An Uratha is not a person who can take on animal features, or even shift into an animal’s form. They’re ultimate hunters, able to take on five different forms depending on the needs of the hunt from one moment to the next. Though it may take a while to get used to, a werewolf’s human form is only a “default” in that it provides the best camouflage among humans.

The five forms of the Uratha are perfectly natural, within their own context. In Urshul, a werewolf is an enormous wolf. She is a living, breathing creature. Her claws are made of keratin. Her teeth are forged of enamel and dentine. Until she changes to another form, she is an exceptionally large, exceptionally powerful, entirely natural wolf.

An Uratha with high Harmony struggles with the change. To say it’s painful is an understatement on the level of saying that the universe is large. The body, mind, and soul shatters and reforms at once. Muscles tear and rebuild themselves. Bones have to find new places to fit. Sure, everything regenerates instantaneously, but every single nerve in the Uratha’s body screams out in agony for those few seconds. She quickly gets used to the sensation, but the first few times, it’s jarring like nothing else, and removes her consciousness from her surroundings.

A balanced-Harmony Uratha feels discomfort, but it’s a natural discomfort, like the first time she invited a lover inside her. It’s not ideal, but it’s right.

A low-Harmony Uratha feels no pain. In fact, the change brings with it a warm relief. The spirit-attuned Uratha feels discomfort any time she spends more than a few hours in one form, and every chance she has to shed a long-held form is like a foot rub after a marathon, or a hot bath after a prize fight. She must change shape at least once every scene. She can spend Essence to avoid this shift, as long as she isn’t stressed. When the character is stressed — during combat, a chase, or when she feels threatened — she shifts one form towards an appropriate form each turn. The stress means she cannot resist. Her goal form depends on what she wants to do: Running away uses Urhan, hiding requires Hishu, while the need to fight forces her into Gauru.

The exact mechanics of shapeshifting depend on a werewolf’s Harmony:

• At Harmony 9-10, spend 1 Essence as an instant action to change form.

• Belongings: At Harmony 9 or above, the character’s clothes and belongings do not shift with her. Below that, assume her clothing and immediate possessions shift with her, subsuming into her body in Gauru, Urshul, or Urhan form, or stretching to fit Dalu, whatever makes the most sense for the scene.

• At Harmony 7-8, spend 1 Essence to shift as a reflexive action, or take an instant action to shift at no cost.

• At Harmony 4, 5, or 6, shapeshifting is a reflexive action that requires no Essence or rolls.

• At Harmony 2-3, spend 1 Essence as a reflexive action, or take an instant action at no cost to avoid changing form.

• At Harmony 0-1, spend 1 Essence as an instant action to avoid changing form.

The Forms

Each Uratha can take five forms. Each modifies certain character traits, and adds distinct advantages. Where a character’s Attributes change, the subsequent alterations to derived traits are summarized in parentheses.

Hishu

Hishu looks every bit the human being. It’s the homo sapiens shape Uratha are born into. While it doesn’t afford any trait benefits over what a human normally possesses, a Hishu Uratha is "more human than human", and blends into a crowd.

• Perception: +2 dice to Perception rolls using wolf senses.

• Sheep’s Clothing: Any efforts to pinpoint the werewolf in a crowd or pursue her through populated areas suffer her Primal Urge as a penalty.

Dalu

Dalu is a somewhat subtle monster. It’s a human and half again: larger, stronger, with about 150% body mass. A Dalu’s muscles are like rocks all over her body. Her jaw extends subtly. Her teeth elongate and sharpen. Her fingernails become hard, vicious claws. Her wolf senses sharpen compared to her Hishu form.

Functionally, Dalu is a form for urban hunts. Without much scrutiny, a werewolf in Dalu can walk among humanity undetected. She’s larger and less appealing, but not outside the realm of human possibility. Drawing too much attention can cause problems, since the Dalu form is far stronger than most people, and a powerful werewolf can rend limbs from a victim’s body with little effort.

• Teeth and Claws: Unarmed attacks with the werewolf’s claws deal lethal damage to humans. While in a grapple, successful bite attacks deal lethal damage.

• Defense: Apply Defense against Firearms attacks, as her instincts jerk her out of the way before shots are fired.

• Perception: +2 dice to all Perception rolls using wolf senses.

• Lunacy: Inflicts mild Lunacy.

• Traits: Strength +2, Stamina +2, Manipulation –1, Size +1 (Health +3, Speed +2).

• Badass Motherfucker: The Dalu form is imposing, intense, and overbearing. This can force a crowd to give up the Uratha’s prey. Roll Presence + Primal Urge contested by the prey’s Composure + Primal Urge. If successful, anyone surrounding or protecting the prey will back down, or offer him up.

Gauru

Gauru is the classic wolfman of legend. Enormous, fearsome, and devastating, Gauru Uratha weigh almost four times their Hishu counterparts. While bipedal, they stand one and a half times their Hishu height. They’re bulky, with arms the size of most people’s waists, legs like tree trunks, and teeth like chef’s knives.

Gauru is a form to take and to dodge killing blows, and to end a hunt or a battle quickly and efficiently. The Gauru form only communicates, to help with the kill. A werewolf can only hold on to the primal beast for so long. She can take Gauru once per scene, and then only for a number of turns equal to her (Hishu) Stamina + Primal Urge. After that point, she must choose: Shift down into Dalu or Urshul, or fall into Kuruth. If she does not shift, roll Resolve + Composure as a reflexive action. If she succeeds, she has one more turn in Gauru, then must shift to Dalu or Urshul, and enters Wasu-Im. If she fails, she enters Basu-Im immediately.

• Regeneration: Uratha in Gauru form regenerate all bashing and lethal damage each turn.

• Teeth and Claws: Claw attacks deal +2 lethal damage. Bites deal +2 lethal damage and do not require a grapple. Bite and claw attacks can establish grapples in addition to causing damage. Increase Initiative by +3 when using teeth or claws.

• Defense: Apply Defense to Firearms attacks.

• Perception: +3 dice to all Perception rolls using wolf senses.

• Lunacy: Sight of the Gauru form inflicts full Lunacy.

• Rage: A Gauru-form Uratha must attack an active opponent within striking range each turn. She does not have to continue to attack a crippled opponent as long as another opponent exists. If an opponent is out of reach, she can move toward or throw things at opponent. She can sneak or try to re-establish surprise on fleeing prey. If she has no opponents, she will attack anything she can reach. If she does anything else, roll Resolve + Composure or fall into Kuruth.

• Traits: Strength +4, Dexterity +1, Stamina +3, Size +2 (Health +5, Initiative +1, Speed +5). Gauru automatically fail any Social roll not based on Intimidation, and any Mental roll that isn’t Perception- or Resistance-based.

• Primal Fear: Gauru force all lesser enemies — including most humans, spirits of lower Rank, and non-supernatural animals — to use Down and Dirty combat. If the prey hides in a group of more powerful enemies, resolve the combat as normal. In normal combat, opponents count only their Dexterity or Wits to their Defense; they may not add the appropriate Skill (normally Athletics).

Urshul

Urshul is a beast of legend. It looks the part of a wolf, but with the size of a horse. It’s double the body mass of the Hishu form, and its shoulders stand at the same height her human shoulders do. Urshul harries the prey, wearing it down and leaving vicious wounds that set it up for the Gauru form to finish the job. Urshul cannot communicate with humans, but can use the First Tongue with ease.

• Teeth and Claws: Claw attacks deal +1 lethal damage. Bites deal +2 lethal damage and do not require a grapple. Bite attacks can establish grapples as well as cause damage.

• Defense: Apply Defense to Firearms attacks.

• Perception: +3 dice to all Perception rolls using wolf senses.

• Lunacy: Inflicts moderate Lunacy.

• Traits: Strength +3, Dexterity +2, Stamina +3, Manipulation –1, Size +1, Species speed factor +3 (Health +4, Initiative +2, Speed +8).

• Weaken the Prey: Werewolves in Urshul are devastating to physical prey. Once per scene, the Urshul can apply one of the following Tilts when she damages her prey with her teeth or claws: Arm Wrack, Leg Wrack, or Knocked Down. This does not require a targeted attack.

Urhan

Urhan is the form of a normal wolf. In a pack of wolves, an Urhan blends in seamlessly, depending on her regional markers and coat. Urhan is for covering long distances quickly, for tracking prey, and for blending in to nature. The Urhan form can’t communicate with humans and can’t manage more than a few simple words in the First Tongue.

• Teeth: Bite attacks deal +1 lethal damage and do not require a grapple. They can establish a grapple as well as cause damage.

• Perception: +4 dice to Perception rolls using wolf senses.

• Traits: Strength +1, Dexterity +3, Stamina +2, Manipulation –1, Size –1, Species speed factor +3 (Health +1, Initiative +3, Speed +7).

• Chase Down: Spend 1 Essence to preempt another character’s action in combat with your own; usually an attack. This takes the place of a normal action. If other characters are capable of preempting actions, it becomes a Clash of Wills. If your character has already acted in a turn, she cannot use this ability. In a foot chase, an Urhan uses Speed in place of Strength + Athletics.

The Predators Jaws

Uratha bite to kill. Their teeth carry the deadly resonance of Father Wolf, the ultimate hunter. As such, their bites in every form count as mystical sources to foes that are vulnerable to such sources. Even in Hishu, a werewolf’s bite causes lethal damage to vampires.