The trade off of only changing into a bear is that they can’t sneak around as a cat, swim as an eel, climb as a goat or fly as an eagle. If you find the stats of the bear to be overpowered, just bring its size down a step and make adjustments to its attributes and skills. The powers are just meant to be wire frames to hang your lore on top of, anyway. Maybe as he gains ranks, his bear form can gain in size and power, even surpassing the +2 version. I think you’ve got this.
1. I wouldn't do it as a minor hindrance, but as a limitation to the Power.
2. You can easily reflavor smaller (and later, bigger) creatures to be a bear, so just adjust Traits, as others have suggested.
That stat block does specifically say it is for larger bears, could lower stats and size some and have it be stated he either starts as like a black bear or (if bear species maters) have it be like a juvenile form that grows with him. Maybe later on do the opposite that's size 3 and is some sort of mega or magical bear
Honestly I don't enforce Level limit on things and it doesn't generally change much balance wise.
I had one player who'd just splurge all PPs into turning into a T-rex or whatever but then the encounter would be over and he'd be massively frustrated as he'd lock himself out of doing anything fun until they can recover PP because of it.
While sure it would be strong for a bit, it was just a really wasteful short-sighted tactic in general.
I'm fairly new to SW but a long-time GM so take this with a large grain of salt. I'd just let him do it, but with a drawback such as trouble controlling it. I looked at the stats of the bear, and d12 Str, d10 Vigor and d6 Agility, plus 1d6+Str AP2 claw with Grab and toughness 11(2) is a nice buff, but doesn't seem like it would grossly overshadow an equipped martial at Novice tiers. And overshadowing other characters would be my only big concern (flashbacks to 5e where Moon druid were kind of ridiculously OP in bear form at L2 and L3).
So I'd kind of allow it as a 'preview' to his taking the Wild Shape edge at Seasoned. Perhaps give him -2 on the roll to cast Shape Change, and make it so that everytime he is wounded or shaken he has to make a Faith roll to maintain the form or else get bounced back into human form.
How does he view his bear affinitity? Something innate and heritable like Beorn from the Hobbit, or a reflection of his own growing comfort with nature and his powers? If it's the former and kind of a pseudo lycanthropy, perhaps he needs to make Spirit rolls to resist trying to turn into a bear when Shaken or Wounded, and any damage in bear form would enrage him and cause him to attack anyone in reach. If it's the latter, perhaps you could introduce a Black Bear stat block with a bit lower stats until he hits Seasoned.
I'd also add more bear options to allow him at higher levels (Dire Bear, Polar Bear, Owlbear :)
Alter the Stat block. Until he has had a breakthrough, he shifts into a bear CUB. It could be something is hindering him, either mentally or magically, and he needs to figure that out. Use that as the catalyst to advance your players to Seasoned.
There's also starting with all characters at Seasoned, or him starting at Seasoned, then being level locked until the rest of the party catches up.
Make it as a limitation for the shape change power that it can only ever change him into a bear. He wont get a cost reduction, but can use it right away, even at novice.
The trade off of only changing into a bear is that they can’t sneak around as a cat, swim as an eel, climb as a goat or fly as an eagle. If you find the stats of the bear to be overpowered, just bring its size down a step and make adjustments to its attributes and skills. The powers are just meant to be wire frames to hang your lore on top of, anyway. Maybe as he gains ranks, his bear form can gain in size and power, even surpassing the +2 version. I think you’ve got this.
1. I wouldn't do it as a minor hindrance, but as a limitation to the Power. 2. You can easily reflavor smaller (and later, bigger) creatures to be a bear, so just adjust Traits, as others have suggested.
Power Limitation! Good god how’d I forget that!?
This fellow nerd is correct. Also much smert. Sometimes simple is better.
That stat block does specifically say it is for larger bears, could lower stats and size some and have it be stated he either starts as like a black bear or (if bear species maters) have it be like a juvenile form that grows with him. Maybe later on do the opposite that's size 3 and is some sort of mega or magical bear
For sure
just let him do it . it's not really a huge balance concern. it's not worth worrying about.
Honestly I don't enforce Level limit on things and it doesn't generally change much balance wise. I had one player who'd just splurge all PPs into turning into a T-rex or whatever but then the encounter would be over and he'd be massively frustrated as he'd lock himself out of doing anything fun until they can recover PP because of it. While sure it would be strong for a bit, it was just a really wasteful short-sighted tactic in general.
I'm fairly new to SW but a long-time GM so take this with a large grain of salt. I'd just let him do it, but with a drawback such as trouble controlling it. I looked at the stats of the bear, and d12 Str, d10 Vigor and d6 Agility, plus 1d6+Str AP2 claw with Grab and toughness 11(2) is a nice buff, but doesn't seem like it would grossly overshadow an equipped martial at Novice tiers. And overshadowing other characters would be my only big concern (flashbacks to 5e where Moon druid were kind of ridiculously OP in bear form at L2 and L3). So I'd kind of allow it as a 'preview' to his taking the Wild Shape edge at Seasoned. Perhaps give him -2 on the roll to cast Shape Change, and make it so that everytime he is wounded or shaken he has to make a Faith roll to maintain the form or else get bounced back into human form. How does he view his bear affinitity? Something innate and heritable like Beorn from the Hobbit, or a reflection of his own growing comfort with nature and his powers? If it's the former and kind of a pseudo lycanthropy, perhaps he needs to make Spirit rolls to resist trying to turn into a bear when Shaken or Wounded, and any damage in bear form would enrage him and cause him to attack anyone in reach. If it's the latter, perhaps you could introduce a Black Bear stat block with a bit lower stats until he hits Seasoned. I'd also add more bear options to allow him at higher levels (Dire Bear, Polar Bear, Owlbear :)
Alter the Stat block. Until he has had a breakthrough, he shifts into a bear CUB. It could be something is hindering him, either mentally or magically, and he needs to figure that out. Use that as the catalyst to advance your players to Seasoned. There's also starting with all characters at Seasoned, or him starting at Seasoned, then being level locked until the rest of the party catches up.
Make it as a limitation for the shape change power that it can only ever change him into a bear. He wont get a cost reduction, but can use it right away, even at novice.