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Switch to Forum Live View Lycanthropes and alternate key ability scores
7 months ago  ::  Oct 25, 2012 - 2:21PM #1
Yitzi
Date Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 2,762
The rules for lycanthropes state:

In any form, a lycanthrope also has any racial skill bonuses of the base creature and of the base animal, although conditional skill bonuses only apply in the associated form.




Certain animals have the ability to use a different ability than usual for a given skill (usually DEX instead of STR.)  Is this ability gained by the lycanthrope always, only when in the animal form, or never?

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7 months ago  ::  Oct 25, 2012 - 4:38PM #2
The_Fred
Date Joined: Jan 4, 2012
Posts: 3,095
If it counts as a special quality, I guess it's always retained. I've always treated it just as a "skill bonus" (meaning it gets kept) but now you mention it, it doesn't really seem to be one or the other as per say.
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7 months ago  ::  Oct 25, 2012 - 4:57PM #3
voxthunder
Date Joined: Apr 20, 2008
Posts: 318
Given that in animal form Lyncanthropes get all special attacks AND special qualities of the base animal, if you were for example a Weasel you should get the ability to use Dex for climb.

Special Attacks

A lycanthrope retains the special attacks of the base creature or base animal, depending on which form it is using, and also gains the special attacks described below.


A lycanthrope’s hybrid form does not gain any special attacks of the base animal.
Special Qualities

A lycanthrope retains all the special qualities of the base creature and the base animal, and also gains those described below.



But then again in the table it doesn't list this as a special quality, so I don't know.

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7 months ago  ::  Oct 25, 2012 - 6:55PM #4
Uknits
Date Joined: Aug 24, 2010
Posts: 2,979
I would say that it is generally a skill bonus as it is listed under skills where noted.  For these, I would say that the dex instead of strength, such as for cats and weasels, tends to be associated with how they climb (or jump, or swim), and since they keep the bonus to climb due to this style, they keep the dex instead of strength bonus, and thus is not situational.
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7 months ago  ::  Oct 25, 2012 - 8:05PM #5
Protasis
Date Joined: Oct 10, 2012
Posts: 36
The example wererat says

Skills

A wererat in rat or hybrid form uses its Dexterity modifier for Climb or Swim checks. It has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.
Wererats have a +8 racial bonus on Swim checks from their dire rat form.


I'd just use this as reference in all other cases.

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7 months ago  ::  Oct 26, 2012 - 1:31AM #6
Uknits
Date Joined: Aug 24, 2010
Posts: 2,979
I'd say that's pretty definitive, then.  If it applies to were-rat, I'd say that that's good enough to apply to any other case.  
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7 months ago  ::  Oct 26, 2012 - 7:54AM #7
Eluria
Date Joined: Jan 20, 2007
Posts: 3,173
agree w/ protasis/uknits interp
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