Post/Author/DateTime	Post
tos_shai_hulud 01-03-08, 06:10 PM	Under the Special Qualities section of Lycanthrope, it says, "A lycanthrope retains all the special qualities of the base creature and the base animal, and also gains those described below." It makes no mention of which forms may use these special abilities retained from the base creature and the base animal. For example, a Dire Bat has blindsense. In which forms would Blindsense be retained? Definitely in Animal form, but what about Hybrid or Base creature? Overall question, should special qualities retained from a base form be usable only in that form or in all forms?
Wih 01-03-08, 09:13 PM	It doesn't specify only in one form, so the asumption is that it's available in all forms. This is backed up by the Were-Boar entry, of which all the forms gain Ferocity.
tos_shai_hulud 01-04-08, 10:33 AM	Awesome, thank you! What about conditional skill bonuses? Would the hybrid form gain them? It specifies that not all forms gain the conditional skill bonuses, but does not limit it to only the original form. For instance, certain animals gain bonuses to hide in certain terrains. Would the hybrid form maintain those bonuses (even though the humanoid form would lose them)?
tos_shai_hulud 01-04-08, 12:00 PM	Another question: A Dire Rat has a climb speed of 20 feet. Any creature with a climb speed gains a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks. Is that bonus considered conditional? Is it conditional to possession of a climb speed (meaning that in Hybrid or Humanoid form where he has no climb speed, he does not gain the bonus)? If it is not conditional, that bonus is available in all forms (but is not shown in the creature's entry block).
Kuronue 01-04-08, 11:07 PM	Another question: A Dire Rat has a climb speed of 20 feet. Any creature with a climb speed gains a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks. Is that bonus considered conditional? Is it conditional to possession of a climb speed (meaning that in Hybrid or Humanoid form where he has no climb speed, he does not gain the bonus)? If it is not conditional, that bonus is available in all forms (but is not shown in the creature's entry block). The sample stats on the SRD say human form has climb +0, dire rat +11, hybrid +4 (the +4 probably coming from the dex change), so I'd say in Dire Rat Only, just like their Swim bonus.
Kuronue 01-04-08, 11:08 PM	On second thought... that smells like screwy math. Human = 0 ranks + 0 dex, Dire Rat = 8 ranks + 3 dex = +11, but hybrid gets +4? 3 dex + ??? I think that's meant to be a +3
tos_shai_hulud 01-04-08, 11:48 PM	According to the lycanthrope template, Racial bonuses to skill checks are available in ALL forms, unless they are conditional bonuses. The stat block is wrong if the text overrides it (in fact, you discovered a potential math error in the same stat block we are examining). While Human does not possess a climb speed, it makes sense that just as Scent is retained in human form, an enhanced ability to climb would be retained, as well. If that is the case, it makes sense. So, the question remains, is the bonus considered conditional? If it is conditional, then the stat block is mostly correct (with the exception of the hybrid form's odd +4). If the bonus is not conditional, then the stat block is wrong, because that +8 bonus to climb should be present in all forms. Also, Dire Rats have 0 ranks in Climb. They gain a +8 bonus, which happens to be due to their climb speed.
Nom 01-13-08, 11:46 PM	In the case of Climb or Swim, it's the presence of the Climb or Swim speed that grants the bonus. No speed, no bonus.