I'm working on a puzzle strategy game. Think of zelda or darksiders.

You are a spirit. A basic ball of light. At first you have two forms, both human. A male warrior, and a female mage. As you progress you get different spirit forms. As of now I have these:

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Wolf
Howl: can scare away small
Night Vision: at night your sight allows you to see things that you can’t as a human.
Scent: allows you to find herbs, animals, and other things by scent.
Fast running: When you run you can move faster than you can as a human or any other land creature.

Spirit World Form: gains red patterns

Bear
Scent: allows you to find herbs, animals, and other things by scent.
Roar: everything but the really stupid or really strong run away.

Spirit World Form: gains black patterns

Falcon
Flying: Enables you to cross over everything
Increased Evasion: In combat you are less likely to be hit, though you do less damage.
Piercing cry: vanquish small foes back to their hiding places for a time

Spirit World Form: gains blue patterns

Rat
Small Form: enter small spaces
Detect Poison: ability to discern if something is poisoned and what kind of poison it is.

Spirit World Form: gains gold patterns

Fox
Coat: Your fur changes to white in cold places and in winter, and becomes red in warm places and the spring, summer, and fall.

Spirit World Form: gains green patterns

Leviathan
Water Calling: Must be near water to transform into the Leviathan.
Cleansing: remove harmful status effects when you change into this.
Splash: This doesn’t really do anything…
Wave: sends a powerful wave of water away from you.
Fast healing: you regenerate twice as fast when you stand still.

Spirit World Form: gains white patterns

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An example of how these may be used together:

The leviathan travels through a water way to reach the next room. Transform into the wolf to dispatch some enemies and to pull a chain in the corner of the room (could be done as human as well). This opens a door on the upper floor, but the stairs have been destroyed. Become the falcon to fly up there. In the next room there is a hole in the wall. Become the rat to enter and find a key hidden in the back.

I’m pretty ok with how this works for now but I was wondering if you guys had any ideas from this. Things that would require a specific animal to do. Like the wolf. Beyond fighting and fast travel I don’t have much use for it.

Also, what other animals do you think it would be awesome to transform into?

UPDATE: thanks to help so far the list has been updated.

Bear, for raw damage
Lion, for short bursts of attack speed and pouncing
Eagle, for overland travel
Chimera, for a mixture of benefits
and of course, the dragon, for flight, breath weapon, and awesome physical attacks

Snake for it's agility, and ability to poison enemies. But it dosen't do that much damage without it's poison.

Wolf Howl to activate sound operated puzzles.

Rabbit, for speed during chases. Rabbit form could denote the use of time sensitive obstacle courses that require fast thinking.

Monkey, for climbing courses where a puzzle object may be hanging on a very difficult.

Bear/Lion for pure destruction on objects, like smashing wooden crates and busting down cracked walls.

If you could manage it you could have some sort of drain form, to force water in a higher room down to a lower room by creating a hole or grate in the ground.

Gratz on your 200th post
That last one, drain form, sounds more like a portal.
Crocodile. Power, speed, stealth. Simple nuff' eh?
If you watch a crocodile attack it's prey, you'll see that they hide, then with fast speed, they grab them, for a better idea of this look at this video

Thanks for all your ideas ^^ I particularly like the Howl for the wolf. defiantly using that.

Here's whats up now:

Wolf: basic combat, howl, night vision, fast overland traveling

Bear: enhanced combat (breaking boxes), weight (for things like elevators that need high weight to move),

Falcon: Reaching high places, enhanced vision

Leviathan: traveling through the water, water combat

Rat: getting into small spaces

Any other ideas you have would be awesome. And as much as I would like to use the dragon it doesn't quite fit with the overall feel of the game XD

Here are some passive combat effects you could add, if you're able to fiddle with the database, that is.

Wolf: increased initiative, agility/speed (can attack first and faster)
Bear: increased health, defense (can take more hits or heavier hits)
Falcon: increased evasion, faster regen (can evade more hits and heals faster)
Leviathan: immunity to some status effects (poison, blind, confusion)
Rat: adds poison/disease to all attacks, resilient against magical spells (higher magical resist)

And here are a few field effects:

Wolf: Scent - can sniff out secret items/switches/treasures.
Bear: Hibernate - can restore health/mana without using spells or items.
Falcon: Piercing Cry - can keep away enemies for a short time.
Leviathan: Tidal Wave - wash away debris that's blocking a path.
Rat: Taunt - forces an enemy/NPC to follow, which can be used to trap them in specific areas.

I hope that helps a bit

Lunarae is my hero of the day.

All are excellent ideas ^^

The first post has been updated with the current forms and uses.