I've heard stories that lycanthropes have been in shadowrun and not just the awakened animals.

From what i heard from the stories it is definitely a lycan because it had a hybrid form as well like in dnd.

Or is this just a house rule thing they did.

There are shifters. There's no hybrid. The humanoid form gets some benefits, though.

There wolves.

More specifically, in Runner's Companion, pp. 66-67, 86-88.

If you saw mechanics for it, it was a house rule thing someone did. If you're referencing some fluff for it, there's possibilities someone was reading too much into the old novel Wolf and Raven (which is a complicated tangle of powers and ideas, in large part because Mr. Stackpole wrote it before the Shadowrun rules were really things yet).

Also Runner's Companion, pg. 80 has the Loup-Garou, for the feral wolfman version of a werewolf.

Both wolf shapeshifters and loup-garou are suboptimal choices, though. The wolf shapeshifter was used as the "base", which gets no Attribute bonuses for the 55 points you spend on it. Spend 20 more points to get a tiger shapeshifter, and you get your base Attributes increased by ten. Loup-garou, on the other hand, are conspicuous (they don't have a human or wolf form, just their wolfman form), and the mechanics for their going berserk really hurt them (they go berserk like bear shamans do, and also are treated as if they had a rating: 2 adrenal pump). It wouldn't be as bad if they had regeneration, but they don't.

And there was much rejoicing.

From who?^^

Anybody fighting a loup-garou during its rage that's not regenerating....

Hmmmm....you could be right.^^

Meh, even with the Adrenal Pump active a LG's stats are not that impressive compared to a baseline ghoul...crazy strong but just standard human BOD, won't last long when it charges its prey in mad bloodlust.

Which is why people are happy it doesn't regenerate....

Well, we can easily create a Werewolf

Ghoul
Animal Peelage
Tail
Genefreak (Wolf features)
Claws
Fangs
Severe Allergy (Silver)

The whole transformation and full moon might be a bit more difficult.

Ghouls got claws.

I house ruled werewolves into my game a few years back. Worked pretty well and scared the crud out of my players. Had them show up as a gang in London, calling themselves "Dog Soldiers". Corny I know but they stopped groaning when the pack started chasing them through the under city of London.

I guess it depends on how big a fan you are. We've already got shifters *and* loup-garou; how many distinct werewolves do you need? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I'd like one more created by wearing enchanted belts.

Then I'd make a mage named Harry.

Do one more as the result of a pact with a shadow spirit? The individual gets luck throughout the day but at night the spirit changes him or her into a rage monster that prawls the streets.

Sounds suitably tainted for SR (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I dunno, Parazoology gave us like six different weasels, and they're not even playable. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) Maybe there's a market for a whole ton of different werewolf types.

Just as long as Shadowrun doesn't have "sparkly" vampires then I can live with it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dead.gif)

Apparently people will be severely beaten if that happens.

People do love them weasels.

Not to worry. The only sparkly vampires in Shadowrun are ones you hit with a cold-aspected elemental attack spell. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) And considering one big behind-the-scenes push is called "Operation: Desparkle" right now, for a trend some of us are trying to reverse...well...let's just say frozen solid vampires are the only sparkly ones you'll likely ever have to worry about, in the Sixth World.

It might be too late.

JetBlack, anyone? He probably sparkles some.

All you need is one freelancer making a SURGEd vampire with the 'unusual skin' quality... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/vegm.gif)