Fera Translation GuidebySTEWon2012 - APRIL - 202 COMMENTSTheWerewolf Translation Guidehad to focus on the werewolves at the heart of bothApocalypseandForsaken, and didnt have the space to talk about alternative shapeshifters. I know that the Fera ofApocalypsehave a lot of fans (myself included), so I got permission to take the bare-bones conversion rules from the first draft and release them online.The following system is a rough guide for converting the Fera as given in thePlayers Guide to the Changing Breeds. Naturally, these rules are guidelines. The results need to meet with the approval of the group before seeing play. If you want further inspiration for introducing Fera-like shapeshifters intoForsaken, shapeshifters get a whole section inWar Against the Purethat provides a good starting point.These rules should leave the shapeshifters with an approximate power level the same as the Uratha. If you want to enhance that, see the options presented in theWerewolf Translation Guide.Step One: Convert TraitsConverting the Trait modifiers of a given Feras forms involves a few changes: Subtract 1 from form bonuses to Strength and Stamina. Dont modify the Dexterity bonus. Apply the more severe of any Appearance and Manipulation penalty to Manipulation. Any Perception bonus remains the same, and applies to Wits Near forms that are significantly larger than humans get Size +1. Animal forms have Size appropriate for the animal in question, p. XX of theWorld of Darkness Rulebookcan provide guidelines. Crinos-equivalent forms have Size +2 (+1 if the Breed is noted for their small Crinos-equivalents) and 1/1 natural armor.Changes to Attributes and Size affect Initiative, Speed, Health, Defense, and other derived traits as normal.Step Two: Natural WeaponsThe options available to the Fera will vary a lot by form. The most common set includes:FormAttacks

War-FormBite +2L, Claw +1L

Near-BeastBite +2L, Claw +0L

BeastBite +2L

Some Fera have claw attacks in Near-Human, which deal +0L, or claws in Beast form that deal +0L (often alongside a bite that only does +1L). As a rough guide: if an attack is likely to fuck up a human being, it deals +2 lethal damage. If its going to ruin his day but may need a couple of hits to really bring the pain, it deals +1 lethal damage. If its sharp and pointy but fundamentally no worse than a kitchen knife, it deals +0 lethal damage. All forms from War-Form to Beast can bite without grappling first.Step Three: LunacyWar-Form and both Near-forms (where present) incite Lunacy much the same as werewolves. If a form specifically gives a bonus to witnesses resisting Delirium, apply each step of reduced Delirium as an effective +1 to the victims Willpower when it comes to resisting Lunacy. This bonus is cumulative with form-specific modifiersa Breed that reduces normal Delirium by 1 step in their War-Form would give a +1 Willpower bonus in War-Form and a +5 bonus when in Near-Human.Step Four: Gifts and RitesGifts and Rites convert using the systems starting on pp. 22 of theWerewolf Translation Guide.Step Five: RenownFera use a range of categories of Renown, detailed in thePlayers Guide to the Changing Breeds. Use those writeups, along with the example of Apocalypse-centric Purity Renown on p. 33 of theWerewolf Translation Guideto convert Renown as needed.Step Six: DetailsThis section covers specifics for each breed. Bits that arent covered either have no system (Corax eye-drinking) or the system inPlayers Guide to the Changing Breedsdoesnt need changing (Kitsune not regenerating).Ananasi:Pithus form counts as Near-Beast for everything already stated. Crawlerling form creates a swarm of radius equal to the Ananasis Size in yards (Swarms are covered on p. 198 ofWorld of Darkness Innocents). When a swarm takes enough damage to reduce it to half its original radius, the character will look and act rather differently. Ananasi webs have Durability 3, Size 1, Structure 8, Damage 2 (only for grappling). Were-spiders only regain Essence when doing damage with a bite attack, each point of damage inflicted causes them to regain a point of Essence. Swap the modifiers for Stepping Sideways in built-up and rural areas. Ananasi dont regenerate but can spend Essence to heal bashing or lethal damage at a rate of one point per point of damage.Corax:In Crinos form, Corax have a Flight speed equal to their land speed + 5; in Corvid form, increase Speed by 5, but they dont really have a walking Speedmost birds have a species factor of 10 when calculating flight speed, rather than the 5 common among land creatures. Hollow bones gives +2 dice to Athletics rolls in Crinos, but attackers wielding weapons that do bashing damage gain +1 die. When distracted by shiny objects, Corax must make a reflexive Resolve + Composure roll to act normally.Gurahl:Were-bears raise Strength or Stamina by spending Essence, at a rate of one point per dot per turn. Alternatively, they can increase Health by 1 for the scene by spending 2 points of Essence (but see Temporary Health Dots, p. 173 of theWorld of Darkness Rulebook). Add 3 dice to Composure rolls that involve the were-bears need to protect, but a Gurahls player must spend a point of Willpower if her character ever changes his mind.Kitsune:Were-foxes receive an extra dot of Dexterity for free at character creation. This comes before spending Attribute dots, and their human-form maximum is still 5. Kitsune always use the higher of Dexterity or Wits to determine Defense, and dont take aggravated damage from silver. Were-foxes do inflict Lunacy, but observers have an additional +3 die bonus to their Willpower roll to resist (+5 in total for Juko, and +7 for Sambuhenge)Mokole: Aspect benefits translate directly intoForsakenterms. Sum the characters Harmony and Primal Urge, then divide by two (rounding up). Select that many Archid characteristics. Armor provides 2/2 armor every time its taken. Color Change adds three dice to contested Stealth rolls when the Mokole is hiding. Bladed Tail/Horn give an additional means of attack that does +2L damage. Huge Size increases Stamina and Size by +1 (and thus Health by +2) for each pick. Long Teeth/Terrible Claws add 2 dice to bite and claw attacks. Poison Sacs deliver a Toxicity 4 poison. Other Archid characteristics dont need changing.Nagah:Regain Essence when underwater. Primal Urge is not harder to raise; its plenty expensive enough. Nagah venom is a Toxicity 6 poison.Nuwisha:Do not take aggravated damage from silver and cannot frenzy. Their Primal Urge trait measures their closeness to Coyote, as such they dont suffer social modifiers for having a high Primal Urge.Ratkin:Blood Memory requires a Harmony roll, with a penalty depending on the specific nature of what the rat-shifter is after (difficulty conversions are provided on p. 29 of theWerewolf Translation Guide). Ratkin blood is a Toxicity 3 poison, anyone consuming it also suffers the effects of a dose of hallucinogenic drugs. Pretty much all Aspect traits convert directly.Rokea:Shark-born Rokea suffer a -3 penalty to Presence and Manipulation rolls when dealing with humans. Worse, any dice that show a 1 also subtract a success from the characters total. Double the Rokeas Primal Urge when checking to see if the character falls into Death Rage. Chasmus and Gladius both have 1/1 armor, and an attacker who makes a successful unarmed attack against a Rokea in those forms suffers a point of bashing damage. 2012 CCP hf.White Wolf, The World of Darkness, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, and Werewolf: The Forsaken are registered trademarks of CCP hf.