Wolf-based lycanthrope

[Kaleph]

Do you know of any wolf-like creature, that would make a better lycanthope as the dire wolf? Let's assume, that any number of hit dice is acceptable, and all d&d manuals or dragon magazines are allowed.

[Inevitability]

The Legendary Wolf is a 14 RHD MM2 creature that may be what you're looking for. It's still only medium, though.

[Kaleph]

Thank you, that's what I was looking for. Still surprised it's only medium, though.

[Crake]

Thank you, that's what I was looking for. Still surprised it's only medium, though.

All the legendary creatures are the same size as their non-legendary counterparts. You can kinda think of them as just having the paragon template, minus the magic-y stuff.

[ShurikVch]

Note: Winter Wolf (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/winterWolf.htm) (template is in Dungeon #84) and Sturm-Wolf (Dangerous Denizens: The Monsters of Tellene) are both 6 HD and Large-sized - like the Dire Wolf

They are worse than Dire Wolf in sheer ability score numbers:
Winter Werewolf - -6 Str, -2 Dex
Were-Sturm-Wolf - -6 Str, -4 Con
(I. e. - it doesn't mean they actively make your ability scores worse - just the Dire Wolf have it better by that much)

But better in...

Natural AC: +2 - for Winter Werewolf (+5 vs Dire Wolf's +3)

Natural Attacks: Sturm-Wolf have 2 claws (1d4) and bite (2d6); Dire Wolf - only bite (1d8)

Special Attacks:
Winter Werewolf - Breath Weapon, Improved Bull Rush
Were-Sturm-Wolf - Ferocity, Improved Grab, Rage (as Barbarian, level=HD), Trash (+1d8 damage to grabbed enemy)

Special Qualities:
Winter Werewolf - Cold Subtype
Were-Sturm-Wolf - Darkvision 60'

Bonus feats:
Winter Werewolf - Blind-Fight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#blindFight), Improved Initiative (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#improvedInitiative)
Were-Sturm-Wolf - Improved Initiative (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#improvedInitiative), Multiattack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsterFeats.htm#multiattack)
(In both cases, no Weapon Finesse. But who need it, when your Str>Dex anyway?)

[Inevitability]

Note: Winter Wolf (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/winterWolf.htm) (template is in Dungeon #84) and Sturm-Wolf (Dangerous Denizens: The Monsters of Tellene) are both 6 HD and Large-sized - like the Dire Wolf

They are worse than Dire Wolf in sheer ability score numbers:
Winter Werewolf - -6 Str, -2 Dex
Were-Sturm-Wolf - -6 Str, -4 Con

But better in...

Natural AC: +2 - for Winter Werewolf

Natural Attacks: Sturm-Wolf have 2 claws (1d4) and bite (2d6); Dire Wolf - only bite (1d8)

Special Attacks:
Winter Werewolf - Breath Weapon, Improved Bull Rush
Were-Sturm-Wolf - Ferocity, Improved Grab, Rage (as Barbarian, level=HD), Trash (+1d8 damage to grabbed enemy)

Special Qualities:
Winter Werewolf - Cold Subtype
Were-Sturm-Wolf - Darkvision 60'

Bonus feats:
Winter Werewolf - Blind-Fight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#blindFight), Improved Initiative (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#improvedInitiative)
Were-Sturm-Wolf - Improved Initiative (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#improvedInitiative), Multiattack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsterFeats.htm#multiattack)
(In both cases, no Weapon Finesse. But who need it, when your Str>Dex anyway?)

Winter Wolves (and possibly Sturm-wolves too?) aren't animals, though. That would make them invalid beast forms for a lycanthrope.

[ShurikVch]

Winter Wolves (and possibly Sturm-wolves too?) aren't animals, though. That would make them invalid beast forms for a lycanthrope.Winter Wolves are one of those "Specific Beats General" cases - they have separate Winter Werewolf template in the Dungeon #84, despite the Winter Wolves being Magical Beasts from the very begin (and 3.0 Lycanthropy being even more restrictive for available creatures)

Sturm-Wolves are Animals

[AnimeTheCat]

If you don't like Legendary wolves being medium, just make them large and apply the rules for changing a creatures size (iirc it gives a str, con, and natural armor bonus witha dex and AC/attack penalty). While I know this usually is from HD increase, the legendary wolf has 14 RHD so you should be just fine justifying it.

[DrKerosene]

Could a Barghest substitute? Change the goblin looking form to be (other humanoid). You can easily scale them up to CR 9 with 18 outsider HD before adding any templates or levels.

Other than the Titanic Creature template being added, I think other wolves have been covered.

[unseenmage]

In my sig there is a link to a list of all the templates which do not change an animal's type. Add one or three or ten of those THEN lycanthropize your wolf-like-mammal.


My choice would be to hit it with the Insectile or Insectoid or whatever it was called template from Savage Species, changing it to Vermin THEN hit it with the Entomanthrope (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20040621a) template.

Were bug wolf away!

[Kaleph]

Thank you all for your suggestions - unfortunately I cannot consider all of them because of flavor reasons. At the moment the NPC is a werewolves' lord (CR 14), it will eather stay the same, or change into a legendary wolf (although the KoK wolf could be interesting, if only he had a higher strength).

[Inevitability]

Thank you all for your suggestions - unfortunately I cannot consider all of them because of flavor reasons. At the moment the NPC is a werewolves' lord (CR 14), it will eather stay the same, or change into a legendary wolf (although the KoK wolf could be interesting, if only he had a higher strength).

You could give him class levels, perhaps? A level of barbarian does wonders for any melee character's power. Depending on current skills you might also be able to sneak in a few levels in a choice prestige class.

[Kaleph]

You could give him class levels, perhaps? A level of barbarian does wonders for any melee character's power. Depending on current skills you might also be able to sneak in a few levels in a choice prestige class.

Definitely some class level is required, and barbarian fits perfectly. In any case the flavor of the NPC is that he's "naturally" big and strong.

Any feat that gives you some kind of powerful build when you're raging?

[Inevitability]

Definitely some class level is required, and barbarian fits perfectly. In any case the flavor of the NPC is that he's "naturally" big and strong.

Any feat that gives you some kind of powerful build when you're raging?

There's an ACF for goliaths that causes them to become Large during a rage. To take it, you either have to be a goliath or take 3 levels in the Stoneblessed prestige class.

[ShurikVch]

(although the KoK wolf could be interesting, if only he had a higher strength)Note: if he will take the Chaos Rage feat, he will have (during the Rage) same Str as the Dire Wolf (and 4 more Con)

Do you use Forgotten Realms stuff?
Black Blood Hunter PrC (Player's Guide to Faerûn) have some good things for evil lycanthropes
Dungeon #129 have Blacktooth Lycanthropy and Chosen of Malar templates

How about the 3rd-party stuff?
Manual of Monsters (Warcraft the RPG) have Giant Wolf, which is mostly the same Dire Wolf, except 9 HD, Huge size, +4 Str, -2 Dex, +6 Con, and Endurance instead Run
Wolfwere and Greater Wolfwere (Denizens of Dread, Ravenloft) are (hilariously) listed as Animals, which makes possible Werewolfwere. Both variants have Song of Weariness (bardic music, slows enemies), DR 10/cold iron, and SR (13, or 21 - for Greater). Greater Wolfwere also have Lupine Allies (4d6 Wolves or 2d6 Dire Wolves 1/day) and Regeneration 10 (fire or acid)

[Kaleph]

Note: if he will take the Chaos Rage feat, he will have (during the Rage) same Str as the Dire Wolf (and 4 more Con)

Do you use Forgotten Realms stuff?
Black Blood Hunter PrC (Player's Guide to Faerûn) have some good things for evil lycanthropes
Dungeon #129 have Blacktooth Lycanthropy and Chosen of Malar templates

How about the 3rd-party stuff?
Manual of Monsters (Warcraft the RPG) have Giant Wolf, which is mostly the same Dire Wolf, except 9 HD, Huge size, +4 Str, -2 Dex, +6 Con, and Endurance instead Run
Wolfwere and Greater Wolfwere (Denizens of Dread, Ravenloft) are (hilariously) listed as Animals, which makes possible Werewolfwere. Both variants have Song of Weariness (bardic music, slows enemies), DR 10/cold iron, and SR (13, or 21 - for Greater). Greater Wolfwere also have Lupine Allies (4d6 Wolves or 2d6 Dire Wolves 1/day) and Regeneration 10 (fire or acid)

Regarding the KoK wolf, consider that it's not that much better than a dire wolf, since the latter gets also claw attacks when in hybrid form.

Regarding the PrC, this NPC is good in alignment. Actually, that's the boyfriend of my PC :-)
The race is in fact non even a real lycanthrope, but uses most of its rules, minus "curse of lycanthopy", plus fast healing.

Warcraft would be ok, but the creature is huge, and cannot be coupled with a human (but maybe with a re-skinned goliath? That's monstous humanoid, normally, but its physical prowess fits somehow the description of my beloved one).
The wolfwere would be, as you said, hilarious, although I would find quite appealing a boyfriend who would be able to sing 😀

[ShurikVch]

Regarding the KoK wolf, consider that it's not that much better than a dire wolf, since the latter gets also claw attacks when in hybrid form.Not that much better?
Feats, SA/SQ, 2d6 on bite?
Inferior Str/Con is the only downside


Regarding the PrC, this NPC is good in alignment. Actually, that's the boyfriend of my PC :-)
The race is in fact non even a real lycanthrope, but uses most of its rules, minus "curse of lycanthopy", plus fast healing.I wanted to point the Moon Guardian (http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/files/More_Divinity.zip) PrC, but don't sure if he will be able to qualify for it
The problem is: non-Evil lycanthropes are got even less support than Evil ones (while at least 2 different classes are anti-lycans)
The only other things I can remember is Selûnite Lycanthrope (6th-level CF of Silverstar PrC), and bunch of feats in Dragon #313