-speaking part well enough with no pre-requisites, which is decent for Hybrid Lycanthropes.

[Darrin]

Really? So the grunts and squeaks of a badger are enough for spellcasting? Badger isn't a language, in the sense of the game at least. I wouldn't be too sure about that, at least check with your DM.

The text from OA says that hengeyokia have "the supernatural ability to communicate with other animals of its kind. This is the same as a familiar’s ability to speak with animals of its type."

Under familiars, the PHB says:

"Speak with Animals of Its Kind (Ex): If the master is 7th level or higher, a familiar can communicate with animals of approximately the same kind as itself (including dire varieties): bats with bats, rats with rodents, cats with felines, hawks and owls and ravens with birds, lizards and snakes with reptiles, toads with amphibians, weasels with similar creatures (weasels, minks, polecats, ermines, skunks, wolverines, and badgers). Such communication is limited by the intelligence of the conversing creatures."

Hmm. The Hengeyokai version is (Su), not (Ex). Still, there's an argument that this doesn't count the same as speaking a language. So... yeah. DM call.

[Gwendol]

Yeah, my thoughts as well.

[ZamielVanWeber]

I thought so, but I figured I would see or there was anything more definitive. The only other example I could fins is the Tibbit's feline "language" that functions more like an EX speak with animals than a language. I came up with maybe, as did my friend. My biggest worry is surrogate spellcasting requires a Wis of 13 and Hemgeyokai get -2 to Wis.

[Vaz]

Non verbal spell has no prerequsite. Of course you are then limited to non somatic or stilled spells in animal form, but hybrid form is cool.

[Darrin]

Also:

Pearl of Speech (600 GP), Magic Item Compendium.