Shapeshifting

Shapeshifting is an innate ability which all Garou possess. To attempt to change their form a player must first announce the use of this ability and which form he is adopting. Every Garou has 5 separate forms they can adopt. In order these are:

• Homid (human) form
• Glabro (wolf-man) form
• Crinos (war) form
• Hispo (dire) form
• Lupus (wolf) form.

All forms provide the player with a certain amount of bonuses and negatives they must apply to their character sheet. The transformation from one form to another takes 1 Turn of in-game time and the character must pass a Primal Urge + Willpower Test. The tests difficulty mainly depends on what form the Garou is currently in. The basic difficulty is 3 if the desired form is the next or the prior one in the order given above, and if not than a 1 Point Difficulty is added for each intermediate form the Garou is skipping.   So for instance shifting from Homid form into Glabro form has a Primal Urge + Willpower Test difficulty of 3. On the other hand while the Primal Urge + Willpower test is still 3 for shifting from Homid to Crinos form, a 1 Point Penalty is applied to the dice pool as the Garou is skipping one of his intermediate forms (Glabro) to go directly into Crinos form.
The challenge is at its worse when going from Homid form to Lupus form. True the difficulty is still a Primal Urge + Willpower Test of 3 but a 3 Point Penalty is now applied to the dice pool as the Garou is skipping 3 of his intermediate forms (Glabro, Crinos and Hispo) to go straight to Lupus form.   The reverse also applies, so going from the Lupus form to Crinos would have a Primal Urge + Willpower Test difficulty of 3 with a 1 Point Penalty applied and going from Lupus to Homid form would have a Primal Urge + Willpower Test difficulty of 3 with a 3 Point Penalty applied.   The only exception to this rule is when a Garou is shifting into his breed form, using Rage to automatically succeed the test or going into a Frenzy.
When shifting into his Breed form or using Rage to shapeshift the Garou does not need to make any roll and is considered to have automatically succeeded.
When entering Frenzy, he automatically changes into Crinos form.
This rule applies regardless of what form the Garou is currently in.  

Ability Breakdown

• Type: Racial Ability
• Tag: Physical
• Range & Targets: Targets only the Garou himself.
• Cost: 1 Turn
• Conditions: Must not be reduced to 0 Rage.
• Risk: You are changing forms, this will be noticed. It will be loud and by the end of it your clothing will likely be in tatters.
• Test: Primal Urge + Willpower (3). Remember Penalty Points are applied depending on the chosen Form and no test is required when changing back to your Breed form, using Rage to shift or entering Frenzy.
• Resistance Roll: None.
• Duration: Until the Garou decides to shift back, drops to 0 Rage, changes forms or is incapacitated.

Forms

 

Homid

The Garou takes on the shape of a normal human and can blend in with normal society. The Garou is considered a Mortal for all intense and purposes in this form but can still use his gifts unless stated otherwise.  

Glabro

The Garou adds roughly 200% to its own body weight (when compared to his Homid form) and grows about 6 inches taller. His body becomes harrier and he takes on animalistic characteristics. The Garou will still be able to blend into normal society to a degree, provided he has the correct clothing and nobody looks to closely. While in this form the character adds the following bonuses:

• Add 2 dots to the Garou's Strength and Stamina Attribute
• The character can use Garou and human speech but finds that it is somewhat difficult to articulate full sentences in either.
• All of the characters physical attacks cause Aggravated Damage and can harm spirits (but can only cause Superficial Damage to spirits at most).
• Unless disguised the character causes Delirium.
• Is considered an Enhanced Mortal.
• Gains 2 Soak Tokens.
• Increase his Endurance by 2.

Crinos

The Garou adds roughly 400% to his body weight (when compared to his Homid form) and reaches about 10 feet in height (on average). He adopts the full werewolf look growing vicious claws and his head becomes wolf-like.

• Add 4 dots to the Garou's Strength, 3 dots to his Stamina and 1 dot to his Dexterity Attributes.
• The Garou can no longer operate technology or use firearms.
• The character can use Garou speech but can only say an individual human or wolf word at a time and even than it is punctuated by growls and snarls.
• All of the characters physical attacks cause Lethal Damage and can harm spirits (but can only cause Aggravated Damage to spirits).
• The character causes Lunacy.
• Is considered a Supernatural Creature.
• Gains 3 Soak Tokens.
• Increase his Endurance by 4.

Hispo

The Garou adds roughly 200% to its own body weight (when compared to his Homid form) and takes on the appearance of a dire wolf.

• Add 3 dots to the Garou's Strength and Stamina and 2 dots to his Dexterity Attributes.
• Add 3 dots to the Garou's Initiative.
• The Garou cannot operate technology, use firearms or melee weapons.
• The character can use Garou and wolf speech but finds that it is somewhat difficult to articulate full sentences in either.
• All of the characters physical attacks cause Lethal Damage and can harm spirits (but can only cause Aggravated Damage to spirits).
• Causes Delirium.
• Is considered an Enhanced Mortal.
• Gains 2 Soak Tokens.
• The Garou moves twice his normal speed.
• Add a 1 Point Bonus to any rolls relating to Scent.
• Decrease his Endurance to 0.

Lupus

The Garou adopts the form of a wolf that is native to his area of birth or an approximation.

• Add 1 dot to the Garou's Stamina and 2 dots to his Dexterity Attributes.
• Add 5 dots to the Garou's Initiative.
• The Garou cannot operate technology, use firearms or melee weapons.
• Can use wolf speech but cannot use human or Garou speech.
• All of the characters physical attacks cause Aggravated Damage.
• The Garou moves twice his normal speed.
• Add a 3 Point Bonus to any rolls relating to Scent.
• Is considered a Mortal.
• Decrease his Endurance to 0.

   

Soak Tokens

A player's Soak Tokens regenerate at the start of each of his Turns. For each Soak Token a player possess he may reduce 1 Point of Damage by 1 Level of Severity (to a minimum of Superficial Damage). He can only reduce a point of damage once in this way. A player must announce the use of a Soak Token immediately after damage is received (if he decides to use it).   A Soak Token cannot be used by a Garou against a Silver Weapon/Item.