Alright! This is the last major bit of suggestions that I have for now. I know you have by now read my first, well, essay to be quite blunt about things, so this is all assuming that you know these items and their functionality are centralized around my takes on how those systems should be reworked going forwards. However, even if those ideas ultimately don't pan out, hopefully, these can still feasibly work within the current systems that are in place. So, cursed items. I imagine they are going to be a major facet of your game in the long run. However, so far as I can tell, you only have one so far, being the bunny ears. Somewhat as a result, this feels a bit... restrictive and not as engaging as they should be. Also, it just feels wrong to be spending multiple runs getting both a helmet and the bunny ears, and I find myself swapping them constantly, equipping the ears for movement and positioning, and switching to the helmet for combat. Let's fix that! I have thought up a few cursed items for you, as well as how their mechanics can work.
With the exceptions of any equipment you start the run with, I.E. the two rations you have initially as of the current build, and the nutrient cube spell; all items, including equipables and consumables alike, have a one or two percent chance to be cursed when generated. Assuming the idea for Kolbods sometimes dropping items and equipment when defeated is also added, those items have a 10% chance of being cursed! cursed consumables, such as a ration, seem normal on the surface and do nothing while in your inventory, but an invisible timer starts once used. Roughly twenty turns after being used, the log will give, in the TF message color, "You think that [ITEM NAME] might have gone bad, as you are feeling sick to your stomach..." at this time, your torso body part will receive a instant 50% transformation effect towards a new animal, that animal transformation will receive special priority for a time, and you will be hit with a greatly increased transformation speed value for a while. This increase would decay over time, (I think an exponential decay function would be good for this effect and ones like it, though, yeah, I understand you might not be familiar with college level mathematics, or really want to go there for this game.) and it's effects would eventually disappear altogether. I think cursed consumables, in isolation and when left untreated, shouldn't cuase a game over, but I think should force you to be much more cautious about your general well being as the effect is similar to having died, just stronger and MUCH longer lasting.
Cursed consumables are ultimately not that big of a concern at the end of the day. Cursed equipment, however? That's what you need to be wary of. Again, all equipable items have a 2% chance of being cursed. Like the consumables, an invisible timer starts when they are first equipped, though this timer is much longer lasting, (perhaps anywhere from 300-1000 turns chosen at random!). During their activation timer, they actually do nothing unusual, and can be freely unequipped. If they are unequipped, their timer should be paused until they are equipped again. [I do not recommend resetting their timer, as that aspect will get exploited by pros and recommended to new players, ultimately defeating the point of the mechanic entirely.] once that first timer is up, they set another shorter timer, about 100 turns or so, and enter a 'lit fuse phase', where they immediately transform the body part they are equipped to by 2%, give the player a a slightly increased TF priority for their animal of choice, and slightly raise your transformation speed. For both of these timers, taking damage from the enemy type they intend to transform you into will speed up their countdowns, (The idea being the transformative stimuli reacts with the object's curse and makes it wake up faster.) They can still be unequipped at this time. Once that second timer is up, well, I think you know what happens next. They have now "gone off" and unleash their full payload of effects. First, they become permanently equipped to you. Secondly, their item description in the inventory as well as their status in the inspect self spell both change to say in blunt language that this is a cursed item. Third, you will get a notification in the log saying that, "yep, that piece of equipment is very cursed!" in a way that makes sense for the kind of equipment that it is, and then finally, they instantly transform the body part they are equipped to by 50% and raise their animals TF priority significantly, and raise your overall transformation speed by a significant amount. from there, they function similarly to the consumables do, except, they will degrade to some minimal effect value, and remain permanently equipped to you. Like, even once their effects are no longer "threatening", they still will continue raise your TF speed slightly, and make it really difficult for another transformation to overtake the body part they are equipped to, though this can and will happen. the only way they can be unequipped is if, A, another transformation fully overtakes the body part the cursed item is equipped to, or after a new specialty spell, "Remove curse from item", is used. This spell will also remove all of their TF related effects and make them functionally normal items again. This spell may only be used on items KNOWN to be cursed, and only when their effects have 'died down'. The point when they have 'died down' and have become only a nuisance rather than a threat will be displayed on their item description, when it comes to pass.
In terms of broad mechanics, that's all well and good, but where's all the obviously weird magic junk like the bunny ears? well, I think I got you covered! I tried to design an item related to every currently existing animal in the game, as well as follow the thought process of the bunny ears in trying to make the equipment not obviously better than everything else, and instead will just be marketed for filling some weird but handy niche. And unless otherwise stated, assume they have the same TF functionality as for regular cursed items. I thought that I might as well introduce them in the order of how interesting I felt the concept was, starting with the least interesting and going to the most interesting at the end.
----
Cat's TF equipment:
"Silted contact lenses"
Description: "Despite their strange shape, the case they were found in says they fit your prescription...?"
To be equipped to the eyes, (The head)
Effect: No coverage, no resistances. They instead passively increase your vision range by about two tiles while equipped. 0.5 weight.
Full activation notification: "These contacts are amazing! You wonder how you ever got by with your crummy vision without them."
Notes: I admit... I kinda had no idea what to do for cats, to be honest. Partially because anything you could do with them can also be done for other animals and feel more unique and appropriate on them. Even then, I would honestly argue that these would be better suited for some sort of bird...
----
Mouse's TF equipment:
"Rubber work gloves"
Description: "These bright yellow rubber gloves provide a good amount of grip, and extend up your forearms."
To be equipped to both hands.
Effect: High electric damage resistance, low fire and low slashing resistance as well. 11% coverage. 1 weight.
Full activation Notification: "Were these gloves always so tight? And hot? …did they always extend all the way up to your shoulder like that?"
Notes: I don't think there is too much to say here. I think they are appropriate for the mouse on both a game play sense, and additionally push the obvious reference slightly further.
----
Bat's TF equipment:
"Ragged cloak"
Description: "Strangely, it seems to have been fashioned from some old and stained flame retardant curtains."
To be equipped to the arms and torso.
Effect: 30% coverage, High fire resistance, low damage resistance for all types except piercing. lowers agility by 5%. 2.5 weight.
Full activation: "You are regretting putting this cloak on. It's heavy, stiff, and getting really uncomfortable."
Notes: Another one that I think that just makes a lot of sense overall. Most equipment in the game lowers fire resistance? Here's an option. It gets equipped to multiple slots? I think you can justify it being stronger than most other defensive options in that case. The big feature of bats is their impressive wings? Well, here you go!
----
Snake's TF equipment:
"Odd EpiPen"
Description: "Didn't expect something like this to be here. Seems like it will be useful for snake venom, however."
To be equipped to your back pocket, (one of the legs).
Effect: No coverage, no resistances. Any time that you might be poisoned by a snake, or another enemy with that ability, you will not. 0.5 weight.
Hidden effect: This item uses the consumable item curse logic instead of the normal equipment curse logic, and has a 20% chance to activate it's consumable timer every time it stops you from being posioned. (The logic being that it it is being used as needed, not being jabbed into you 24/7.) Once it goes off once, it cannot go off again. This item will not become permanently equipped to you. This item also remains functional even when your legs are no longer functional.
Full activation: "You suddenly feel lightheaded, and feel yourself reaching for the Odd EpiPen again. You suddenly think that you might have overdosed, or used it wrong."
Notes: Here's where the items start getting really unique and creative in my opinion! Like with the cats, it took me a while to land on this idea. Unlike the cats however, I am really happy with what I came up with!
----
Kobold's TF equipment:
"Luxurious necklace"
[This item can rarely be dropped by Kobolds, but may never be found in chests.]
Description: "According to tradition, a whole pack of Kobolds will dedicate their few rescorses to the creation of a single piece of treasure which they will present to a young Dragon without any Kobold servants as a form of resume. Dragons, rarely, reward loyal Kobolds with the same treasure they were first presented with, so Kobolds allowed to wear one are treated with the highest of honor."
To be worn around the neck, (the torso).
Effect: very low coverage, high ice resistance, moderate fire and electric resistance. 0.5 weight.
Hidden Effect: Kobolds become friendly and will fight for you! They won't ever attack you, unless attacked themselves or if they witness you attacking another Kobold. Kobolds now have low chances to spawn on all floors of the dungeon when they would otherwise not be able to appear, as long as it's equipped.
Full Activation: "This necklace is so, so pretty! You keep staring into the massive blue gem in the center, hardly noticing your reflection shifting or your fingernails growing."
Notes: So yeah, on one hand, it is a bit more simplistic, but on the other hand, I thought only being able to be dropped by Kobolds, and having a hidden attribute that you would need to just sort of... 'sus out', made it a lot more interesting. And yes, if you were wondering, the original idea was that you would first fully change into a kobold, then start changing again into a dragon. I decided to design it a bit more conservatively though.
----
Before I talk about the next one, I think a bit of context is warranted. Very early on, my thought was that, "a potential flaw with every item possibly being cursed is that there is a chance you pick up a cursed weapon, and curses you into something that can't use weapons. That could be problematic." That idea kept coming back to me, and so I said, "well, maybe... in those particular cases, you still can use the weapon instead of the animals normal attack?" But that still was unsatisfying, given that that, in itself, was a cop out solution and could even be worse sometimes, as the Mouse being able to do electric damage still has a niche, and the Wolf for example still has a respectable damage output most of the time, so in some cases, being forced to use that weapon could actually be a detriment.
Then it hit me: What if being forced to use that weapon as an animal that normally couldn't use weapons was the point? So, with that all being said, let me introduce to you...
----
Wolf's TF equipment:
"The Wolf's Bane"
Description: "This heavy, well forged steel longsword must be someone's master work. It... calls to me."
Equipped to your weapons slot, two handed.
Effect: deals 12-15 slashing damage per hit. 2.5 wheight.
Hidden effects A: The Wolf's Bane, upon activation, is far more brutal, as it will set your transformation speed value to the max, and won't ever let up for any reason. It is also completely immune to the "remove cursed equipment" spell.
Full activation notification: "You feel like you have been struck by lightning! The Wolf's Bane! It's filling you with an unbelievable power! It... wants you to wield it!"
Once you inevitably become a complete Wolf, the run is actually not over yet. In fact, you can say it has just started.
At this time, you are given a pop up textbox saying something along the lines of, "Despite the intensity of the transformation and how close you you are to becoming a complete Wolf, you have somehow managed to stay on two legs, and keep your hands wrapped around the Wolf's Bane's grip. In one last desperate attempt to remain a [current base form], you fight the weapon's power and manage to let go of the blade. When it falls to the dungeon's floor, you instantly regret your actions, as your hands spasm and turn fully into the paws of a Wolf, while your hips crunch noisily into a quadruped position. You crumple to the ground, hearing the sword call out to you even more desperately! You lay one of your front paws on the weapon's hilt, and watch as they both become hands again. Very Wolf-like hands, but hands. Your hips revert as well."
- textbox break-
"You stand back up with the sword, tail wagging as you come to understand the sword's agenda. It was designed by it's creator as a trap to punish would be thieves, but it truly just wants to be wielded by a fine swordsman. You have already proven your skill and it offers you a challenge: be the sword's wielder, and show it just how strong you truly are, on the condition that you will embrace the Wolf's curse if you fall. It also promises that if you refuse, it will let you go peacefully, in accordance with it's original design. Do you accept the sword's challenge?"
You are then actually given that choice. If you say no, it will in fact be a weapon of it's word, reverting your transformation speed back to what it otherwise should be, reverting your overall transformation by 75%, and remove itself from your inventory completely. Then the game will continue on like normal.
And if you say yes, your Wolf transformation is completed, and the nature of the game shifts. Now, an (technically anthro) Wolf is your new base form, and your transformation speed is fully reset back to it's default value. Now, anything that would cuase your transformation to recede back to human is now redirected back to wolf instead, and you are prevented from getting a game over from becoming a Wolf. You can still get a game over from fully transforming into any other creature, and furthermore, a new game over condition is introduced.
Instead of transforming a bunch and way more quickly from dyeing in battle, having your HP fall to zero for any reason will mean instant game over as you had lost the Sword's challenge. This presents you a unique game over message where the sword holds up it's own end of the arrangement, but does tell you the 'score' you achieved while wielding it, including how many kills you got, how many new floors you reached, and how much total damage you endured. (this 'score' information should also still be given if you get a transformation game over.)
"Yes, it does do a lot of damage, but if its one death and that's it, how do you stay alive?" Well, at this time, the weapon's stats completely change. now, the weapon's stats look something like this:
Effects: 0 weight! This weapon may not be unequipped for any reason ever, and if is somehow unequipped, that's a bug. This weapon deals 13-20 damage per hit, and ignores all resistances. (If the enemy would somehow take more damage than normal from slashing damage, this weapon will also ignore that.) provides low damage reduction to the player for all damage types at 100% coverage, raises max HP by 50, max MP by 8, and increases passive HP and MP regeneration independently from your normal regens. and lastly, you gain an EVER SO SLIGHT passive Wolf transformation, independent from all other transformation calculations.
However, all this comes at a cost. Aside from now getting a game over on death, your hunger drains more quickly (which is a problem when Wolves don't like the nutrient cube!), and the transformation speed increases from having low hunger, low HP, low MP, taking damage in battle, and biome affinities are all more punishing! (I like to imagine that since the sword was intended to transform indiscriminately, now that you are completely transformed, those effects are implicitly also being applied to other creatures as well as an unintended side effect from the blade being used in a way it was never intended to.)
and lastly, there is one additional effect here that is not declared, but is present. Other wolves will ignore you. It's not like with the Kobold item where they will fight with you, no, Wolves will just act like you are not there, unless of course you attack them.
Last thing about the wolf's bane I promise! At the end of a run where you accepted the blade's challenge, a statue of it will appear outside the wolves pen in the zoo, and act as a sign similar to the other ones found in the zoo. It should also display your current records for the best run you had on a run that you found it. The idea is that, this would be the first thing that would act as a measure of your completion that is not just another creature for the zoo, and I am hoping to see a lot more of those if possible.