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

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Custom class or custom subclass, for sure.

 

[Hussar]

I made this mistake once and never, ever again. Lycanthropy was a MASSIVE power boost in 2014 5e. Being immune to non-magical attacks meant that the character (we were about 7th level or so and it was a wererat lycanthropy) pretty much ignored 99% of combat. It's not until you get into some fairly serious CR's that monsters have magical attacks.

This one gets a hard nope from me from now on. Heh. Once bitten twice shy?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I am not able to predict the future.

If you were, you'd have a lot of explaining to do.

 

[MarkB]

I would go the opposite way of this DM: either I wouldn't allow it, or I'd have it be an actual curse that afflicts the character periodically/monthly. While I understand the lack of "lupine" options for PCs in 5E, lycantropy is supposed to be a serious curse that can forever change a character.

I did go with a monthly progression when a few PCs became werepolarbears in an Icewind Dale campaign. I didn't recommend it for this thread because in that instance they were already over 5th level when they were bitten, and were over 10th by the time the later progression kicked in, so its effects weren't so overpowering. I wouldn't recommend it when starting at first level, or for only a single player in a group, but this is what I came up with - it may be worth mining some concepts from:

Spoiler: Lycanthropy (WerePolarBear-specific)

The curse of lycanthropy causes a progressive change to the bearer, growing stronger through each full moon.

Initial Exposure
The curse builds gradually in the bearer, manifesting mostly as strange urges and expanded senses. They may develop an appetite for raw meat, while finding cooked food less appealing. You gain the Keen Smell ability, granting you advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely upon smell.

First Full Moon
The first full moon brings with it an inevitable transformation. Those who resist the curse are transformed involuntarily as soon as they are touched by the light of the full moon, while those who embrace it can hold off on transforming for a couple of hours. This transformation is into the full animal form, and while those who resist the curse become mindless, ravenous beasts, even those who embrace it are not entirely themselves. They retain their intelligence and awareness, but are still driven by a need to hunt. If they do not successfully hunt and feed upon a kill this night, their transformation will remain stunted at the Initial Exposure stage until the next full moon.

At this early stage of the curse, the bearer gains resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from non-magical weapons that aren’t silvered. They also gain resistance to Cold damage, but vulnerability to Fire damage.

After a successful hunt, the transformation grows more complete, and for those who embrace it, more controllable, though it is physically taxing. As an action, the bearer may transform into a bestial form (either animal or hybrid). Once in that form, they can freely use an action to switch between hybrid and animal forms, but they may only transform from humanoid to bestial form a number of times equal to their Proficiency modifier. This limit refreshes after a long rest.

The bearer gains the above-listed resistances and vulnerabilities only while in animal or hybrid form, but even while in humanoid form they no longer suffer ill effects due to cold weather.

Second Full Moon - Control
As the next full moon approaches, the bearers’ power waxes. Starting the day before the full moon, they are able to transform to bestial form at will, with no daily limits. They also gain resistance to damage from non-magical, non-silvered weapons even when in humanoid form, along with resistance to Cold damage and vulnerability to Fire damage. So long as they transform on the night of the full moon, and eat a meal of raw meat while in animal or hybrid form, their curse will progress to the next stage, and they will thereafter retain their ability to transform at will.

Third Full Moon - Mastery
As the curse’s power magnifies, the bearer becomes more resistant to harm. Retaining their damage resistance in humanoid form, they now become immune to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from non-magical, non-silvered weapons while in animal or hybrid form.

Fourth Full Moon - Apex
After the fourth full moon, the bearer retains their damage immunity even while in humanoid form.


Summary:

Progression	Form-shifting	Abilities (Humanoid form)	Abilities (Bear or Hybrid form)
Initial	None	Keen Smell (advantage on Wisdom (perception) checks based on smell)	N/A
After 1st Full Moon	No. of times equal to Proficiency modifier, resets after long rest	Keen Smell Not affected by cold weather (as though wearing cold weather clothing)	Keen Smell Not affected by cold weather (as though wearing cold weather clothing) Resistance to bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage from weapons that aren’t magical or silvered Resistance to Cold damage Vulnerability to Fire damage
After 2nd Full Moon	At Will	Keen Smell Not affected by cold weather (as though wearing cold weather clothing) Resistance to bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage from weapons that aren’t magical or silvered Resistance to Cold damage Vulnerability to Fire damage	Keen Smell Not affected by cold weather (as though wearing cold weather clothing) Resistance to bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage from weapons that aren’t magical or silvered Resistance to Cold damage Vulnerability to Fire damage
After 3rd Full Moon	At Will	Keen Smell Not affected by cold weather (as though wearing cold weather clothing) Resistance to bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage from weapons that aren’t magical or silvered Resistance to Cold damage Vulnerability to Fire damage	Keen Smell Not affected by cold weather (as though wearing cold weather clothing) Immune to bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage from weapons that aren’t magical or silvered Resistance to Cold damage Vulnerability to Fire damage
After 4th Full Moon	At Will	Keen Smell Not affected by cold weather (as though wearing cold weather clothing) Immune to bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage from weapons that aren’t magical or silvered Resistance to Cold damage Vulnerability to Fire damage	Keen Smell Not affected by cold weather (as though wearing cold weather clothing) Immune to bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage from weapons that aren’t magical or silvered Resistance to Cold damage Vulnerability to Fire damage

 

[AlViking]

I made this mistake once and never, ever again. Lycanthropy was a MASSIVE power boost in 2014 5e. Being immune to non-magical attacks meant that the character (we were about 7th level or so and it was a wererat lycanthropy) pretty much ignored 99% of combat. It's not until you get into some fairly serious CR's that monsters have magical attacks.

This one gets a hard nope from me from now on. Heh. Once bitten twice shy?

I thought that was once bitten monthly furry.

 

[Lanefan]

I wouldn't. Lycanthropes are monsters to be fought and (ideally) defeated or cured. They're not PC-playable; and if a PC ever gets infected one would think it'd be in everyone's best interests to get it cured ASAP before full-moon (or some other trigger) suddenly leaves the rest of the party having to deal with a pretty big problem.

 

[Reynard]

I wouldn't. Lycanthropes are monsters to be fought and (ideally) defeated or cured. They're not PC-playable; and if a PC ever gets infected one would think it'd be in everyone's best interests to get it cured ASAP before full-moon (or some other trigger) suddenly leaves the rest of the party having to deal with a pretty big problem.

Yeah. There's never been a popular RPG that lets players play were creatures...

 

[CleverNickName]

This one gets a hard nope from me from now on. Heh. Once bitten twice shy?

I see what you did there.

I've updated the poll with the newly introduced options. Keep 'em coming!

• Create a brand-new barbarian subclass.
• I'd use one of the Dark Gifts (Second Skin maybe?) from "Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft."
• I'd write a custom Curse for this. Gotta have those forced transformations.
• Just re-flavor existing stuff: raging, wild-shape, etc. can describe transformations, for example.
• I'd wait to see what changes are coming in the updated Monster Manual.

 

[CreamCloud0]

Although they said they’re good with whatever you give them I would also inquire with the player in question directly about if they want their character to be a werewolf as the main focus of their design or if it’s something that’s one part of a greater whole of the character as that will likely influence your chosen design execution

 

[Corinnguard]

A Druid subclass with a narrower form of wildshaping and leans toward Fighter (or Ranger?). Sort of like a druidic version of the Bladesinger.