Were-Cheetah R.C.C. [BTS / Nightbane Creatures & Races]:
Almost as rare as the Were Fox, Were Cheetahs are quite able to survive in modern society, certainly more so than Were Wolves or Bears. Although they like the hunt, the Were Cheetahs love anything to do with speed, it can even be said that they are speed junkies. Quite a bit is known about them, as they tend to be friendly, intelligent and outgoing persons, who fit well into human society. Having traded the chase of the hunt for anything to do with speed, has led more than one of them to become involved in professional racing, and especially motor racing. But to them, anything to do with speed is good: the average were Cheetah will go through at least four pairs of running shoes a year (and the more expensive the brand, the better!), and many at least aspire to own a REALLY fast car or motorcycle. In fact, some people have began to wonder why so many of today's award winning motorcycling racers look so much alike. This may become quite a problem for them, as it may eventually lead to their public exposure!
In general, Were Cheetahs tend to be loners, especially the females. Males, especially brothers, will sometimes live together or maintain close contact with each other. This does not mean that they do not make friends though, as a matter of fact they tend to make quite a lot of friends, it is just that they will seldom become close friends with anyone. They treat friendships as fleeting, passing moments spend together with friendly, but almost total strangers. Forming a close friendship with anyone is a special thing for them, and this is a trust they will seldom give. They tend to have a down to Earth look at the normal goings of life, and are mostly law-abiding citizens (except for the speeding tickets that is....).
There are both were Cheetahs that live in the wilderness and the city and there is little if any animosity between them, although the ones living in the wild are getting increasingly worried about the fact that more and more of their kind seem to prefer the city and human society over a existence in the wild. To the Cheetah living in the city, the environment is not a very pressing issue, whereas to his wilder cousin it can be a very important matter indeed.
Were Cheetah have always lived on the plains of Africa, but in the last sixty years they have spread across the world, doing quite well for themselves. Certainly their total population has expanded at a huge rate. This was really necessary too, as the were Cheetah share a common genetic trait with their mundane cousins, the normal Cheetah: Their genetic base was so small that, genetically speaking, all of them could be considered to be close relatives, almost to the point of being cousins. This presented a serious danger of inbreeding, but in the wake of their spreading across the globe, their genetic diversity has begun to grow larger. Even so, were Cheetahs often tend to look like very close relatives and sometimes even look like carbon copies of each other.
Although they do not hold the environment in as great regard as other were beings, the Cheetahs can become quite enraged by a deliberate attack on the environment. While they will seldom fight, holding to the saying that "He who turns his back and walks away, lives to graft another day", they can be incredibly dangerous opponents when they DO fight: Their incredible speed, combined with the normal were abilities of rapid healing and virtual invulnerability to most mundane weapons, gives them a huge advantage in combat, although their lack of stamina and real strength means that they will prefer hit-and-run tactics, rather than prolonged battles. . They will help Nightbane but are unlikely to join them actively.
- Alignment: Any, tend towards anarchist and unprincipled
Attributes: I.Q. 3D6, M.E. 3D6, M.A. 4D6, P.S. 4D6 (never less than 16), P.P. 4D6 (never less than 17), P.E. 3D6, P.B. 5D6, SPD. 7D6 (human) / 2D6x10 + 30 as a Cheetah, human speed + 6D6 in Cheetah-thing form.
Horror Factor: 8 as humanoid Cheetah-thing . The horror factor does not apply to human form or Cheetah form, as the Cheetah form is hardly larger, and almost identical to the shape and size of a normal cheetah.
[1] Hit Points: 4D6 + P.E., +1D6 per level
Natural Armor Rating: Special! Like the vampire, the werebeast is invulnerable to virtually all non-magic weapons, including energy weapons, explosives, bullets, fire, wood, and poison/drugs. However, also like vampires, werebeasts are vulnerable to ordinary silver. Weapons that have at least a 50% silver content inflict double damage! Thus a silver plated dagger, which normally inflicts 1D6 S.D. damage, inflicts 2D6 directly to the monster's hit points/S.D.C. Although werebeasts posses bio-regenerative powers, they are nothing like the vampire's so being bludgeoned or stabbed by silver can kill the creature. Also, the werebeast is vulnerable to magic and psionics as well as the natural attack forms of other supernatural creatures. Wolfbay will hold all werebeasts at bay, like garlic does a vampire. Powerful explosions or impacts won't do damage but may knock the creature down or stun it.
Damage:
- 50 - 100: 01-30% of being knocked off feet
101 - 150: 01-50% of being knocked off feet
151 - 200: 01-70% of being knocked off feet
201 - 250: 01-90% of being knocked off feet
251 - 300: 100% knocked off feet
301+ : 100% knocked off feet and stunned! Lose all attacks that melee round.
Natural Abilities: Speak while in animal shape, prowl 70%, swim 50%, track by smell 70%, nightvision 300 feet, and bio-regeneration: restores hit points at a rate of 1D6+1 H.P. an hour, land navigation 90%, wilderness survival 90%, keen color vision and hearing, 2 secondary skills, +3 to perception. All werebeasts can communicate with their related animal type (for example, werebears with bears) while in any of their forms. Though they do not possess supernatural strength, their hand to hand attacks do cause damage to those beings harmed only by magical means. They suffer from wildlust with the same percentages as Were-Jaguars.
Special: A Were Cheetah is SERIOUSLY FAST! The first human athlete ever to run the Olympic 100 meters in under 9 seconds will be regarded as hot stuff for a long time, but if a Were Cheetah were ever to enter in the event, the record would drop to about 5 seconds. And this is in Human form....
Average running speed in human shape is 30 M.P.H., in hybrid form 70 M.P.H., and in Cheetah form a impressive 120 M.P.H.. It can keep this up for normal amounts of time as per its P.E.. The Were Cheetah can in all its shapes SPRINT for double the amount of speed, but it can only do so for one minute, after this it is exhausted, and needs to rest for 15 minutes. All speeds x0.2, all other physical attributes x0.5 during this time.
Shape Shifting Abilities: The metamorphosis takes about 15 seconds and there is no limit to the number of times the creature can perform a metamorphosis or how long he can maintain that particular shape. Transforming is painless and does not restrict the werecreature from acting. The three shapes are human, beast, and a man-beast hybrid.
Magic: Summon and Control Feline, Repel Animals, Tongues, Sense Evil, Sense Magic.
Psionics: Sixth Sense, See the Invisible, Mind Block, Presence Sense.
Combat: Plus 1 attacks in human form, plus 4 attacks in hybrid or animal form.
Bonuses: +4 on initiative, +2 to strike and parry, +5 to dodge, +2 to pull punch, +3 to roll with impact, +6 to save vs. horror factor, +2 to save vs. psionics, +2 to save vs. magic.
Damage: * add bonus to damage from high P.S.
- Human Punch: *1D6
Claw (beast): *2D6
Claw (hybrid): *3D6+3
Restrained Claw (hybrid): *1D6+3
Power Claw (hybrid): *5D6+3 (2 attacks)
Bite (beast): 1D4
Bite (hybrid): 2D4
NOTE: All claw and bites inflict full damage to the H.P. of vampires and other werebeasts.
Enemies: Those who would hunt them and vampires.
Allies: Family, other Were Cheetahs,
Size: 5 ft to 6 feet tall in human and hybrid form, 2.5 to 3.5 feet at the shoulders in beast form.
Weight: Average human on the thin side in human / hybrid form, 80 to 100 lbs. total average in beast form.
Appearance: As humans they all tend to look the same: Tanned with strawberry blond hair, green eyes and a slender and athletic body, overweight were Cheetahs are extraordinarily rare. In hybrid and animal form they all have the same cheetah fur, yellow with single black spots, and a white belly and chest. Not a bad look at all...
Habitat: Virtually anywhere, but are still most common in Africa. Either prefer cities OR plains as their habitat.
[1] Optional: Instead of just Hit Points, the character can be given both S.D.C. and hit points and have both only damaged by weapons that can hurt were beings. This increase is especially useful in Nightbane where most creatures can inflict damage to them in hand to hand. In that case make base S.D.C.: 3D6+20.
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The above image is reposted with permission by Fred Perry. Please do not repost, reproduce, or alter images without permission of the artist. Fred Perry may be contacted at FredGDP@aol.com.
More of Fred Perry's artwork at The Official Homepage of Fred Perry's Gold Digger.
Writeup by Mischa (E-Mail Mischa).
Minor revisions by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).
Copyright © 1999, Mischa. All rights reserved.
Based on Work by Steven “Conan” Trustrum (strust@interlog.com).