Masterwork Tool of Control Shape

[lytokk]

So one of my players had been aflicted with lycanthropy, and is currently RPing a little bit of a substory to cure herself. The player doesn't want to get rid of the curse, but she feels her character should want to, considering she can never make her control shape checks to not change. This got me thinking about control shape as a skill, and what a masterwork item of it would entail, to give her the +2 to the check. Best I've been able to think of is a something small she can focus on, but she'd always have to be able to see it, even if in another form. I've tried to find one of the many Masterwork Item threads we've had on the board, but I must not be searching right.

Thoughts?

[Red Fel]

Funny story; I seem to recall there was an Alvin & the Chipmunks movie in which they met the Wolfman, and he had a cane with a silver tip that he used to control his lupine tendencies. (Of course, the plot was set off by the boys destroying the cane, hijinks ensuing.)

I figure that's an easy model for a Masterwork Tool of Control Shape - a small silver implement that can be gripped tightly in one hand when one experiences the urge, the sting of which will help the user maintain a sense of self.

[AugustNights]

A necklace with the teeth of the animal in question. A talismen of a silver crescent. An garnet brooche in the shape of a claw. A ring made of bone. A collar made of cold iron chain. A body harness.

[Flickerdart]

Duct tape. You can't transform when your body is fixed with the post powerful force known to man.

[Know(Nothing)]

A muzzle, obviously.

[Fax Celestis]

A paw on a leather strand that matches the animal they shift into.

[Rubik]

Why would your player want to ever use Control Shape?

The first time she tries and is successful, her alignment is perma-screwed.

[Red Fel]

A body harness.

This one is actually quite clever. According to the SRD's entry on the Alternate Form (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#alternateForm) special ability possessed by Lycanthropes (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/lycanthrope.htm):
Any gear worn or carried by the creature that can’t be worn or carried in its new form instead falls to the ground in its space. If the creature changes size, any gear it wears or carries that can be worn or carried in its new form changes size to match the new size. (Nonhumanoid-shaped creatures can’t wear armor designed for humanoid-shaped creatures, and vice versa.) Gear returns to normal size if dropped.
A harness can be worn by pretty much anything. It therefore adjusts to match the new body type; it stays with the wearer, rather than falling off or vanishing. It can be worn under clothing, so as to be reasonably unobtrusive. (Funny story, in one Dragonlance campaign we had a Black Robe Wizard who did that, but for... other reasons.)

You can come up with any number of reasons as to how or why it helps with the skill check, such as: The material tightens as the change begins, signalling to the character to focus on resisting. The material has small silver studs embedded within it, the pain helping to break through to the human mind. The material is covered with mystic runes and sigils that promote inner focus and a sense of self. The material is inscribed with prayers to various moon deities, promoting serenity and pleading for mercy. The character has trained herself to focus on the harness when she feels the change taking over.
I like this idea.

[lytokk]

mostly right now she's doing it to resist a change, or to change back into a halfling. She's a were-eagle, so no teeth, but a silvered talon could work. The closest thing I could find to an alignment for an eagle, was for a giant eagle, and they're NG, which ended up being her alignment to start with, so she'll never really be screwed on alignment.

[lytokk]

In response to the post by Red above about alternate forms, I could swear I read that any get carried melds into the character, not falls off, if so I've been doing this wrong for her... so very wrong and missing out on naked halfling shenanigans.

[Telonius]

I'd take an alternate route. It wouldn't be something that the character would buy, but something they have: an item of real emotional significance, that reminds them who they really are. Something like a wedding ring, or a the first (item) they ever made, or the family heirloom knife.

[Rubik]

I'd take an alternate route. It wouldn't be something that the character would buy, but something they have: an item of real emotional significance, that reminds them who they really are. Something like a wedding ring, or a the first (item) they ever made, or the family heirloom knife.In other words, a perfect subject for an item familiar.

[KillianHawkeye]

A polished moonstone (the gem, not the ones from Pokemon).

[Lord Vukodlak]

The first time she tries and is successful, her alignment is perma-screwed.
That only applies to changing into an animal/hybrid not to
"Resist involuntary change" or "Return to humanoid form"

[Mithril Leaf]

Why would your player want to ever use Control Shape?

The first time she tries and is successful, her alignment is perma-screwed.

Because it saves you +1 LA?

[Phelix-Mu]

Are you using the default moon-phase change thing? If so, then maybe go for some kind of mystical bit of moonstone (already mentioned) that is in the shape of the full moon (or whatever phase the change happens during). This would be a kind of desensitizing treatment. By looking at the moon all of the time, it's power over the character during the actual time of month is lessened (or so the character believes, which is sufficient for a willpower-based skill).

The key here, I think, is that the tool doesn't actually need to help so much as the character believes that it helps. The belief bolsters the characters will to resist the change. The masterwork part could/should be tertiary; well-built so it doesn't break through use/punishment during failed checks (were-creatures are rather famous with the breaking of the things, rending of clothes, etc), or maybe just very nice so that it attracts attention and becomes a valued object for the character.

Essentially, the item should be very personal; I doubt the tool for one lycanthrope would work for some other lycanthrope. Thus, look at the specific character, her items, motifs, background, and talk to the player to see what the player might like to see. This area is very iconic story-material, and so it is fertile ground for good imagery and vivid role play.