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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Wolfwood2 on May 22, 2012, 08:00:25 PM
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So one of my fellow players wants to play a lycanthrope PC, and I am kind of wincing on his behalf. The "only near the full moon" limitation on his abilities is bad enough. (I know it's meant to be taken care of narratively, but a lot of adventures/campaigns lend themselves to tracking time more carefully.)
However, I can't help but feel bad that the template is forcing him to take Pack Instincts. None of the other players are playing lycanthropes or any creature with pack instincts. And honestly, the benefits are pretty weak even if they were. Less useful than a lot of stunts.
I think Pack Instincts make good sense for building NPCs, but I wouldn't put it as a mandatory part of a PC template.
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Rewrite it as a way to communicate with various canines, instead. You'd have some work when it comes to working the animals into your stories, but it's an idea.
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Or just don't take pack instincts as a power. I think it is great if you are playing a werewolf game, but if you are a single werewolf in a mixed group, I as a GM would not force you to take it.
On the other hand, you could talk to your GM and maybe let him give you a small pack of NPC wolves along with your pack instincts. Not like characters to play with, you wouldn't get additional actions. It could work by letting you do 1 wolf related declaration per exchange, so you could have your opponent "flanked" or something like that, that you can tag on appropriate rolls.
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I agree that this is a bit unfair to single lycanthropes. One option is to just say "Well, that's how it is; lycanthropes aren't as effective without others of their kind". I think I would probably allow the character to drop the Pack Instincts power from the list of musts, though.
As to the involuntary change ... since it counts as a compel, doesn't this technically mean that the player has the option to buy it off?
GM: "A cresent moon shines in the sky as you head home from the bar, when suddenly..."
Player: "Didn't you mean 'full moon'?" [Hands the GM a Fate point.]
GM: "Right. So like I was saying, a nearly full moon shines in the sky as..."
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If you don't have a pack, you don't have Pack Instincts. Which means you shouldn't have to pay for it. The rules are there to serve the game, you should feel free to change them when they're not good.
Anyway, I have a rewrite of Pack Instincts (http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,25794.msg1336333.html#msg1336333) that I think is pretty good. It might help if you think Pack Instincts feels unimpressive. (Disclaimer: Protective Instincts might be a bit weak.)
The Rare Change thing in Human Form isn't just compels. If it was, it wouldn't be worth points. It might be a compel sometimes, but it can't always be one.
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I agree with those who say don't require it if he can't use it. Also, Echoes of the Beast already gives him "wolfspeech" so there's no need to use it for that, especially if your campaign isn't somewhere that has lots of canines for him to "talk" to.
My Were-dog has used that trapping of EotB exactly once.
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Alternatively, maybe if the Lycanthrope doesn't have any other lycanthropes about, the player party counts as his "pack"?
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Alternatively, maybe if the Lycanthrope doesn't have any other lycanthropes about, the player party counts as his "pack"?
Unfortunately, "Musts: You must define who is in your pack,
and they all must share this ability."
(bolding added)
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The Rare Change thing in Human Form isn't just compels. If it was, it wouldn't be worth points. It might be a compel sometimes, but it can't always be one.
The book thinks it can -- or at least every time it's relevant, at least. Per YS79, regarding the Lycanthrope's change restrictions: "(However, deciding that the full moon is not forthcoming may be worth a compel every time it’s relevant.)"
Basically, this is a side-benefit to the fact that all of a character's powers are linked to high concept. A complication (assuming its sufficiently significant) due to the way your concept implements your powers pretty much always counts as a compel.
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The werewolf character from the Neutral Grounds adventure doesn't have Pack Instincts on his sheet, so it's fine to just drop it.
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It can be a Compel in any given situation, but if it's nothing but Compels then the Power doesn't actually do anything.
I can Compel your powers away if you don't have Human Form too, as long as your Aspects are appropriate.
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Templates are guidelines at best.
So I say: simply let him drop the Pack Instincts power.
If a Lycanthrope does not have a pack, as seems the case with the mentioned PC, then why would he have pack instincts...
A Lone Wolf has no pack to have instincts about, so no pack instincts power.