D&D 5E Lycanthrope Player Characters - How Would YOU Do It?

[Stormonu]

For me, it's setting dependent. If I'm doing Ravenloft, it's something where I'll be looking at rules that also treat the affliction as being a curse so the Monster Manual might work there. But for a regular fantasy game, I really like Eberron's Shifter species.

Same for me here. In Ravenloft it'd be curse you don't want to hang around, possibly involving Dark Gifts and a slide for control by the DM.

For my own main homebrew though, I'd start with the Shifter race (or Lycans, as they're called in mine - they actually have their own homeland) with feats at higher level to become more like a specific lycanthrope. However, in my world lycanthropy is a "gift" from the Beastlands, and there is a lot of teetering between the mentality of a beast vs. the mind of a sapient being. A lot of lycans eventually go mad and devolve into killing monsters* that have to be put down. PCs are generally exceptions, but the threat of losing one's mind always lingers in the background.

*(Kind of like Ghouls from Fallout)

 

[AlViking]

Well, in that other thread, our DM and fellow players have been quite accommodating, so long as the backstory can support it and it fits the character's theme. For example, the DM is allowing the Eldritch Knight to use the druid's spell list instead of the wizard's because they both agreed it was a better fit for an Outlander character.

You're definitely right about balance and consistency. It can be hard to reign in the player's imagination, especially when a precedent has already been set. A while ago, a player pitched the idea of playing a vampire character, as-written in the Monster Manual. Obviously the DM said no, but suggested the Dhampir from Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft as a compromise. The player declined because it was much less powerful (ie, more balanced) than the Monster Manual version and the player felt cheated.

The reason I would say no is because when it came up the players just wanted a power boost with no penalty. One wanted to be a werewolf like the player in your group with all the cool benefits and no penalty. I think the path of the beast along with perhaps some cool feats would be as far as I would go.

 

[Corinnguard]

There is the Shifter class (Weretouched archetype) from PF1.

Shifter – d20PFSRD

www.d20pfsrd.com

 

[CleverNickName]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll get them all added to the poll once I get off work.

 

[Seramus]

Surprised nobody has mentioned Moon Druid yet. It's extremely easy to refluff the shapes of a Moon Druid to all be "werewolves."

Blood Hunter is a great option for a more martial playstyle, of course.

 

[Reynard]

I picked Other: this would be a perfect place for a 3 or 5 level limited "prestige class" type mechanism.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Surprised nobody has mentioned Moon Druid yet. It's extremely easy to refluff the shapes of a Moon Druid to all be "werewolves."

Blood Hunter is a great option for a more martial playstyle, of course.

Never been a fan of refluffing as a principle, but for those who like it it can work.

 

[Distracted DM]

I picked Other: this would be a perfect place for a 3 or 5 level limited "prestige class" type mechanism.

Sort of like Level Adjustments or.. yeah, prestige classes
I think the challenge here is balancing it so it's not going to deliver some overpowered nastiness or end up feeling underpowered, like a weight around the character's neck.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Wait and see how it is done in the new MM. The old rules were terrible (were you immune to non magic non silvered weapons as soon as you were bitten and failed the save?)

 

[Reynard]

Sort of like Level Adjustments or.. yeah, prestige classes
I think the challenge here is balancing it so it's not going to deliver some overpowered nastiness or end up feeling underpowered, like a weight around the character's neck.

I wonder if maybe using Feats will work better instead, or alternate class features, or both.

You could make the original infection a curse that doesn't have much mechanical upside, but if the PC chooses "Control Change 1" or whatever when they get a feat, they get something that looks like Rage usable once per day or something. Later, they can gain greater master over their lycanthropy and you could have a full "talent tree" for it.