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House Rules - Werewolves
Werewolves (Uratha)
In the days before the Great Flood, when the Ancients first attempted to take hold of Creation for themselves, they took some of the predatory animal spirits worshipped by ancient man and created werewolves. Some of them were forcibly possessed, while others, those who worshipped the spirits welcomed those spirits into their bodies. These newly created beasts were used as shock troopers by the armies of the Ancients, laying waste to enemy strongholds. As the Ancients were on the verge of victory, the werewolves paused a moment, and looked around the battlefield. In that moment they realized what the Ancients would bring to the world, the end of everything. It was then that they turned on their masters, changing the tide of the war and bringing the eventual defeat of the Ancients. But that change came too late and the Great Flood washed the world that was away…
Along with man, some werewolves survived the Creator's punishment. They lived among men and spread across the lands
with them. And they took human mates, and gave birth to children of two worlds, man and werewolf. A rare few of these Kinfolk, or wolf-blooded, would become werewolves.
Near the end of the Roman Empire, the Ancients made another attempt to take Creation. Having learned the mistake of using spirits native to Creation, this time the Ancients used animalistic spirits from other realms to create their warriors. These werewolves, called Bale Hounds were frantically loyal to the Ancients. Throughout this Incursion, the fighting and hatred between the Uratha (the werewolves) and the Bale Hounds was legendary. This was the werewolves' first true war as a whole and it was during this time that their society and culture grew. Rites and rituals were discovered and the great Tribes formed. When the Ancients were once again defeated, sometime during the Dark Ages, the werewolves continued to hunt down the Bale Hounds, who had learned to hide among the Uratha.
During the Victorian Age, the Shadow (followers of the Ancients), acting independently attempted to prepare the world for their master. By the end of the 'Victorian Uprising', the werewolves were nearly extinct, having been hunted by agents of the Shadow and mortal hunters. As the twentieth century began, werewolf births were fewer and fewer with each passing year. The last rumored spotting of werewolf packs was in Europe during World War II.
By the beginning of the twenty-first century, werewolves were creatures of myth and legend. Even the wolf-blooded descendants had forgotten their heritage. Forgotten were the names of the heroes and tribes, traditions and customs, as well as the locations of their sacred lands, the caerns.
Then came the Sundering… And the forgotten power hidden in the blood of the Kinflok came back to life as some of them transformed into werewolves. Many of them were confused and frightened by what they had changed into, but guided by instinct, it didn't take long for them to realize what they had become or what they had been thrust into and the role they were to take.
Some Werewolf Mechanics
Essence
The first time a werewolf sees the moon at night, he regains one Essence, or two Essence if its
phase matches his auspice.
A werewolf who eats
wolf or human flesh regains one point of Essence for every 10 points of damage inflicted with the intention of devouring the victim's meat. This can lead to a loss of Humanity. (Awakened, mages and ghouls count as humans.)
A werewolf who eats a
freshly killed wolf's or human's heart regains one point of Essence. This can lead to a loss of Humanity.
(Awakened, mages and ghouls count as humans.)
A werewolf can draw Essence from nature, usually outside of suburbia. By making a successful
Charisma check (DC15), the werewolf receives one Essence point. This can also be attempted in a large public park, but
the difficulty for the Charisma check is higher (DC20).
A werewolf can draw Essence from a locus, a place where the interplay between the physical
and spirit is particularly powerful. By making a successful Charisma check (DC15), the werewolf receives one
Essence point. Also, for every five points over the target number, the werewolf receives an additional Essence
point.
Klaives
Klaives (about the size of daggers) and the Grand Klaives (the size of swords) are weapons of honor carried by werewolves of the past. Some of these have been found and are being used by modern werewolves.
If these weapons are 'bonded' to a werewolf, they also grow to Large-size when he changes to his hybrid form. To bond the klaive requires that a werewolf spends a point of Essence.
All werewolves know how to use Klaives without having to pickup any extra feats. Treat these as racial weapons.
Klaives (short sword) [Damage 1d6 (large 1d8), Critical 19-20] (Can use Weapon Finesse with this weapon)
Great Klaives (great sword) [Damage 2d6 (large 3d6), Critical 19-20]
Other Misc Rules
When a werewolf shifts into his hybrid form, he becomes a large creature (Str +6, Con & Dex +4) and gains the Scent Ability.
[Note: Original rules: Werewolf remains a Medium-sized creature (Str & Dex +4, Con +2) and does not gain the Scent Ability.]
Werewolves can take Primal Urge as either a feat or a Rite, but you cannot take the ability more times at any given level then your total number of rites.
[Note: Original rules: Primal Urge can only taken as a feat. This is a rule created by Cyberdave.]
If a werewolf spends 1 Essence Point while shape-shifting, then the werewolf's cloths and any small items that the werewolf is carrying change shape with him. Otherwise, only the werewolf changes shape (dropping or ruining any items and cloths that were on its person at the time).
[Note: Original rules: When a werewolf shapeshifts, he drops all items held and clothing worn is ripped away. This is a rule created by Cyberdave.]
The following special stipulation should be added to the Supernatural Toughness feat: A werewolf with the Supernatural Toughness feat still takes Constitution damage from critical hits dealt with silver weapons.
[Note: Original rules: With this feat, werewolves are immune to all critical hits, including those made with silver weapons.]
The saving throw DC against the Sense Weakness rite is 10 + the Werewolf's hit dice + the Werewolf's Wisdom modifier.
[Note: Original rules: The DC is 10 + the Werewolf's Hit Dice + the Werewolf's Wisdom.]
The Elodoth should receive a +2 Wisdom Auspice Ability.
[Note: Original rules: This Auspice receives a +2 Charisma Bonus. This is a rule created by Cyberdave, but I agree with it because in the W:tF book those of this Auspice are discerning, observant and even-tempered, able to weigh both sides of any argument and ideally suited to act as voice of the law.]
The Ithaeur should receive a +2 Charisma Auspice Ability.
[Note: Original rules: This Auspice receives a +2 Wisdom Bonus. This is a rule created by Cyberdave, but I agree with it because in the W:tF book those of this Auspice are contemplative, foresightful and spiritual. They had the most contact with spirits.]
Werewolf Feats
Wolf's Trip [GENERAL]
Prerequisite: Werewolf, Weapon Focus Bite.
Benefit: A werewolf in beast or hybrid form that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the wolf.
[Note: This is a rule created by Cyberdave.]
Werewolf Rites
Past Lives / Ancestry (Rite)
This rare Rite represents a werewolf's connection to his ancestors.
Prerequisite: Werewolf, 1st Level.
Benefit: At 1st Level, the werewolf receives a +1 to either a Save check, Attack check or +2 to his Defense. As the werewolf increases in levels, so too does the bonus gained from this Rite, +3 at 6th level and +5 at 11th level.
Action: Free.
Cost: 1 Essence Point
Duration: 1 minute.
[Note: This is a rule created by Cyberdave.]
Donning the Spirit Skin (Rite)
You can 'absorb' your clothes and any small objects you are carrying into your being when you transform.
Benefit: Whenever you assume Beast or Hybrid form, your clothing and any small objects on your person is transformed into ephemeral 'spirit matter' that hangs about your being in a nebulous aura for as long as you remain transformed. When you revert to your human or Hominid form, any objects affected by this rite will reform in their proper place unharmed and no worse for the wear.
Action: None
Cost: 0 Essence
Duration: For as long as you remain transformed.
[Note: This is a rule created by Cyberdave.]
