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hyzmarca
An article by Steve Kenson that is about the Shapeshifting spell gave me an idea for an interesting mental flaw

Lycanthropy is an actual mental disorder. People afflicted truly believe that they transform into animals (usually wolves), either by their own will or through some forced compulsion. During the period of delusional transformation, they act very much like the animals that they believe themselves to be. However, when a mage believes himself to be an animal, he can actually become one. So, Lycanthropy comes in two flavors.

Lycanthropy (Mundane) -4 Flaw
A character with Lycanthropy believes that he is some sort of animal-metahuman hybrid, although he is not. This animal is chosen when the disorder manifests itself. If this is at character creation, it is chosen by the player. Otherwise, it is chosen by the GM. He possesses a bestial nature similar to a shapeshifter and suffers a +2 penality to all social tests except Intimidation because of it. Lycanthropes often share the dietary preferences of their chosen animal. However, they do not have the digestive system of their prefered animal. If a lycanthrope eats something that he can't digest wait 6 minutes then roll 1d6. On an odd result he becomes sick and vomits as if affected by nausea gas.

Lycanthropy (Adept) -5 Flaw
An Adept with Lycanthropy suffers the same penalities as a mundane character, with a few additions. The his chosen animal must be predatory in nature and he must take the Enhanced Smell, Enhanced hearing, and Killing Hands (L or better)
Lycanthropic adepts often file their teeth and nails into sharp points and can use their killing hands for bitting and clawing attacks. Lycanthropic Adepts much make a Willpower 4 test to flee from combat, reduced by 1 per wound level that the suffer. A Lycanthropic Adept with an s wound can flee without a test.
Lycanthropic Adepts appear to take on the features of their animal when in combat, much like a a Shamantic mask, but much more pronounced. Adepts receive an additional +2 penality to social tests other than Intimidation against people who witness this. For Intimidation, they receive a -2 modifier.

Lycanthropy (Mundane) -6 Flaw
At this level of lycanthropy, the character believes that he can physically transform into his chosen animal. This mental transformation is caused by an external stimulus (often the moon, but could be anything) and cannot be controlled. When transformed, a lycanthropic character retains all attributes and skills, but acts like the animal that he believe he is. This usually includes dropping to all fours and walking exclusively on hands and knees, howling at the moon, and other such behavior. Characters suffering from lypanthropic transformation can't use firearms or electronic devices more complex than a keypad. They can still use melee weapons at 1/2 their skill, but usually resort to unarmed combat. Transformed characters can still use their language skills to comprehend spoken and written words, but cannot speak and write with one 1/2 of their skill.
Transformations last for a flat 1d6 + 1 hours or for the length of time that the character is exposed to the stimulus + 1d6 x 5 minutes, depending on this type of stimulus and the judgement of the GM. Transformations can be resisted by a willpower (6) test. Each success reduces the transformation time by 1 hour or 5 minutes, depending on the method used. If the number of successes is greater than the rolled number, then the character resists the transformation completely, but receives a +2 modifier due to the effort, for as long as he is aware of the stimulus.

Lycanthropy (Adept) -7 Flaw
Adepts with the level 7 version of Lycanthropy suffer the same penalities as in the level 5 and 6 versions. They must buy all enhanced senses associated with their chosen animal at regular cost and must buy Killing Hands (M or better). WHen transformed, they must make a Willpower (6) test to flee from battle, reduced to 2 after suffering a Severe wound. Transformed adpets must make a Willpower (6) to spare a defeated enemy, reduced to (2) if the enemy surrenders and assumes a submissive posture. Transformed adepts will eat slain enemies, even metahumans. The Adept receives a permanent +3 modifier for social tests other than intimidation against anyone who witnesses this. For intimidation, lycanthropic Adepts receive a permanent -3 modifier against people who character them eating people.

Lycanthropy(Magician)
Magicians who suffer from Lycanthropy have all of the penalities of a mundane Lycanthrope and more. They actually become the animal they believe themselves to be. Any Mage or Shaman with Lycanthropy must learn a Force 8 shapshifting spell. Even magicians who cannot normally cast shape-changing spells, such as elementalists or conjurers, learn this spell. For the purposes of learning cost, it is considered exclusive. A Shaman with an animal totem must transform into that animal.
The spell is limited to the magician's chosen animal and cannot be cast on anyone else. These magicians cannot choose when to cast this spell, but are compelled to cast it when exposed to the stimulus that brings about their mental transformations. They are unaware of the fact that they cast the spell and believe the transformation to be natural, rather than magical. No tests are required.
Existing character who contract lycanthropy must learn the spell and pay for it normally. However, they do not have to purchase a spell formula or make any tests to learn it. Nor do they have to have a rating 8 library/lodge. The magician does have to spend 8 days locked in his library or lodge without interruption to learn the spell and will be totaly unaware of this time. If the magician cannot afford the spell at Force 8, he must reduce the force of other spells, and add the sacrificed force to the shapeshifting spell at a 1:1 ratio. The GM determines which spells lose force.
The transformation causes no drain, but the magician suffers Severe drain without the benefit of resistance, when it wears off. Drain incurred this way cannot push him above deadly, however.
Kagetenshi
I don't like it. Mundane versions just don't seem to have the right flavour, but the magical versions are where it really breaks down. The requirements to take the flaw make it more like a "package", which should be avoided in edges/flaws.

Not to mention that no one would take it, as it's mandating some pretty uncommonly-used combinations (and the magicuser version violates chargen rules altogether!).

~J
mfb
yeah, same. i'd leave it as a one-level flaw, maybe with a willpower test to resist the change; if the mage wants to be a true werewolf, he can take the Shapechange (self-only) spell.

another alternative is to just take the Compulsion flaw. you would be compelled to cast Shapechange (self-only) on yourself whenever the moon is full, or whenever you're in combat; Wil (6) to resist.
BitBasher
I think the compulsion (shapechange) is by far the most elegant soloution I've seen.
Herald of Verjigorm
Twisted adepts show their powers with physical changes. This provides precident for adept powers making an obvious change. If you want to try something odd, make the adepts powers cost 75% of normal and divide them all between two geasa: only when the moon is full (or is visible for those who really like being furry) and not when the moon is full (or visible for the same case as before).

The lunar linked powers would manifest with visual changes and should be fitting for the creature type. The other powers would be available at all other times.
hyzmarca
Well, the point is to simulate a full-blown mental disorder as accurately as possible. No existing flaw does this, save amnesia and it is very unspecific.


Here is some information on the disorder that I was able to dig up today.
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/...py%20(clinical)

I really meant it for colorful NPCs, as any mental disorder this severe should make a character unplayable. However, I changed my mind at the last minute and I can see that my attempts to make it slightly playable have really butchered the concept.

How about this, a character with Lycanthropy mentally transforms at the GM's discretion into the animal, but may resist with a willpower (6) test. There is no physical transformation, it is purely mental, but characters must act like the animal that they have transformed into and all of their active skills are divided in half.
Adepts suffering from this transformation can still use their powers, but manifest physical changes as well, taking on features of the animal that they believe that they are.
Magicians capable of doing so may cast shapechange on themselves to phyiscally become the animal, but they have no reason to. They believe that their physical form is that of an animal already. They may, however, attempt to shapechange back into their human form. What effect this has, if any, is up to the GM.
shadd4d
And I see GMs reenacting the famous cocaine and the rat senario/ wink.gif

I'm sorry but you should put out some sort of trigger, either a story element or something, otherwise it's open to abuse by the GM.

Hmmm. It just doesn't click for me.

Don
Snow_Fox
I agree with the idea of not liking it as a mundane illness in an awakened world. It would make sense that such would be a pre-awakened memory of the old awakened world.

In our campaign lycanthropy is a magical illness where the person really does take on animal form. Spread through blood infection the infected are very much like animal shapeshifters. It borrows heavily from Laurel K Hamilton's Anita Blake serries.
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