Werewolf or regular Wolf? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Werewolf or regular Wolf? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Syltorian
07-22-07, 06:49 AM Is a lycanthrope recognisable as such in his animal form? From the Purge, and the trouble it had discovering lycanthropes hiding amongst the population, I assume that it isn't easily discerned in its humanoid form, and, on the contrary, its hybrid form should leave little doubt as to its nature.

But does the poor man in the Reaches who gets bitten by a wolf, before he gets away, know that he has now contracted lycanthropy? Or is he (or rather, everyone else around) in for a nasty shock come the next moonrise?

That's assuming nobody finds out that their non-silver weapons do not do much damage, of course, or realises the wolf behaves differently, and begins to reach the conclusion that they should look out for some wolfsbane...
ArcTan
07-22-07, 07:14 AM Technically it's a Knowledge (nature) check, and one that your average Commoner probably wouldn't be able to make -- but one that most adventuring parties can manage. (For most Lycanthropes it'll be something like a DC 17 check.)

Flavorwise, Lycanthropes' beast forms look just like bigger, stronger versions of the normal animal -- the only thing that tips you off that it must be a Lycanthrope is usually red-glowing eyes in the dark, and maybe a "glint of intelligence" in its features (or, of course, intelligent behavior).
Syltorian
07-22-07, 04:53 PM Technically it's a Knowledge (nature) check, and one that your average Commoner probably wouldn't be able to make -- but one that most adventuring parties can manage. (For most Lycanthropes it'll be something like a DC 17 check.)

Good point. I had forgotten about that. Should that work, though, for shape-shifters? Technically, you could identify a changeling the same way in any of its forms... unless it would be right to allow the Lycanthrope to make a disguise check to pass as a regular, if strong and bright, animal?
ArcTan
07-22-07, 05:18 PM I could honestly see it going either way. By strict RAW you could say Knowledge (nature) is sufficient to say "Hey, that's not a regular Wolf", and Knowledge (local) would be required to say "Hey, that's a Lycanthrope".

Passing itself off as an animal with Disguise should probably work, since it's not fundamentally different from what a Changeling does.
Syltorian
07-23-07, 06:54 AM Thanks again for your help, ArcTan. As long as there is no major impediment, I'll make it a Disguise check.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Syltorian 07-22-07, 06:49 AM	Is a lycanthrope recognisable as such in his animal form? From the Purge, and the trouble it had discovering lycanthropes hiding amongst the population, I assume that it isn't easily discerned in its humanoid form, and, on the contrary, its hybrid form should leave little doubt as to its nature. But does the poor man in the Reaches who gets bitten by a wolf, before he gets away, know that he has now contracted lycanthropy? Or is he (or rather, everyone else around) in for a nasty shock come the next moonrise? That's assuming nobody finds out that their non-silver weapons do not do much damage, of course, or realises the wolf behaves differently, and begins to reach the conclusion that they should look out for some wolfsbane...
ArcTan 07-22-07, 07:14 AM	Technically it's a Knowledge (nature) check, and one that your average Commoner probably wouldn't be able to make -- but one that most adventuring parties can manage. (For most Lycanthropes it'll be something like a DC 17 check.) Flavorwise, Lycanthropes' beast forms look just like bigger, stronger versions of the normal animal -- the only thing that tips you off that it must be a Lycanthrope is usually red-glowing eyes in the dark, and maybe a "glint of intelligence" in its features (or, of course, intelligent behavior).
Syltorian 07-22-07, 04:53 PM	Technically it's a Knowledge (nature) check, and one that your average Commoner probably wouldn't be able to make -- but one that most adventuring parties can manage. (For most Lycanthropes it'll be something like a DC 17 check.) Good point. I had forgotten about that. Should that work, though, for shape-shifters? Technically, you could identify a changeling the same way in any of its forms... unless it would be right to allow the Lycanthrope to make a disguise check to pass as a regular, if strong and bright, animal?
ArcTan 07-22-07, 05:18 PM	I could honestly see it going either way. By strict RAW you could say Knowledge (nature) is sufficient to say "Hey, that's not a regular Wolf", and Knowledge (local) would be required to say "Hey, that's a Lycanthrope". Passing itself off as an animal with Disguise should probably work, since it's not fundamentally different from what a Changeling does.
Syltorian 07-23-07, 06:54 AM	Thanks again for your help, ArcTan. As long as there is no major impediment, I'll make it a Disguise check.