D&D (2024) Lycanthropes in the MM

[Lazybones]

It does seem like they've nerfed silver weapons a lot now that lycanthropes don't have any resistances. Werewolves are prominently featured in the campaign I'm currently working on, so I might create a "greater silvered weapon" that does the extra damage on every hit, not just crits, maybe make that an Uncommon item. Maybe even do a Rare version that adds a Frightened effect on hits, which could be a quest item once the party learns of the threat (basically, they've taken over an entire village in my setting).

 

[Micah Sweet]

I don't know about that 3PP product, but I agree with your 2nd statement. If a PC is going to be cursed, you take on all the buffs and nerfs of that curse. Of course lycanthropy is not much of a buff if you keep to the old only transforms / has powers on the full moon thing.

Exactly. Far less gamist, as it affects PCs and NPCs equally that way.

 

[pukunui]

Here's another comparison:

WEREBOAR
AC is now a flat 15.
HP are up to 97 from 78 (Con is the same, but hit dice are now up to 15d8 + 30 instead of 12d8 + 24).
Speed, ability scores, and Perception skill are the same.
Damage immunities are gone.
No darkvision like the werebear got.
Still CR 4.
Shapechanger trait has again become the Shape-Shift bonus action.
Charge trait has been subsumed into the Tusk attack (and the DC to avoid being knocked prone has been removed).
Relentless trait is gone.
Two attacks - any combo of javelin or tusk depending on form. Can replace one of these attacks with a gore attack.
Gore imposes the wereboar curse not Tusk.

EDIT: Here's the flavor text: "Wereboars shape-shift from their humanoid forms into powerful boars or humanoid-boar hybrids. Many wereboars suffer their shape-shifting nature as a curse, with some involuntarily transforming any time they perform a greedy act or indulge their selfish nature."

 

[dave2008]

I prefer that approach too ... and so it annoys me that WotC has not included any monster creation rules in 2024 because if I want to add regeneration to these new lycanthropes, how am I supposed to determine how that affects their CR?

It would most likely be the same as the old method. I mean regeneration is one of the most straight forward traits to apply with respect to CR.

If any monsters in the 2024 MM have regeneration I will figure out if the same approach applies when I do my analysis and monster creation guide.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Here's another comparison:

WEREBOAR
AC is now a flat 15.
HP are up to 97 from 78 (Con is the same, but hit dice are now up to 15d8 + 30 instead of 12d8 + 24).
Speed, ability scores, and Perception skill are the same.
Damage immunities are gone.
No darkvision like the werebear got.
Still CR 4.
Shapechanger trait has again become the Shape-Shift bonus action.
Charge trait has been subsumed into the Tusk attack (and the DC to avoid being knocked prone has been removed).
Relentless trait is gone.
Two attacks - any combo of javelin or tusk depending on form. Can replace one of these attacks with a gore attack.
Gore imposes the wereboar curse not Tusk.

I thought the 5.5 MM was supposed to come with more interesting statblocks?

 

[pukunui]

I thought the 5.5 MM was supposed to come with more interesting statblocks?

According to the book itself, this is what it comes with:

More Monsters. The number of monsters has increased to more than 500 stat blocks.

New Monsters. Dozens of new monsters, including more high-level threats, are ready to challenge characters of all levels.

Refined Rules. Every stat block has been updated for ease of use and game balance.

Enhanced Stat Blocks. New stat block design and language prioritize details vital during play.

Versatile Groups. Nonplayer characters now appear alongside other monsters and can represent individuals of any Humanoid species.

Improved Organization. Monsters are now organized alphabetically by their name. Variations on the same monster are grouped together.

Expanded Lists. Appendix B collects and expands lists of monster details that appeared in the 2014 Dungeon Master’s Guide.

I don't see the term "interesting" anywhere in there. It's more about "ease of use" and "game balance".

 

[pukunui]

Next up is the WERERAT:

Flavor text: "Wererats can shape-shift from their humanoid forms into giant rats or humanoid-rat hybrids. These creatures can transform voluntarily, but some are magically compelled to shape-shift when exposed to complete darkness or during nights of a new moon. Often, wererats’ nature results from a divine curse—punishment for their deceitful natures or the crimes of their treacherous families. Wererats frequently work in groups, forming bandit gangs or thieves’ guilds."

AC is a flat 13 instead of a flat 12.
HP are now 60 (11d8 + 11) instead of 33 (6d8 + 6).
The wererat now has a climb speed.
The wererat's Dex is now 16 (instead of 15) but its other ability scores are the same.
It's still proficient in Perception and Stealth but its modifiers are higher (+4 and +5 instead of +2 and +4 respectively ~ so I guess wererats now have expertise in Perception).
It has no damage immunities.
It retains its darkvision and is still a CR 2 monster.
Shapechanger = Shape-Shift.
Keen Smell is gone.
It can make two attacks in any combination of scratch or hand crossbow depending on its form. It can replace one attack with a bite.
Its attacks are now +5 instead of +4. Its bite does twice as much damage (8 instead of 4) and imposes the wererat curse. Its other attacks do 1 point of damage more than the 2014 version's attacks did (accounting for the higher Dex).

And that's it!

 

[dave2008]

I thought the 5.5 MM was supposed to come with more interesting statblocks?

I don't know what 5.5 is (), but 5e24 has on many accounts. People were always mistaken if they thought every stat block was getting a horde of changes (or that every stat block needed them). It was never going to be that, thankfully. I don't want every monster to have a handful of traits, bonus actions, reactions, and actions.

 

[Chaltab]

Conversely, maybe DM's should just let the game play out, and players should get used to it.

Normally I agree but in this case your character is not dead but held hostage by the DM and the player is forced to sit on their hands until the character is uncursed or replaced.

 

[pukunui]

I don't know what 5.5 is (), but 5e24 has on many accounts. People were always mistaken if they thought every stat block was getting a horde of changes (or that every stat block needed them). It was never going to be that, thankfully. I don't want every monster to have a handful of traits, bonus actions, reactions, and actions.

I dunno. I kinda do. I mean, that was one of the best parts of 4e. All the monsters had interesting things they could do.

Normally I agree but in this case your character is not dead but held hostage by the DM and the player is forced to sit on their hands until the character is uncursed or replaced.

I guess DMs who want to use 2024 lycanthropes will have to make sure they've got some extra NPC stats on hand for any players whose PCs get turned into monsters.