I think how you handle it might depend on what you want to get out of it.
Do you want to take the "classic werewolf" angle and have them wrestling with a curse that causes them to murder people? A curse that they want to get rid of, or maybe suspect they are better off dead then left alive with?
Do you want this to be a "how Spiderman got his powers" angle and have them embracing the curse and using it to kick butt?
Something else?
If you first figure out if you want this to be a problem for them or not, you can let your design flow from that goal. If it's meant to be a problem for them, you have them kill people and have their minds lost and generally have that failed CON save result in horrible things for the story and their mission.
If you don't want it to be a problem, maybe give them game elements (feats, PrC levels, whatever) that they can take to enhance their power and control, and maybe worry a bit more about what embracing the curse means in terms of your world.
Either way, sounds like a good time.
Well, I was splitting it between the classic angle with the ability for them to turn it into a "how Spiderman got his powers". So after they learned they had the curse, they had to quest to get rid of it or learn how to control it, which they did. I did give them one night on route to the island where they could remove the curse where the moon was full and they had decided to chain themselves up so they wouldn't harm anyone. The crew of the ship had dealt with this before, and actually made it into an okay experience for them by feeding them raw meat through the night. The players loved the scene.
At any rate, two of the players decided to just remove the curse all together, while the third decided to go the prestige class route. That's where we left the session, and now I'm tasked with coming up with what exactly that prestige class looks like. I posted it in the home-brew forum, but I don't think anyone goes there, so here it is again. Would love comments and ways to improve it. My goal is to have it be a high risk/reward type of prestige class.
Lycanthrope Prestige Class.
Prerequisite: PC has been cursed by Lycanthropy and has not had Remove Curse cast on her
Required Quest: PC must travel to a mystical Island and see and old hermit who can help the PC control, rather than remove the curse. In order to control it, the PC must bring back a special flower from the center of the island that will be used in the tattoo ink to control the curse. The flower is in the lair of an Adult Blue Dragon who is both greedy and paranoid. The lair is actually a Green Dragon lair that the Blue dragon won in a contest of strength. The dragon will not leave the lair for fear that the green dragon who once owned it will return to take it back. The PCs may either margin with the Dragon, try to steal the flower or try to destroy the dragon and take it.
To bargin, the Drgaoon will accept no less than Very Rare or better magic item from the PC. If multiple PCs enter the lair, the dragon will demand this tribute from each party member, regardless of the number of flowers needed. If the PCs do not have Vert Rare magic items, the dragon will ask for a rare item plus treasure worth at least 50,000 gp from each party member. Once win Parlay, the Dragon will be greedy. If the players have the ability to pay and choose not to, the dragon will become hostile and attack the party. Again the dragon will not leave it's lair.
Once you have the flower, the hermit will tattoo the PC. The PC will no longer be in danger of turning into a Lycanthrope from the full moon and can no longer turn other creatures into a Lycanthrope. The next time the PC gains a level, they may then choose to take that live in the Prestige Class, gaining the following benefits.
Class Features
Hit Dice: 1d12 + con modifier
Moon Dice: 1d12 (see Feature table for quantity)
Moon Dice are spent to activate certain class features. Moondice are regained each day when the moon rises.
Ability Changes: As per page 207 of the monster manual, you may change your Str or Dex based on the animal you were bitten by. You also gain proficiency in the skills associated with that lycanthrope type, and gain proficiency in unarmed strikes.
Level/ Moon Dice/ Feature
1/ 4/ Hybrid Transform
2/ 5/ Wild Shape
3/ 6/ Hybrid Partial Control
4/ 7/ ABI
5/ 8/ Hybrid Total Control
Hybrid Transformation
The PC may use her bonus action to transform into the hybrid form of his Lycanthrope for 1 minute by spending at least 1 Moon Die, gaining the following benefits
Gain +1 to AC, any other Lycanthrope special ability (i.e. keen smell, pounce, charge, etc), and unarmed strikes are 1d6 and count as magical.
Additionally, for each moon die spent during the transformation, roll on the following table. Die can either be spent to roll multiple times, or can be spent access higher levels of the table. You also gain temporary hit points equal to the total of those rolls + your character level. You must decide on the total number of die you are using prior to making a roll.
1 Die level
1 to 3 Unarmed Strike becomes +1
4 to 6 Unarmed strike becomes 1d8
7 to 9 Transformation lasts 10 minutes
10 to 12 Natural Armor becomes +3
2 Die level
1 to 3 Unarmed Strike becomes +2
4 to 6 Unarmed strike becomes 2d8
7 to 9 Transformation lasts 1 hour
10 to 12 Resistance to non magical/silvered weapons
3 Die level
1 to 3 Unarmed Strike becomes +3
4 to 6 Unarmed Strike becomes 3d8
7 to 9 Transformation lasts 8 hours
10 to 12 Immune to non magical/silvered weapons
The PC may also transform her Hit Dice into Moon Dice when transforming. When doing so, roll the Hit Dice. On a 1, the PC transforms into hybrid form but does not have control. The DM takes over the PC for the entire transformation time, always attacking the creature nearest the PC. If knocked unconscious, the PC reverts, but cannot be awoken until the transformation time is up and gains a level of exhaustion.
When the moon rises each day, the player must roll each of the moon dice they used that day. If any die rolls a 1, the player transforms for 8 hours, under DM control and will attack any creature near it. PC must make 2 checks to try an break free from any restraints holding her. If the restraints are silvered these checks automatically fail. After transformation, the PC gains one level of exhaustion.
Wild Shape
As per the Druid ability, but can only change into the type of beast the bit the PC and only once per short rest.
Hybrid Partial Control
You choose which benefit you gain when you spend moon die rather than rolling.
Ability Score Improvement
As normal
Hybrid Total Control
When you transform Hit Dice into Moon Dice, rolling a 1 now only gives you a level of exhaustion after you transform back into humanoid form.
When you roll moon dice when the moon rises, you do not transform on a 1, but you still gain a level of exhaustion and are unable to benefit from rest for 8 hours.
*edited based on suggestions from Yunru
