This thread will compare Werewolf Transformation to Bone Goliath Transformation, Blood Scion, and also Bestial Transformation (from Stone Garden and Endless Archive) to highlight how they differ. I chose to include the Werewolf Behemoth transformation in this comparison because it transforms the player and it is considered a special ability bar like Werewolf Transformation. Note that unlike the Transformation Ultimates, the Bestial Transformation synergy does not proc the bonus from Shapeshifter's Chain or Salvation, nor is it affected by Pack Leader's Bone Broth.



Ability to Crouch:

• Werewolf Transformation — Disabled
• Bone Goliath Transformation — Enabled
• Blood Scion — Enabled
• Bestial Transformation — Disabled

Werewolf Transformation and Bestial Transformation are the only Transformation abilities that disallow you from crouching. While it may be unclear whether there are sneaking animations for the Werewolf Behemoth rig, there are sneaking animations for the standard Werewolf rig that you can see in-game.

It is also worth mentioning that you are allowed to crouch with Volendrung, but you cannot stealth or go invisible with it. Regardless, this allows you to proc sets like Sentry and Darloc Brae, something which you cannot do with Werewolf.


Weapon Passives:

• Werewolf Transformation — Disabled
• Bone Goliath Transformation — Enabled
• Blood Scion — Enabled
• Bestial Transformation — Disabled

Werewolf Transformation and Bestial Transformation both lose out on their weapon passives while in-form. Not only that, Bestial Transformation also loses access to weapon enchantments, something that even the standard Werewolf can still utilize.

Again, it is worth mentioning that players also lose access to their weapon passives while Volendrung is equipped. This is likely due to some bug that prevents weapon passives from being registered while a special ability bar is active. Note that Volendrung is labeled as an "Artifact Weapon" bar, Bestial Transformation is labeled as a "Special" bar, and Werewolf Transformation is labeled as a "Werewolf" bar.


Ability to Revert Form:

• Werewolf Transformation — On command, or by depleting timer
• Bone Goliath Transformation — By dying, or by depleting timer
• Blood Scion — By dying, by depleting timer, or on command while within Bastion Sanguinaris
• Bestial Transformation — By depleting timer (Stone Garden), by wolfsbane formula (Stone Garden), or by finishing the next round (Endless Archive)

Werewolf Transformation stands alone as the only Transformation ability to allow players to revert form at will anywhere, while you are only given the option to revert Blood Scion form when transformed within Bastion Sanguinaris. Werewolf Transformation and Bestial Transformation don't revert your form upon death, which fits the lore of werewolves in The Elder Scrolls.


Ability to Extend Timer:

• Werewolf Transformation — Enabled via Feral Pounce/Carnage, Devour, Blood Rage, and timer is slowed with Call of the Pack. Timer is paused at Werewolf ritual sites, Hunter's Glade, and the Werewolf tutorial zone
• Bone Goliath Transformation — Disabled
• Blood Scion — Disabled, but the timer is extended to 24 hours within Bastion Sanguinaris
• Bestial Transformation — Disabled, but the timer is prolonged in the fight against Arkasis the Mad Alchemist until the wolfsbane formula is used (Stone Garden) or until the next round is completed (Endless Archive)

Werewolf Transformation is designed around extending the timer, encouraging you to group with other werewolves to remain in-form for as long as possible. Werewolves in TES V: Skyrim were also able to feed on corpses to extend their timer, so ESO's implementation is lore-appropriate. Interestingly, Bestial Transformation also has some benefit for transformed allies, as the Lead The Pack Ultimate ability will revive fallen transformed Werewolf Behemoth allies (Stone Garden), and in some cases can revive all allies (Endless Archive).

An aside, but it's interesting how Volendrung can have its "timer" extended by earning Alliance Points, much like how you extend the timer of Werewolf Transformation by devouring corpses.


Ability to Gain/Cast Ultimate:

• Werewolf Transformation — You cannot gain Ultimate, but you can cast the Ultimate again to revert form
• Bone Goliath Transformation — Disabled
• Blood Scion — You cannot gain Ultimate, but you can cast the Ultimate again in Bastion Sanguinaris to revert form
• Bestial Transformation — Enabled, used to cast Lead The Pack

Werewolf Transformation reserves the Ultimate ability for allowing players to revert form at will — this is like how you would revert form in Blood Scion form when transformed in Bastion Sanguinaris. Bestial Transformation, on the other hand, is unique in that it is designed to allow you to gain Ultimate to cast while in-form. Compare Bestial Transformation to Volendrung, as they are both special ability bars which allow you to gain and cast Ultimate.


In short, it seems like there are two broad categories of Transformation ability: the first kind changes your entire animation set and replaces your ability bar with a special one (Werewolf Transformation and Bestial Transformation), while the second kind seems to only make the character larger while using the standard humanoid abilities and animations (Bone Goliath Transformation and Blood Scion). The first kind generally does not allow you to crouch or use weapon passives, while the second kind is functionally very similar to a regular human build.

Werewolf should be reworked to enable weapon passives and be given the ability to sneak, as both Bone Goliath and Blood Scion are able to utilize those features. Compared to the other Transformation abilities, Werewolf Transformation is the most lacking. Even a rework to make Werewolf Transformation more like Bestial Transformation with a functional Ultimate ability while transformed would be much appreciated.