Lyndworm
2008-08-26, 03:57 AM
Some of my therianthrope-loving brethren have made similar attempts here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88923) and here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89092).
I've never really liked the way that WoTC handles lycanthropy/therianthropy. So I made my own template. I'm pretty sure that it's a little over powered. Any thoughts?
"Therianthrope" is an acquired template that can be added to any Giant, Humanoid, or Monstrous Humanoid hereafter referred to as the base creature. A Therianthrope uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: The creature's type does not change, but the creature gains the Shapechanger subtype. Size is unchanged.
The Therianthrope takes on the characteristics of a creature of the Animal or Vermin type, hereafter referred to as the base animal. A Therianthrope can change shapes, adopting either the form of the base animal or a hybrid shape that combines features of the base creature and the base animal. A Therianthrope’s hybrid form is either the same size as the base creature, one size smaller, or one size larger, whichever is closer to the size of the base animal.
There is no minimum or maximum size for the base animal.
Speed: Same as the base creature or base animal, depending on which form the Therianthrope is using. Hybrids use the base creature’s speed or the base animal's speed, whichever is higher. Hybrids gain Swim and Climb speeds if the base creature or base animal possessed such movement modes.
Armor Class: The natural armor bonuses of the base creature and base animal remain unchanged. In hybrid form, the Therianthrope’s natural armor bonus is equal to the natural armor bonus of the base animal or the base creature, whichever is better.
Attacks: Same as the base creature or base animal, depending on which form the Therianthrope is using. A Therianthrope in hybrid form gains the natural weapons of the base animal in addition to those of the base creature. If this would lead to having the same kind of natural attack more than once on the same limb, use whichever is better.
These weapons deal damage appropriate to the hybrid form’s size. A hybrid may attack with a weapon and a natural weapon, or may attack only with its natural weapons. The natural attack of a hybrid is a secondary attack.
Special Attacks: A Therianthrope retains the special attacks of the base creature or base animal, depending on which form it is using.
A Therianthrope’s hybrid form gains all applicable special attacks of the base animal. A Therianthrope spellcaster cannot cast spells with verbal, somatic, or material components while in animal form, or spells with verbal components while in hybrid form.
Special Qualities: A Therianthrope retains all the extraordinary qualities of the base creature and also gains the following qualities.
Alternate Form (Su): A Therianthrope can assume the form of a specific Animal or Vermin (as indicated in its entry). It assumes the ability scores of the base animal, but also adds it's own physical ability score modifiers to the creature's ability scores. A Therianthrope can also assume a bipedal hybrid form with prehensile hands and animalistic features. When in hybrid form the creature does not assume the ability scores of the base animal, but instead adds the base animal’s physical ability score modifiers to it's own ability scores.
If an ability score is raised after creating a Therianthrope, raise the ability score in all forms. Do not recalculate base abilities scores.
Changing to or from beast or hybrid form is a standard action.
Therianthropic Empathy (Ex): In any form, Therianthropes can communicate and empathize with normal or dire animals of their animal form. This gives them a +4 racial bonus on checks when influencing the animal’s attitude and allows the communication of simple concepts and (if the animal is friendly) commands, such as “friend,” “foe,” “flee,” and “attack.”
Low-Light Vision (Ex): A Therianthrope has low-light vision in any form.
Scent (Ex): If the base animal possesses the Scent extraordinary ability, so too does the Therianthrope in all forms.
Feats: Add the base animal’s bonus feats to the base creature. These feats should be denoted as racial bonus feats.
It’s possible that a Therianthrope cannot meet the prerequisites for all its feats when in humanoid form. If this occurs, the Therianthrope still has the feats, but cannot use them when in humanoid form.
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)
Challenge Rating: By class level or base creature, modified according to the CR of the base animal. If the base animal has a fractional CR, round up.
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Any
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: Equal to the CR of the base animal. If the base animal has a fractional CR, round up.
I've never really liked the way that WoTC handles lycanthropy/therianthropy. So I made my own template. I'm pretty sure that it's a little over powered. Any thoughts?
"Therianthrope" is an acquired template that can be added to any Giant, Humanoid, or Monstrous Humanoid hereafter referred to as the base creature. A Therianthrope uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: The creature's type does not change, but the creature gains the Shapechanger subtype. Size is unchanged.
The Therianthrope takes on the characteristics of a creature of the Animal or Vermin type, hereafter referred to as the base animal. A Therianthrope can change shapes, adopting either the form of the base animal or a hybrid shape that combines features of the base creature and the base animal. A Therianthrope’s hybrid form is either the same size as the base creature, one size smaller, or one size larger, whichever is closer to the size of the base animal.
There is no minimum or maximum size for the base animal.
Speed: Same as the base creature or base animal, depending on which form the Therianthrope is using. Hybrids use the base creature’s speed or the base animal's speed, whichever is higher. Hybrids gain Swim and Climb speeds if the base creature or base animal possessed such movement modes.
Armor Class: The natural armor bonuses of the base creature and base animal remain unchanged. In hybrid form, the Therianthrope’s natural armor bonus is equal to the natural armor bonus of the base animal or the base creature, whichever is better.
Attacks: Same as the base creature or base animal, depending on which form the Therianthrope is using. A Therianthrope in hybrid form gains the natural weapons of the base animal in addition to those of the base creature. If this would lead to having the same kind of natural attack more than once on the same limb, use whichever is better.
These weapons deal damage appropriate to the hybrid form’s size. A hybrid may attack with a weapon and a natural weapon, or may attack only with its natural weapons. The natural attack of a hybrid is a secondary attack.
Special Attacks: A Therianthrope retains the special attacks of the base creature or base animal, depending on which form it is using.
A Therianthrope’s hybrid form gains all applicable special attacks of the base animal. A Therianthrope spellcaster cannot cast spells with verbal, somatic, or material components while in animal form, or spells with verbal components while in hybrid form.
Special Qualities: A Therianthrope retains all the extraordinary qualities of the base creature and also gains the following qualities.
Alternate Form (Su): A Therianthrope can assume the form of a specific Animal or Vermin (as indicated in its entry). It assumes the ability scores of the base animal, but also adds it's own physical ability score modifiers to the creature's ability scores. A Therianthrope can also assume a bipedal hybrid form with prehensile hands and animalistic features. When in hybrid form the creature does not assume the ability scores of the base animal, but instead adds the base animal’s physical ability score modifiers to it's own ability scores.
If an ability score is raised after creating a Therianthrope, raise the ability score in all forms. Do not recalculate base abilities scores.
Changing to or from beast or hybrid form is a standard action.
Therianthropic Empathy (Ex): In any form, Therianthropes can communicate and empathize with normal or dire animals of their animal form. This gives them a +4 racial bonus on checks when influencing the animal’s attitude and allows the communication of simple concepts and (if the animal is friendly) commands, such as “friend,” “foe,” “flee,” and “attack.”
Low-Light Vision (Ex): A Therianthrope has low-light vision in any form.
Scent (Ex): If the base animal possesses the Scent extraordinary ability, so too does the Therianthrope in all forms.
Feats: Add the base animal’s bonus feats to the base creature. These feats should be denoted as racial bonus feats.
It’s possible that a Therianthrope cannot meet the prerequisites for all its feats when in humanoid form. If this occurs, the Therianthrope still has the feats, but cannot use them when in humanoid form.
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)
Challenge Rating: By class level or base creature, modified according to the CR of the base animal. If the base animal has a fractional CR, round up.
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Any
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: Equal to the CR of the base animal. If the base animal has a fractional CR, round up.