I know many have talked about werebeast in the past. Like being able to choose beast from start.
Since all 4 of the forms is balanced then it should not be a problem, except it would be a bit boring.
I think a lot cooler thing would be to be able to do an affinity quest at level 15 that decides what form you will be able to similar to the druid quest but we have 4 of them, one for each beast.
That way you dont need to spend hours to try to get the beast you like to have and not only choose it.
The point is you are not supposed to be able to choose, for RP reasons having nothing to do with balance. Our intent is not for people to keep making chars and deleting either - very technically speaking, that is a form of abuse. However, the punishment is already there in the process. 
I propose that we be assigned a Random Class at rank 15.
Or race.
Or not.
The randomness of the Beast in Werebeasts is a extremely frustrating thing.
I have Ranked 12 Werebeasts to Rank 15 before i gave up on playing them, because i could not get the Wolf beast.
Random Stats at X level was what made me leave my last mud. Thank god this only applies on Werebeasts. Still it prevents me from playing this race.
Every game that has had a random factor in it (large enough) I've left. That is why I don't play card games.
Mya has a great point. Gameplay should ALWAYS come above realism.
Boo hoo. What's it take to rank a ranger to 15? Like 30 mins. from creation?
Boo hoo. What's it take to rank a ranger to 15? Like 30 mins. from creation?
Even if it was 30 minutes, if you take mya's example that is 12x30=6 hours.
And she didn't even get the form she wanted.
Every game that has had a random factor in it (large enough) I've left. That is why I don't play card games.
don't play a monk, heh. They are so random is it upsurd.
Only random if you let it be random 
Monks require some direct equipping to gaint he desired effects. As well as training.
Actualy took more time, about 1 hour per character.
And i multied EQ, err.. no i did not.
And don't take my 12 as example because, it should come out in 4 tries on Average. I was just unlucky, and completely raged because it brought up all the frustration i felt during the years i played my previous mud.
Also, as far as all this goes about selecting a werebeast transform. If you want it that bad, be prepared to put the work in to get it. Im not saying you guys whine to much. So I will stop before I do 
My point is, put a little effort in, work for it.
Sheesh. Not everything should be handed to people.
How can you put work into obtaining a randomized effect?
I guess I'm a little lost on whether you're still talking about WB or Monks...
Yeah I think the idea of random beasts is a bit stupid. People will either delete or play a character they didn't really like.
It should not be any sort of problem to let it be a choice. There are MANY MANY ways it could be implemented while retaining a "rich culture" for the werebeasts.
I personally like the questing idea and would volunteer to help make quests. They could either choose to do a quest at 15 or if they don't at lvl 16 they would be randomly assigned a beast. It would take a little coding, but then again we could just let it be a choice at char creation, or even a selectable skill.
To those of you that say, "Man up!" "Put in the hard work" or "You bi**h and moan too much."
You are incredibly unproductive and are doing nothing to promote creative thinking within this mud. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with hard work in getting your desired beast. It is totally random. To call it abuse Zhokril? That is just silly. People choose a race at char creation because they have the RP decided on.
Why can't people RP the desired werebeast that they want without having to technically abuse the system?
Getting around an intentional dynamic by repeatedly making chars is, IMO, "technically" abuse. Char creation is meant to be a choice, whereas your werebeast form is not. It's really as simple as that.
Fine. I'll agree with that, I see where you're coming from now.
Though it still seems silly to have this as an intentional dynamic. It's something I've never really liked or agreed with myself and see no reason to support it.
Well, in the next election vote for someone who doesn't kill babies. Christ, you voted Malch into power... he's a demon. Did you think he'd do things in your best interest? He likes to hear the sounds of keyboards shattering in anger, "WTF?! ANOTHER TIGER?! NOOOOOO!" And then he fills his cabinet with another Demon, Anume. And then makes you think he's all about a fair and unbiased stance by pulling Jacobis.... and then makes him do the dirty work... like stay wizinvis all the time and not approve apps to incite flames on the forums (we're onto the tyrannical ways of this regime!). Mudder, I rarely say this, but you've made me ashamed to be an Aabahranian for this day.
a-g
The Aristocrats!
Well' date=' in the next election vote for someone who doesn't kill babies. Christ, you voted Malch into power... he's a demon. Did you think he'd do things in your best interest? He likes to hear the sounds of keyboards shattering in anger, "WTF?! ANOTHER TIGER?! NOOOOOO!" And then he fills his cabinet with another Demon, Anume. And then makes you think he's all about a fair and unbiased stance by pulling Jacobis.... and then makes him do the dirty work... like stay wizinvis all the time and not approve apps to incite flames on the forums (we're onto the tyrannical ways of this regime!). Mudder, I rarely say this, but you've made me ashamed to be an Aabahranian for this day.
a-g
The Aristocrats!
Ditto, had that problem
You all bitch and moan too much.
ALL of the werebeasts have benefits. Tiger is an awesome were form, especially if you're going druid with it.
Just man up.
Oh and a-g, you crack me up every time.
You all bitch and moan too much. ... Just man up.
Lol. You jerk!
I think the primary point is being missed here. A major RP point of werebeasts is that the blessing by Gaia is random, and a human should be thankful for any of Her blessings. Level 15 is the equivalent of a person discovering that they received the blessing.
If you want a specific beast for purely RP purposes, you can simply apply for a race restring.