Were-creatures are a common part of many world mythologies and fictional fantasy worlds. Depending on the origins for your therianthropes they could potentially be as varied and diverse as all the animal species and humanoid host societies. Thinking about that, I decided to jot down some thoughts on less-common forms of werecreatures, what humanoid species they might be most common amongst (using fairly generic fantasy species ideas), and what special features they might have.

All of these are mammalian carnivores, in keeping with the common were-species of werewolves, werebears, and weretigers. That’s not to say wereboars, weresharks, and werecrocodiles aren’t also well-established and interesting options, but I feel carnivorous mammals are the most typical therianthropes, and since I’m already going a bit far afield when considering nonstandard types, sticking with the most common classifications seems a good limiter.

So, what would YOU make as a new form of werecritter?

Werebadger
N, Dwarf, halfling
Vulnerable to gold, territorial, can shapeshift to change both badger-form and humanoid-form appearance

Werecaracal
Catfolk, elf, human
Vulnerable to bone, immune to poisons, can move with extreme speed

Werecheetah
Goblin, gnome, halfling
Vulnerable to copper, can cause despair in those that see or hear it.

Weredolphin
CG-CN, Aquatic elf, elf, human, merfolk
Vulnerable to volcanic glass, can grant the ability to swim and hold breathe as a dolphin to other creatures… and can also take such abilities away.

Were-fennec-fox
CG-NG, Gnomes, faeries, halflings
Vulnerable to cold iron, have prophetic powers

Werehyena
N-NE, Dwarf, human, gnoll, goblin, orc
Vulnerable to stone, can break spells and curses and curse others

Were-leopard-seal
N-CN, Human, orc.
Vulnerable to fire, immune to cold, in animal hybrid or humanoid form can take off it’s skin as a cloak and give it to another to allow them to use that form, which is unavailable to the wereleopardseal until it gets the cloak back.

Wereorca
LG-LN-LE, Giants, ogres, trolls
Vulnerable to lightning, weakened by storms, can swallow people and even boats or small ships and keep them safe for weeks or months inside a magic space separate from their gullet.

Wereotter
NG-N-NE, Halfling
Have charm powers

Were-pallas-cat
LN-NG, Goblin, gnome, halfling
Vulnerable to wood, immune to charm and fear

Werequoll
NG, Gnome, mouselings
Vulnerable to steel, can charm and command other animals

Wereracoon
CG-CN-CE, Goblin, halfling
Vulnerable to anything polished to a high shine, gain natural thieving skills, can become invisible

Werewolverine
CN-N, Goblin
Vulnerable to adamantine, has rage powers, regenerates.
(Hey, it’s good conceptual worldbuilding, even if the ideas are blatantly stolen.)

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