Special Conversion Thread: Lycanthropes and their ilk

[Cleon]

Wereporpoise (Weredolphin)
A weredolphin's summoning ability increases as it gains additional hit dice. It can summon larger numbers of porpoises, and at ?? Hit Dice it gains the ability to summon orcas. See the Weredolphin Summoning Table for details.

The original's summoning ability included 1d2 "small whales" but the only small whale in the SRD is the orca. I'd be game for adding other whales as an option.

 

[freyar]

I like that all pretty well.

I'll agree to limiting "whale communication" to the FR underbar. Should we work on the summoning table next?

 

[Cleon]

I'll agree to limiting "whale communication" to the FR underbar. Should we work on the summoning table next?

Sure.

Editing Wereporpoise Working Draft.

Should we work on the summoning table next?

A porpoise is CR 1/2 while whales are CR 5 (orca), 6 (baleen) or 7 (cachalot).

A druid can summon one porpoise with summon nature's ally I, an orca with summon nature's ally V, a baleen whale with summon nature's ally VI and a cachalot wwith summon nature's ally VII.

If we consider the Greater Wererat summoning table as a model:

Greater Wererat Summoning Table

Hit Dice	Ratweres	Rat Swarms	Dire Rats
4-5	—	1	1d6+1
6-7	—	1d3	2d6
8-9	1d3	1d4+1	3d6
10-11	1d4+1	2d6	4d8
12+	2d6	3d6	5d10

Ratweres are CR 3, Rat Swarms CR 2 and Dire Rats CR 1/3.

The original version had the weredolphin able to summon 1d2 small whales or 1d10 dolphins.

If we want to include those numbers somewhere on the table it suggests something like…

Weredolphin Summoning Table

Hit Dice	Porpoises	Orca	Baleen Whale	Cachalot
3-4	1d3	—	—	—
5-6	1d4+1	—	—	—
7-8	1d10	—	—	—
9-10	2d6	1	—	—
11-12	3d6	1d2	1	—
13-14	4d6	1d3	1d2	1
15+	4d10	1d4+1	1d3	1d2

The Cachalot seems outside the remit of the original "small whale" so we may want to cut that out, but I can see us keeping a "Baleen Whale" option, possible with the Cachalot's numbers.

i.e.

Weredolphin Summoning Table #2

Hit Dice	Porpoises	Orca	Baleen Whale
3-4	1d3	—	—
5-6	1d4+1	—	—
7-8	1d10	—	—
9-10	2d6	1	—
11-12	3d6	1d2	—
13-14	4d6	1d3	1
15+	4d10	1d4+1	1d2

What thinks thee?

 

[freyar]

I'll take door number 2. I think that will work pretty well.

Anything else for these before we move to skills? Feats look fine already.

 

[Cleon]

I'll take door number 2. I think that will work pretty well.

Updating Wereporpoise Working Draft.

Anything else for these before we move to skills? Feats look fine already.

The feats are not quite fine. I should remove the Bonus flag from Weapon Finesse.

As for skills, let's see what the original skill ranks were:

Porpoises have 3 ranks in Listen and 2 ranks in Spot, for 5 SPs in total.
The SRD's stock Elf warrior has 1 rank each in Hide, Listen, Search & Spot - all of which are cross-class for fighters, for 8 SPs in total.

Unfortunately, Aquatic Elves are dim so have a -2 Int modifier, so only get 6 SPs of warrior skills and 2 SPs of porpoise skills.

I suggest putting 2 warrior SPs in Hide, Listen and Search for 1 rank in each skill plus 1 porpoise SP each in Listen and Spot. That way the result has 1 rank more in Listen than Spot, like the SRD porpoise.

That works out:

Skills [Elf Form]: Hide +0**, Listen +4, Search +2, Spot +3, Swim +5**
**includes –2 armor check penalty
Skills [Porpoise/Hybrid Form]: Hide +5, Listen +6* (+4 without blindsight), Search +2, Spot +5* (+3 without blindsight), Swim +9

Alternatively, I'd be OK giving it 2 ranks in Handle Animal instead of a rank in Hide so it actually has a skill its semi-competent in:

Skills [Elf Form]: Handle Animal +1 (+5 with porpoises), Listen +4, Search +2, Spot +3, Swim +5**
**includes –2 armor check penalty
Skills [Porpoise/Hybrid Form]: Handle Animal +1 (+5 with porpoises), Listen +6* (+4 without blindsight), Search +2, Spot +5* (+3 without blindsight), Swim +9

Incidentally, the SRD elf warriors' Hide skills are a point higher than they ought to be. I suspect WotC left off a point of Armor Check Penalty.

If that bothers you we could make it masterwork studded leather.

 

[freyar]

Yes, agreed on removing the "B" from Weapon Finesse.

I prefer your second suggestion for the skills.

As for the armor check penalty, I'm fine with it either way. Your choice.

 

[Cleon]

Yes, agreed on removing the "B" from Weapon Finesse.

I prefer your second suggestion for the skills.

Fine by me.

As for the armor check penalty, I'm fine with it either way. Your choice.

I guess I'll keep the original's non-masterwork armour if only to prevent the PCs getting an extra 150 gp worth of loot…

Updating Wereporpoise Working Draft.

 

[freyar]

I think we should add the ranged trident attack to the Attack line of the hybrid form.

Here are some suggested tactics:
Unless they must pass as humanoid, wereporpoises attack in hybrid form, making use of their claw and bite in addition to manufactured weapons. When outclassed in battle, they change to porpoise form to flee.

Not great, but these aren't terribly inspiring.

 

[Cleon]

I think we should add the ranged trident attack to the Attack line of the hybrid form.

Will do.

Updating Wereporpoise Working Draft.

Here are some suggested tactics:
Unless they must pass as humanoid, wereporpoises attack in hybrid form, making use of their claw and bite in addition to manufactured weapons. When outclassed in battle, they change to porpoise form to flee.

Not great, but these aren't terribly inspiring.

The "change to porpoise form to flee" only makes sense if they have ready access to water. A wereporpoise might be encountered on land, after all.

How about:

Unless they must pass as humanoid, wereporpoises normally fight in hybrid form so they can use claw and bite attacks in addition to manufactured weapons. In the ocean they change into porpoises if that form's higher swim speed is advantageous, such as when they when are outclassed in battle and wish to flee.

 

[freyar]

Description: A wet elf. ????

Did you ever post the original text for these? It might help for the flavor.