Multiple alternate forms, and duration of transformation

[Wingman]

I did some searching today and yesterday, and to the best of my knowledge it's never been discussed. Specifically, multiple alternate forms for a werewolf. By alternate I mean any form other than their default form. The standard werewolf the Pack's agreed on has a gestalt and animal alternate forms, but I don't believe I've ever seen any discussion on multiple variations therein, such as how the Werewolf RPG game lines by White Wolf publishing do it. Their werewolves have 5 forms in total (human, near-human, gestalt, near-wolf, and wolf), each with their own particular traits, such as speech, keen senses, strength, and speed.

For the RP that I'm running down on the roleplaying subforum, I've decided to allow my shapeshifters to "gain" additional alternate forms. Each form would have distinct features, such as a small and fast form with keen senses, and a stronger and hardier form better suited for fisticuffs, or just cosmetic differences to aid in avoiding detection and identification. So my "werewolves" might conceivably have potential access to a significant portion of all canine forms, past, present, and invented on the spot.


As for the latter half of this post, I cannot recall any discussion on the length of a werewolf's transformation. What I mean by that is how long they stay transformed, not how long it takes them to transform. I can see some potential for werewolves who can only transform during the full moon, and if they get distracted they might be stuck transformed for the next month. What are your thoughts? Personally I'm of the Indefinite Duration mindset, whereas the werewolf can stay transformed as long as desired, or until something forces a transformation.
Should there be limitations on how long a werewolf can remain transformed, or for specific forms such as primal dire wolf forms that have higher energy requirements and thus cannot be maintained as long.

What are your thoughts on the issue?

[Berserker]

I think there was some discussion of the werewolf's alternate forms, a la Whitewolf where they have 5 different forms. I remember the general consensus was that it was too much. I agree... personally, I think it's over the top.

Being a fan of permanent transformations, well... that answers my preference on duration. I have a rule though: the longer a werewolf remains transformed, the more part of the wild he becomes, allowing his actions to eventually become dominated by instinct instead of reason. Most of them also begin to lose their incentive for "fighting" it.

[Aki]

Having multiple forms is always cool, in my book. Though personally I've always leaned towards the "the shift is malleable" kind of mindset where the number of forms is limited mainly by the werewolf's imagination and skill at shifting various body parts (only having a light coating of fur, but growing claws or such to be a Lon Cheney Jr. type were if they want, or doing something between Gestalt and full-wolf for the "Dire Wolf" kind of effect, etc.), though (for reasons Grayheart posted in the RP's respective thread) it didn't work so well as a game mechanic due to possible abuse, heh.

As for duration, I'm a fan of infinite duration. To the point where if (for whatever reason) a werewolf is killed whilst in any form, they remain in that form. Each form is as natural as the other, and no energy is needed to remain in any form (only to switch them). Naturally, this could cause a bit of drama if someone gets their head blown off whilst prancing around in Gestalt, but hey - that's good for a story.

[Wingman]

That is pretty much how I'm doing it in the RP, Aki. When the doctor threw Glen across the room, the fur that got ripped out didn't transform back when Glen did, and so every once in a while stuff like gestalt-form bodies or limbs show up, which requires that measures be taken to retrieve them and cover it up.

[Terastas]

Well, the way they describe it, the five "forms" are more like five transition phases. You could just as easily classify them by how human they appear: 100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, and 0%.

By that logic, a werewolf couldn't necessarily gain additional forms, but he may learn how to better control how his body shifts, pushing beyond or stopping short of the default "gestalt" form to obtain different variations of human and wolf percentages, if you will. By that logic, a werewolf could theoretically have over a hundred different forms. Just in theory, of course; the difference between, say, a 30/70 variant and a 29/71 werewolf wouldn't be substantial enough to warrant distinguishing one from the other.

As for timing, well. . . In my own writing, I currently have it that energy isn't required to back to human form, but is instead required to maintain the gestalt form, so whenever the werewolf's adrenaline levels drop, either by him calming down or passing out, his body slowly transitions back into one of his natural forms.

So when a werewolf would transition back would depend on how long it took for the werewolf to calm down and/or pass out. By that logic, a werewolf could theoretically stay in gestalt form for weeks, assuming he was willing and capable of staying awake and active for that long.

[Aki]

That is pretty much how I'm doing it in the RP, Aki. When the doctor threw Glen across the room, the fur that got ripped out didn't transform back when Glen did, and so every once in a while stuff like gestalt-form bodies or limbs show up, which requires that measures be taken to retrieve them and cover it up.

Heh, I didn't even notice that. Neato.

I can only imagine that somewhere, someone has a gestalt-skull/head trophy or something, haha.

[Grayheart]

In my imagination my ideal werewolf is able to shift his/her body gradually to every stage between wolf and human. Even partial shifting is possible, though the werewolf in question has to learn how to achieve this kind of stuff, 'cause it's easier to make the whole body shift as entity than make just - let's say, just one hand shift towards pawlike hands with sharp claws. But like Aki already mentioned this is in my view no good deal for game balance mechanics to get a grip on.

As for the duration of shift my opinion is that staying in one form doesn't need much energy and no effort of will to stay in it. The shift itself requires a lot of energy though. My werewolves also have a very fast working metabolism - making them less prone to become drunken and the like - but they need much more food than normal people even if they doesn't shift.

Every werewolf in my imagination has one 'default' form that depends whether they are wolfborn or humanborn ones. Although they need not as much energy to stay in their shifted forms they'll slowly revert back to their birthform if their body runs out of energy - like if they didn't eat enough or if they are knocked out for a longer time or if they fall asleep. In the last two cases the body's metabolism ends the production of the hormonelike virus/ viruslike hormone (not entirely sure what it is) my werewolves need for shifting. All this biological functions need a living version of the hormone-virus thing - thus seperated bodyparts and killed werewolves doesn't revert back.

[Shingmanituu]

Well, the way they describe it, the five "forms" are more like five transition phases. You could just as easily classify them by how human they appear: 100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, and 0%.

By that logic, a werewolf couldn't necessarily gain additional forms, but he may learn how to better control how his body shifts, pushing beyond or stopping short of the default "gestalt" form to obtain different variations of human and wolf percentages, if you will. By that logic, a werewolf could theoretically have over a hundred different forms. Just in theory, of course; the difference between, say, a 30/70 variant and a 29/71 werewolf wouldn't be substantial enough to warrant distinguishing one from the other.

As for timing, well. . . In my own writing, I currently have it that energy isn't required to back to human form, but is instead required to maintain the gestalt form, so whenever the werewolf's adrenaline levels drop, either by him calming down or passing out, his body slowly transitions back into one of his natural forms.

So when a werewolf would transition back would depend on how long it took for the werewolf to calm down and/or pass out. By that logic, a werewolf could theoretically stay in gestalt form for weeks, assuming he was willing and capable of staying awake and active for that long.

I am a fan of consious shifting/at will shifting.Where with shapechanger has control of the shifting process.Multiple 'forms' would actually be stages of change.As in stopping the change and holding one form over another,per its usefulness.If a wolf needs to jump up to get over something high, like over a wall,and the wall is too high to clear,handlike paws more than plain ol' paws may be the better option as to grip and hold to pull up with claws digging in for traction. The strong legs are needed for thrust to get momentum enuff to clear said wall or get closer to the top. Arms pull better than front legs,etc. So by changing some parts and not others it would be more affective,for either form to hybridize.

[Volkodlak]

im in four forms:human panic,half and full form if we talk about WWs

duration of transformation from full moon too sunrise if we look historicly
but personaly unlimited time some one mentioned energy consumption but WW consume more energy when changing and reverting not when hes in other than human form so if you are too tired you cant turn back too human you need energy too do it.