rferries
2018-09-25, 08:37 PM
This template mitigates the racial Hit Dice of the 3.5 lycanthrope, as well as streamlines the whole natural vs afflicted lycanthrope, Control Shape, etc nonsense.
Lycanthropes
A lycanthrope is a terrifying monster - a mortal cursed to transform into a savage beast under the light of the full moon. Most of these damned souls succumb to their bloodlust, but there are a few who contain their inner beasts or even become adventuring heroes.
A lycanthrope in its humanoid form appears just as it did before contracting lycanthropy. A lycanthrope in its bestial form appears as the appropriate creature, though retaining some features of its human form (e.g. similar scars, fur colours, etc).
A lycanthrope in its true form is a supernatural mixture of both forms - it stands upright like a humanoid but has the head, fur, tail, claws, or other animalistic features of its bestial form. An aquatic or vermin lycanthrope is typically even more bizarre - a centaur-like creature with a monstrously humanoid upper body and a piscine, many-legged, or even many-tentacled lower body.
A lycanthrope speaks all the languages it knew before becoming cursed, and gains Sylvan as a bonus language. A lycanthrope in bestial form cannot speak intelligibly.
Creating A Lycanthrope
"Lycanthrope" is an acquired template that can be applied to any humanoid (referred to hereafter as the base creature). Each lycanthrope transforms into a particular kind of dire animal, giant animal, giant vermin, or monstrous vermin (referred to hereafter as the base animal), subject to GM approval.
Size & Type
The creature's type changes to magical beast. It retains all of its subtypes and gains the [Augmented] and [Shapechanger] subtypes. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
An evil-aligned lycanthrope gains the [Evil] subtype.
If the base animal has the [Aquatic] subtype, the lycanthrope gains the [Aquatic] subtype while in bestial or true form.
The lycanthrope's size is the same as that of base creature or base animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using. The true form uses the base animal’s size.
Hit Dice
The creature's Hit Dice total increases to equal that of the base animal. Any Hit Dice gained in this way are magical beast racial Hit Dice (d10 Hit Dice, full base attack bonus, Good Fortitude and Reflex saves, 2 + Int modifier skill points).
For example, a werewolf in this version uses a dire wolf as the base animal.
A werewolf human commoner 1 would have 1 commoner level and 5 magical beast racial Hit Dice.
A werewolf gnoll fighter 10 would have 10 fighter levels, 2 gnoll racial Hit Dice, and no magical beast racial Hit Dice.
Speed
Same as the base creature or base animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using. The true form uses the base animal’s speed.
Armour Class
Same as the base creature or base animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using. The true form uses the base animal’s natural armour bonus.
Base Attack/Grapple
Recalculate according to the lycanthrope's magical beast racial Hit Dice, if any (see Hit Dice, above).
The lycanthrope’s grapple bonus uses its attack bonus and modifiers for Strength and size depending on the lycanthrope’s form.
Attacks
Same as the base creature or base animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using. A lycanthrope in its true form gains two claw attacks and a bite attack as natural weapons, as well as the stinger, tail slap, or tentacles (if any) of the base animal.
These weapons deal damage based on the true form’s size (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/universal-monster-rules/#Table_Natural_Attacks_by_Size). A lycanthrope in its true form may attack with a weapon and a bite, or may attack with its natural weapons. The bite attack of the true form is a secondary attack.
Damage
Same as the base creature or base animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is in.
Special Attacks
A lycanthrope retains the special attacks of the base creature or base animal, depending on which form it is using, and also gains the special attacks described below. A lycanthrope’s true form gains the special attacks of the base animal.
A lycanthrope spellcaster cannot cast spells with verbal, somatic, or material components while in bestial form, unless it possesses the Natural Spell feat or uses appropriate [Metamagic] feats (Eschew Material Components, Silent Spell, and/or Still Spell).
Save DCs are equal to 10 + ½ lycanthrope’s HD + lycanthrope’s Cha modifier unless otherwise noted.
Bestial Intimidation (Ex)
While in its bestial or true forms, a lycanthrope may snarl, hiss, howl, growl, roar, chitter, buzz, writhe, bare its fangs, or otherwise attempt to Intimidate its opponents and prey. This works exactly like an Intimidate check to demoralise opponents, save that it affects all enemies within 300 feet that can see or hear the lycanthrope and Intimidated enemies are shaken for the remainder of the encounter. This is an exceptional fear effect.
Curse of Lycanthropy (Su)
Any humanoid hit by a lycanthrope’s bite attack or stinger in bestial or true form must succeed on a Fortitude save or contract lycanthropy. Note the +2 bonus to the DC of this ability from the lycanthrope's bonus Ability Focus feat.
A Heal check (DC = curse's DC), a dose of belladonna (DC 20 Fortitude ingested poison, initial and secondary damage 1d8 Con, 1d8 Dex, and 1d8 Strength), or a spell (break enchantment, greater dispel magic, heal, remove curse, restoration, or more powerful magic) automatically break the curse if applied before the next full moon. Otherwise, only break enchantment, greater restoration, remove curse, greater dispel magic, or more powerful magic are effective.
Special Qualities
A lycanthrope retains all the special qualities of the base creature, gains those of the base animal while in bestial or true form, and also gains those described below.
Alternate Form (Su)
A lycanthrope can assume the form of a specific dire animal, giant animal, giant vermin, or monstrous vermin (as indicated in its entry).
Changing forms is a full-round action.
A slain lycanthrope reverts to its humanoid form, although it remains dead. Separated body parts retain their bestial or true form, however.
A lycanthrope automatically transforms into its bestial or true forms on a night of the full moon, as well as the nights immediately before and after. It can only shift between bestial and true forms on those nights (it cannot assume humanoid form).
Amphibious (Ex)
A lycanthrope that gains the [Aquatic] subtype can survive indefinitely on land.
Damage Reduction (Ex)
A lycanthrope in humanoid form has damage reduction 5/silver. A lycanthrope in bestial or true form has damage reduction 10/silver.
Lycanthrope-Blooded (Ex)
For all effects related to race, a lycanthrope is considered to be the base creature, the base animal, and a magical beast with the [Shapechanger] subtype.
Lycanthropic Empathy (Ex)
In any form, lycanthropes can communicate and empathize with lycanthropes of the same kind, and animals and vermin of the same kind as their bestial form (whether normal, dire, giant, or monstrous). Treat this as a druid's wild empathy ability, save that it may only be used on appropriate creatures and the lycanthrope gains a +6 racial bonus on the check.
At the GM's option, this ability may also apply against particular creatures (e.g. a werespider interacting with driders).
Magical Beast Traits (Ex)
A lycanthrope has darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision in any form.
Rapid Healing (Ex)
A lycanthrope heals hit points and ability damage every hour rather than every day. A lycanthrope may regenerate lost body parts after 1d4x10 days, though it retains scars (especially those inflicted by silver weapons).
Scent (Ex)
A lycanthrope has the scent ability in any form.
Silver Vulnerability (Ex)
The slightest touch of the moon-metal burns a lycanthrope's flesh. Any silver weapon (even an improvised weapon) gains the magical beast bane property when wielded against a lycanthrope. A lycanthrope bound with silver restraints is nauseated with pain and cannot voluntarily change shape (though must still transform on nights of the full moon).
Saves
Recalculate according to the lycanthrope's magical beast racial Hit Dice, if any (see Hit Dice, above).
Abilities
All lycanthropes gain +2 Constitution, +2 Dexterity, +2 Strength, and +2 Wisdom, regardless of form.
While in true form, a lycanthrope's ability scores also improve if it increases in size (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm#sizeIncreases).
While in bestial form, a lycanthrope also gains the racial physical ability adjustments of the base animal (equal to the base animal's physical ability scores -10 or -11). If any of these scores would be worse than the true form's ability scores, use the true form's ability score instead.
In addition, a lycanthrope may also gain an additional ability score increase according to it's magical beast racial Hit Dice, if any (see Hit Dice, above).
Skills
Recalculate according to the lycanthrope's magical beast racial Hit Dice, if any (see Hit Dice, above).
Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (nature), Listen, Move Silently, Spot, Survival, and any skill given in the base animal’s description are always treated as class skills for the lycanthrope (the lycanthrope regains any cross-class skill ranks invested in these skills when the template is applied).
In any form, a lycanthrope also has any racial skill bonuses of the base creature and of the base animal, although conditional skill bonuses only apply in bestial or true form.
Feats
Recalculate according to the lycanthrope's magical beast racial Hit Dice, if any (see Hit Dice, above).
A lycanthrope gains Ability Focus (Curse of Lycanthropy), Alertness, Endurance, Run, Toughness, Track, and any racial bonus feats of the base animal as bonus feats.
Environment
Same as either the base creature or base animal.
Organization
Solitary or pair, sometimes family (3-4), pack (6-10), or troupe (family plus related animals). See individual base animal entries.
Challenge Rating
As base creature or base animal (whichever is greater), +1.
Treasure
Standard. Lycanthropes never collect silver treasures, even if they are powerful and useful magic items.
Alignment
Any. Noble creatures such as bears, bees, eagles, and lions tend to produce good-aligned lycanthropes. Sinister creatures such as bats, octopi, rats, snakes, spiders, and wolves tend to produce evil-aligned lycanthropes. This is a reflection of how these animals are perceived, not any innate quality of the animal itself, so the alignment of the animal form can be arbitrarily assigned.
Advancement
By character class.
Level Adjustment
Same as the base creature +1. In addition, whenever a lycanthrope character gains a level she may also choose to forfeit one of her magical beast racial Hit Dice, if any (see Hit Dice, above). A lycanthrope may not buy off her level adjustment while she has at least one magical beast racial Hit Dice from this template.
Feats
Lunar Bloodlust
Your blood burns with madness and savagery.
Prerequisites
Lycanthrope, any evil alignment.
Benefits
Once per day while in your bestial or true form, you may rage as a barbarian of your character level.
Lunar Gift [Background]
You were born to a lycanthrope parent, and their curse will eventually fall upon you.
Prerequisites
Human, must be selected at character creation.
Benefits
Choose a dire animal, giant animal, giant vermin, or monstrous vermin. You gain the Lycanthropic Empathy special quality appropriate to that creature.
When your character level is at least equal to that creature's Hit Dice, you gain the lycanthrope template for that creature.
Lunar Grace
You are protected by the power of the moon.
Prerequisites
Lycanthrope, Charisma 12.
Benefits
You add your Charisma bonus (minimum +1) as a deflection bonus to your Armour Class and as a resistance bonus to your saving throws.
Lunar Howl
Your eerie howls can be heard across miles of desolate wilderness.
Prerequisites
Werewolf.
Benefits
Your Bestial Intimidation ability affects all enemies within 1 mile. It may be used outside of combat; affected creatures are shaken for 1d4 hours. This effect stacks with the Bestial Intimidation of other lycanthropes but not with your own.
Additionally, you may communicate via your lycanthropic empathy ability out to a range of one mile simply by howling.
Lycanthropes
A lycanthrope is a terrifying monster - a mortal cursed to transform into a savage beast under the light of the full moon. Most of these damned souls succumb to their bloodlust, but there are a few who contain their inner beasts or even become adventuring heroes.
A lycanthrope in its humanoid form appears just as it did before contracting lycanthropy. A lycanthrope in its bestial form appears as the appropriate creature, though retaining some features of its human form (e.g. similar scars, fur colours, etc).
A lycanthrope in its true form is a supernatural mixture of both forms - it stands upright like a humanoid but has the head, fur, tail, claws, or other animalistic features of its bestial form. An aquatic or vermin lycanthrope is typically even more bizarre - a centaur-like creature with a monstrously humanoid upper body and a piscine, many-legged, or even many-tentacled lower body.
A lycanthrope speaks all the languages it knew before becoming cursed, and gains Sylvan as a bonus language. A lycanthrope in bestial form cannot speak intelligibly.
Creating A Lycanthrope
"Lycanthrope" is an acquired template that can be applied to any humanoid (referred to hereafter as the base creature). Each lycanthrope transforms into a particular kind of dire animal, giant animal, giant vermin, or monstrous vermin (referred to hereafter as the base animal), subject to GM approval.
Size & Type
The creature's type changes to magical beast. It retains all of its subtypes and gains the [Augmented] and [Shapechanger] subtypes. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
An evil-aligned lycanthrope gains the [Evil] subtype.
If the base animal has the [Aquatic] subtype, the lycanthrope gains the [Aquatic] subtype while in bestial or true form.
The lycanthrope's size is the same as that of base creature or base animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using. The true form uses the base animal’s size.
Hit Dice
The creature's Hit Dice total increases to equal that of the base animal. Any Hit Dice gained in this way are magical beast racial Hit Dice (d10 Hit Dice, full base attack bonus, Good Fortitude and Reflex saves, 2 + Int modifier skill points).
For example, a werewolf in this version uses a dire wolf as the base animal.
A werewolf human commoner 1 would have 1 commoner level and 5 magical beast racial Hit Dice.
A werewolf gnoll fighter 10 would have 10 fighter levels, 2 gnoll racial Hit Dice, and no magical beast racial Hit Dice.
Speed
Same as the base creature or base animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using. The true form uses the base animal’s speed.
Armour Class
Same as the base creature or base animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using. The true form uses the base animal’s natural armour bonus.
Base Attack/Grapple
Recalculate according to the lycanthrope's magical beast racial Hit Dice, if any (see Hit Dice, above).
The lycanthrope’s grapple bonus uses its attack bonus and modifiers for Strength and size depending on the lycanthrope’s form.
Attacks
Same as the base creature or base animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using. A lycanthrope in its true form gains two claw attacks and a bite attack as natural weapons, as well as the stinger, tail slap, or tentacles (if any) of the base animal.
These weapons deal damage based on the true form’s size (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/universal-monster-rules/#Table_Natural_Attacks_by_Size). A lycanthrope in its true form may attack with a weapon and a bite, or may attack with its natural weapons. The bite attack of the true form is a secondary attack.
Damage
Same as the base creature or base animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is in.
Special Attacks
A lycanthrope retains the special attacks of the base creature or base animal, depending on which form it is using, and also gains the special attacks described below. A lycanthrope’s true form gains the special attacks of the base animal.
A lycanthrope spellcaster cannot cast spells with verbal, somatic, or material components while in bestial form, unless it possesses the Natural Spell feat or uses appropriate [Metamagic] feats (Eschew Material Components, Silent Spell, and/or Still Spell).
Save DCs are equal to 10 + ½ lycanthrope’s HD + lycanthrope’s Cha modifier unless otherwise noted.
Bestial Intimidation (Ex)
While in its bestial or true forms, a lycanthrope may snarl, hiss, howl, growl, roar, chitter, buzz, writhe, bare its fangs, or otherwise attempt to Intimidate its opponents and prey. This works exactly like an Intimidate check to demoralise opponents, save that it affects all enemies within 300 feet that can see or hear the lycanthrope and Intimidated enemies are shaken for the remainder of the encounter. This is an exceptional fear effect.
Curse of Lycanthropy (Su)
Any humanoid hit by a lycanthrope’s bite attack or stinger in bestial or true form must succeed on a Fortitude save or contract lycanthropy. Note the +2 bonus to the DC of this ability from the lycanthrope's bonus Ability Focus feat.
A Heal check (DC = curse's DC), a dose of belladonna (DC 20 Fortitude ingested poison, initial and secondary damage 1d8 Con, 1d8 Dex, and 1d8 Strength), or a spell (break enchantment, greater dispel magic, heal, remove curse, restoration, or more powerful magic) automatically break the curse if applied before the next full moon. Otherwise, only break enchantment, greater restoration, remove curse, greater dispel magic, or more powerful magic are effective.
Special Qualities
A lycanthrope retains all the special qualities of the base creature, gains those of the base animal while in bestial or true form, and also gains those described below.
Alternate Form (Su)
A lycanthrope can assume the form of a specific dire animal, giant animal, giant vermin, or monstrous vermin (as indicated in its entry).
Changing forms is a full-round action.
A slain lycanthrope reverts to its humanoid form, although it remains dead. Separated body parts retain their bestial or true form, however.
A lycanthrope automatically transforms into its bestial or true forms on a night of the full moon, as well as the nights immediately before and after. It can only shift between bestial and true forms on those nights (it cannot assume humanoid form).
Amphibious (Ex)
A lycanthrope that gains the [Aquatic] subtype can survive indefinitely on land.
Damage Reduction (Ex)
A lycanthrope in humanoid form has damage reduction 5/silver. A lycanthrope in bestial or true form has damage reduction 10/silver.
Lycanthrope-Blooded (Ex)
For all effects related to race, a lycanthrope is considered to be the base creature, the base animal, and a magical beast with the [Shapechanger] subtype.
Lycanthropic Empathy (Ex)
In any form, lycanthropes can communicate and empathize with lycanthropes of the same kind, and animals and vermin of the same kind as their bestial form (whether normal, dire, giant, or monstrous). Treat this as a druid's wild empathy ability, save that it may only be used on appropriate creatures and the lycanthrope gains a +6 racial bonus on the check.
At the GM's option, this ability may also apply against particular creatures (e.g. a werespider interacting with driders).
Magical Beast Traits (Ex)
A lycanthrope has darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision in any form.
Rapid Healing (Ex)
A lycanthrope heals hit points and ability damage every hour rather than every day. A lycanthrope may regenerate lost body parts after 1d4x10 days, though it retains scars (especially those inflicted by silver weapons).
Scent (Ex)
A lycanthrope has the scent ability in any form.
Silver Vulnerability (Ex)
The slightest touch of the moon-metal burns a lycanthrope's flesh. Any silver weapon (even an improvised weapon) gains the magical beast bane property when wielded against a lycanthrope. A lycanthrope bound with silver restraints is nauseated with pain and cannot voluntarily change shape (though must still transform on nights of the full moon).
Saves
Recalculate according to the lycanthrope's magical beast racial Hit Dice, if any (see Hit Dice, above).
Abilities
All lycanthropes gain +2 Constitution, +2 Dexterity, +2 Strength, and +2 Wisdom, regardless of form.
While in true form, a lycanthrope's ability scores also improve if it increases in size (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm#sizeIncreases).
While in bestial form, a lycanthrope also gains the racial physical ability adjustments of the base animal (equal to the base animal's physical ability scores -10 or -11). If any of these scores would be worse than the true form's ability scores, use the true form's ability score instead.
In addition, a lycanthrope may also gain an additional ability score increase according to it's magical beast racial Hit Dice, if any (see Hit Dice, above).
Skills
Recalculate according to the lycanthrope's magical beast racial Hit Dice, if any (see Hit Dice, above).
Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (nature), Listen, Move Silently, Spot, Survival, and any skill given in the base animal’s description are always treated as class skills for the lycanthrope (the lycanthrope regains any cross-class skill ranks invested in these skills when the template is applied).
In any form, a lycanthrope also has any racial skill bonuses of the base creature and of the base animal, although conditional skill bonuses only apply in bestial or true form.
Feats
Recalculate according to the lycanthrope's magical beast racial Hit Dice, if any (see Hit Dice, above).
A lycanthrope gains Ability Focus (Curse of Lycanthropy), Alertness, Endurance, Run, Toughness, Track, and any racial bonus feats of the base animal as bonus feats.
Environment
Same as either the base creature or base animal.
Organization
Solitary or pair, sometimes family (3-4), pack (6-10), or troupe (family plus related animals). See individual base animal entries.
Challenge Rating
As base creature or base animal (whichever is greater), +1.
Treasure
Standard. Lycanthropes never collect silver treasures, even if they are powerful and useful magic items.
Alignment
Any. Noble creatures such as bears, bees, eagles, and lions tend to produce good-aligned lycanthropes. Sinister creatures such as bats, octopi, rats, snakes, spiders, and wolves tend to produce evil-aligned lycanthropes. This is a reflection of how these animals are perceived, not any innate quality of the animal itself, so the alignment of the animal form can be arbitrarily assigned.
Advancement
By character class.
Level Adjustment
Same as the base creature +1. In addition, whenever a lycanthrope character gains a level she may also choose to forfeit one of her magical beast racial Hit Dice, if any (see Hit Dice, above). A lycanthrope may not buy off her level adjustment while she has at least one magical beast racial Hit Dice from this template.
Feats
Lunar Bloodlust
Your blood burns with madness and savagery.
Prerequisites
Lycanthrope, any evil alignment.
Benefits
Once per day while in your bestial or true form, you may rage as a barbarian of your character level.
Lunar Gift [Background]
You were born to a lycanthrope parent, and their curse will eventually fall upon you.
Prerequisites
Human, must be selected at character creation.
Benefits
Choose a dire animal, giant animal, giant vermin, or monstrous vermin. You gain the Lycanthropic Empathy special quality appropriate to that creature.
When your character level is at least equal to that creature's Hit Dice, you gain the lycanthrope template for that creature.
Lunar Grace
You are protected by the power of the moon.
Prerequisites
Lycanthrope, Charisma 12.
Benefits
You add your Charisma bonus (minimum +1) as a deflection bonus to your Armour Class and as a resistance bonus to your saving throws.
Lunar Howl
Your eerie howls can be heard across miles of desolate wilderness.
Prerequisites
Werewolf.
Benefits
Your Bestial Intimidation ability affects all enemies within 1 mile. It may be used outside of combat; affected creatures are shaken for 1d4 hours. This effect stacks with the Bestial Intimidation of other lycanthropes but not with your own.
Additionally, you may communicate via your lycanthropic empathy ability out to a range of one mile simply by howling.