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I am a fairly new DM and I recently got some of my friends to start a campaign with me as DM using Pathfinder.

One of the players has been really trying hard to make it an enjoyable adventure, as well as helping others get into the role playing. After another player showed him a were-crocodile, he asked me if there was a were-tyrannosaurus in Pathfinder. I said I would look into it, and have decided that as a reward for making my campaign a lot more enjoyable for the other new players I will allow his dwarf barbarian to become a were-tyrannosaurus.

Are there any existing sources that would help me do this without it becoming stupidly strong compared to the rest of the party? If not, I would appreciate any advice for how to home brew this idea.

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    \$\begingroup\$ I'd just like to say that a were-Tyrannosaur sounds awesome. \$\endgroup\$ Jul 21, 2014 at 19:42

3 Answers 3

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Good News!

There's actually a template for that in the official rules - see here. That link contains all the information on creating a lycanthrope template for any were-thingy you can think of :)

The specific details for a were-rex follow.

rule quotes are shown like this

specific details will appear below them like this.

Creating a Lycanthrope

Lycanthrope” is an inherited (for natural lycanthropes) or acquired (for afflicted lycanthropes) template that can be added to any humanoid.
Challenge Rating: Same as base creature or base animal (whichever is higher) +1.

T-rex's CR is 9, so were-rex has CR: 10
(not that important for a PC, but this shows how powerful/unbalanced such a PC will be...)

Size and Type: The creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) gains the shapechanger subtype. The lycanthrope takes on the characteristics of some type of animal (referred to hereafter as the base animal) within one size category of the base creature's size. A lycanthrope's hybrid form is the same size as the base animal or the base creature, whichever is larger.

(emphasis mine) T-rex size is Gargantuan, so a proper base creature has to be at least Huge for this template (this is another hint that this can create balance issues). If you house(over-)rule this, you get: Size: Medium (humanoid form), Gargantuan (hybrid and dinosaur form) and Type: humanoid (dwarf, shapechanger).

AC: In hybrid or animal form the lycanthrope has the natural armor bonus of the base animal increased by +2.

So, AC: hybrid and dino form: +16 natural, –4 size. (Calculate the modifiers from Dex, feats, etc., and add them up as normal.)

Defensive Abilities: A natural lycanthrope gains DR 10/silver in animal or hybrid form. An afflicted lycanthrope gains DR 5/silver in animal or hybrid form.

Your dwarf gets afflicted, so he has Defensive Abilities: DR 5/silver in dino or hybrid form.

Speed: Same as the base creature or base animal, depending on which form the lycanthrope is using. Hybrids use the base creature's speed.

(Exactly what it says on the can.) Speed: 40 ft. (in dino form)

Melee: A lycanthrope gains natural attacks in animal and hybrid forms according to the base animal.

The bite damage normally adds 1.5 x Str modifer, but since T-rex has the powerful bite special quality, it is 2 x Str modifer instead.
Melee: bite BAB + Str + Size (4d6+(Str x 2)/19–20 plus grab) only in dino and hybrid forms

Special Attacks: A lycanthrope retains all the special attacks, qualities, and abilities of the base creature. In hybrid or animal form it gains the special attacks, qualities, and abilities of the base animal. A lycanthrope also gains low-light vision, scent, and the following: Change Shape (Su), Curse of Lycanthropy (Su), Lycanthropic Empathy (Ex)

So:
Special Attacks: swallow whole (2d8+11, AC 17, hp 15)
SQ: powerful bite(Ex), Change Shape (Su), Curse of Lycanthropy (Su), Lycanthropic Empathy (Ex)
Senses: low-light vision, scent
Skills: Racial Modifiers: +8 Perception

Ability Scores: +2 Wis, –2 Cha in all forms; +2 Str, +2 Con in hybrid and animal forms. Lycanthropes have enhanced senses but are not fully in control of their emotions and animalistic urges. In addition to these adjustments to the base creature's stats, a lycanthrope's ability scores change when he assumes hybrid or animal form. In human form, the lycanthrope's ability scores are unchanged from the base creature's form. In animal and hybrid form, the lycanthrope's ability scores are the same as the base creature's or the base animal's, whichever ability score is higher.

So, the dwarf will get +2 Wis, –2 Cha. Also, in dino and hybrid forms, for each ability, take the higher one between the dwarf's and what's below:
Str 34, Dex 13, Con 21, Int 2, Wis 17, Cha 8


As you see, this will be an incredibly powerful upgrade for your dwarf. it may be a better idea to base the template on a Large T-rex companion instead of on the fully grown beast (see the first sidebar to the right here) - If you find it too difficult to calculate that yourself, ask in a comment and I'll add that here as well (don't have the time to get to that right now, though). Using the companion statistics will still make him a badass without giving him an unbalancing push to something which is more like a super-powered NPC than a playable PC...

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    \$\begingroup\$ +1 for the Large T-rex companion suggestion. (And all the math, but I like that you gave an alternative) \$\endgroup\$
    – Bobson
    Jul 21, 2014 at 19:15
  • \$\begingroup\$ +1 for giving stats, even though this seems like a game breaker. If I were OP, I would look at the link Colin D provided, find a dino with more reasonable stats (something Medium sized perhaps), and just say the dwarf turns into a Mini T-Rex. Hopefully solves the balance issue, and you get the bonus of RPing reactions to a Were-Mini T-Rex \$\endgroup\$
    – D.Spetz
    Jul 21, 2014 at 19:48
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    \$\begingroup\$ It's not covered by the rules, but I am amused by the concept of a character, who in the light of a full moon, is stuck with very tiny, difficult to use arms. \$\endgroup\$ Jul 21, 2014 at 20:59
  • \$\begingroup\$ thanks for all the info using the companion ideas seems like it might work the guy just really wants a t-rex themed powerup \$\endgroup\$ Jul 22, 2014 at 5:23
  • \$\begingroup\$ Were-velociraptor maybe? \$\endgroup\$ Jul 22, 2014 at 9:19
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Warning, I would not let the player control the dino post transformation. That is just asking for balance problems.

Use the following curse:

Werewolf Lycanthropy

Type: curse, injury; Save Fortitude DC 15 negates, Will DC 15 to avoid effects

Onset the next full moon; Frequency on the night of every full moon or whenever the target is injured

Effect target transforms into a wolf under the GM's control until the next morning

but change the 'wolf' part to be T-Rex.

Pathfinder already has stat blocks for dinosaurs:

http://paizo.com/prd/monsters/dinosaur.html

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  • \$\begingroup\$ thanks for the advice but the guy really likes t-rex if you know of a balance t-rex power i could give instead it would help \$\endgroup\$ Jul 22, 2014 at 5:29
  • \$\begingroup\$ Will the downvoter kindly supply a reason for his/her downvote so I can improve this/future answers? \$\endgroup\$
    – Colin D
    Jul 23, 2014 at 12:10
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I am a fairly new DM and I recently got some of my friends to start a campaign with me as DM using Pathfinder.

Here is "were" we have to make a full stop. You're a new DM. Don't let your players step all over you by rolling superheroes. Stand up and say no.

If you've already let one player make a were-character, then either force that player to reroll or allow that and only that very specific thing to be used by a second player. You've already given an inch, don't give a mile.

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    \$\begingroup\$ This seems like an ok preface that could accompany an answer, but it does not really answer the question. \$\endgroup\$
    – Colin D
    Jul 23, 2014 at 12:12
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    \$\begingroup\$ You may not want this in your own games, but "do not do this version of fun" is not a good answer. The asker never indicated any problem with having a were-tyrannosaurus. Broadly, there is nothing really wrong with that - what is there to stand up to? What inches and miles? They're just a group having fun. Please bear in mind that different groups can play very differently, have different values, and different ways to have fun, compared to your games. Whilst we welcome warnings when people are really doing something totally game-destroying, this is just a values mismatch. \$\endgroup\$ Aug 4, 2014 at 3:47

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