The Wereweasel
Wereweasels
are psychotic fighters. Although not
evil, they are ferocious and are not afraid of anything, regardless of its
size. Affliction with this form of
lycanthropy is becoming increasingly common, especially within underground
races. Kobolds are the first humanoids
known to have wereweasels. This is
understandable, since they tamed dire weasels.
This template class assumes that
the character is aware of his condition, whether because he was born a werelion
or because he realizes he is afflicted with lycanthropy. Any ability noted as
applying to all forms is available to the wererat in his natural, hybrid, and
animal forms, but not forms acquired via polymorph or other means.
This template class assumes that
the character is aware of his condition, whether because he was born a wereweasel
or because he realizes he is afflicted with lycanthropy. Any ability noted as
applying to all forms is available to the wererat in his natural, hybrid, and
animal forms, but not forms acquired via polymorph or other means.
Note that each lycanthrope template
class has 3 levels, but only natural lycanthropes can
take all the levels it offers. An afflicted lycanthrope can take only levels 1
and 2, since his level adjustment is +2 instead of +3.
Lycanthrope template classes also
follow special rules relating to the benefits such characters acquire from
their animal natures. The template allows for a level adjustment of +3 (or +2 for afflicted lycanthropes), but that value does
not include the Hit Dice from the lycanthrope's animal form. So while a
1st-level human natural wererat warrior (as presented in the Monster Manual)
has a level adjustment of +3, his ECL is actually 5 -- 1 from his warrior Hit
Die, +3 from the template, +1 for his dire rat Hit Die. Likewise, a 1st-level
natural werebear human warrior has an ECL of 10 -- 1
from his warrior Hit Die, +3 from the template, +6 for his bear Hit Dice.
Thus, in addition to the 2 or 3 levels offered via the appropriate lycanthrope
template class, each kind of lycanthrope also has a separate (optional) class
progression for his animal abilities. Essentially, a character progressing as a lycanthrope multiclasses into the template class and
can also multiclass into the appropriate animal class if desired.
He is free to take levels in other classes
between levels of the template class and the animal class, as desired. The
animal class, like the template class, does not count when determining whether
a character takes an XP penalty for multiclassing.
An afflicted lycanthrope that is cured of his lycanthropy (as described in the Monster
Manual on page 178) immediately loses all wereweasel class levels and weasel
class levels (if any). These levels cannot be restored
with restoration or similar magic; they are simply gone. Most
lycanthropes that do not wish to lose their lycanthropy in this way deliberately fail their saving throws against the spell
in order to prevent this traumatic change.
Table SC-1: The Wereweasel Template Class
|
Level |
CR |
Special |
|
1st |
+1 |
|
|
2nd |
+1 |
Alternate form (hybrid), hyena empathy, damage reduction
(5/silver), wereweasel feats (Iron Will, Stealthy) |
|
3rd |
+2 |
Curse of lycanthropy, damage reduction (10/silver) |
Wereweasel Template Class
Features
All of the following are class
features of the wereweasel template class.
Ability Score Changes: The indicated ability score increases or
decreases by the amount noted.
Natural Armor Improvements: At 1st level, the wereweasel
's natural armor bonus increases by +2. A character that does not
normally have a natural armor bonus (such as a human) is considered to have an
initial natural armor bonus of +0 for the purpose of
this ability. Thus, a human's natural armor bonus would increase to +2 at 1st level.
Alternate Form (Su): At 1st level, the wereweasel
can take the form of a dire weasel, and he undergoes this change involuntarily
on the nights of the full moon or in times of stress, as described in the Monster
Manual. Unless the wereweasel is a natural lycanthrope, he does not
automatically have control over this ability and must attempt a Control Shape
check to intentionally change form or to resist an
involuntary change. For an afflicted lycanthrope, Control Shape is a class
skill for all classes as well as racial Hit Dice, if any. Natural lycanthropes
have full control over when they change shape and do not need to take ranks in
this skill. Changing form is a standard action that can be
attempted once per round.
A wereweasel who is aware of his
condition retains his identity and does not lose control of his actions when he
changes. Each time he involuntarily changes to his animal form, however, he
must make a Will save (DC 15 + number of times he has been in animal form) or
permanently assume the alignment of his lycanthrope type (Chaotic Neutral for wereweasel
in all forms. Any voluntary change to dire weasel or hybrid form immediately
and permanently changes the character's alignment to chaotic neutral.
Until the character has taken the optional
levels in the dire weasel class (see Dire Weasel Abilities, below), changing
shape to dire weasel form does not give him the abilities of a dire weasel --
he simply is able to take that creature's shape, as if he had a perfect
disguise. Since this ability is of limited use, most characters taking levels
in the wereweasel template class choose to take the optional levels of the dire
weasel class as well in order to gain the full abilities of their animal forms.
At 2nd
level, the wereweasel gains the ability to assume a hybrid form -- a shape
between his humanoid and his dire weasel forms. As with the dire weasel form,
this change is purely cosmetic unless the character has taken the dire weasel
class to gain the appropriate abilities. He will also gain a claw attack for
use in his hybrid form (see the chart SC-3).
Natural Armor Improvements: At 1st level, the
wereweasel’s natural armor bonus increases by +2 in all forms. A character that
does not normally have a natural armor bonus (such as a human) is considered to
have an initial natural armor bonus of +0 for the
purpose of this ability. Thus, a human's natural armor bonus would increase to +2 at 1st level. The wereweasel also gains additional natural
armor increases in his hybrid or animal form if he takes the dire weasel class.
Shapechanger Subtype (Ex): At 1st level, the wereweasel
gains the shapechanger subtype.
Wereweasel Bonus Feats: At 1st and 2nd
level, the wereweasel gains the feats indicated on Table SC-1, assuming that he
doesn't already have them. If the wereweasel doesn't
meet the prerequisites (if any) for a bonus feat, he gains the feat but cannot
use it until he does meet the prerequisites.
Low-Light
Vision (Ex): A 1st-level wereweasel
gains low-light vision.
[Animal] Empathy (Ex): Starting at 2nd
level, a wereweasel in any form can communicate and empathize with normal or
dire weasels. This ability gives him a +4 racial bonus
on checks made to influence the attitude of weasels or dire weasels. It also
allows the communication of simple concepts and (if the animal is friendly)
commands, such as "friend," "foe," "flee," and
"attack."
Damage Reduction (Ex): At 2nd level, the wereweasel
gains damage reduction 5/silver. At 3rd level, a natural
lycanthrope gains damage reduction 10/silver. An afflicted lycanthrope's damage
reduction does not improve beyond 5/silver.
Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): At 3rd level, a
natural lycanthrope can infect other creatures with lycanthropy. Any humanoid
or giant hit by the bite attack of a wereweasel in animal or hybrid form must
succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or contract lycanthropy. Afflicted
lycanthropes do not transmit lycanthropy.
Table SC-2: The Dire Weasel (Lycanthrope)
Class
|
Level |
Hit Die |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort. Save |
Ref. Save |
Will Save |
Skills |
Special |
|
1st |
1d8 |
+0 |
+0 |
+1 |
+0 |
2 + Int mod |
Str +2, Dex + 2, Bite, dire
weasel abilities, natural armor +2 |
|
2nd |
2d8 |
+1 |
+2 |
+2 |
+0 |
2 + Int mod |
Str +2, Dex +4, scent, Bonus Feat
(Weapon Finesse) |
|
3rd |
3d8 |
+2 |
+3 |
+3 |
+3 |
2 + Int mod |
Dex+4, attach, blood drain, |
Bite: The dire weasel animal class gives the wereweasel
a bite attack. The bite is a natural weapon that deals 1d6
points of damage. In hybrid form, it gains certain damage according to the
lycanthropes’ size. (See table SC-3)
[Animal] Abilities
(Ex): Upon taking a level in the dire weasel
animal class, the character gains the [animal]'s Hit Dice (in all forms), base
attack bonus (in all forms), base saving throw bonuses (in all forms), ability
score modifiers (in hybrid and animal forms), skill points (in all forms), and
natural armor bonus (in hybrid and animal forms), as well as the special
abilities indicated on Table SP-4.
In dire weasel form, the wereweasel’s
speed changes to 40 feet. Class skills for the [animal] racial Hit Die are Change
Shape, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Spot.
Scent (Ex): As a 2 nd
level dire weasel, a wereweasel in any form gains the scent ability.
Attach (Ex): Upon reaching 3rd
level of the dire weasel class, a wereweasel in dire weasel form that hits with
its bite attack latches onto the opponents body with its powerful jaws. An attached wereweasel loses its dexterity
bonus to AC. An attached wereweasel can be struck with a weapon or grappled itself. To remove an attached wereweasel through
grappling, the opponent must achieve a pin against the creature.
Blood Drain (Ex): upon reaching 3rd level, an attached wereweasel drains 1d4
points of Constitution damage each round it remains attached.
Table SC-3: Claw and Bite damages for hybrid form
|
Hybrid Size |
Claw damage |
Bite damage |
|
Small |
1d3 |
1d4 |
|
Medium |
1d4 |
1d6 |
|
Large |
1d6 |
1d8 |
|
Huge |
2d4 |
2d6 |