Are Simulacrum Immune to Lycanthropy?

[unseenmage]

Are Simulacrum immune to lycanthropy because of that clause on them that keeps them from getting more powerful? What about diseases or poisons which raise an attribute while they kill you? Vampirism?

If they're immune to the "bad" stuff that could make them technically stronger are there any other niche effects they can ignore?

[Psyren]

There are some situations the rules simply aren't designed to cover; ask your DM.

[Nirhael]

It's a partially real illusion, mostly a chunk of ice or snow and I don't think either of those apply for Lycanthropy so yes, they're immune.

[Phelix-Mu]

Except if the copy is of a humanoid, and is thus actually a humanoid, and gains no immunities beyond those specified by the spell. Humanoids can catch lycanthropy. Moreover, it's a supernatural disease and probably doesn't care much about anatomy.

But, the real crux is the "get more powerful" thingy. I'd say this renders them immune, yes, because lycanthropy grants Animal HD and a host of other powers. This pretty categorically means "more powerful," as the game doesn't seem to ever have had optimization in mind when it talked about "power."

[Jack_Simth]

Are Simulacrum immune to lycanthropy because of that clause on them that keeps them from getting more powerful? What about diseases or poisons which raise an attribute while they kill you? Vampirism?

If they're immune to the "bad" stuff that could make them technically stronger are there any other niche effects they can ignore?
What little the rules say about it is as follows:

"A simulacrum has no ability to become more powerful. It cannot increase its level or abilities."

There's a couple of ways to take that. One is that it's immune to the beneficial portion of anything that would make it stronger (so you can't, say, cast Owl's Wisdom on it). Another is that it can't get better of it's own doing. The first interpretation means that it's pretty much immune to lycanthropy, foul hardening, and so on. The second, not so much.

But there's no simple way to tell designer intent, so as Psyren said: Ask your DM.

[Phelix-Mu]

What little the rules say about it is as follows:

"A simulacrum has no ability to become more powerful. It cannot increase its level or abilities."

There's a couple of ways to take that. One is that it's immune to the beneficial portion of anything that would make it stronger (so you can't, say, cast Owl's Wisdom on it).


Oh, that might be interesting. Maybe they aren't immune to lycanthropy, but don't gain access to most of it's abilities (which would make them more powerful). Conceivably, gaining the ability to spread lycanthropy doesn't make one "more powerful." So, they might be carriers, but unable to use the template.

That would sure be a cool, rather nuanced interpretation, if clearly straying a bit from the really crummy RAI of the spell.

[137beth]

Oh, that might be interesting. Maybe they aren't immune to lycanthropy, but don't gain access to most of it's abilities (which would make them more powerful). Conceivably, gaining the ability to spread lycanthropy doesn't make one "more powerful." So, they might be carriers, but unable to use the template.

That would sure be a cool, rather nuanced interpretation, if clearly straying a bit from the really crummy RAI of the spell.

Afflicted Lycanthropes cannot spread Lycanthropy (that was a change from 3.0->3.5, which apparently significantly affected the history of Eberron (http://keith-baker.com/dragonmarks-130-dreams-werewolves-and-dm-etiquette/). So unfortunately, (fortunately?), a simulacron who got lycanthropy could not spread it...

unless you made a simulacron of a natural lycanthrope:smallbiggrin:

[unseenmage]

Afflicted Lycanthropes cannot spread Lycanthropy (that was a change from 3.0->3.5, which apparently significantly affected the history of Eberron (http://keith-baker.com/dragonmarks-130-dreams-werewolves-and-dm-etiquette/). So unfortunately, (fortunately?), a simulacron who got lycanthropy could not spread it...

unless you made a simulacron of a natural lycanthrope:smallbiggrin:

Makes me want to play a character dedicated to the worship of the lycanthrope god who builds Magic Resetting Traps of Simulacrum on city gates and tavern doorways set to only trigger and target natural lycanthropes.

That or DM the same, party thinks they've cornered the lycanthrope only to have it turn to snow and ice when it's slain. Then the search starts all over again.

[Phelix-Mu]

Afflicted Lycanthropes cannot spread Lycanthropy (that was a change from 3.0->3.5, which apparently significantly affected the history of Eberron (http://keith-baker.com/dragonmarks-130-dreams-werewolves-and-dm-etiquette/). So unfortunately, (fortunately?), a simulacron who got lycanthropy could not spread it...

unless you made a simulacron of a natural lycanthrope:smallbiggrin:

Oh, right. Well, in another thread, unseenmage had a discussion about effigy lycanthropes. I guess I was confusing the topics.

[unseenmage]

Oh, right. Well, in another thread, unseenmage had a discussion about effigy lycanthropes. I guess I was confusing the topics.

This thread was definitely inspired by that Construct Lycanthrope thread.
The discussion of which I've moved over to the Homebrew forum here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=328910). :smalltongue:

[SiuiS]

The plural is simulacra. :smallsmile: