Lycanthrope based on animals with less than 1hd

[Yogibear41]

If you have a lycanthrope based on an animal that has 1/2 or 1/4 of a HD, do you add 1 animal hit die to the creature or none?

[Necroticplague]

If you have a lycanthrope based on an animal that has 1/2 or 1/4 of a HD, do you add 1 animal hit die to the creature or none?

Neither. Lycanthrope template says you add the HD of the animal, so you'd add 1/4th or 1/2 HD.

[Yogibear41]

Ugh, yeah a player character isn't going to be running around at level 5 and 1/2 or 5 and 1/4th. Being that the standard rule is to round everything down, I was thinking that they just wouldn't get any animal HD.

[Daishain]

Not sure that would be the case. After all, the Wererat, based on a 1/4 HD critter, gets animal HD.

[Fax Celestis]

Fractional HD count as 1 HD for everything except HD-based effects (like sleep) and HP calculations. It'd be reasonable to have your PC have 1 animal HD.

[Yogibear41]

Not sure that would be the case. After all, the Wererat, based on a 1/4 HD critter, gets animal HD.


Wererats are based on dire rats actually.

[Jeraa]

Wererats are based on dire rats actually.

Correct.


In animal form, wererats avoid combat, preferring to use their dire rat shape for skulking and spying. In hybrid form, a wererat fights with a rapier and light crossbow.

But do note a regular rat can be used to make a lycanthrope. However, as the animal form must be withing one size of the base creature, only Small, Tiny, and Diminutive humanoids are acceptable base form.

[Jack_Simth]

Hmm... interesting question! Let's check a few of the partial HD animals to see how much of an impact their fractional HD has on their saves.

Cat: 1/2 HD. Ability mods: +0 Con, +2 Dex, +1 Wis. Saves: +2/+4/+1 - subtract the ability mods, and we get +2/+2/+0 as the base. Animals get good Fort and Reflex by default - so 1 HD would be +2/+2/+0 - match.
Lizard: 1/2 HD. Ability mods: +0 Con, +2 Dex, +1 Wis. Saves: +2/+4/+1 - subtract the ability mods, and we get +2/+2/+0 as the base. Animals get good Fort and Reflex by default - so 1 HD would be +2/+2/+0 - match.
Rat: 1/4 HD. Ability mods: +0 Con, +2 Dex, +1 Wis. Saves: +2/+4/+1 - subtract the ability mods, and we get +2/+2/+0 as the base. Animals get good Fort and Reflex by default - so 1 HD would be +2/+2/+0 - match.
Raven: 1/4 HD. Ability mods: +0 Con, +2 Dex, +2 Wis. Saves: +2/+4/+2 - subtract the ability mods, and we get +2/+2/+0 as the base. Animals get good Fort and Reflex by default - so 1 HD would be +2/+2/+0 - match.

So yeah, fractional HD seem to be treated as 1 HD for at least saves. It'd be pretty reasonable to round either up or down, but it's up to the DM.

[Fax Celestis]

Hmm... interesting question! Let's check a few of the partial HD animals to see how much of an impact their fractional HD has on their saves.

Cat: 1/2 HD. Ability mods: +0 Con, +2 Dex, +1 Wis. Saves: +2/+4/+1 - subtract the ability mods, and we get +2/+2/+0 as the base. Animals get good Fort and Reflex by default - so 1 HD would be +2/+2/+0 - match.
Lizard: 1/2 HD. Ability mods: +0 Con, +2 Dex, +1 Wis. Saves: +2/+4/+1 - subtract the ability mods, and we get +2/+2/+0 as the base. Animals get good Fort and Reflex by default - so 1 HD would be +2/+2/+0 - match.
Rat: 1/4 HD. Ability mods: +0 Con, +2 Dex, +1 Wis. Saves: +2/+4/+1 - subtract the ability mods, and we get +2/+2/+0 as the base. Animals get good Fort and Reflex by default - so 1 HD would be +2/+2/+0 - match.
Raven: 1/4 HD. Ability mods: +0 Con, +2 Dex, +2 Wis. Saves: +2/+4/+2 - subtract the ability mods, and we get +2/+2/+0 as the base. Animals get good Fort and Reflex by default - so 1 HD would be +2/+2/+0 - match.

So yeah, fractional HD seem to be treated as 1 HD for at least saves. It'd be pretty reasonable to round either up or down, but it's up to the DM.
Already covered that.

Fractional HD count as 1 HD for everything except HD-based effects (like sleep) and HP calculations. It'd be reasonable to have your PC have 1 animal HD.

[Jack_Simth]

Already covered that.
Sort of. You just stated it outright, with nothing clearly backing it up. While yes, it answers the question... it will not convince anyone who's 'on the fence' so to speak, and comes off as a personal recommendation rather than anything backed by the rules.

[Psyren]

Sort of. You just stated it outright, with nothing clearly backing it up. While yes, it answers the question... it will not convince anyone who's 'on the fence' so to speak, and comes off as a personal recommendation rather than anything backed by the rules.

Good thing you did the legwork nobody requested then :smallbiggrin: