Lycanthropy

ki11erDM · Nov 29, 2008

Has anyone come up with a good version of lycanthropy in 4e?

Lord Xtheth · Nov 29, 2008

I'm not exactly sure what you mean, can you clarify your question?

If you're looking for Werewolves and Wererats, they are in the MM

Dinkeldog · Nov 29, 2008

I'm not certain that lycanthropy is a specific unitary disease now. Wererats pass on Filth Fever and Werewolves pass on Moon Frenzy, but neither passes on something resembling "become a wererat or werewolf" that I'm seeing.

Could be a good project, but at that point, we should be in house rules. If you're having questions with adjudicating the diseases, we should be in rules. Let me know which you want and I'll slide this over.

The_Fan · Nov 29, 2008

In a couple modules there are people who came under curses and become lycanthropes under certain circumstances. Those seem to be exceptions, though.

howandwhy99 · Nov 29, 2008

It depends upon what you mean by good. What is a good version of lycanthropy? Traditionally lycanthropy in D&D was a disease where you lost control of your PC when you changed. You could be cured or try to live with it, but your alignment eventually changed to that of the creature type (2d6 months after onset). But even if you became lawful werebear you still would lose control of the PC when in werebear form. If you go this route, then the DM can use the stats in the 4E Monster Manual.

Rechan · Nov 29, 2008

howandwhy99 said:
It depends upon what you mean by good.

He might mean good in the sense of quality.

If you wanted to use straight up lycanthropy as a player option, I would either:

1) Build it similar to the Spellscarred from Forgotten Realms; powers you access via the multi-class option.

2) Wait until WotC releases a shapeshifter-focused class, then just file the name off the class and call it 'Were-x'. If you wanted to emulate being "infected", start with another class, and multi-class into the shapechanger class.

howandwhy99 · Nov 29, 2008

Rechan said:
He might mean good in the sense of quality.

If you wanted to use straight up lycanthropy as a player option, I would either:

Right, and what I posted is high quality too. But it isn't an option to control a lycanthrope.

pawsplay · Nov 29, 2008

I'm pretty sure that permanently changing a character into a lycanthrope is not part of the 4e design philosophy.

Rechan · Nov 29, 2008

howandwhy99 said:
But it isn't an option to control a lycanthrope.

Monk isn't an option yet. What's your point?

You also forget playing true lycanthropes, which was doabel in 3e. In fact, one of the DMPCs in one of my 3e game was a true lycanthrope.

So it depends on what the OP wants. Does the OP want lycanthropy to infect PCs and give them a headache? Does the OP want to play a lycanthrope, either infected or true? Does the OP just want better lycanthrope stats?

He didn't specify.

howandwhy99 · Nov 29, 2008

Rechan said:
Monk isn't an option yet. What's your point?

Dude, please chill. I'm saying good depends upon one's desire for use. True lycanthropes would have to be a starting race in D&D to account for the change in power level. In my opinion. Traditionally, getting bitten didn't mean you could play a controllable version of lycanthropy.