[RPG]: Changing Breeds, reviewed by Shining Dragon (4/4)

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/13/13545.phtml

Dean McNabb's Summary:

An excellent toolkit approach to the subject of shapeshifters, useful as both a stand-alone supplement for the World of Darkness or as an addition to any of the main World of Darkness game lines.

Go to the full review for more information.

[Fhtagn]

As a question: Is there any attempt to merge it in with the nWoD, linking ideas between games, or it it a bolt-on which just uses various systems from other books to save space?

[Wyvern76]

Not every animal species can be covered so the last section in the Chapter, Shadow Breeds, covers one Feral breed not covered earlier: The Cold Kings, The Horned Folk, The Oceanborn, The Riverkin. Serpentines, The Swarm and The Taurae.

How is that one breed? It looks like seven to me.

I'd really like to know what kinds of animals all of these different breeds include.

Wyvern

[Shining Dragon]

Originally Posted by Wyvern76

How is that one breed? It looks like seven to me.

I'd really like to know what kinds of animals all of these different breeds include.

Wyvern

Hmmm. I think I should have said "a brief look at Breeds not already covered" instead of "covers one Feral breed not covered earlier".

The preceding sections of the chapter covered "one breed" with "multiple species".

Shadow Breeds covers "multiple breeds" with "one species". It appears that Shadow Breeds is just a catch-all category to briefly cover other Breeds not able to be covered in the depth of the others due to space considerations.

The Cold Kings (reptiles): Whisky Croc (crocodiles)
The Horned Folk (sheep, goats): Mendeans (goat-folk)
The Oceanborn (shark, dolphins, tentacled things): Olutakami (dolphin)
The Riverkin (amphibians, fresh water fish): Kinno'balo (frog)
Serpentines (snakes): Melusinae ("singing" serpents)
The Swarm (insects): Mimma Lemnua (cockroaches)
The Taurae (bulls, bisons, yaks): Yumni (bison)

[Shining Dragon]

Originally Posted by Fhtagn

As a question: Is there any attempt to merge it in with the nWoD, linking ideas between games, or it it a bolt-on which just uses various systems from other books to save space?

No serious attempt. There is a brief section talking about what the Feral may think of Werewolves, Mages and Vampires.

Changing Breeds supplies enough information to be used by itself. Only if you want to use Beast Magic or the other Aspects that allow access to Gifts or Numina do you need other books (Mage and Werewolf). Numina you can get (some) from the main World of Darkness Book. If you keep to the WOD line then Book of Spirits has more. As I said in the review, this was one thing I did not like about Changing Breeds - it would have been nice to have a few more pages reprinting Gifts and Spells in the form the Ferals would use them in.

[Wyvern76]

Originally Posted by Shining Dragon

Shadow Breeds covers "multiple breeds" with "one species". It appears that Shadow Breeds is just a catch-all category to briefly cover other Breeds not able to be covered in the depth of the others due to space considerations.

The Cold Kings (reptiles): Whisky Croc (crocodiles)
The Horned Folk (sheep, goats): Mendeans (goat-folk)
The Oceanborn (shark, dolphins, tentacled things): Olutakami (dolphin)
The Riverkin (amphibians, fresh water fish): Kinno'balo (frog)
Serpentines (snakes): Melusinae ("singing" serpents)
The Swarm (insects): Mimma Lemnua (cockroaches)
The Taurae (bulls, bisons, yaks): Yumni (bison)

Thanks for the info. Can you give us a breakdown of the "main" feral breeds as well?

Wyvern

[Shining Dragon]

Originally Posted by Wyvern76

Thanks for the info. Can you give us a breakdown of the "main" feral breeds as well?

Wyvern

Blargle!

I'll see what I can do. In the mean time, from memory...


Spinner Kin are obviously Were-Spiders (also called Arnae). There are 3 types (all with 5 year life spans IIRC).

Land Titans covers three types of Were-elephant (African, Indian and Asion IIRC) and a Were-Rhinoceros.

Winged Folk has Were-swans (Brythanians), were-owls (Strigoi), .... and my memory is a little fuzzy but crows (or ravens).

Bastet has: Tigers, Lions, leopards/panthers, cats.

Ursae (??) - bears (polar and others).

Apes - baboons, spider monkeys (with kung fu).

[Shining Dragon]

OK. Now I have my book...

Bastet: Rajanya (Tiger), Bubasti (Kyphur), Hatara (Lion), Bahgrasha (panther/leopard), Balam (jaguar), Cait Sith (European Lion), Qualm'a ni (puma/bobcat), Klinkerash (wild cats)

The Land Titans: Azubuike (rhino), Jhaa (South Asian Elephant), Mhole Rho (African elephant), Iravati (South Asian Elephant... eh?)

The Laughing Strangers: Minjur (rats), Baitu (hare), Archunen (racoon), Reynardi (fox), Mistai (coyote), Wapathemwa (North American possum)

The Pack: Maerans (dog), Riantes (hyena), Vargr (wolf)

Royal Apes: Hanumani Brahman (indian sub-continent monkey/ape), The Order of the Luminous Way of Sun Wukong (any tail-less simian), Abathakathi (mandrill), Tothians and Babi-Ahsh (baboon), Hugranjah (ape-like sasquatch...eh?)

The Spinner Kin: Nanekisu (any spider), Carapache (jungle spiders), C'Hi Hsu any spider)

Ursara: Yonah (black bear), Nanuq (Polar bear), Storm Bears (some sort of long dead ur-Bear)

Wind Runners: Uchchaihshravi (horse), Alces (moose/elk), Flidaisin (deer), Takuskansa (horse)

Wing Folk: Gente Alada (quetzal/humming bird), Corvians (crow/raven), Chervaliers Rapace (falcon/eagle), Vagahuir (bat), Strigoi (owl), Brythians (swan)

Sometimes the difference between the species within the Breeds are more cultural than "genetic".

*pant* *pant*