Campaign Design - Bloodlines: Minotaur-Blooded

Minotaur-Blooded
(adapted from Unearthed Arcana)

Many minotaurs inhabit the lands of Ranska, Saksa, and Kreikka in the service of the Hallitsijainen lords Herranoita, Miersurmata, Susiherra, and Verijuoma, providing the hard hitting cadres of shock troops for their armies and the muscle to enforce their masters' edicts. In these countries, unions between minotaurs and other races are not uncommon, and in fact many families seek out such matches for their children in the hopes of advancing their social and financial status. The children that result often have a savage look, with thick hair and sometimes even tiny stubs of horns.

Outside of these three nations, very few choose to willingly associate with minotaurs and as a result those with this bloodline are almost never found. That said, there are many horrid fireside tales that tell of the fate of innocents carried away from their homes by marauding minotaurs - and the rare individual displaying a minotaur bloodline proves the truth of such stories.

The minotaur bloodline only provides a minor bloodline.

Minotaur Bloodline Traits

Character Level	Minor
4th	+2 on Search checks
8th	Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot)
12th	Strength +1
16th	+1 to natural armor
20th	Minotaur affinity +21
2 You gain the indicated bonus on all Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, and Perform checks made to interact with minotaurs.

Exclusive Class: Minotaur-blooded individuals can replace their racial exclusive class with the Weapon Master class.

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Campaign Design - Bloodlines: Lycanthrope-Blooded

Lycanthrope-Blooded
(adapted from Unearthed Arcana)

Common folklore holds that the khülen were created by the alvar, who sought to devise a race of soldiers to serve in their armies by breeding lycanthropes with humans. Whether this is true or not, it is certain that khülen have lycanthrope blood running through their veins. Just as changelings living and intermixing with other races injected doppelganger heritage into the populations around them, lycanthropes living among non-lycanthropes has done the same for lycanthrope heritage. Of course, due to their shapeshifting nature, pure bred lycanthropes are capable of living among others as well, and this is another vector that infuses communities with lycanthropic heritage.

Having a lycanthrope living in one's town or village can be a blessing or a curse. Some lycanthropes such as werewolves and wereats prey upon their neighbors - murdering innocent townsfolk on a whim. Others, such as werebears, often become protectors of their homesteads, using their abilities to drive off dangerous foes who would victimize their friends and neighbors. No matter whether they are hero or villains, the typical lycanthropic character may enjoy an almost entirely normal social life - even having a family. While the offspring of an afflicted lycanthrope might not share the curse itself, the bloodline might still pass its characteristics down the generations, allowing later descendants to display some of the lycanthrope's attributes. Regardless of the original animal stock, the carriers of lycanthropic bloodlines tend to share similar characteristics, including a feral stare and an overabundance of body hair.

Although it only affects one choice in the bloodline itself (the decision between Power Attack and Dodge at 8^th level), a lycanthrope-blooded character must determine what strain of lycanthrope they are descended from, as this will affect some of the choices available to that character, including the choice of animal companion they may select should they choose to become an outdoorsman. The known strains of lycanthrope in the Three Worlds are: Werebat, werebear, wereboar, wereconstrictor, werecrocodile, werehyena, werejackal, wereleopard, werelion, greater werelion, werepuma, wererat, wereraven, wereshark, weretiger, greater weretiger, wereviper, werevulture, wereweasel, werewolf, greater werewolf, and werewolverine.

The lycanthrope bloodline only provides a minor bloodline. Anyone with an intermediate bloodline would effectively be a khülen, and anyone with a major bloodline would essentially be a lycanthrope.

Lycanthrope Bloodline Traits

Character Level	Minor
4th	+2 on Search checks
8th	Power Attack or Dodge1
12th	Constitution +1
16th	Scent (Ex)
20th	Lycanthrope affinity +22
1 If the base animal's Strength is higher than its Dexterity, you gain Power Attack. Otherwise, you gain Dodge.
2 You gain the indicated bonus on all Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, and Perform checks made to interact with lycanthropes or khülen.

Racial Restriction: Khülen cannot be lycanthrope-blooded, because effectively they already are.

Exclusive Class: Lycanthrope-blooded individuals can replace their racial exclusive class with the Outdoorsman class.

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General Rules: Monsters - Lycanthrope: Wereweasel (Template)

Wereweasel (adapted from Twisted Lore)

Wereweasels are humanoids who can transform themselves into dire weasels. In its natural form, a wereweasel looks like a slender member of its race. They often have a cruel sense of humor and, though they love a good time, they tend to be overly aggressive in pursuit of their goals. In dire weasel form, a wereweasel resembles a powerful version of the normal animal, but on close inspection, its eyes (which often glow red in the dark) show a faint spark of unnatural intelligence.

A natural wereweasel (or an afflicted wereweasel that has become aware of its affliction) can assume a hybrid form that is a mix of its humanoid and animal forms. A hybrid has hands and can use weapons, but it can also attack with its teeth. A hybrid can spread lycanthropy with its bite, and it has the same damage reduction that its animal form possesses.

Lycanthropy can be spread like a disease. Sometimes a lycanthrope begins life as a normal humanoid or giant who subsequently contracts lycanthropy after being wounded by a lycanthrope. Such a creature is called an afflicted lycanthrope. Other lycanthropes are born as lycanthropes, and are known as natural lycanthropes.

Combat
A wereweasel in its humanoid form uses whatever tactics and weapons are favored by others of its kind, though it tends to be slightly more aggressive. A lycanthrope possesses the senses of its animal form, including scent and low-light vision, and it has a deep empathy for (and ability to communicate with) animals of its animal form. An afflicted lycanthrope damaged in combat may be overwhelmed by rage, causing it to change to its animal form involuntarily. Wereweasels are aggressive fighters. They generally pick out a target and pursue it until it is down. If attacking a party, they will first attack spellcasters or other that appear to have a weak constitution.

"Wereweasel" is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature, that creature referred to hereafter as the "character". The wereweasel takes on the characteristics of a dire weasel, referred to hereafter as the "animal". Creatures with this template use all of 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. Many lycanthropes can adopt a hybrid shape that combines features of the character and the base animal. A lycanthrope's hybrid form is the same size as the animal form or the base form, whichever is larger.

Hit Dice: Same as the character plus those of the animal. To calculate total hit points, apply Constitution modifiers according to the score the lycanthrope has in each form.

Speed: As character or animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using.

Armor Class: As character or animal's natural armor +2, depending on which form the wereweasel is using.

Attacks: As character or animal, depending on which form the wereweasel is using.

Damage: As character or animal, depending on which form the wereweasel is using.

Special Attacks: As character or animal, depending on which form the wereweasel is using (plus curse of lycanthropy in animal form).

• Lycanthropic Affinity (Su): Wereweasels can communicate and empathize with normal and dire weasels. This gives them a +4 bonus on checks made to influence the weasel's attitude and allows the wereweasel to communicate simple concepts and (if the animal is friendly) commands to the animal, such as "friend", "foe", "flee", or "attack".
• Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid injured by a wereweasel but not actually killed has a chance to contract lycanthropy after the encounter is over. This chance equals 1% per point of damage dealt by the lycanthrope's natural attacks; if several lycanthropes of the same type injure the character, add the chances together. Damage from different types of lycanthropes must be tracked separately. A character killed by a lycanthrope and then raised or resurrected has a 100% chance of contracting lycanthropy.

Special Qualities: All wereweasels gain the following special qualities:

• Alternate Form (Su): All wereweasels can shift into the form of a dire weasel and a dire weasel-humanoid hybrid. Changing to or from animal or hybrid form is a full-round action. In hybrid form, a wereweasel stands upright with sturdy legs and a broad chest. Its arms, while covered in fur, are humanoid in structure and able to grasp weapons and other objects as numbly as they can in humanoid form. Upon assuming natural form, the lycanthrope regains hit points as if having rested for a day. If slain, the lycanthropic creature reverts to its humanoid form, though it remains dead. A part of the body separated from the whole retains its natural form however. This shapeshifting ability can be difficult for some lycanthropes to control.
• Damage Reduction (Su): A wereweasel's animal and hybrid forms gain damage reduction 15/silver.
• Low-Light Vision (Ex): The wereweasel gains low-light vision in any form.
• Scent (Ex): The wereweasel gains scent in any form.
• Attach (Ex): A wereweasel in animal or hybrid form that hits with its bite attack latches onto the opponent's body with its powerful jaws. An attached wereweasel loses its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class. It can still attack with light weapons while attached.
• Blood Drain (Ex): A wereweasel in animal or hybrid form drains blood for 2d4 points of temporary Constitution damage each round it remains attached.

Saves: Add the base saves for the animal to the base saves for the base creature.

Abilities: A wereweasel in humanoid form receives a +2 to Wisdom, due to its animal cunning. In animal or hybrid form, a wereweasel receives the following ability adjustments: Dexterity +6 and Wisdom +2.

Skills: All lycanthropes gain a +4 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checks no matter what form they are in. Wereweasels in animal or hybrid form gain the same skills as a normal dire weasel in addition to any skills they have in their humanoid forms. If a wereweasel has a skill in both its humanoid and animal forms, use the better score.

Feats: As the character plus Iron Will. Lycanthropes can also learn the Improved Shape Control feat. When in animal or hybrid form, a wereweasel gains the Multiattack, Toughness, and Weapon Finesse feats.

Climate/Terrain: As character or dire weasel.

Organization: Solitary or pair, sometimes family (2 - 40), pack (6 - 10), or troupe (family plus related animals).

Challenge Rating: By class level or base creature +3.

Treasure: Standard.

Alignment: Usually chaotic evil.

Advancement: By character class.

Lycanthropy As an Affliction
When a character contracts lycanthropy through a lycanthrope’s natural attacks (see above), no symptoms appear until the first night of the next full moon. On that night, the afflicted character involuntarily assumes animal form and forgets his or her own identity, temporarily becoming an NPC. The character remains in animal form, assuming the appropriate alignment, until the next dawn.

The character’s actions during this first episode are dictated by the alignment of its animal form. The character remembers nothing about the entire episode (or subsequent episodes) unless he succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom check, in which case he becomes aware of his lycanthropic condition.

Thereafter, the character is subject to involuntary transformation under the full moon and whenever damaged in combat. He or she feels an overwhelming rage building up and must succeed on a Control Shape check (see below) to resist changing into animal form. Any player character not yet aware of his or her lycanthropic condition temporarily becomes an NPC during an involuntary change, and acts according to the alignment of his or her animal form.

A character with awareness of his condition retains his identity and does not lose control of his actions if he changes. However, each time he changes to his animal form, he must make a Will save (DC 15 + number of times he has been in animal form) or permanently assume the alignment of his animal form in all shapes.

Once a character becomes aware of his affliction, he can now voluntarily attempt to change to animal or hybrid form, using the appropriate Control Shape check DC. An attempt is a standard action and can be made each round. Any voluntary change to animal or hybrid form immediately and permanently changes the character’s alignment to that of the appropriate lycanthrope.

Changing Form
Changing form is a standard action. If the change is involuntary, the character performs the change on his next turn following the triggering event. An afflicted character who is not aware of his condition remains in animal form until the next dawn. An afflicted character who is aware of his or her condition (see above) can try to resume humanoid form following a change (voluntary or involuntary) with a Control Shape check, but if he fails his check, he remains in animal (or hybrid) form until the following dawn.

Curing Lycanthropy
An afflicted character who eats a sprig of belladonna (also called wolfsbane) within 1 hour of a lycanthrope’s attack can attempt a DC 20 Fortitude save to shake off the affliction. If a healer administers the herb, use the character’s save bonus or the healer’s Heal modifier, whichever is higher. The character gets only one chance, no matter how much belladonna is consumed. The belladonna must be reasonably fresh (picked within the last week).

However, fresh or not, belladonna is toxic. The character must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of Strength damage. One minute later, the character must succeed on a second DC 13 save or take an additional 2d6 points of Strength damage.

A remove disease or heal spell cast by a cleric of 12^th level or higher also cures the affliction, provided the character receives the spell within three days of the lycanthrope’s attack.

The only other way to remove the affliction is to cast remove curse or break enchantment on the character during one of the three days of the full moon. After receiving the spell, the character must succeed on a DC 20 Will save to break the curse (the caster knows if the spell works). If the save fails, the process must be repeated.

Characters undergoing this cure are often kept bound or confined in cages until the cure takes effect.

Only afflicted lycanthropes can be cured of lycanthropy.

Wereweasels as Characters
Becoming a wereweasel does not necessarily change a character’s favored class but usually changes alignment (see above). This alignment change may cause characters of certain classes to lose some of their class features.

Wereweasel characters possess the following racial traits:

• Abilities: +2 Wisdom. In dire weasel or hybrid form the wereweasel character gains +6 Dexterity.


• Size: Same as the base creature or the base animal form.


• Racial Hit Dice: A wereweasel gains 3d8 racial hit dice. As a result of these hit dice, a wereweasel has +2 Base Attack Bonus, +3 base Fortitude save bonus, +3 base Reflex save bonus, and +1 base Will save bonus.


• Racial Skills: A wereweasel adds skill points for its animal Hit Dice. It gains skill points equal to (2 + Intelligence modifier, minimum 1) x 6. The wereweasel's racial skills are Hide, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot. The wereweasel’s maximum skill ranks are equal to its animal form Hit Dice + its racial Hit Dice (if any) + its class levels + 3. Any racial skill adjustments of the wereweasel’s base race and its animal form (but not conditional adjustments) are added to its skill modifiers in any form.


• Racial Feats: Wereweasels gain Multiattack, Toughness, Weapon Finesse, and Iron Will as bonus feats.


• +2 natural armor bonus in any form.


• Special Qualities: Alternate form (dire weasel or dire weasel-humanoid hybrid), weasel empathy, curse of lycanthropy (in animal or hybrid form only), attach, blood drain, low-light vision, and scent. In addition, a wereweasel gains damage reduction as follows:
  
  • Afflicted lycanthrope: Damage reduction 5/silver (in animal or hybrid form only).
  • Natural lycanthrope: Damage reduction 10/silver (in animal or hybrid form only).


• Automatic Languages: As base creature.


• Favored Class: Same as the base creature.


• Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +4 (afflicted) or +5 (natural).

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General Rules: Monsters - Lycanthrope: Werecrocodile (Template)

Werecrocodile (adapted from Monsters of Færûn, Races of Færûn, Sandstorm, and Twisted Lore)

Werecrocodiles are humanoids who can transform themselves into crocodiles. In its natural form, a werecrocodiles tend to be tall, thin creatures with sharp features, a long nose and chin, and a thin face with a noticeable overbite. They may have wider mouths, more widely spaced eyes, or more visible teeth. They are often well-muscled individuals with bowed legs and little hair.

They give the impression of being patient and lazy unless angered, at which point they react with incredible swfitness. Werecrocodiles often work somewhere close to water and they have unnerving steady stares. They often dress in loose-fitting cloth that doesn't interfere with swimming or, since they are cannibals, the skins of their murdered brethren. In their crocodile form, they are very long, powerful monsters and their eyes (which often glow red in the dark) show a faint spark of unnatural intelligence.

A natural werecrocodile (or an afflicted werecrocodile that has become aware of its affliction) can assume a hybrid form that is a mix of its humanoid and animal forms. A hybrid has hands and can use weapons, but it can also attack with its teeth and claws. A hybrid can spread lycanthropy with its bite, and it has the same damage reduction that its animal form possesses.

Lycanthropy can be spread like a disease. Sometimes a lycanthrope begins life as a normal humanoid or giant who subsequently contracts lycanthropy after being wounded by a lycanthrope. Such a creature is called an afflicted lycanthrope. Other lycanthropes are born as lycanthropes, and are known as natural lycanthropes.

Combat
Werecrocodiles prefer to catch potential enemies unaware by assuming their human form and posing as harmless commoners. They change into crocodile form and attack as soon as their prey is within range. Werecrocodiles can assume both a hybrid form and an animal form. Many werecrocodiles prefer to lie in wait in bodies of water, using their Hide bonus to ambush opponents.

"Werecrocodile" is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature, that creature referred to hereafter as the "character". The werecrocodile takes on the characteristics of a crocodile, referred to hereafter as the "animal". Creatures with this template use all of 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. Many lycanthropes can adopt a hybrid shape that combines features of the character and the base animal. A lycanthrope's hybrid form is the same size as the animal form or the base form, whichever is larger.

Hit Dice: Same as the character plus those of the animal. To calculate total hit points, apply Constitution modifiers according to the score the lycanthrope has in each form.

Speed: As character or animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using.

Armor Class: As character or animal's natural armor +2, depending on which form the werecrocodile is using.

Attacks: As character or animal, depending on which form the werecrocodile is using.

Damage: As character or animal, depending on which form the werecrocodile is using.

Special Attacks: As character or animal, depending on which form the werecrocodile is using (plus curse of lycanthropy in animal form).

• Lycanthropic Affinity (Su): Werecrocodiles can communicate and empathize with normal, dire, or giant crocodiles. This gives them a +4 bonus on checks made to influence the crocodile's attitude and allows the werecrocodile to communicate simple concepts and (if the animal is friendly) commands to the animal, such as "friend", "foe", "flee", or "attack".
• Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid injured by a werecrocodile but not actually killed has a chance to contract lycanthropy after the encounter is over. This chance equals 1% per point of damage dealt by the lycanthrope's natural attacks; if several lycanthropes of the same type injure the character, add the chances together. Damage from different types of lycanthropes must be tracked separately. A character killed by a lycanthrope and then raised or resurrected has a 100% chance of contracting lycanthropy.

Special Qualities: All werecrocodiles gain the following special qualities:

• Alternate Form (Su): All werecrocodiles can shift into the form of a crocodile and a crocodile-humanoid hybrid. Changing to or from animal or hybrid form is a full-round action. In hybrid form, a werecrocodile stands about 6 feet tall. It has the head, scales, claws, and tail of a crocodile, retaining a generally human bipedal shape. Its elongated reptilian arms and legs allow the werecrocodile to walk on two legs as well as grasp simple objects. Upon assuming natural form, the lycanthrope regains hit points as if having rested for a day. If slain, the lycanthropic creature reverts to its humanoid form, though it remains dead. A part of the body separated from the whole retains its natural form however. This shapeshifting ability can be difficult for some lycanthropes to control.
• Damage Reduction (Su): A werecrocodile's animal and hybrid forms gain damage reduction 15/silver.
• Low-Light Vision (Ex): The werecrocodile gains low-light vision in any form.
• Scent (Ex): The werecrocodile gains scent in any form.
• Hold Breath (Ex): A werecrocodile can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 4 x its Constitution score before it risks drowning.
• Improved Grab (Ex): When a werecrocodile makes a successful bite attack against an opponent of Large size or smaller, it can make a free grapple check without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it achieves a hold, it can drag the opponent away, dealing no damage. Its favorite tactic is to drag its prey into deep water, where it attempts to pin the opponent to the bottom. If it succeeds in pinning, it can deal bite damage each round it maintains the pin.

Saves: Add the base saves for the animal to the base saves for the base creature.

Abilities: A werecrocodile in humanoid form receives a +2 to Wisdom due to its animal cunning. In animal or hybrid form, a werecrocodile receives the following ability adjustments: Strength +8, Dexterity +2, Constitution +6, and Wisdom +2.

Skills: All lycanthropes gain a +4 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checks no matter what form they are in. A werecrocodile in animal or hybrid form gains a +8 bonus to all Swim checks to perform a special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to Take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the Run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. Werecocodiles gain a +4 bonus to Hide checks when in the water. Werecrocodiles in animal or hybrid form gain the same skills as a normal crocodile in addition to any skills they have in their humanoid forms. If a werecrocodile has a skill in both is humanoid and animal forms, use the better score.

Feats: As the character plus Iron Will. Lycanthropes can also learn the Improved Shape Control feat. When in animal or hybrid form, a werecrocodile gains the Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot), Skill Focus (Hide), and Power Attack feats.

Climate/Terrain: As character or crocodile.

Organization: Solitary or pair, sometimes family (2 - 40), pack (6 - 10), or troupe (family plus related animals).

Challenge Rating: By class level or base creature +3.

Treasure: Standard.

Alignment: Always neutral evil.

Advancement: By character class.

Lycanthropy As an Affliction
When a character contracts lycanthropy through a lycanthrope’s natural attacks (see above), no symptoms appear until the first night of the next full moon. On that night, the afflicted character involuntarily assumes animal form and forgets his or her own identity, temporarily becoming an NPC. The character remains in animal form, assuming the appropriate alignment, until the next dawn.

The character’s actions during this first episode are dictated by the alignment of its animal form. The character remembers nothing about the entire episode (or subsequent episodes) unless he succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom check, in which case he becomes aware of his lycanthropic condition.

Thereafter, the character is subject to involuntary transformation under the full moon and whenever damaged in combat. He or she feels an overwhelming rage building up and must succeed on a Control Shape check (see below) to resist changing into animal form. Any player character not yet aware of his or her lycanthropic condition temporarily becomes an NPC during an involuntary change, and acts according to the alignment of his or her animal form.

A character with awareness of his condition retains his identity and does not lose control of his actions if he changes. However, each time he changes to his animal form, he must make a Will save (DC 15 + number of times he has been in animal form) or permanently assume the alignment of his animal form in all shapes.

Once a character becomes aware of his affliction, he can now voluntarily attempt to change to animal or hybrid form, using the appropriate Control Shape check DC. An attempt is a standard action and can be made each round. Any voluntary change to animal or hybrid form immediately and permanently changes the character’s alignment to that of the appropriate lycanthrope.

Changing Form
Changing form is a standard action. If the change is involuntary, the character performs the change on his next turn following the triggering event. An afflicted character who is not aware of his condition remains in animal form until the next dawn. An afflicted character who is aware of his or her condition (see above) can try to resume humanoid form following a change (voluntary or involuntary) with a Control Shape check, but if he fails his check, he remains in animal (or hybrid) form until the following dawn.

Curing Lycanthropy
An afflicted character who eats a sprig of belladonna (also called wolfsbane) within 1 hour of a lycanthrope’s attack can attempt a DC 20 Fortitude save to shake off the affliction. If a healer administers the herb, use the character’s save bonus or the healer’s Heal modifier, whichever is higher. The character gets only one chance, no matter how much belladonna is consumed. The belladonna must be reasonably fresh (picked within the last week).

However, fresh or not, belladonna is toxic. The character must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of Strength damage. One minute later, the character must succeed on a second DC 13 save or take an additional 2d6 points of Strength damage.

A remove disease or heal spell cast by a cleric of 12^th level or higher also cures the affliction, provided the character receives the spell within three days of the lycanthrope’s attack.

The only other way to remove the affliction is to cast remove curse or break enchantment on the character during one of the three days of the full moon. After receiving the spell, the character must succeed on a DC 20 Will save to break the curse (the caster knows if the spell works). If the save fails, the process must be repeated.

Characters undergoing this cure are often kept bound or confined in cages until the cure takes effect.

Only afflicted lycanthropes can be cured of lycanthropy.

Werecrocodiles as Characters
Becoming a werecrocodile does not necessarily change a character’s favored class but usually changes alignment (see above). This alignment change may cause characters of certain classes to lose some of their class features.

Werecrocodile characters possess the following racial traits:

• Abilities: +2 Wisdom. In crocodile or hybrid form the werecrocodile character gains +8 Strength, +2 Dexterity, and +6 Constitution.


• Size: Same as the base creature or the base animal form.


• Racial Hit Dice: A werecrocodile gains 3d8 racial hit dice. As a result of these hit dice, a werecrocodile has +2 Base Attack Bonus, +3 base Fortitude save bonus, +3 base Reflex save bonus, and +1 base Will save bonus.


• Racial Skills: A werecrocodile adds skill points for its animal Hit Dice. It gains skill points equal to (2 + Intelligence modifier, minimum 1) x 6. The werecrocodile's racial skills are Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Spot, and Swim. The werecrocodile’s maximum skill ranks are equal to its animal form Hit Dice + its racial Hit Dice (if any) + its class levels + 3. Any racial skill adjustments of the werecrocodile’s base race and its animal form (but not conditional adjustments) are added to its skill modifiers in any form.


• Racial Feats: Werecrocodiles gain Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot), Skill Focus (Hide), Power Attack, and Iron Will as bonus feats.


• +2 natural armor bonus in any form.


• Special Qualities: Alternate form (crocodile and crocodile-humanoid hybrid), crocodile empathy, curse of lycanthropy (in animal or hybrid form only), hold breath, improved grab, low-light vision, and scent. In addition, a werecrocodile gains damage reduction as follows:
  
  • Afflicted lycanthrope: Damage reduction 5/silver (in animal or hybrid form only).
  • Natural lycanthrope: Damage reduction 10/silver (in animal or hybrid form only).


• Automatic Languages: As base creature.


• Favored Class: Same as the base creature.


• Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +3 (afflicted) or +4 (natural).

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General Rules: Monsters - Lycanthrope: Greater Weretiger (Template)

Greater Weretiger (adapted from Twisted Lore and Races of Færûn)

Greater weretigers are humanoids or giants who can transform themselves into dire tigers. In humanoid form, greater weretigers look much like a normal member of their race, but with somewhat more body hair. In its animal form, a greater weretiger's eyes (which often glow red in the dark) show a faint spark of unnatural intelligence.

A greater weretiger can assume a hybrid form that is a mix of its humanoid and animal forms. A hybrid has hands and can use weapons, but it can also attack with its teeth and claws. A hybrid can spread lycanthropy with its bite, and it has the same damage reduction that its animal form possesses.

Lycanthropy can be spread like a disease. Sometimes a lycanthrope begins life as a normal humanoid or giant who subsequently contracts lycanthropy after being wounded by a lycanthrope. Such a creature is called an afflicted lycanthrope. Other lycanthropes are born as lycanthropes, and are known as natural lycanthropes.

Combat
A greater weretiger in its humanoid form uses whatever tactics and weapons are favored by others of its kind, though it tends to be slightly more aggressive. A lycanthrope possesses the senses of its animal form, including scent and low-light vision, and it has a deep empathy for (and ability to communicate with) animals of its animal form. Greater weretigers are confident manipulators who enjoy toying with their prey.

"Greater weretiger" is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature, that creature referred to hereafter as the "character". The greater weretiger takes on the characteristics of a dire tiger, referred to hereafter as the "animal". Creatures with this template use all of 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. Many lycanthropes can adopt a hybrid shape that combines features of the character and the base animal. A lycanthrope's hybrid form is the same size as the animal form or the base form, whichever is larger.

Hit Dice: Same as the character plus those of the animal. To calculate total hit points, apply Constitution modifiers according to the score the lycanthrope has in each form.

Speed: As character or animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using.

Armor Class: As character or animal's natural armor +2, depending on which form the greater weretiger is using.

Attacks: As character or animal, depending on which form the greater weretiger is using.

Damage: As character or animal, depending on which form the greater weretiger is using.

Special Attacks: As character or animal, depending on which form the greater weretiger is using (plus curse of lycanthropy in animal form).

• Lycanthropic Affinity (Su): Greater weretigers can communicate and empathize with normal or dire tigers. This gives them a +8 bonus on checks made to influence the tiger's attitude and allows the greater weretiger to communicate simple concepts and (if the animal is friendly) commands to the animal, such as "friend", "foe", "flee", or "attack". They may also command up to four times their Hit Dice of normal or dire tigers. The greater weretiger maintains a telepathic connection with any such creatures up to 10 miles away, and they will always obey its orders without hesitation.
• Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid injured by a greater werewtiger but not actually killed has a chance to contract lycanthropy after the encounter is over. This chance equals 1% per point of damage dealt by the lycanthrope's natural attacks; if several lycanthropes of the same type injure the character, add the chances together. Damage from different types of lycanthropes must be tracked separately. A character killed by a lycanthrope and then raised or resurrected has a 100% chance of contracting lycanthropy. A character that contracts lycanthropy from a greater weretiger becomes a normal weretiger.

Special Qualities: All greater weretigers gain the following special qualities:

• Alternate Form (Su): All greater weretigers can shift into the form of a dire tiger and a dire tiger-humanoid hybrid. Changing to or from animal or hybrid form is a move-equivalent action. Upon assuming natural form, the lycanthrope regains hit points as if having rested for a day. If slain, the lycanthropic creature does not revert to its humanoid form, though it remains dead. A part of the body separated from the whole retains its natural form however. This shapeshifting ability can be difficult for some lycanthropes to control.
• Damage Reduction (Su): A greater weretiger's animal and hybrid forms gain damage reduction 25/moonblessed. Greater weretigers may be harmed by a weapon forged entirely under the light of a full moon. In addition, the weapon must be blessed in a difficult, taxing ritual by a good or neutral cleric or druid. Any level cleric or druid may perform the ceremony, but any weapon so blessed will only affect a greater weretiger with Hit Dice equal to or less than the total combined levels of all divine casters performing the ceremony. Any caster performing the ceremony may not cast any spells the day before or the day after.
• Spell Resistance (Su): The greater weretiger gains spell resistance 24.
• Low-Light Vision (Ex): The greater weretiger gains low-light vision in any form.
• Darkvision (Ex): The greater weretiger gains darkvision with a range of 120 feet in any form.
• Scent (Ex): The greater weretiger gains scent in any form.
• Pounce (Ex): If a greater weretiger leaps upon a foe in the first round of combat, it can make a full attack, even if it has already taken a move action. The greater weretiger can also rake.
• Improved Pounce (Ex): If a greater weretiger uses its bite attack in conjunction with its spring attack, it may use its pounce ability, improved grab, and rake abilities and continue moving after the attacks. Moving in this way does not provoke attacks of opportunity from the opponent attacked.
• Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the greater weretiger must hit with its bite attack. If it does, it can try to get hold without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If it gets hold, it can rake.
• Rake (Ex): A greater weretiger can make two rake attacks at its full Base Attack Bonus against a held creature with its hind legs to inflict 2d4 + ½ Strength damage each.
• Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): Three times per day - charm person, entangle, expeditious retreat, and see invisibility; once per day - greater magic fang, haste, and suggestion. These abilities are cast as if by a sorcerer equal in level to the greater weretiger's total Hit Dice. The save DC's for these spell-like abilities are Charisma-based

Saves: Add the base saves for the animal to the base saves for the base creature.

Abilities: A greater weretiger in humanoid form receives a +2 to Wisdom, due to its animal cunning. In animal or hybrid form, a greater weretiger receives the following ability adjustments: Strength +16, Dexterity +10, Constitution +10, and Wisdom +2.

Skills: All lycanthropes gain a +4 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checks no matter what form they are in. A greater weretiger also gains a +4 bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks. In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, a greater weretiger's Hide bonus increases to +8. Greater weretigers in animal or hybrid form gain the same skills as a normal dire tiger in addition to any skills they have in their humanoid forms. If a greater weretiger has a skill in both is humanoid and animal forms, use the better score.

Feats: As the character plus Iron Will. Lycanthropes can also learn the Improved Shape Control feat. When in animal or hybrid form, a greater weretiger gains the Dodge, Improved Critical (Claw), Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Mobility, and Spring Attack feats.

Climate/Terrain: As character or dire tiger.

Organization: Solitary, pack (3 - 7) plus followers (2 - 8 regular weretigers, 6 - 12 dire tigers, 8 - 24 normal tigers).

Challenge Rating: By class level or base creature +5.

Treasure: Standard.

Alignment: Always lawful evil.

Advancement: By character class.

Lycanthropy As an Affliction
There are no afflicted greater lycanthropes. Greater weretigers are either born or intentionally made via evil rituals. Anyone afflicted with lycanthropy by a greater weretiger becomes a normal weretiger.

Greater Weretigers as Characters
Becoming a greater weretiger does not necessarily change a character’s favored class but usually changes alignment (see above). This alignment change may cause characters of certain classes to lose some of their class features.

Greater weretiger characters possess the following racial traits:

• Abilities: +2 Wisdom. In dire tiger or hybrid form the greater weretiger character gains +16 Strength, +10 Dexterity, and +10 Constitution.


• Size: Same as the base creature or the base animal form.


• Racial Hit Dice: A greater weretiger gains 16d8 racial hit dice. As a result of these hit dice, a greater weretiger has +12 Base Attack Bonus, a +10 base Fortitude save bonus, a +10 base Reflex save bonus, and a +5 base Will save bonus.


• Racial Skills: A greater weretiger adds skill points for its animal Hit Dice. It gains skill points equal to (2 + Intelligence modifier, minimum 1) x 19. The greater weretiger's racial skills are Hide, Intimidate, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot. The greater weretiger’s maximum skill ranks are equal to its animal form Hit Dice + its racial Hit Dice (if any) + its class levels + 3. Any racial skill adjustments of the greater weretiger’s base race and its animal form (but not conditional adjustments) are added to its skill modifiers in any form.


• Racial Feats: Greater weretigers gain Dodge, Improved Critical 9Claw), Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Move Silently, Spring Attack, and Iron Will as bonus feats.


• +2 natural armor bonus in any form.


• Special Qualities: Alternate form (dire tiger or dire tiger-humanoid hybrid), tiger empathy, curse of lycanthropy (in animal or hybrid form only), pounce, improved pounce, improved grab, rake, SR 24, spell-like abilities, low-light vision, darkvision 120 feet, and scent. In addition, a greater weretiger gains damage reduction as follows:
  
  • Natural lycanthrope: Damage reduction 25/moonblessed (in animal or hybrid form only).


• Automatic Languages: As base creature.


• Favored Class: Same as the base creature.


• Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +18.

Home     Three Worlds     Monsters

General Rules: Monsters - Lycanthrope: Wereconstrictor (Template)

Wereconstrictor (adapted from Twisted Lore)

Wereconstrictors are humanoids who can transform themselves into Large constrictor snakes. In its natural form, a wereconstrictor looks like any other member of its kind. They prefer to work in the warm sun, and will complain about cold weather, bundling up nearly twice as much as the average individual. In constrictor form, a wereconstrictor resembles a powerful version of the normal animal, but on close inspection, its eyes (which often glow red in the dark) show a faint spark of unnatural intelligence.

A natural wereconstrictor (or an afflicted wereconstrictor that has become aware of its affliction) can assume a hybrid form that is a mix of its humanoid and animal forms. A hybrid has hands and can use weapons, but it can also attack with its teeth. A hybrid can spread lycanthropy with its bite, and it has the same damage reduction that its animal form possesses.

Lycanthropy can be spread like a disease. Sometimes a lycanthrope begins life as a normal humanoid or giant who subsequently contracts lycanthropy after being wounded by a lycanthrope. Such a creature is called an afflicted lycanthrope. Other lycanthropes are born as lycanthropes, and are known as natural lycanthropes.

Combat
A wereconstrictor in its humanoid form uses whatever tactics and weapons are favored by others of its kind, though it tends to be slightly more aggressive. A lycanthrope possesses the senses of its animal form, including scent and low-light vision, and it has a deep empathy for (and ability to communicate with) animals of its animal form. An afflicted lycanthrope damaged in combat may be overwhelmed by rage, causing it to change to its animal form involuntarily. If engaged by multiple opponents, a wereconstrictor will attack the largest opponent first and then work on smaller opponents. It will not eat until after the battle is over and it is safe.

"Wereconstrictor" is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature, that creature referred to hereafter as the "character". The wereconstrictor takes on the characteristics of a Large constrictor snake, referred to hereafter as the "animal". Creatures with this template use all of 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. Many lycanthropes can adopt a hybrid shape that combines features of the character and the base animal. A lycanthrope's hybrid form is the same size as the animal form or the base form, whichever is larger.

Hit Dice: Same as the character plus those of the animal. To calculate total hit points, apply Constitution modifiers according to the score the lycanthrope has in each form.

Speed: As character or animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using.

Armor Class: As character or animal's natural armor +2, depending on which form the wereconstrictor is using.

Attacks: As character or animal, depending on which form the wereconstrictor is using.

Damage: As character or animal, depending on which form the wereconstrictor is using.

Space/Reach: As character in humanoid form. In animal or hybrid form, the wereconstrictor occupies a space 5 feet by 5 feet and has 10 foot reach.

Special Attacks: As character or animal, depending on which form the wereconstrictor is using (plus curse of lycanthropy in animal form).

• Lycanthropic Affinity (Su): Wereconstrictors can communicate and empathize with normal snakes. This gives them a +4 bonus on checks made to influence the snake's attitude and allows the wereconstrictor to communicate simple concepts and (if the animal is friendly) commands to the animal, such as "friend", "foe", "flee", or "attack".
• Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid injured by a wereconstrictor but not actually killed has a chance to contract lycanthropy after the encounter is over. This chance equals 1% per point of damage dealt by the lycanthrope's natural attacks; if several lycanthropes of the same type injure the character, add the chances together. Damage from different types of lycanthropes must be tracked separately. A character killed by a lycanthrope and then raised or resurrected has a 100% chance of contracting lycanthropy.

Special Qualities: All wereconstrictors gain the following special qualities:

• Alternate Form (Su): All wereconstrictors can shift into the form of a Large constrictor snake and a constrictor snake-humanoid hybrid. In hybrid form, a wereconstrictor has a humanoid lower body with a very flexible torso and a snake's head on a long, sinuous neck. A wereconstrictor generally prefers snake form, taking advantage of the surprise of its damage reduction. Changing to or from animal or hybrid form is a full-round action. Upon assuming natural form, the lycanthrope regains hit points as if having rested for a day. If slain, the lycanthropic creature reverts to its humanoid form, though it remains dead. A part of the body separated from the whole retains its natural form however. This shapeshifting ability can be difficult for some lycanthropes to control.
• Damage Reduction (Su): A wereconstrictor's animal and hybrid forms gain damage reduction 15/silver.
• Low-Light Vision (Ex): The wereconstrictor gains low-light vision in any form.
• Scent (Ex): The wereconstrictor gains scent in any form.
• Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a wereconstrictor in animal or hybrid form must hit a Large or smaller creature with its bite attack. If it hits, the wereconstrictor can attempt to grab hold of the victim without needing to make a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If it gets hold, it can constrict.
• Constrict (Ex): A wereconstrictor in animal or hybrid form deals (1d6 + Strength bonus) points of damage with a successful grapple check against Large or smaller creatures.

Saves: Add the base saves for the animal to the base saves for the base creature.

Abilities: A wereconstrictor in humanoid form receives a +2 to Wisdom, due to its animal cunning. In animal or hybrid form, a wereconstrictor receives the following ability adjustments: Strength +10, Dexterity +6, Constitution +2, and Wisdom +2.

Skills: All lycanthropes gain a +4 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checks no matter what form they are in. Wereconstrictors in animal or hybrid form gain the same skills as a normal Large constrictor snake in addition to any skills they have in their humanoid forms. If a wereconstrictor has a skill in both its humanoid and animal forms, use the better score.

Feats: As the character plus Iron Will. Lycanthropes can also learn the Improved Shape Control feat. When in animal or hybrid form, a wereconstrictor gains the Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, and Toughness feats.

Climate/Terrain: As character or Large constrictor snake.

Organization: Solitary or pair, sometimes family (2 - 40), pack (6 - 10), or troupe (family plus related animals).

Challenge Rating: By class level or base creature +4.

Treasure: Standard.

Alignment: Usually neutral.

Advancement: By character class.

Lycanthropy As an Affliction
When a character contracts lycanthropy through a lycanthrope’s natural attacks (see above), no symptoms appear until the first night of the next full moon. On that night, the afflicted character involuntarily assumes animal form and forgets his or her own identity, temporarily becoming an NPC. The character remains in animal form, assuming the appropriate alignment, until the next dawn.

The character’s actions during this first episode are dictated by the alignment of its animal form. The character remembers nothing about the entire episode (or subsequent episodes) unless he succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom check, in which case he becomes aware of his lycanthropic condition.

Thereafter, the character is subject to involuntary transformation under the full moon and whenever damaged in combat. He or she feels an overwhelming rage building up and must succeed on a Control Shape check (see below) to resist changing into animal form. Any player character not yet aware of his or her lycanthropic condition temporarily becomes an NPC during an involuntary change, and acts according to the alignment of his or her animal form.

A character with awareness of his condition retains his identity and does not lose control of his actions if he changes. However, each time he changes to his animal form, he must make a Will save (DC 15 + number of times he has been in animal form) or permanently assume the alignment of his animal form in all shapes.

Once a character becomes aware of his affliction, he can now voluntarily attempt to change to animal or hybrid form, using the appropriate Control Shape check DC. An attempt is a standard action and can be made each round. Any voluntary change to animal or hybrid form immediately and permanently changes the character’s alignment to that of the appropriate lycanthrope.

Changing Form
Changing form is a standard action. If the change is involuntary, the character performs the change on his next turn following the triggering event. An afflicted character who is not aware of his condition remains in animal form until the next dawn. An afflicted character who is aware of his or her condition (see above) can try to resume humanoid form following a change (voluntary or involuntary) with a Control Shape check, but if he fails his check, he remains in animal (or hybrid) form until the following dawn.

Curing Lycanthropy
An afflicted character who eats a sprig of belladonna (also called wolfsbane) within 1 hour of a lycanthrope’s attack can attempt a DC 20 Fortitude save to shake off the affliction. If a healer administers the herb, use the character’s save bonus or the healer’s Heal modifier, whichever is higher. The character gets only one chance, no matter how much belladonna is consumed. The belladonna must be reasonably fresh (picked within the last week).

However, fresh or not, belladonna is toxic. The character must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of Strength damage. One minute later, the character must succeed on a second DC 13 save or take an additional 2d6 points of Strength damage.

A remove disease or heal spell cast by a cleric of 12^th level or higher also cures the affliction, provided the character receives the spell within three days of the lycanthrope’s attack.

The only other way to remove the affliction is to cast remove curse or break enchantment on the character during one of the three days of the full moon. After receiving the spell, the character must succeed on a DC 20 Will save to break the curse (the caster knows if the spell works). If the save fails, the process must be repeated.

Characters undergoing this cure are often kept bound or confined in cages until the cure takes effect.

Only afflicted lycanthropes can be cured of lycanthropy.

Wereconstrictors as Characters
Becoming a wereconstrictor does not necessarily change a character’s favored class but usually changes alignment (see above). This alignment change may cause characters of certain classes to lose some of their class features.

Wereconstrictor characters possess the following racial traits:

• Abilities: +2 Wisdom. In animal or hybrid form the wereconstrictor character gains +10 Strength, +6 Dexterity, and +2 Constitution.


• Size: Same as the base creature or the base animal form.


• Space/Reach: As character in humanoid form. In animal or hybrid form, the wereconstrictor occupies a space 5 feet by 5 feet and has 10 foot reach.


• Racial Hit Dice: A wereconstrictor gains 7d8 racial hit dice. As a result of these hit dice, a wereconstrictor has +5 Base Attack Bonus, +5 base Fortitude save bonus, +5 base Reflex save bonus, and +2 base Will save bonus.


• Racial Skills: A wereconstrictor adds skill points for its animal Hit Dice. It gains skill points equal to (2 + Intelligence modifier, minimum 1) x 11. The wereconstrictor's racial skills are Balance, Climb, Hide, Listen, and Spot. The wereconstrictor’s maximum skill ranks are equal to its animal form Hit Dice + its racial Hit Dice (if any) + its class levels + 3. Any racial skill adjustments of the wereconstrictor's base race and its animal form (but not conditional adjustments) are added to its skill modifiers in any form.


• Racial Feats: Wereconstrictors gain Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Toughness, and Iron Will as bonus feats.


• +2 natural armor bonus in any form.


• Special Qualities: Alternate form (Large constrictor snake or constrictor snake-humanoid hybrid), snake empathy, curse of lycanthropy (in animal or hybrid form only), improved grab, constrict, low-light vision, and scent. In addition, a wereconstrictor gains damage reduction as follows:
  
  • Afflicted lycanthrope: Damage reduction 5/silver (in animal or hybrid form only).
  • Natural lycanthrope: Damage reduction 10/silver (in animal or hybrid form only).


• Automatic Languages: As base creature.


• Favored Class: Same as the base creature.


• Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +8 (afflicted) or +9 (natural).

Home     Three Worlds     Monsters

General Rules: Monsters - Lycanthrope: Werelion (Template)

Werelion (adapted from Nyambe: African Adventures)

Werelions are humanoids who can transform themselves into lions. In its natural form, a werelion looks like a powerfully built member of its kind, but they tend to favor long, shaggy hair. In lion form, a werelion resembles a normal lion, but on close inspection, its eyes (which often glow red in the dark) show a faint spark of unnatural intelligence.

A natural werelion (or an afflicted werelion that has become aware of its affliction) can assume a hybrid form that is a mix of its humanoid and animal forms. A hybrid has hands and can use weapons, but it can also attack with its teeth and claws. A hybrid can spread lycanthropy with its bite, and it has the same damage reduction that its animal form possesses.

Lycanthropy can be spread like a disease. Sometimes a lycanthrope begins life as a normal humanoid or giant who subsequently contracts lycanthropy after being wounded by a lycanthrope. Such a creature is called an afflicted lycanthrope. Other lycanthropes are born as lycanthropes, and are known as natural lycanthropes.

Combat
A werelion in its humanoid form uses whatever tactics and weapons are favored by others of its kind, though it tends to be slightly more aggressive. A lycanthrope possesses the senses of its animal form, including scent and low-light vision, and it has a deep empathy for (and ability to communicate with) animals of its animal form. An afflicted lycanthrope damaged in combat may be overwhelmed by rage, causing it to change to its animal form involuntarily. Werelions enjoy the thrill of hunting, but tend to attack the same sorts of grazing animals hunted by natural lions. Attacks by werelions on humanoids do occur, but they are rare.

"Werelion" is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature, that creature referred to hereafter as the "character". The werelion takes on the characteristics of a lion, referred to hereafter as the "animal". Creatures with this template use all of 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. Many lycanthropes can adopt a hybrid shape that combines features of the character and the base animal. A lycanthrope's hybrid form is the same size as the animal form or the base form, whichever is larger.

Hit Dice: Same as the character plus those of the animal. To calculate total hit points, apply Constitution modifiers according to the score the lycanthrope has in each form.

Speed: As character or animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using.

Armor Class: As character or animal's natural armor +2, depending on which form the werelion is using.

Attacks: As character or animal, depending on which form the werelion is using.

Damage: As character or animal, depending on which form the werelion is using.

Special Attacks: As character or animal, depending on which form the werelion is using (plus curse of lycanthropy in animal form).

• Lycanthropic Affinity (Su): Werelions can communicate and empathize with normal or dire lions. This gives them a +4 bonus on checks made to influence the lion's attitude and allows the werelion to communicate simple concepts and (if the animal is friendly) commands to the animal, such as "friend", "foe", "flee", or "attack".
• Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid injured by a werelion but not actually killed has a chance to contract lycanthropy after the encounter is over. This chance equals 1% per point of damage dealt by the lycanthrope's natural attacks; if several lycanthropes of the same type injure the character, add the chances together. Damage from different types of lycanthropes must be tracked separately. A character killed by a lycanthrope and then raised or resurrected has a 100% chance of contracting lycanthropy.

Special Qualities: All werelions gain the following special qualities:

• Alternate Form (Su): All werelions can shift into the form of a lion and a lion-humanoid hybrid. Changing to or from animal or hybrid form is a full-round action. Upon assuming natural form, the lycanthrope regains hit points as if having rested for a day. If slain, the lycanthropic creature reverts to its humanoid form, though it remains dead. A part of the body separated from the whole retains its natural form however. This shapeshifting ability can be difficult for some lycanthropes to control.
• Damage Reduction (Su): A werelion's animal and hybrid forms gain damage reduction 15/silver.
• Low-Light Vision (Ex): The werelion gains low-light vision in any form.
• Darkvision (Ex): A werelion in any form gains darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
• Scent (Ex): The werelion gains scent in any form.
• Improved Grab (Ex): If a werelion in lion form hits with its bite attack, it can rake as a free action.
• Pounce (Ex): If a werelion in lion or hybrid form leaps upon a foe during the first round of combat, it can make a full attack even if it has already taken a move action.
• Rake (Ex): A werelion in lion form that gets hold can make two rake attacks with is hind legs at its normal attack bonus for (1d4 + ½ Strength bonus) damage each. If the werelion pounces upon an opponent, it can also rake.

Saves: Add the base saves for the animal to the base saves for the base creature.

Abilities: A werelion in humanoid form receives a +2 to Wisdom, due to its animal cunning. In animal or hybrid form, a werelion receives the following ability adjustments: Strength +10, Dexterity +6, Constitution +4, and Wisdom +2.

Skills: All lycanthropes gain a +4 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checks no matter what form they are in. Werelions gain a +4 bonus on Balance, Hide, and Move Silently checks. When in areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth a werelion gains an additional +8 bonus to Hide checks. Werelions in animal or hybrid form gain the same skills as a normal lion in addition to any skills they have in their humanoid forms. If a werelion has a skill in both its humanoid and animal forms, use the better score.

Feats: As the character plus Iron Will. Lycanthropes can also learn the Improved Shape Control feat. When in animal or hybrid form, a werelion gains the Blind-Fight, Cleave, and Power Attack feats.

Climate/Terrain: As character or lion.

Organization: Solitary or pair, sometimes family (2 - 40), pack (6 - 10), or troupe (family plus related animals).

Challenge Rating: By class level or base creature +3.

Treasure: Standard.

Alignment: Always neutral.

Advancement: By character class.

Lycanthropy As an Affliction
When a character contracts lycanthropy through a lycanthrope’s natural attacks (see above), no symptoms appear until the first night of the next full moon. On that night, the afflicted character involuntarily assumes animal form and forgets his or her own identity, temporarily becoming an NPC. The character remains in animal form, assuming the appropriate alignment, until the next dawn.

The character’s actions during this first episode are dictated by the alignment of its animal form. The character remembers nothing about the entire episode (or subsequent episodes) unless he succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom check, in which case he becomes aware of his lycanthropic condition.

Thereafter, the character is subject to involuntary transformation under the full moon and whenever damaged in combat. He or she feels an overwhelming rage building up and must succeed on a Control Shape check (see below) to resist changing into animal form. Any player character not yet aware of his or her lycanthropic condition temporarily becomes an NPC during an involuntary change, and acts according to the alignment of his or her animal form.

A character with awareness of his condition retains his identity and does not lose control of his actions if he changes. However, each time he changes to his animal form, he must make a Will save (DC 15 + number of times he has been in animal form) or permanently assume the alignment of his animal form in all shapes.

Once a character becomes aware of his affliction, he can now voluntarily attempt to change to animal or hybrid form, using the appropriate Control Shape check DC. An attempt is a standard action and can be made each round. Any voluntary change to animal or hybrid form immediately and permanently changes the character’s alignment to that of the appropriate lycanthrope.

Changing Form
Changing form is a standard action. If the change is involuntary, the character performs the change on his next turn following the triggering event. An afflicted character who is not aware of his condition remains in animal form until the next dawn. An afflicted character who is aware of his or her condition (see above) can try to resume humanoid form following a change (voluntary or involuntary) with a Control Shape check, but if he fails his check, he remains in animal (or hybrid) form until the following dawn.

Curing Lycanthropy
An afflicted character who eats a sprig of belladonna (also called wolfsbane) within 1 hour of a lycanthrope’s attack can attempt a DC 20 Fortitude save to shake off the affliction. If a healer administers the herb, use the character’s save bonus or the healer’s Heal modifier, whichever is higher. The character gets only one chance, no matter how much belladonna is consumed. The belladonna must be reasonably fresh (picked within the last week).

However, fresh or not, belladonna is toxic. The character must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of Strength damage. One minute later, the character must succeed on a second DC 13 save or take an additional 2d6 points of Strength damage.

A remove disease or heal spell cast by a cleric of 12^th level or higher also cures the affliction, provided the character receives the spell within three days of the lycanthrope’s attack.

The only other way to remove the affliction is to cast remove curse or break enchantment on the character during one of the three days of the full moon. After receiving the spell, the character must succeed on a DC 20 Will save to break the curse (the caster knows if the spell works). If the save fails, the process must be repeated.

Characters undergoing this cure are often kept bound or confined in cages until the cure takes effect.

Only afflicted lycanthropes can be cured of lycanthropy.

Werelions as Characters
Becoming a werelion does not necessarily change a character’s favored class but usually changes alignment (see above). This alignment change may cause characters of certain classes to lose some of their class features.

Werelion characters possess the following racial traits:

• Abilities: +2 Wisdom. In lion or hybrid form the werelion character gains +10 Strength, +6 Dexterity, and +4 Constitution.


• Size: Same as the base creature or the base animal form.


• Racial Hit Dice: A werelion gains 5d8 racial hit dice. As a result of these hit dice, a werelion has +3 Base Attack Bonus, +4 base Fortitude save bonus, +4 base Reflex save bonus, and +1 base Will save bonus.


• Racial Skills: A werelion adds skill points for its animal Hit Dice. It gains skill points equal to (2 + Intelligence modifier, minimum 1) x 7. The werelion's racial skills are Balance, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot. The werelion’s maximum skill ranks are equal to its animal form Hit Dice + its racial Hit Dice (if any) + its class levels + 3. Any racial skill adjustments of the werelion’s base race and its animal form (but not conditional adjustments) are added to its skill modifiers in any form.


• Racial Feats: Werelions gain Blind-Fight, Cleave, Power Attack, and Iron Will as bonus feats.


• +2 natural armor bonus in any form.


• Special Qualities: Alternate form (lion or lion-humanoid hybrid), lion empathy, curse of lycanthropy (in animal or hybrid form only), improved grab, pounce, rake, low-light vision, darkvision 60 feet, and scent. In addition, a werelion gains damage reduction as follows:
  
  • Afflicted lycanthrope: Damage reduction 5/silver (in animal or hybrid form only).
  • Natural lycanthrope: Damage reduction 10/silver (in animal or hybrid form only).


• Automatic Languages: As base creature.


• Favored Class: Same as the base creature.


• Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +6 (afflicted) or +7 (natural).

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General Rules: Monsters - Lycanthrope: Wereraven (Template)

Wereraven (adapted from Twisted Lore)

Wereravens are humanoids who can transform themselves into dire ravens. In its natural form, wereravens tend to be crafty tricksters. They often work as con artists, thieves, or merchants, being naturally drawn to shiny objects. They proudly display any jewelry they have and are often more interested in an item's brightness or gaudiness than its true value. In dire raven form, a wereraven resembles a powerful version of the normal animal, but on close inspection, its eyes (which often glow red in the dark) show a faint spark of unnatural intelligence.

A natural wereraven (or an afflicted wereraven that has become aware of its affliction) can assume a hybrid form that is a mix of its humanoid and animal forms. A hybrid has hands and can use weapons, but it can also attack with its beak and claws. A hybrid can spread lycanthropy with its bite, and it has the same damage reduction that its animal form possesses. In hybrid form, the wereraven's wings do not allow flight, but slow any falls with a feather fall effect.

Lycanthropy can be spread like a disease. Sometimes a lycanthrope begins life as a normal humanoid or giant who subsequently contracts lycanthropy after being wounded by a lycanthrope. Such a creature is called an afflicted lycanthrope. Other lycanthropes are born as lycanthropes, and are known as natural lycanthropes.

Combat
A wereraven in its humanoid form uses whatever tactics and weapons are favored by others of its kind, though it tends to be slightly more aggressive. A lycanthrope possesses the senses of its animal form, including scent and low-light vision, and it has a deep empathy for (and ability to communicate with) animals of its animal form. An afflicted lycanthrope damaged in combat may be overwhelmed by rage, causing it to change to its animal form involuntarily. Were ravens prefer to avoid direct combat with their enemies, leading their enemies into traps rather than directly engaging them. If they must attack, they ambush their enemies in dire raven form until the enemies are weak enough to face on foot. Wereravens are known for attacking caravans carrying shiny objects simply to steal them.

"Wereraven" is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature, that creature referred to hereafter as the "character". The wereraven takes on the characteristics of a dire raven, referred to hereafter as the "animal". Creatures with this template use all of the base creature's statistics and special abilities, except as noted here:

Hit Dice: As character or animal, whichever produces the higher hit point total.

Speed: As character or animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using.

Armor Class: As character or animal's natural armor +2, depending on which form the wereraven is using.

Attacks: As character or animal, depending on which form the wereraven is using.

Damage: As character or animal, depending on which form the wereraven is using.

Special Attacks: As character or animal, depending on which form the wereraven is using (plus curse of lycanthropy in animal form).

• Lycanthropic Affinity (Su): Wereravens can communicate and empathize with normal or dire ravens. This gives them a +4 bonus on checks made to influence the raven's attitude and allows the wereraven to communicate simple concepts and (if the animal is friendly) commands to the animal, such as "friend", "foe", "flee", or "attack".
• Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid injured by a wereraven but not actually killed has a chance to contract lycanthropy after the encounter is over. This chance equals 1% per point of damage dealt by the lycanthrope's natural attacks; if several lycanthropes of the same type injure the character, add the chances together. Damage from different types of lycanthropes must be tracked separately. A character killed by a lycanthrope and then raised or resurrected has a 100% chance of contracting lycanthropy.

Special Qualities: All wereravens gain the following special qualities:

• Alternate Form (Su): All wereravens can shift into the form of a dire raven and a dire raven-humanoid hybrid. Changing to or from animal or hybrid form is a full-round action. In hybrid form, a wereraven appears as a feathery humanoid with clawed feet, small wings, and feathery arms ending in black humanoid hands. In hybrid form, wereravens cannot attack with their beaks. They cannot fly, but can glide to the ground as if under the effects of feather fall. In animal form, wereavens are Medium-size birds with powerful claws and beaks. Upon assuming natural form, the lycanthrope regains hit points as if having rested for a day. If slain, the lycanthropic creature reverts to its humanoid form, though it remains dead. A part of the body separated from the whole retains its natural form however. This shapeshifting ability can be difficult for some lycanthropes to control.
• Damage Reduction (Su): A wereraven's animal and hybrid forms gain damage reduction 15/silver.
• Low-Light Vision (Ex): The wereraven gains low-light vision in any form.
• Scent (Ex): The wereraven gains scent in any form.
• Enchantment Resistance (Ex): Naturally crafty, wereravens gain a +2 bonus to saving throws against enchantment spells and effects.
• Slow Fall (Ex): A wereraven in hybrid form has wings that are not strong enough to permit flight, but allow the wereraven to glide. A wereraven in hybrid form is treated as if it had feather fall cast upon it whenever it falls. A wereraven in hybrid form can elect to fall faster, but suffers the normal consequences from doing so.

Saves: As character or animal, whichever is better.

Abilities: A wereraven in humanoid form receives a +2 to Intelligence and Wisdom, due to its animal cunning. In animal or hybrid form, a wereraven receives the following ability adjustments: Strength +4, Dexterity +10, Constitution +4, Intelligence +2, and Wisdom +2.

Skills: All lycanthropes gain a +4 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checks no matter what form they are in. Wereravens in animal or hybrid form gain the same skills as a normal dire raven in addition to any skills they have in their humanoid forms. If a wereraven has a skill in both its humanoid and animal forms, use the better score.

Feats: As the character plus Iron Will. Lycanthropes can also learn the Improved Shape Control feat. When in animal or hybrid form, a wereraven gains the Flyby Attack, Multiattack, and Weapon Finesse feats.

Climate/Terrain: As character or dire raven.

Organization: Solitary or pair, sometimes family (2 - 40), pack (6 - 10), or troupe (family plus related animals).

Challenge Rating: By class level or base creature +3.

Treasure: Standard.

Alignment: Always chaotic neutral.

Advancement: By character class.

Lycanthropy As an Affliction
When a character contracts lycanthropy through a lycanthrope’s natural attacks (see above), no symptoms appear until the first night of the next full moon. On that night, the afflicted character involuntarily assumes animal form and forgets his or her own identity, temporarily becoming an NPC. The character remains in animal form, assuming the appropriate alignment, until the next dawn.

The character’s actions during this first episode are dictated by the alignment of its animal form. The character remembers nothing about the entire episode (or subsequent episodes) unless he succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom check, in which case he becomes aware of his lycanthropic condition.

Thereafter, the character is subject to involuntary transformation under the full moon and whenever damaged in combat. He or she feels an overwhelming rage building up and must succeed on a Control Shape check (see below) to resist changing into animal form. Any player character not yet aware of his or her lycanthropic condition temporarily becomes an NPC during an involuntary change, and acts according to the alignment of his or her animal form.

A character with awareness of his condition retains his identity and does not lose control of his actions if he changes. However, each time he changes to his animal form, he must make a Will save (DC 15 + number of times he has been in animal form) or permanently assume the alignment of his animal form in all shapes.

Once a character becomes aware of his affliction, he can now voluntarily attempt to change to animal or hybrid form, using the appropriate Control Shape check DC. An attempt is a standard action and can be made each round. Any voluntary change to animal or hybrid form immediately and permanently changes the character’s alignment to that of the appropriate lycanthrope.

Changing Form
Changing form is a standard action. If the change is involuntary, the character performs the change on his next turn following the triggering event. An afflicted character who is not aware of his condition remains in animal form until the next dawn. An afflicted character who is aware of his or her condition (see above) can try to resume humanoid form following a change (voluntary or involuntary) with a Control Shape check, but if he fails his check, he remains in animal (or hybrid) form until the following dawn.

Curing Lycanthropy
An afflicted character who eats a sprig of belladonna (also called wolfsbane) within 1 hour of a lycanthrope’s attack can attempt a DC 20 Fortitude save to shake off the affliction. If a healer administers the herb, use the character’s save bonus or the healer’s Heal modifier, whichever is higher. The character gets only one chance, no matter how much belladonna is consumed. The belladonna must be reasonably fresh (picked within the last week).

However, fresh or not, belladonna is toxic. The character must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of Strength damage. One minute later, the character must succeed on a second DC 13 save or take an additional 2d6 points of Strength damage.

A remove disease or heal spell cast by a cleric of 12^th level or higher also cures the affliction, provided the character receives the spell within three days of the lycanthrope’s attack.

The only other way to remove the affliction is to cast remove curse or break enchantment on the character during one of the three days of the full moon. After receiving the spell, the character must succeed on a DC 20 Will save to break the curse (the caster knows if the spell works). If the save fails, the process must be repeated.

Characters undergoing this cure are often kept bound or confined in cages until the cure takes effect.

Only afflicted lycanthropes can be cured of lycanthropy.

Wereravens as Characters
Becoming a wereraven does not necessarily change a character’s favored class but usually changes alignment (see above). This alignment change may cause characters of certain classes to lose some of their class features.

Wereraven characters possess the following racial traits:

• Abilities: +2 Wisdom. In dire raven or hybrid form the wereraven character gains +4 Strength, +10 Dexterity, and +4 Constitution.


• Size: Same as the base creature or the base animal form.


• Racial Hit Dice: A wereraven gains 3d8 racial hit dice. As a result of these hit dice, a wereraven has +2 Base Attack Bonus, +3 base Fortitude save bonus, +3 base Reflex save bonus, and +1 base Will save bonus.


• Racial Skills: A wereraven adds skill points for its animal Hit Dice. It gains skill points equal to (2 + Intelligence modifier, minimum 1) x 6. The wereraven's racial skills are Listen and Spot. The wereraven’s maximum skill ranks are equal to its animal form Hit Dice + its racial Hit Dice (if any) + its class levels + 3. Any racial skill adjustments of the wereraven’s base race and its animal form (but not conditional adjustments) are added to its skill modifiers in any form.


• Racial Feats: Wereravens gain Flyby Attack, Multiattack, Weapon Finesse, and Iron Will as bonus feats.


• +2 natural armor bonus in any form.


• Special Qualities: Alternate form (dire raven or dire raven-humanoid hybrid), raven empathy, curse of lycanthropy (in animal or hybrid form only), enchantment resistance, slow fall, low-light vision, and scent. In addition, a wereraven gains damage reduction as follows:
  
  • Afflicted lycanthrope: Damage reduction 5/silver (in animal or hybrid form only).
  • Natural lycanthrope: Damage reduction 10/silver (in animal or hybrid form only).


• Automatic Languages: As base creature.


• Favored Class: Same as the base creature.


• Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +4 (afflicted) or +5 (natural).

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