Unwanted lycanthropy

[Renorei]

Well, the answer to this question depends on a number of factors for me:



1. Am I changing into the actual animal, or a relatively human sized, gestaltish hybrid of it?

If I am changing into a hybrid form, that broadens the field considerably. I would never consider being, say, a wereshrew, if I became an actual shrew. But, if I became a humanoid, human-sized shrew, that's a lot more appealing. Still far from my favorite, but I wouldn't totally hate it.



2. In this hypothetical world, does anyone else have any transforming powers or am I the only one, or at least are we so rare that I won't be encountering any other shapeshifters in my life?

If I am the only shifter in the world (for the purpose of this hypothetical statement, ignore whoever bit me...let's just say he died), then I'm pretty much open to anything that isn't an extreme downgrade from human and that wouldn't leave me overly vulnerable. While I wouldn't relish the thought of being a werepig, if NOBODY ELSE CAN SHIFT, who cares? "Haha you turn into a werepig once a month" "Oh yeah?! Well you can't turn into ANYTHING!!". Essentially, I'm open to a lot more animals as long as I know that someone else isn't going to shift to some other form that is superior to mine.



3. Do I get to retain some level of control over the animal instincts when I shift?

If this is the case, then this also broadens the possibilities. If I don't have to worry about predatory instincts getting the better of me, or prey instincts forcing me to run away against my will, then I'm willing to be a lot more things. Of course, I would never want to lose the instincts, but I would rather have them be demoted to sort of an advisory board to my human mind.



/ \ I may or may not elaborate on these more later on.
|


Also, I might go through the trouble of making a detailed list later on. But, for now, I submit to you rough criterion that I would likely use in determining which animals I would want to be, and which animals I wouldn't want to be (assuming I am a gestaltish hybrid whose instincts don't force her to do things she wouldn't ordinarily do):



The pretty + dangerous test:




Category 1. Animals I would HATE to be:
-not pretty
-not dangerous



Category 2. Animals I might be ok with are EITHER:
-pretty
-or-
-dangerous, but not both



Category 3. Animals I'd LOVE to be are:
-pretty
-and-
-dangerous



Category 4. An animal I'd REALLY love to be is:
-pretty
-and-
-dangerous
-and could also kick the asses of everyone else's wereforms
(Note: I have no idea what animal would be in category 4. We can all speculate, but it'd be hard to really figure out since we don't know how successful a quadruped species would be using a bipedal stance)




This does not take into account certain exceptions. For example, an avian (though it isn't particularly dangerous) would be in the category 3. The overall coolness factor of being able to fly would outweigh the lack of dangerousness. Also, though a snake is both pretty and dangerous, I don't think I would want to be a snake because I enjoy hearing (otherwise, it would still be category 3). Also, though a hyena is dangerous and marginally pretty, I wouldn't put it in my category 3 because I'm not to keen on the idea of sprouting a pseudo-penis.

So, basically, the pretty + dangerous test works well when describing my preferences, except in cases where common sense would warrant an exception.


Note: this does not take into account mythicals. If mythicals are added to the mix, that adds a whole new element to everything. If that is the case, I'd probably want to be a weredragon, werephoenix, or maybe a weregryphon.

[Ultraken]

In honor of the previously mini-discussion on mammals, placental versus marsupual versus monotreme:

They Might Be Giants
Apollo 18
"MAMMAL"

Glass of Milk
Standing in between extinction in the cold
and explosive radiating growth
So the warm blood flows
Through the large four-chambered heart
Maintaining the very high metabolism rate they have
Mammal, mammal
Their names are called
They raise a paw
The bat, the cat
Dolphin and dog
Koala bear and hog
One of us might lose his hair
But you're reminded that it once was there
From the embryonic whale to the monkey with no tail
So the warm blood flows
with the red blood cells lacking nuclei
Through the large four-chambered heart
Maintaining the very high metabolism rate they have
Mammal, mammal
Their names are called
They raise a paw
The bat, the cat
Dolphin and dog
Koala bear and hog
Placental the sister of her brother Marsupial
Their cousin called Monotreme
Dead uncle Allotheria
Mammal, mammal
Their names are called
They raise a paw
The bat, the cat
Dolphin and dog
Koala bear and hog
The fox, the ox
Giraffe and shrew
Echidna, caribou

Off topic, sorry.

[Morkulv]

A weremonkey. I can't stand monkeys. I think they'r butt-ugly to begin with.

Except King Kong ofcourse, King Kong rules. Huhuhuhuhuhuhh...

[Shadow Wulf]

I wouldnt mind being a wereduck if I can shoot with duel SBP90s

[JoshuaMadoc]

I wouldnt mind being a wereduck if I can shoot with duel SBP90s

i'm starting to picture Harold the duck doing just that

But why the negativity to avians? You'd have a chance of having wings on your backs, flying would save you time (if you had a flying license), you'd have killer capacity with kicks if you're a cassowary, you'd swim about 35 times faster than an olympic swimmer if you're a penguin, you won't need ordinary binoculars if you're an eagle, you'd look badass if you're a raven, and you can land on the water to rest if you're a seagull.

...... wait....... how am i supposed to chew with a beak?!

[Timber-WoIf]

I wouldnt mind being a wereduck if I can shoot with duel SBP90s

but couldn't you do that as a were-mostanythingelse anyway?

(The P90 is French. Stick with HKs, the Germans still know how to make good guns.)

[Shadow Wulf]

Yes, but theres something about ducks with P90s that interest me.



And besides P90s shoots faster.

And by the way Timber Wolf. That sig of yours, thats that blow me away song from what I heard in Halo 2 and the soundtrack.

[Kisota]

I'd really like to be any kind of werebird!
Not as much as a canine, but hey, bird is way up there at the top for me!

[Morkulv]

OMG TEH TIMESPLITTERS!!1

[Vuldari]

OMG TEH TIMESPLITTERS!!1

...and 2 and 3...

[Morkulv]

OMG TEH TIMESPLITTERS!!1

...and 2 and 3...

[Vuldari]

OMG TEH TIMESPLITTERS!!1

...and 2 and 3...

What?

...the Duck was in #2 and #3 also. ...actually, I was not aware that it was in the first one (which I have never played).

...or is that not what the 1 at the end was referring to, but rather just a random 733T stand-in for a third exclamation point for no good reason.

I never did understand the attraction of Leet-speak. (IMHO) There are few things less cool than making yourself intentionally more difficult to understand.

[Shadow Wulf]

Man you go774 be m0r3 71eex187e.

[Apharoh]

Hey ! think BIG !

Were-cow ?
no... Were-MINOTAUR !

were-cow!?!

Yikes!! Udder madness!!

"Mama had a Chicken, Mama had a Cow, Dad was proud, He didn't care how."

Well at least now i know im not the only one who watches cartoon network.
Id hate to be bitten by a were gerbil... FOR THEY ARE MY ENIMIES

[Morkulv]

OMG TEH TIMESPLITTERS!!1

...and 2 and 3...

What?

...the Duck was in #2 and #3 also. ...actually, I was not aware that it was in the first one (which I have never played).

...or is that not what the 1 at the end was referring to, but rather just a random 733T stand-in for a third exclamation point for no good reason.

I never did understand the attraction of Leet-speak. (IMHO) There are few things less cool than making yourself intentionally more difficult to understand.

1'm jst 73h pwnzz4rzz w17h l337sp34k u n00b!!1

[Set]

1'm jst 73h pwnzz4rzz w17h l337sp34k u n00b!!1

Sad part is I can actually read that without any difficulty. 1'm l337, j0.

[Veruth]

It takes me a second, but I can get it.

[Apokryltaros]

I dunno.
I find "leet" speak to be only marginally more attractive than having to translate my income tax into Babylonian cuneiform.

[Morkulv]

1'm jst 73h pwnzz4rzz w17h l337sp34k u n00b!!1

Sad part is I can actually read that without any difficulty. 1'm l337, j0.

You got a dictionary?! ZOMFG!!1!

[Set]

1'm l337, j0.

You got a dictionary?! ZOMFG!!1!

"Da pain!!! I need help! I need you to getz da doctor. I gotz some bad pain in ma chest, I need ma pillz!"

Hardcore l337 is fun, no?

[Ronkonkoma]

if someone got bit or a megabyte from a leet speaking warez-wolf that wouldn't be good for folks that can't read the 1337- stuff


a were-sloth wouldn't be good, unless you are a real couch potato, then chances are nobody will notice the difference on full moons

[Apokryltaros]

a were-sloth wouldn't be good, unless you are a real couch potato, then chances are nobody will notice the difference on full moons

Sloth, as in tree sloth, or Megatherium?

[Ronkonkoma]

the tree sloth, not the giant one, a were-Megatherium might break the couch or furniture it be sitting one