Post by Tameh on Dec 13, 2012 19:37:51 GMT -6
Garou aren't limited like the old TV style "wolfman" to "human" and "overly hairy human with big teeth" forms, they have five individual and distinctly useful forms, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. Each will be delineated below, the descriptions contain what sort of physical changes you can expect, and what differences in your attributes you receive while in that form. Bear in mind that shapeshifting doesn't happen instantly unless you possess the Metamorph merit, or spend a point of Rage. If you don't, then you have to focus for a moment and pull your primal urge up, and then you have to shift through EACH form inbetween the one you're in, and the one you want. So to shift from Homid to Lupus without spending a point of Rage, you'd shift to Glabro, then Crinos, then Hispo, then finally Lupus. Take the time if you can to describe the way your character changes, "I shift crinos", doesn't quite sound as terrifying as "suddenly my muscles begin to swell and my clothing tears and rips under the strain of increasing muscle mass, my mouth elongates into a brutal, ripping maw with jagged teeth covered in drooling blackish saliva, while my entire body increases to around nine feet in height", does it? Be inventive, if you want your character to burst open and rip into the new form, do it. Likewise if you want the shift to seem like your flesh melts and reforms, go for it.
Garou regenerate one health level every 3 seconds (roughly 1 turn) in EVERY form aside from their Breed form (unless they're Metis, whose Breed form is Crinos) unless they have a Gift active that lets them regenerate in Breed form, and they take UNSOAKABLE aggravated chemical burn damage from silver in every form other than their Breed form, even if they're just touching it. Silver hurts, a fucking LOT.
Homid: The Human
Statistic Adjustments: None
Form Description: The natural form for homid breed Garou and the form in which they feel most comfortable. Homid form is in all ways identical to a normal human being (save for lupus and metis werewolves, who are allergic to silver and possess regenerative powers in this form).
Example: In Homid form, the Silver Fang Theurge Longing Glance is just shy of six feet tall and is strongly built -- close to 185 pounds. His hair is dusky blond and cut short.
Glabro: The Near-Man
Statistic Adjustments: Strength +2, Stamina +2, Manipulation -2, Appearance -1
Form Description: The Glabro form is bipedal, and it doesn't possess obvious fangs or claws, but the resemblance to a human being ends there. A Garou shifting from Homid to Glabro gains from 100% to 200% in body weight (all muscle) and six inches in height. Body hair becomes much more profuse, the teeth and nails elongate (although not enough to inflict any special damage), the brow slopes, and the character looks huge and menacing.
Werewolves in Glabro can speak the Garou tongue and manage human language without too much trouble. Human speech, however, has a gutteral rasp to it. While Garou can use this form to interact with human society, they typically don't. The Glabro form is too crude and too easy to remember.
Example: Longing Glance stands nearly six and one half feet tall in Glabro form. He weighs in at approximately 350 pounds, and his normally sparse facial hair springs out around the jaw and neckline. His eyebrows grow together and he walks with a slight lope in this form.
Crinos: The Wolf-Man
Statistic Adjustments: Strength +4, Dexterity +1, Stamina +3, Manipulation 0, Appearance 0
Form Description: Affectionately known as the "nine-foot snarlin death-beast" form, a werewolf in Crinos wants to do only one thing -- kill. The natural form of all metis breed Garou, the Crinos is not a form for deliberation, even with other werewolves.
Shifting from Glabro to Crinos, the Garou grows in height by half and gains another 100% to 200% in weight. The head changes to a wolf's maw, and the fangs and claws are now fully grown. The arms become long and apelike, and the werewolf can move either on two legs or all fours. The Garou also grows a tail, which helps with balance.
A werewolf in the war form may speak the Garou tongue perfectly well, and he may converse with wolves crudely. Human speech is reduced to one or two words at a time (favorite phrases include "Wyrm!" and "Kill them!"). Expressing anything more complex requires the expenditure of a Willpower point.
Note that the Manipulation and Appearance penalties may not apply to other Garou, who speak the language and are used to the war form.
Example: Longing Glance shifts to Crinos form. He now stands over nine feet tall and weighs just under 800 pounds. His body is covered with fur, which takes on a silvery sheen in this form.
Hispo: The Near-Wolf
Statistic Adjustments: Strength +3, Dexterity +2, Stamina +3, Manipulation 0
Form Description: The Hispo resembles a normal wolf in the same way that the Glabro resembles a common human. A werewolf in Hispo form looks like a prehistoric dire wolf. The head and jaws are massive, even more so than the Crinos, and the bite of a Hispo inflicts an extra die of damage. The Hispo can stand on its hind legs, if necessary, but it is much more comfortable on all fours.
The Hispo form weighs nearly as much as the Crinos form, but its four-legged stance allows it to run faster. Perception difficulties decrease by one in this form. The senses are sharp, although not so keen as the Lupus. A werewolf in Hispo has no hands, so he cannot grasp objects, except in his mouth.
A Garou in Hispo form can speak with a Garou and wolves with little difficulty, but human speech requires a Willpower point and even that is limited to one or two syllables.
Example: In Hispo form, Longing Glance still weighs close to 800 pounds, but he stands 5 feet high at the shoulder.
Lupus: The Wolf
Statistic Adjustments: Strength +1, Dexterity +2, Stamina +2, Manipulation 0
Form Description: The natural state of lupus Garou, the pure wolf form is feral and driven by instinct. Used primarily for tracking and travel, the change from Hispo to Lupus causes the Garou to shed a great deal of muscle and body size. The jaws and claws shrink considerably -- a homid or metis in Lupus can cause aggravated wounds with only a bite, and lupus in their breed form cause lethal damage. The Lupus form runs at twice human speed (see Movement) and it is far more perceptive. All Perception difficulties for Garou in Lupus form drop by two.
The Lupus resembles a normal wolf for all intents and purposes. The exact appearance of a Garou's Lupus form will vary depending on her Tribe.
Example: Longing Glance completes the shift to Lupus form. He appears, to all scrutiny, to be a large, silver-white wolf.
Garou regenerate one health level every 3 seconds (roughly 1 turn) in EVERY form aside from their Breed form (unless they're Metis, whose Breed form is Crinos) unless they have a Gift active that lets them regenerate in Breed form, and they take UNSOAKABLE aggravated chemical burn damage from silver in every form other than their Breed form, even if they're just touching it. Silver hurts, a fucking LOT.
Homid: The Human
Statistic Adjustments: None
Form Description: The natural form for homid breed Garou and the form in which they feel most comfortable. Homid form is in all ways identical to a normal human being (save for lupus and metis werewolves, who are allergic to silver and possess regenerative powers in this form).
Example: In Homid form, the Silver Fang Theurge Longing Glance is just shy of six feet tall and is strongly built -- close to 185 pounds. His hair is dusky blond and cut short.
Glabro: The Near-Man
Statistic Adjustments: Strength +2, Stamina +2, Manipulation -2, Appearance -1
Form Description: The Glabro form is bipedal, and it doesn't possess obvious fangs or claws, but the resemblance to a human being ends there. A Garou shifting from Homid to Glabro gains from 100% to 200% in body weight (all muscle) and six inches in height. Body hair becomes much more profuse, the teeth and nails elongate (although not enough to inflict any special damage), the brow slopes, and the character looks huge and menacing.
Werewolves in Glabro can speak the Garou tongue and manage human language without too much trouble. Human speech, however, has a gutteral rasp to it. While Garou can use this form to interact with human society, they typically don't. The Glabro form is too crude and too easy to remember.
Example: Longing Glance stands nearly six and one half feet tall in Glabro form. He weighs in at approximately 350 pounds, and his normally sparse facial hair springs out around the jaw and neckline. His eyebrows grow together and he walks with a slight lope in this form.
Crinos: The Wolf-Man
Statistic Adjustments: Strength +4, Dexterity +1, Stamina +3, Manipulation 0, Appearance 0
Form Description: Affectionately known as the "nine-foot snarlin death-beast" form, a werewolf in Crinos wants to do only one thing -- kill. The natural form of all metis breed Garou, the Crinos is not a form for deliberation, even with other werewolves.
Shifting from Glabro to Crinos, the Garou grows in height by half and gains another 100% to 200% in weight. The head changes to a wolf's maw, and the fangs and claws are now fully grown. The arms become long and apelike, and the werewolf can move either on two legs or all fours. The Garou also grows a tail, which helps with balance.
A werewolf in the war form may speak the Garou tongue perfectly well, and he may converse with wolves crudely. Human speech is reduced to one or two words at a time (favorite phrases include "Wyrm!" and "Kill them!"). Expressing anything more complex requires the expenditure of a Willpower point.
Note that the Manipulation and Appearance penalties may not apply to other Garou, who speak the language and are used to the war form.
Example: Longing Glance shifts to Crinos form. He now stands over nine feet tall and weighs just under 800 pounds. His body is covered with fur, which takes on a silvery sheen in this form.
Hispo: The Near-Wolf
Statistic Adjustments: Strength +3, Dexterity +2, Stamina +3, Manipulation 0
Form Description: The Hispo resembles a normal wolf in the same way that the Glabro resembles a common human. A werewolf in Hispo form looks like a prehistoric dire wolf. The head and jaws are massive, even more so than the Crinos, and the bite of a Hispo inflicts an extra die of damage. The Hispo can stand on its hind legs, if necessary, but it is much more comfortable on all fours.
The Hispo form weighs nearly as much as the Crinos form, but its four-legged stance allows it to run faster. Perception difficulties decrease by one in this form. The senses are sharp, although not so keen as the Lupus. A werewolf in Hispo has no hands, so he cannot grasp objects, except in his mouth.
A Garou in Hispo form can speak with a Garou and wolves with little difficulty, but human speech requires a Willpower point and even that is limited to one or two syllables.
Example: In Hispo form, Longing Glance still weighs close to 800 pounds, but he stands 5 feet high at the shoulder.
Lupus: The Wolf
Statistic Adjustments: Strength +1, Dexterity +2, Stamina +2, Manipulation 0
Form Description: The natural state of lupus Garou, the pure wolf form is feral and driven by instinct. Used primarily for tracking and travel, the change from Hispo to Lupus causes the Garou to shed a great deal of muscle and body size. The jaws and claws shrink considerably -- a homid or metis in Lupus can cause aggravated wounds with only a bite, and lupus in their breed form cause lethal damage. The Lupus form runs at twice human speed (see Movement) and it is far more perceptive. All Perception difficulties for Garou in Lupus form drop by two.
The Lupus resembles a normal wolf for all intents and purposes. The exact appearance of a Garou's Lupus form will vary depending on her Tribe.
Example: Longing Glance completes the shift to Lupus form. He appears, to all scrutiny, to be a large, silver-white wolf.
