Lix Lorn
2011-09-13, 10:44 AM
THE WOLFKIN or LESSER LYCANTHROPE
When a person says ‘werewolf’, villagers hide. People run in terror, lock their doors, and look for a silver longsword. And in most cases, their action is an entirely logical response. Werewolves are monsters, humans most of the time, and beasts the rest.
But not all Weres are like that. Some have learnt to control the change, chain the beast. Releasing it but once a month brings death and pain and loss of control-releasing it often weakens them severely, but far more importantly makes their feral side something they can control, not just a being of instinct, but still them, just a little hazy.
TYPICAL WOLFKIN
Wolfkin vary as wildly as the races they come from. Some act animalistic even in their ‘normal’ form, while others cling to the trappings of civilisation.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Wolfkin vary equally in this, with some being particularly hairy, and others being indistinguishable from a normal being.
Relations With Other Races
Wolfkin are often distrusted due to the general distrust of therianthropes, but in most places are established enough to have their own reputation. More than one village has owed thanks to their Wolfkin occupants when their unique talents allow them to defend the village.
Alignment
Wolfkin are rarely neutral on the law/chaos axis. The pack nature of wolves gives them a tendency to obey rules, especially those that make life better for all, but their fierce natures can make them loathe to accept orders. They tend towards Good rather than evil, as an evil lycanthrope has little reason to control himself.
Wolfkin Lands
Wolfkin tend to live amongst the lands of their base race, but some small communities do exist, most of them quiet, ordered places.
Religion
Wolfkin have tendencies towards gods of redemption, or nature spirits and deities.
Language
Wolfkin generally speak common.
Common Names
Wolfkin have a fondness for short, simple names. They like long vowel sounds, and commonly use the sound ae.
Adventures
Wolfkin often adventure to prove a point, or simply to hone both their civilised and feral sides.
Wolfkin Racial Traits
(Any corporeal race native to the material plane can be a Wolfkin. These traits assume a wolfkin of true breeding, as opposed to one more steeped in other cultures)
Ability Scores: -2 Strength, -2 Constitution. A Wolfkin must spend much of their time keeping control of their mind-their flesh often suffers.
Size: A Wolfkin is a medium creature.
Movement Rate: A Wolfkin has a 30ft movement rate.
Unleash the Beast: A Wolfkin may ‘shift’ into an animal or animalistic form. They may do this a number of times per day equal to their constitution modifier, with a minimum of once. Shifting into the form of a wolf is simple, and works as the Alternate form special ability. At 10HD, they may instead take the form of a Dire Wolf. This ability lasts until they decide to change back.
Taking an animalistic form is harder. In this form, they gain a +4 bonus to Strength, and Constitution, and a +2 bonus to Dexterity. They also gain a primary bite attack dealing 1d6+1.5 Str mod damage for a medium Wolfkin, and two secondary claws each doing 1d4+str mod. During this state, the beast can influence them: They cannot use magic or similar abilities, including psionics, truenaming, or other nearly-casting class abilities. They CAN use maneuvers, but not of the highest level they know. They cannot use skills other than intimidate or physical skills. They gain a +1 morale bonus to will saves. They may maintain their animalistic form for a number of rounds equal to their newly modified constitution modifier.
Scent: A Wolfkin gains the Scent special ability.
Bonus Feat: A Wolfkin gains the Track feat.
Automatic Languages: Common, plus the ability to speak to wolves, dogs, and canines as if under a Speak With Animals effect.
Bonus Languages: Any, except secret languages
Favoured Class: Any
Level Adjustment/CR: +0
Wolfkin Template
Wolfkin is an inherited template that can be applied to any corporeal being native to the material plane.
Ability Scores: None. Although a Wolfkin is naturally strong and hearty, they must spend much of their time keeping control of their mind, and therefore can rarely take advantage of it. They retain their base racial modifiers.
Size: Same as base race.
Movement Rate: Same as base race.
Unleash the Beast: A Wolfkin may ‘shift’ into an animal or animalistic form. They may do this a number of times per day equal to their HD/3, added to their constitution modifier, with a minimum of once. Shifting into the form of a wolf is simple, and works as the Alternate form special ability. At 10HD, they may instead take the form of a Dire Wolf. This ability lasts until they decide to change back.
Taking an animalistic form is harder. In this form, they gain a +2 bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. They also gain a primary bite attack dealing 1d6+1.5 Str mod damage for a medium Wolfkin, and two secondary claws each doing 1d4+str mod.During this state, the beast can influence them: They cannot use magic or similar abilities, including psionics, truenaming, or other nearly-casting class abilities. They CAN use maneuvers, but not of the highest level they know. They cannot use skills other than intimidate or physical skills. They gain a +1 morale bonus to will saves. They may maintain their animalistic form for a number of rounds equal to their newly modified constitution modifier.
Scent: A Wolfkin’s sense of spell is superb. They gain the Scent special ability.
Automatic Languages: Same as base race, plus the ability to speak to wolves, dogs, and canines as if under a Speak With Animals effect.
Bonus Languages: Same as base race.
Favoured Class – Any: Same as base race.
Level Adjustment/CR: +1
Racial Feats
Extra Beastform
Prerequisites: Unleash the Beast
Benefit: You may use your Unleash the Beast ability an additional time per day.
Special: You may take this feat more than once. Its effects stack.
Wolfkin Magic
Prerequisites: Unleash the Beast, Wis 13
Benefit: You can complete the verbal and somatic components of spells while using Unleash the Beast. You substitute various noises and gestures for the normal verbal and somatic components of a spell.
You can also use any material components or focuses you possess, even if such items are melded within your current form. This feat does not permit the use of magic items while you are in a form that could not ordinarily use them, and you do not gain the ability to speak while in Unleash the Beast.
Furred Disguise
Prerequisites: Unleash the Beast
Benefit: While using Unleash the Beast, spells such as Animal Growth or Charm Animal function as if you were an animal. In addition, effects that would divine your type consider you to be an Animal.
Mask Becomes Face
Prerequisites: Furred Disguise
Benefit: While using Unleash the Beast, spells such as True Seeing that would divine your form afford you a will saving throw. If you pass, your form remains hidden - your canine form appears the real one.
Furious Change
Prerequisites: Unleash the Beast, ability to Rage, Frenzy, or use a similar ability.
Benefit: When you use your Rage, Frenzy, or similar ability, you may immediately also use Unleash the Beast. If you do so, you remain in your animalistic form for at least as long as the rage lasts.
When a person says ‘werewolf’, villagers hide. People run in terror, lock their doors, and look for a silver longsword. And in most cases, their action is an entirely logical response. Werewolves are monsters, humans most of the time, and beasts the rest.
But not all Weres are like that. Some have learnt to control the change, chain the beast. Releasing it but once a month brings death and pain and loss of control-releasing it often weakens them severely, but far more importantly makes their feral side something they can control, not just a being of instinct, but still them, just a little hazy.
TYPICAL WOLFKIN
Wolfkin vary as wildly as the races they come from. Some act animalistic even in their ‘normal’ form, while others cling to the trappings of civilisation.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Wolfkin vary equally in this, with some being particularly hairy, and others being indistinguishable from a normal being.
Relations With Other Races
Wolfkin are often distrusted due to the general distrust of therianthropes, but in most places are established enough to have their own reputation. More than one village has owed thanks to their Wolfkin occupants when their unique talents allow them to defend the village.
Alignment
Wolfkin are rarely neutral on the law/chaos axis. The pack nature of wolves gives them a tendency to obey rules, especially those that make life better for all, but their fierce natures can make them loathe to accept orders. They tend towards Good rather than evil, as an evil lycanthrope has little reason to control himself.
Wolfkin Lands
Wolfkin tend to live amongst the lands of their base race, but some small communities do exist, most of them quiet, ordered places.
Religion
Wolfkin have tendencies towards gods of redemption, or nature spirits and deities.
Language
Wolfkin generally speak common.
Common Names
Wolfkin have a fondness for short, simple names. They like long vowel sounds, and commonly use the sound ae.
Adventures
Wolfkin often adventure to prove a point, or simply to hone both their civilised and feral sides.
Wolfkin Racial Traits
(Any corporeal race native to the material plane can be a Wolfkin. These traits assume a wolfkin of true breeding, as opposed to one more steeped in other cultures)
Ability Scores: -2 Strength, -2 Constitution. A Wolfkin must spend much of their time keeping control of their mind-their flesh often suffers.
Size: A Wolfkin is a medium creature.
Movement Rate: A Wolfkin has a 30ft movement rate.
Unleash the Beast: A Wolfkin may ‘shift’ into an animal or animalistic form. They may do this a number of times per day equal to their constitution modifier, with a minimum of once. Shifting into the form of a wolf is simple, and works as the Alternate form special ability. At 10HD, they may instead take the form of a Dire Wolf. This ability lasts until they decide to change back.
Taking an animalistic form is harder. In this form, they gain a +4 bonus to Strength, and Constitution, and a +2 bonus to Dexterity. They also gain a primary bite attack dealing 1d6+1.5 Str mod damage for a medium Wolfkin, and two secondary claws each doing 1d4+str mod. During this state, the beast can influence them: They cannot use magic or similar abilities, including psionics, truenaming, or other nearly-casting class abilities. They CAN use maneuvers, but not of the highest level they know. They cannot use skills other than intimidate or physical skills. They gain a +1 morale bonus to will saves. They may maintain their animalistic form for a number of rounds equal to their newly modified constitution modifier.
Scent: A Wolfkin gains the Scent special ability.
Bonus Feat: A Wolfkin gains the Track feat.
Automatic Languages: Common, plus the ability to speak to wolves, dogs, and canines as if under a Speak With Animals effect.
Bonus Languages: Any, except secret languages
Favoured Class: Any
Level Adjustment/CR: +0
Wolfkin Template
Wolfkin is an inherited template that can be applied to any corporeal being native to the material plane.
Ability Scores: None. Although a Wolfkin is naturally strong and hearty, they must spend much of their time keeping control of their mind, and therefore can rarely take advantage of it. They retain their base racial modifiers.
Size: Same as base race.
Movement Rate: Same as base race.
Unleash the Beast: A Wolfkin may ‘shift’ into an animal or animalistic form. They may do this a number of times per day equal to their HD/3, added to their constitution modifier, with a minimum of once. Shifting into the form of a wolf is simple, and works as the Alternate form special ability. At 10HD, they may instead take the form of a Dire Wolf. This ability lasts until they decide to change back.
Taking an animalistic form is harder. In this form, they gain a +2 bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. They also gain a primary bite attack dealing 1d6+1.5 Str mod damage for a medium Wolfkin, and two secondary claws each doing 1d4+str mod.During this state, the beast can influence them: They cannot use magic or similar abilities, including psionics, truenaming, or other nearly-casting class abilities. They CAN use maneuvers, but not of the highest level they know. They cannot use skills other than intimidate or physical skills. They gain a +1 morale bonus to will saves. They may maintain their animalistic form for a number of rounds equal to their newly modified constitution modifier.
Scent: A Wolfkin’s sense of spell is superb. They gain the Scent special ability.
Automatic Languages: Same as base race, plus the ability to speak to wolves, dogs, and canines as if under a Speak With Animals effect.
Bonus Languages: Same as base race.
Favoured Class – Any: Same as base race.
Level Adjustment/CR: +1
Racial Feats
Extra Beastform
Prerequisites: Unleash the Beast
Benefit: You may use your Unleash the Beast ability an additional time per day.
Special: You may take this feat more than once. Its effects stack.
Wolfkin Magic
Prerequisites: Unleash the Beast, Wis 13
Benefit: You can complete the verbal and somatic components of spells while using Unleash the Beast. You substitute various noises and gestures for the normal verbal and somatic components of a spell.
You can also use any material components or focuses you possess, even if such items are melded within your current form. This feat does not permit the use of magic items while you are in a form that could not ordinarily use them, and you do not gain the ability to speak while in Unleash the Beast.
Furred Disguise
Prerequisites: Unleash the Beast
Benefit: While using Unleash the Beast, spells such as Animal Growth or Charm Animal function as if you were an animal. In addition, effects that would divine your type consider you to be an Animal.
Mask Becomes Face
Prerequisites: Furred Disguise
Benefit: While using Unleash the Beast, spells such as True Seeing that would divine your form afford you a will saving throw. If you pass, your form remains hidden - your canine form appears the real one.
Furious Change
Prerequisites: Unleash the Beast, ability to Rage, Frenzy, or use a similar ability.
Benefit: When you use your Rage, Frenzy, or similar ability, you may immediately also use Unleash the Beast. If you do so, you remain in your animalistic form for at least as long as the rage lasts.