Subject: Alternate Were Rules by S. John Ross
From: "S. John Ross" <[email-masked]>

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Variant Rules for Lycanthropy in GURPS
By S. John Ross

   These rules are meant to replace some of the rules in GURPS Bestiary
for were-creatures. In general, Bestiary's Advantages, Disadvantages,
skills and such are still used. However, these rules treat lycanthropy
as (usually) an advantage or (rarely) a disadvantage, not a case of the
Multiple Forms rules.
   This means that the point value of (for instance) a werewolf is
calculated by the GM and then doesn't change. There are no ``shared
points'' and no limits on the value of the form.

Advantage or Disadvantage?
   If the player is responsible for playing the were-form, regardless of
the nature of The Change, lycanthropy is an advantage. This is true even
if the were-form is a highly dangerous Split Personality, or is Morally
Opposed to the ``real character.''
   If the character has complete control over when he changes,
lycanthropy is an advantage, even if the GM plays the were-form.
   Only if the were-form is entirely under the control of the GM, AND
the change is not completely under the character's conscious control,
does lycanthropy have the potential to be a disadvantage.
   In either case, the advantage or disadvantage is taken only by the
real character.

   Step One: Base Advantage Price: Begin by calculating the price of the
were-form in Bestiary/Fantasy Folk terms. When you are done, add 10
points (or 5 points for changes with limited or variable control, as per
Bestiary). This is the Base Cost.

   Step Two: Special Disadvantages: If the were-form carries with it any
special disads, add these in. If the change is Uncontrolled, calculate
the value of that disadvantage normally, and add THAT in. If the
were-form is assumed to be a Split Personality, add the value of that
disad, as well. If added disads bring the total cost below 10 points,
raise the base to 10 points before the next step, unless the form meets
one of the criteria above for being a disad (GM control of form, AND
partial or complete lack of control of change). If those criteria are
met, leave the value where it is.
   If the total is zero or less, skip step three.

   Step Three: Percentile Modifiers and Necessary Minimums: Once the
total cost of the advantage is calculated as a package, then percentile
modifiers such as Item-Based Weredom can be added. The minimum total
cost is 25% of the positive total of Advantages, Disadvantages, and
Skills that the were-form has, regardless of what the real character
has, or 10 points, whichever is more.

   Step Four: Flip-Flop: If the were is a Split Personality with the
were's personality being controlled by another player or by the GM, AND
the point value is currently above 0, add a minus sign. In other words,
if the total is currently 25 points, it becomes a -25 point
disadvantage.

   Step Five: Now You're Done: This is the price of the advantage, or
value of the disadvantage. It will be the same regardless of which
character takes it; it's price has nothing to do with the attributes or
skills of the ``real'' character.

   Optional: Relative Hit Points and Strength: If the GM likes, the
stats of the basic form can be expressed as-is (``The Giant Wombat form
has ST 30'') or as a relative term (``The Giant Wombat form has triple
the ST of the real form''), basing multiples and changes on attributes
of 10. This has no effect on point cost, and is a matter of taste.
Generally, such ``relative'' attributes should only apply to ST and Hit
Points.

   Multiple Forms: If a character can turn into a wolf AND a wolf-man,
he must buy both of those advantages; their price is calculated as
above. If the GM wishes, ``packages'' of multiple forms can be built,
and bought as one big advantage.

Example: Yrth Werewolves
   Step One: Look at page 113 of GURPS Bestiary. The Wolf Template there
consists of 153 positive points and 95 negative points, for a net cost
of 58 points. Since the change is quasi-controlled (the character can
change when he wants, but must change on the night of a full moon) 5
points are added, for a total of 63 points.
   Step Two: The social disads have already been factored in, and the
change is not Unpredictable and the were retains his personality. No
changes in this step.
   Step Three: No wierd percentile modifiers. This isn't an item and has
no strange conditions from Supers tossed in. Since the positive points
in the template were 153 points, this advantage must cost at least 39
points (25% of the positives). It's already over that, so there's no
change.
   Step Four: Nothing here. It's not a disad by any stretch of the
imagination. Turning into wolves is cool.
   Step Five: All done. A Yrth werewolf is a 63-point advantage. Any
character who takes this advantage can turn into a wolf with the stats
listed.