D&D 5E 5E - Curing Lycanthropy

[TheYeti1775]

So running 'Curse of Strahd' a random encounter had two of the PC's bitten by werewolves. They don't have access to 'Remove Curse' as of yet.

After much researching around the interwebs for 5E Lycanthropy (surprisingly little other than OP boards saying get bit by a Werebear), I came up with the following. Originally I had the DC at 20, but talking with my 'Optimizer Prime' as we called him from 3E the DC17 was decided on as being a bit better. There is some talk at the table at making it DC15.

Let me know what you all think.

Belladonna Cure for Lycanthropy (5E)
Belladonna 25gp per dose
To cure Lycanthropy that has been possible inflicted during a were-creature’s attack. The following method must take place within 72 hours of the exposure.

3 doses of Belladonna ingested successfully in a row. A minimum of one long rest must be completed over the dosing time. This can be done between the 1st & 2nd or the 2nd & 3rd dose. A minimum of a short rest is required after every dose. No other benefit is gained from any of these rests during the dosing time.

After each dose the character must make a Constitution Save DC 17. Any poison bonus would apply, if character is immune to poison the Belladonna will not work at all.

If they pass they are only Exhausted.

A fail (13-16) means the character is Exhausted, must take a Short Rest before ingesting more Belladonna. This does not reset the process, but the character must take this dose again successfully before proceeding.

A fail by 5 or more (i.e. Save at 12), the character will be Exhausted and Incapacitated (does not count as Short Rest) for 2 hours. This resets the curing process the character must restart with the first dose.

A fail by 10 or more (i.e. Save at 7), the character will be Exhausted, Incapacitated, and Unconscious (does not count as Short Rest) for 4 hours. This resets the curing process the character must restart with the first dose.

A natural 1 has the opposite effect of curing, causing the transformation to start happening over a minute. Others around during this time can restrain the trashing body. Belladonna can no longer cure this character. Also, sets Remove Curse back by one month. (See Below)

Remove Curse on Afflicted Lycanthropy
An afflicted character is not immediately a full were-creature.
They will only have the Immunities and Resistances when in Hybrid and Creature forms. After 6 months, the Immunities and Resistances will be in all forms.

At the first full moon, they will turn. This is month 1.

Remove Curse in a 3rd level slot works until then.
Each month that follows the Remove curse must be in a higher spell slot.
(i.e. Month 2, the Remove Curse needs to be in a 4th level spell slot.)

After 6 months, the lycanthropy is incurable except via a Wish.

Results in our game.

Of the two characters, one attempted the Belladonna cure. The other, hoping to level up to 5th before the change happens. They are the cleric that will get Remove Curse next level.
Dwarven Fighter took the Belladonna. He had advantage on Poison saves, good thing too.
Passed 1st dose
Passed 2nd dose
Failed 3rd dose but only by 4. Did not reset.
Passed 4th dose.

 

[Kabouter Games]

It's happened in my game, and I went RAW - the character didn't get cured until much later. It presented some interesting roleplaying opportunities leading to lots of drama. I created a system where the character could try to resist the change, as well as a system where the character when placed under stress had to resist the wolf bursting forth. There were also consequences for failure, randomly determined a version of madness (multiple personality disorder), and if she lapsed into madness had to randomly select six different personalities I prepared on 3x5 cards. When your made-to-hit-stuff fighter lapses into a six-year-old child in the middle of a fight, things get interesting very quickly.

The players LOVED it.

Just supplying that as an alternative. I like your approach to non-remove curse solutions.

Regards,

Bob

www.r-p-davis.com