Entomanothropy Runs Wild
By Robert Wiese
Entomanothropes are humans or giants that can transform themselves into monstrous vermin. While similar to lycanthropes, they differ in the forms they can assume and some of their abilities. As a lycanthrope struggles against its animal nature, an entomanothrope remains at peace with its vermin nature because it has no alignment conflicts. Entomanothropes in humanoid (or giant) form resemble the humanoid or giant they are, but they have some verminlike characteristics that depend on the vermin type. Generally the vermin looks are reflected in the face, but reddish tough skin on the back and arms is not uncommon among werescorpions.
Creating an Entomanothrope
"Entomanothrope" is a template that can be added to any humanoid or giant (referred to as the base creature). Entomanothropy as an affliction works exactly as the lycanthropy affliction does, except that the entomanothrope never runs the danger of assuming the alignment of the vermin type (as vermin really have no moral or ethical sense). Entomathropy can be cured in the same way as lycanthropy.
Size and Type: The base creature's type does not change, but the creature gains the shapechanger subtype. The entomanothrope takes on characteristics of some monstrous vermin (not swarms) no more than one size category larger than the base creature (referred to as the base vermin). Entomanothropes can also adopt a hybrid form that combines features of the base creature and the vermin. The hybrid form is the same size as the base creature's size. Entomanothropes can assume vermin forms one size smaller than the base creature size, regardless of the normal size of the vermin type. For example, an entomanothrope that is humanoid and Large monstrous scorpion could become a Small monstrous scorpion, though its hybrid form would be Medium and its normal vermin form would be Large.
Hit Dice and Hit Points: Same as the base creature plus the base vermin. To calculate total hit points, apply the best Constitution modifier that the creature has in any form. Hit points do not change when the entomanothrope changes form.
Speed: Same as the base creature or base vermin, depending on form. Hybrids use the base creature's base land speed. If the hybrid form has wings (see under Alternate Form below), then the hybrid has a fly speed equal to the lesser of the base creature's base speed or the base vermin's normal fly speed. For example, the giant wasp has a fly speed of 60 feet. If a human commoner entomanothrope (speed 30 feet) changed into a hybrid giant wasp form, it would fly at speed 30 feet. If an 11th-level human monk entomanothrope (base speed 70 feet) changed into a hybrid giant wasp, the hybrid would fly at 60 feet.
Armor Class: The base creature's natural armor bonus increases by +2 in all forms. In hybrid and vermin forms, the natural armor bonus is equal to the base vermin's or base creature's, whichever is greater.
Base Attack/Grapple: Add the base attack bonus for the base vermin to the base attack bonus for the base creature. The lycanthrope's grapple bonus uses its attack bonus and modifiers for Strength and size depending on the lycanthrope's form.
Attacks: Same as the base creature or base vermin, depending on which form the entomanothrope is using. An entomanothrope in hybrid form uses the base creature's attacks and the base vermin's bite attack (or other primary natural weapon if the vermin form lacks a bite attack). Monstrous scorpion entomanothropes gain claw attacks in hybrid form.
Damage: Same as the base creature or base vermin, depending on which form the lycanthrope is in. Hybrid monstrous scorpions have claw attacks that do 1d4 base damage for Medium hybrids, 1d6 base damage for Large hybrids, or 1d8 base damage for Huge hybrids.
Special Attacks: An entomanothrope retains the special attacks of the base creature in humanoid form, and of the base vermin in vermin or hybrid form. It also gains the special attacks described below. Class abilities (such as sneak attack) are retained in all forms.
An entomanothrope spellcaster cannot cast spells while in vermin form and cannot cast spells with verbal components in hybrid form. Monstrous scorpion entomanothropes cannot cast spells with somatic components in hybrid form.
Curse of Entomanothropy (Su): Any humanoid or giant of size Small to Huge that is hit by an entomanothrope's bite or sting attack in vermin or hybrid form must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or contract entomanothropy. The curse can be passed through claw attacks if the hybrid or vermin form does not have a bite or sting attack. Afflicted entomanothropes cannot pass on the curse of entomanothropy.
Poison (Ex): If the base vermin has a poison bite or sting, or an acid sting, then the entomanothrope gains these special attacks in its hybrid form. The type of poison (or acid) and the Fortitude save Difficulty Classes remain the same in hybrid or vermin form.
Special Qualities: An entomanothrope retains the special qualities of the base creature and base vermin (except vermin traits), and it also gains those described below.
Alternate Form (Su): An entomanothrope can assume the form of a single type of vermin as if using a polymorph spell on itself, though its gear is not affected, it can maintain the new form indefinitely, and it does not gain hit points for changing form. It adds the physical ability score modifiers to the scores of the base creature rather than gaining the base vermin's physical ability scores (see how to calculate these under "Abilities" below).
An entomanothrope can also assume a bipedal hybrid form with two humanoid (or giant) arms and legs, and a face like the base vermin. The hybrid body is basically humanoid, but with fur or hair or skin/plates like that of the base vermin. Werescorpions have clawed hands. If the base vermin has a tail sting attack, then the hybrid form has it too. If the base vermin has wings, then the hybrid form has wings also. The fly speed is calculated as per the Speed section above. Changing forms is a standard action. (See Lycanthropy as an Affliction in the Monster Manual for information about afflicted entomanothropes controlling their change.)
Damage Reduction (Ex): An entomanothrope in vermin or hybrid form has damage reduction 5/silver.
Darkvision (Ex): Entomanothropes have darkvision to a range of 60 feet in any form.
Entomanothropic Command (Su): In any form, entomanothropes can command vermin of its type (any size) as if using a command undead spell on mindless undead. This ability affects 2 Hit Dice of the vermin type per Hit Die of the entomanothrope, and it lasts for 1 hour.
Entomanothropic Immunities (Ex): Entomanothropes have immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) in any form.
Base Save Bonuses: Add the base save bonuses of the base vermin to the base save bonuses of the base creature.
Abilities: All entomanothropes gain +2 Wisdom and -2 Intelligence. In addition, when in vermin or hybrid form, the entomanothrope's physical ability scores equal the animal's normal ability scores -10 or -11 (subtract 10 from even scores and subtract 11 from odd scores). For example, a werespider based on a large monstrous spider (Str 15, Dex 17, Con 12) adds +4 Str, +6 Dex, and +2 Con. An entomanothrope may also gain an ability score increase due to increased Hit Dice (from adding the template), but this increase cannot be put into Intelligence.
Skills: An entomanothrope gains skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die of its vermin form, as if it had multiclassed into the vermin type. (Vermin is never its first Hit Die, though, and it does not gain quadruple skill points for any vermin Hit Die.) Any skill given in the vermin's description is a class skill for the entomanothrope's vermin levels. In any form, an entomanothrope also has any racial skill bonuses of the base creature and of the base vermin, although conditional skill bonuses apply only in the associated form.
Feats: Add the base vermin's feats (if any) to the base creature's. If this results in a entomanothrope having the same feat twice, the entomanothrope gains no additional benefit unless the feat normally can be taken more once, in which case the duplicated feat works as noted in the feat description.
This process may give the entomanothrope more feats than a character of its total Hit Dice would normally be entitled to; if this occurs, any "extra" feats are denoted as bonus feats.
This process also may give the entomanothrope fewer feats than a character of its total Hit Dice would normally be entitled to; if this occurs, choose additional feats for the entomanothrope so that it has the correct number of feats.
A entomanothrope may not meet the prerequisites for all its feats when in humanoid or giant form. If this occurs, the entomanothrope still has the feats, but cannot use them when in humanoid or giant form.
Environment: Same as either the base creature or base vermin.
Organization: Solitary or colony (colony size dependent on base vermin).
Challenge Rating: By class level or base creature, modified according to the Hit Die of the base vermin: 1 HD or 2 HD, +2; 3 HD to 5 HD, +3, 6 HD to 10 HD, +5, 11 HD to 20 HD, +6; 21 or more HD, +7.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Same as base creature.
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +2. In addition, an entomanothrope's character level is increased by the number of racial Hit Dice the base vermin has.