Shapeshifter (Anita Blake Mythology) - Becoming A Were

Becoming A Were

A victim must be bitten or clawed by another were animal to become a were. The victim always becomes the same type of were animal that damaged them, although there are extremely rare cases where a victim may be able to take on more than one animal form. Not all lycanthrope wounds end in the victim contracting the "curse". Cat- and snake-based lycanthropy are more difficult to contract generally than other forms, but it is unclear how much more difficult or whether the type, amount or depth of wounds makes any difference. The first sign of having contracted lycanthropy is unusually fast healing, often even of wounds that should have resulted in death for the victim. Other signs may or may not include sharpened senses and increased speed and strength. At the next full moon, a lycanthrope shift forcibly to either their animal form, or possibly to their animal hybrid form if they are sufficiently powerful. The "power" of a shapeshifter is a matter of metaphysical potential. Although not stated directly in the series, there appears to be a strong correlation between force of personality, will power, and the metaphysical potential that brings more than just the ability to change shape. There are also notable exceptions, although, to be considered an "alpha" one must have both metaphysical potential AND the drive to gain dominance (pecking order) over others in the group. The (metaphysically) weakest lycanthropes have no hybrid form, while the strongest can have a variety of metaphysical gifts (see Alpha Weres, above) After lycanthropes shifts for the first time, they begin to come into their full potential, gaining significant strength and speed. The ability to assume a hybrid form is related to metaphysical potential, as is healing ability, which varies from nearly as slow as a human (for the weakest) to being able to visibly heal wounds in minutes from silver weapons (for alphas with the right gifts). Eventually, a lycanthrope gains the ability to shift into animal or (if they have it) hybrid form at will.