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Player Lycanthropy

Effects of Lycanthropy

General:
Ability Scores: (Hybrid or Beast form) Lycanthropes assume the Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores only if their base scores are lower than the ones provided.
Damage Immunity: (Hybrid or Beast form) All Lycanthropes gain Damage Immunity: Bludgeoning, Slashing, Piercing for non-silvered and non-magical weapons.

Wererat: Strength 10, Dexterity 15, Constitution 12.
Speed: 30
Disease Resistant: (All Forms) Wererats are immune to mundane diseases.
Dark Vision: (All Forms) Gain Darkvision 60 feet.
Keen Senses: (Hybrid and Rat) Gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.
Bite: (Hybrid and Rat) 1d4 piercing, Con Save DC 12, or contact Lycanthropy.
Mind Set: Lawful Evil
Urban: Wererats are urban dwellers, in groups they act like a thieves’ guild.
Clan Mentality: A wererat is selective about who they turn, they look for those who can aid their clan, loyalty is highly valued. Those they turn accidentally, or those who run are hunted down and killed.

Werewolf: Strength 15, Dexterity 13, Constitution 14.
Speed: 30 (40 in wolf form)
Predator: (All Forms) Werewolves can eat raw meat without worry of illness.
Dark Vision: (All Forms) Gain Darkvision 60 feet.
Natural Armor: (Hybrid and Wolf) Gains +1 to AC from Natural Armor.
Multi-Attack: (Hybrid only) The Hybrid can make two attacks a turn, only one of which can be a bite.
Keen Senses: (Hybrid and Wolf) Gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.
Expert Tracker: (Hybrid and Wolf) Gain advantage on Wisdom (Survival) Tracking checks, the werewolf can track at normal speed.
Claw: (Hybrid only) 2d4 slashing
Bite: (Hybrid and Wolf) 1d8 piercing, Con Save DC 12, or contact Lycanthropy.
Mind Set: Chaotic Evil
Pack or Lone: A werewolf will either seek to be in a pack or be alone, once in a pack they will challenge any they believe they can beat for title of pack leader.
Savage: A werewolf is a savage predator, and has little qualms passing the curse, even to those they don’t wish to add to their pack.

Weretiger: Strength 17, Dexterity 15, Constitution 16.
Speed: 30 (40 in tiger form)
Dark Vision: (All Forms) Gain Darkvision 60 feet.
Multi-Attack: (Hybrid only) The Hybrid can make two claw attacks a turn, or a single bite attack.
Keen Senses: (Hybrid and Tiger) Gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.
Pounce: (Hybrid and Tiger) If the Weretiger moves at least 15 feet straight towards a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC (8 + Proficiency modifier + Strength modifier) Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the weretiger can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Claw: (Hybrid and Tiger) 1d8 slashing
Bite: (Hybrid and Tiger) 1d10 piercing, Con Save DC 12, or contact Lycanthropy.
Mind Set: Netural
Territorial Loner: A Weretiger prefers to live and hunt alone, and they guard their territory rather fiercely.
Rare Sires: Weretigers rarely pass the curse on, as more Weretigers means more people fighting for territory.

The Full Moon

During the full moon the beast becomes to powerful for any Lycanthrope to control or contain. The Lycanthrope is forced to shift to Hybrid form and loses control of themselves.

Losing Control to the Beast

Whenever the Lycanthrope loses control, the DM can take control of the player character. While the beast is in control, it remains intelligent and will flee if the beast feels it’s losing the fight. The beast desires to stay in control, some may even try to make deals and bargain if they’re in a poor position. The beast has access to all of the characters class and racial abilities, including feats, attuned items, and even magic. Until the character knows they’re a lycanthrope they don’t remember the actions of the beast, but relive them as bloody nightmares.

Regaining Control

Characters that lose control from a failed Control Shape check regain control when knocked unconscious, reverting back to their human form. However during the full moon (From Midnight to dawn), they only regain control at dawn, remaining shifted while unconscious.

Shift Action

The Lycanthrope takes an action to change shape, this is referred to as a shift. When a Lycanthrope shifts, they make a Wisdom (Control Shape) check DC 15. If they succeed their items and equipment do not transform with them, restrictive clothing and armor is likely to tear and break, requiring repair before it’s useful again. If they fail, they do not change shape, but if they fail by 5 or more (A total of 10 or lower on the check), the Lycanthrope assumes Hybrid form and loses control. When a Lycanthrope shifts, they can spend up to half their level worth of hit dice, rounded up, to regain hit points. If they lose control, the beast will always use as many hit dice as needed to regain full health.

Embracing or Fighting the Curse

Once a Lycanthrope is aware of their condition, they have two options. They can Fight the curse, refusing to give into their animal instincts. At any time while fighting the curse, the Lycanthrope can make the choice to give in and embrace the curse. Embracing the curse grants the Lycanthrope the ability to use the Control Shape Skill, but they start moving towards the Lycanthropes Alignment and mind set. Once one has given in, it takes the removal of the curse before they return to normal alignment and mind set.

Control Shape Skill

Only Lycanthropes who embrace the curse can gain proficiency in Control Shape, or willingly try to Shift. Characters have Disadvantage on Wisdom (Control Shape) checks if they’re under half health, or are emotional or unfocused. Characters have Advantage on Wisdom (Control Shape) checks if they take 10 minutes and are emotionally calm and collected before making the check.

Magic

Alter Self: Allows both those fighting and embracing Lycanthropy to make a Wisdom (Control Shape) check with advantage to shift.
Calm Emotions: Calming a Lycanthrope who’s lost control, gives them a Wisdom (Control Shape) to revert back to normal. This doesn’t work during a full moon (Midnight to dawn).
Command: Add option, Shift: The target spends their next turn attempting to change shape. Target can be fighting or embracing the curse.
Shape Change: Shift without a Wisdom (Control Shape) check.

Removing the Curse

Magic: Remove Curse and Greater Restoration can end one Curse. If the target has embraced the curse, they can make a Wisdom Save against the spell.
Wish: A wish can remove the curse without the target getting a save.
Belladonna: Fresh Belladonna, or Wolfsbane, can be given to the afflicted once a day until their first full moon, to allow them to reroll the Constitution save for the curse. Belladonna however is poisonous, when ingested willingly make a DC 14 constitution save or take 4d6 poison damage and be poisoned for 4 hours, a successful save results in half the poison damage.

Rule Variants

Optional Variants on Lycanthropy.

Long Full Moon (Active in: Age of Orion, Strahd)

The full moon’s effect lasts the day before, of, and after the full moon. Providing three nights of the lunar cycle (28 days), where the Lycanthrope loses control at night.

Easily Unleashed (Active in: Age of Orion, Strahd)

When a Lycanthrope’s health is dropped below half for the first time each short rest, they make a Wisdom (Control Shape) DC 15, failure results in them being forced to transform on their next action and losing control.

Virulent Curse

A Lycanthropes claws can also cause the curse. When a target is struck by a claw attack, they must make the Constitution Save or contract Lycanthropy.

Extreme Silver Allergy (Active in: Age of Orion, Strahd)

When the Lycanthrope in any form touches silver, it starts to burn them. If the character holds an object for a turn, they suffer 1 point of Radiant damage. If reduced to 0 hp from this damage, the character reverts to their normal form.

Silver Branding (Active in: Age of Orion, Strahd)

When a Lycanthrope is damaged by a silver weapon or holds silver, they are unable to willingly shift on their next turn. Forced shifting still occurs, from the full moon or the Easily Unleashed variant rule for example.