Editing Kitsune (section)

==Kitsune in [[Dungeons & Dragons]]==
Kitsune have long been absent from [[Dungeons & Dragons]], and for the stupidest of reasons: when David Cook wrote the first [[Oriental Adventures]] splatbook, for whatever reason, he decided to simply jam together all of the various shapeshifting animals (and other magical animals) of Japanese mythology, the [[hengeyokai]], and boil them down to a single bland, generic race. Thusly, kitsunes have long gone unnoticed in D&D, as instead they have been presented by the basic name of "Hengeyokai, Fox".

In this form, kitsune have (technically) been a PC option in [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]], D&D 3rd edition, and D&D 4th edition.

Fans of [[Planescape]] also got together in the 90s and reimagined the kitsune as an [[Oriental Adventures]] version of the [[werefox]] for the [[netbook]] known as the Planescape Creature Codex, alongside three other Good-aligned [[therianthrope]]s: the [[werebunny]], [[werestag]], and [[peganthrope]]. Here, kitsunes are depicted as [[elf]] therianthropes who can assume the form of an elf, a fox, or an elf/fox hybrid - as they gain levels (males as [[Thief]] or [[Mage]], females as [[Bard]] or [[Mage]] - no [[multiclassing]])), they gain a new tail with each level, capping at 9th level and 9 tails. Young (1-3 Tail) kitsunes tend to have ruddy colored hair, reddish-brown in fox form or red-gold in elven form. Older (6-9 Tail) kitsunes usually have silver hair. They are Chaotic Neutral in alignment, and incredibly agile and good-looking (base values of 18 for both [[Dexterity]] and [[Charisma]]). They cannot spread their own condition, unlike most [[therianthrope]]s, but a human or elven woman who has been truly savaged by a kitsune (50% or more HP lost to kitsune bite attacks) '''will''' become a standard [[werefox|foxwoman]] within 3 days unless a priest of at least 12th level casts both Cure Disease and Remove Curse on them.

===AD&D Stats===
::Ability Score Modifiers: +1 Intelligence, -1 Wisdoim
::Ability Score Minimum/Maximum: Strength 12/18, Dexterity 9/18, Constitution 12/18, Intelligence 12/18, Wisdom 12/18, Charisma 12/17
::Class & Level Limits: Shukenja 8, Kensai 6, Bushi Unlimited, [[Wu Jen]] 9
::Movement Value: 12'
::Shapeshifting: A kitsune can change form once per day per level; once it has exhausted this ability, it must remain in its current form until the next day. Changing form takes a full round to complete, and all armor & equipment is left behind when it transforms. Spells that reveal illusions do not affect a kitsune in its animal or human forms.
:::Animal Form: A kitsune in animal form can only speak the kitsune and animal languages in this form. It cannot use weapons, armor or equipmient, nor can it cast spells. In animal form, its maximum hitpoint value is halved (round up); damage from one form carries over and it cannot assume animal form if this would leave it with 0 or less hit points. If reduced to 0 HP in animal form, the kitsune is slain outright. In animal form, a kitsune has Infravision 120 feet, a movement rate of 15', an Armor Class of 6, and a bite attack that does 1d3 damage.
:::Bipedal Form: Now appearing as a humanoid fox, the kitsune retains the ability to speak to animals and its infravision, but has access to all of its normal abilities. However, it reverts to its base armor class and movement rate, and cannot use its bite attack.
:::Human Form: In human form, a kitsune loses its animal-speech, infravision, AC of 6, 15' movement and bite attack, but retains all of its class abilities.

===3e Stats===
::-2 Wisdom, +2 Dexterity - depending on your reading, this +2 bonus may only apply in hybrid form and not in human form.
::Size: Medium in Hybrid and Human form, Small in Animal form
::Base Speed: 30 feet
::Type: Shapechanger
::Alternate Form (Su): A kitsune can assume one of three possible forms at will; an animal, a hybrid, or a human. This functions as a Polymorph Other spell that can be used 1 + character level times per day. Changing form is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity.
:::Animal Form: In animal form, all equipment the kitsune is wearing or carrying is melded into the kitsune's form, with magic items ceasing to function. It also gains a +10 racial bonus to Disguise checks made to pass itself off as an animal, Low-Light Vision, and the ability to communicate with other animals of its type. In animal form, a kitsune is Small, has a Speed of 40ft, an AC of 15, a Bite attack that does 1d4 damage, a Strength of 11, a Dexterity of 19, and a Constitution of 11.
:::Hybrid Form: A kitsune in hybrid form cannot wear Heavy Armor, but all of its equipment functions as normal. It gains Low-Light Vision and the ability to speak with animals of its own kind, as well as other special bonuses based on its race. In hybrid form, a kitsune has a +4 racial bonus to Escape Artist checks.
::[[Favored Class]]: [[Wu jen]]
::[[Level Adjustment]]: +1

The official 3.5 update in ''[[Dragon Magazine]] #318'' changes them to Humanoid (Shapechanger) with no level adjustment.

===4e Stats===
::Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom or Charisma
::Size: Medium (Human/Hybrid form) or Tiny (animal form)
::Speed: 7 squares (35 feet)
::Vision: Low-light
::Skill Bonuses: +2 Bluff, +2 Stealth.
::Elusive: +1 racial bonus to Reflex
::Fey Origin: You are considered to be a Fey creature for effects that relate to creature origin.
::Beast Nature: You are considered both a magical beast and a humanoid for effects that relate to creature type.
::Shapechanger: You have the Shapechanger subtype.
::Languge of Beasts: You can communicate with any natural or fey beast that either shares your animal form or is closely related to it (for example, Dog Hengeyokai can speak with wolves). You can understand and speak to animals in animal and hybrid form, but in human form, you can only understand them.
::Racial Power - Nature's Mask: At-Will Polymorph Minor Action power that you can only use once per roud. You immediately change into your human, animal or hybrid form as you wish. In human and animal form, you gain a +5 bonus to Bluff checks made to disguise yourself as your apparent species. In animal form, you cannot use attack powers, although you can sustain them, nor can you speak any humanoid languages, although your statistics are otherwise unchanged. Equipment melds into your animal form; you continue to gain the benefits of all equipment bar shields and item powers. In fox form, your speed increases by +2 squares, giving you a base speed of 9 squares.