Best Favored Form for a Rahu Blood Talon

[Lionel]

I'm playing a Blood Talon Rahu (yay stereotypes) and I'm pretty much trying to become Death, Destroyer of worlds. I've never played a Rahu or a Blood Talon, but basically I want to be able to beat any werewolf in a brawl.

I ask this because there are various merits (Favored Form, Fortified Form, Living Weapon) that apply to a specific form and none else. It's highly unlikely I'll have enough experience to bolster all my forms (and with favored form you can only ever choose one), so what's the best form to bolster with the idea that I will often be facing other werewolves?


I am leaning toward Urshul for various reasons. My fighting style is the Relentless Assault style, which can be used in any form. Meaning that the primary advantage of the Dalu form is less important. I can only hold Garou form for 4 turns currently so it seems like a waste to put all that experience into a form I can only hold for a few seconds at a time.

But at the same time, I expect I'll be fighting Werewolves in Garou form often enough that Garou is the only real response. Even if I add all the extra stats and armor to Urshul I am either making my Garou form obsolete/myself less likely to use it orrrr I'm just being suboptimal for fighting other Garou.

The benefits of Garou (all day regen and screw your defense) are sort of more valuable than anything I can do to my Urshul form, but putting all that experience into a form that lasts so short seems unwise. What do y'all think.


Also any further suggestions to help reach my character goals would be great. I currently have Slaughterer and Primal Strength as my facets, and my merits are basically just relentless assault and the Demolisher merit.

[MCN]

If you want the best warrior, then Gauru is, hands down, the best for outright brawls in my opinion. The form actually lasts all scene, if you're willing to fall into Wasu-Im, which, with the new rules, won't hurt your pack. So, its actually a lot better to rely on now than before. Especially when you look at some of the best gifts for your character (Strength/Rage) get better when you're in Wasu-Im. Absolutely worth thinking about.

Each of the five forms has a role to play - Hishu is urban camo, Dalu is for urban hunts, dealing with large groups of humans and the like, Gauru is the war form, Urshul is more of a support unit, weakening the prey so that it can be finished off by Gauru, and Urhan is for long distance running and tracking. So, if you want to be a Destroyer, then you want Gauru, no question about it.

Since you seem to be planning on investing in Favored Form, it seems that you'll have to be investing in Primal Urge as well (its a prereq), which will also increase your non-Death Rage Gauru form.

[monteparnas]

Urshul will only be a best option if for any reason you want to be on that form all-day long.

And even without Wasu-Im, 4 turns will be enough for most fights with all the build for combat and help of your pack mates.

Gauru is the only true way to become "Death, Destroyer of Worlds".

[Lionel]

Good points, guys. Well then question. Is Fortified Form a waste on Garou?

My reasoning was that if I'm dueling another werewolf then they'll be in Garou form and then we're basically cancelling each other out for a while. And basically who wins that fight is really either who can last in Garou longest or who can prolong going into Garou longest, hence the reasoning for making an Urshul that can at least withstand a Garou's onslaught for some time.

Edit: With increased Stamina, Primal Urge and Honor (for the rage facet) I can get Garou to last a fair amount of time, but it'll still come down to outlasting other werewolves. Especially if I'm fighting multiple werewolves.

[Ephsy]

Re: Fortified form @ Gauru: Not a waste in the case the opponent can do aggravated damage to you. And every werewolf can do so if they're willing to eat you.

[Charlaquin]

Good points, guys. Well then question. Is Fortified Form a waste on Garou?

My reasoning was that if I'm dueling another werewolf then they'll be in Garou form and then we're basically cancelling each other out for a while. And basically who wins that fight is really either who can last in Garou longest or who can prolong going into Garou longest, hence the reasoning for making an Urshul that can at least withstand a Garou's onslaught for some time.

Edit: With increased Stamina, Primal Urge and Honor (for the rage facet) I can get Garou to last a fair amount of time, but it'll still come down to outlasting other werewolves. Especially if I'm fighting multiple werewolves.

That's exactly why you want Gauru as your favored form. A fight between two werewolves will almost always come down to who can maintain Gauru the longest. Having more stamina in Gauru form will let you maintain the form for longer, which gives you a huge advantage over any Uratha opponent who isn't willing to Death Rage just to beat you. And against those who are, having enhanced natural weaponry and/or natural armor will give you the edge you need in a Kuruth vs. Kuruth battle. Hands down, Gauru form is the best tool for fighting other werewolves, so if that's what you want your character to be good at, that's the form you want to buff.

[Satchel]

Having more stamina in Gauru form will let you maintain the form for longer

Nope. The duration is measured off of your Hishu Stamina.

[Elfive]

Honestly I never thought that made much sense.

[Amravanti]

Yeah come to think of it, Fortified Form makes a lot of sense for resisting aggravated damage, but also for taking on multiple enemies who might be trying to fill your health levels from lethal into aggravated. So does the Glory facet from rage. The goal is to make it so that they can't bypass your health in lethal, and anything that makes that even more difficult is great.

[Charlaquin]

Nope. The duration is measured off of your Hishu Stamina.

Oh yeah, my mistake. Still, it's usually going to come down to a Gauru vs. Gauru fight, and extra Stamina and Fortified Form will help make it harder for them to wrap damage around to agg, while Living Weapon will help get around their armor if they have it and deal more health levels of damage to make wrapping around on them easier.

[Acrozatarim]

And against those who are, having enhanced natural weaponry and/or natural armor will give you the edge you need in a Kuruth vs. Kuruth battle.

Note that you won't be fighting a Kuruth vs. Kuruth battle; Death Raging Uratha treat other Death Raging Uratha as friendlies and don't attack them.

[Elfive]

Huh. I though that only applied to packmates. Does it not?

[Acrozatarim]

Nope. Everyone is a target under Basu-Im except for other werewolves in the same stage of Death Rage, regardless of pack affiliations.

Mass Death Rage causes the resulting ball of death to explode outwards rather than turning inwards.

Edit: Notably this does mean Gauru upgrades can be a double-edged sword when you start chewing on your own packmates.

[MCN]

Nope. All your pack mates are lured into falling into Kuruth when you do, so chances are you'll be a pack of Death Raging wolves. But the book doesn't specify that only death raging packmates are immune. So, yes, a Forsaken and Pure can both death rage together and never fight, despite being enemies.

[Acrozatarim]

Just to note, this isn't a mistake either - it was an explicit design decision we took.