To be honest this is not a great idea due to the fact that it would just ruin game play for those that are afflicted with this curse.

Haha i eas laughing for a few minutes from the responses. Well at least we now know possible punishments worse than death

Actually I think it's kinda cool. All depends what the animal is. For example, as an "Alt", there's fun gameplay options. As a pack predator, you might steer the pack and influence it's fortunes. You might just prey on the vulnerable and rely on cunning on your own.

As a more powerful or weak creature you could deliver the odd behavioural surprise and make the world a little more interesting.

Their offline scripts might run akin to their normal behaviour, but when you "hold the reins", you might forge bonds and change their circumstances in odd new ways. You might be the small rodent that warns a vulnerable player of danger, or tips the scales. You might be a strange beast who shows unexpected mercy. There are many possibilities.

Don't dismiss ideas just because you see something lacking. There's always a means to make it work.

Everyone on this forum is so negative, I liked your idea

Maybe not the "beast of burden" since that seems a bit weird ;P

But I could definetly see magical talented players "curse" people and make them turn into animals, lige "the frog and the princess with the golden ball", or the "Swarn Princess" much like a "werewolf" curse, just reversed as you're a "swarn by day" and human by night or something like that :P

I think aslong as it adds "drama" or "story" in some way it's good, if it doesn't necessairly do that then maybe not :P

Well i guess i was thinking of like a trison or something as a beast of burden, with such an ability to fight i feel like you wouldn't want to miss the chance of a wild one coming to help you. The way to balance it for players that dont like it is you go back to your human body when you die. Or i guess just like one of the relics so an item you put on or maybe even an enchanted bed where you warg when you sleep.

In general anything that takes control or in the case limits control of a toon for any extended period of time is considered bad design.

Now if this idea was meant to be a quest type thing to get someone to help you break the curse... losing the ability to speak in game would effect nothing. As long as vent/discord exists it would be ultra easy to tell people which "beast" you are.

So in short it's a niche idea that wouldn't work in game.

I agree with many people here. This could limit the player experience and turn away some of them if they stay traped into a frog/rat etc for many time, this would just look like if you lost you character.

Being cursed and searching for a cure is a great narrative that can go in many directions, from drama to comedy, but i donn't know how this would work in a MMORPG without a big effort in therms of design... considering that this would be a niche narrative.

Things like day/night curses/transformations, shapeshifting or licanthopy could work better. Since the design effort seems to be smaller. But being trapped as a animal for too long, besides being a good narrative, suits better things like books and so on, maybe in a single player game a entire chapter devoted to get back to normal, or even a entire game based on it.

If a thing like this get into the game i would like to at least meet some player with it.

The idea might be appealing for a person who would like to be a frog or a stag running around the wilderness and helping lost princesses. But for everyone else it would be a waste of time/ pretty bad experience, imagine you're traveling with a caravan of goods and then suddenly you become a frog and well,you loose everything and spend next 2 weeks trying to find a way to break a curse, or you wanted to be a warrior, well too bad you're a pack mule for 3 days. Not to mention that by your behavior it will be obvious that you're a player controlled creature (then again it's not cannibalism if you're not a human)

Be happy im not a dev. I totally understand the bad points but really if it was up to me i would do it for my own amusement. It would really satisfy my troll tendencies. Knowing how much people hate it is hilarious to me.

Though still if i had the choice to become some insignificant animal i would definitely take the chance, no one is going to expect that the donkey is a spy. Im surprised no one would be interested in being a war trison though

I like the general idea of transforming but in a different way. Perhaps there is one spot, perhaps a swamp, that would allow transforming and combat as such. Or perhaps you have to turn into something else and complete a quest or something. I always enjoyed the parts of the game where I transformed into a Wolf or Bear for a short time. It would certainly break up the day to day grind.

I like the idea, of becoming a beast, either for a short while, or a "Free lifespan" as a result of being a part of a cult.

As for the curse: How about it requires you to find your soulmate, but you get a "inner compass" that points you in the right direction. Once you find your soulmate you can communicate with him/her and you can transform back into a human again.

To spicy it more up you could now get a "Transformation at will" talent.

To add urgency and suspense it could involve this idea: you are required to find your soulmate before He/She dies, or another condition is meet, or else you just turn into a human again with no talent.

EDIT: i think i might be an idiot, several of the points is already mentioned..... sorry..