D&D (2024) Lycanthropes in the MM

[pukunui]

Hi all,

The new MM has unlocked for me on D&D Beyond, so I've been looking through it. I thought lycanthropes might warrant their own thread.

Art by Slawomir Maniak.

I was expecting them to get the regeneration trait that late-stage OG 5e lycanthropes have had, but no! They've got nothing!

Firstly, there is no lycanthropes section, and no sidebar on how to handle PCs as lycanthropes. The individual monsters are listed alphabetically in the book, and since they all start with "were-", they are all together in one place.

Let's use the Werebear as an example:

WEREBEAR
It now has a flat AC of 15 but still has the same HP (135). It has lost its damage immunities but has gained darkvision. Its ability scores are the same as before. Its Perception is still +7, but it has lost its Keen Smell trait. It's still a CR 5 creature. It's Shapechanger trait has changed into the Shape-Shift bonus action but is functionally the same (although the Shape-Shift action doesn't specify that the creature reverts to its true form when it dies).

As for its attacks, the 2024 werebear can still make two attacks - handaxes or rend in any combo depending on what form they are in. They can replace one of these attacks with a bite attack. The attacks are all still +7 to hit, but they all do a little bit more damage (e.g. 17 for the bite instead of 15).

The bite attack still imposes a DC 14 Con save vs being cursed. In the 2024 version, the curse doesn't kick in until the target drops to 0 hp, at which point it becomes "a Werebear under the DM’s control and has 10 Hit Points."

EDIT: Here's the flavor text for the werebear: "When threatened or compelled by magic, werebears shape-shift from their humanoid forms into mighty bears or hybrids of those two forms. They scare off or sabotage those who threaten the wilds, and they frequently aid Fey, druids, or spirits of the wilderness, as many owe their magical nature to such forces. Werebears take the shape of bears common to the regions in which they dwell, with brown and polar bear forms being common."

WEREBOAR
WERERAT
WERETIGER
WEREWOLF


What do you think of this new approach? Personally, I would have liked something that is a nod to the classic silver vulnerability. That being said, WotC did remove the silvering of weapons from the new PHB, so I guess they really don't want that to be a thing anymore. (EDIT: I see that silvered weapons are now a common magic item in the new DMG that deals extra damage to shape-shifters on a crit.)

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I do like it. Silver weapons are common magic items. So for 100 gold, you can get it.
And it does extra damage against shape-changed creatures on a crit. Does not come up often, but it can help.
I would not have minded if silver weapons always do one extra damage die against shape-changed creatures.

I do like that it is worded that the extra damage is only done if the creature is shape-changed, so in humanoid form the extra damage is switched off.

 

[Chaltab]

Not a fan of how the new rules for the curse. There seem to be a frustrating number of effects in the 2025 Monster Manual where dropping a creature to 0 hit points is instantly fatal or otherwise removes them from play, like the Mind Flayer Arcanist's 120 foot brain consumption.

Having so many effects that bypass death saves encourages DMs to pull punches and fudge dice, IME.

 

[pukunui]

I do like it. Silver weapons are common magic items. So for 100 gold, you can get it.
And it does extra damage against shape-changed creatures on a crit. Does not come up often, but it can help.
I would not have minded if silver weapons always do one extra damage die against shape-changed creatures.

I do like that it is worded that the extra damage is only done if the creature is shape-changed, so in humanoid form the extra damage is switched off.

Ah, that's where silvered weapons went! Yes, I suppose that does work nicely. I suppose you could have maybe an version (like an alchemical silvered weapon or something) that always does extra damage against shape-shifted creatures.

Not a fan of how the new rules for the curse. There seem to be a frustrating number of effects in the 2025 Monster Manual where dropping a creature to 0 hit points is instantly fatal or otherwise removes them from play, like the Mind Flayer Arcanist's 120 foot brain consumption.

Having so many effects that bypass death saves encourages DMs to pull punches and fudge dice, IME.

I dunno. So many people complain about how 2014's default was "easy mode" and that it was too hard to kill PCs. It seems WotC listened and has upped the difficulty of many monsters.

 

[Chaltab]

I dunno. So many people complain about how 2014's default was "easy mode" and that it was too hard to kill PCs. It seems WotC listened and has upped the difficulty of many monsters.

I'm not actually opposed the curse kicking in as soon as you drop to 0, but the part where you're under the DMs control. It's especially odd on a Werebear which is typically neutral good.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I'm not actually opposed the curse kicking in as soon as you drop to 0, but the part where you're under the DMs control. It's especially odd on a Werebear which is typically neutral good.

The death dog curse was nerfed however. A successful save later ends the effect

What I don´t like is that were-creature AC does not change when in human form. Actually being in hybrid form does not give much benefits to those creatures RAW. Only being able to spread the curse, which I don´t think good lycanthropes want to do anyway.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I'm not actually opposed the curse kicking in as soon as you drop to 0, but the part where you're under the DMs control. It's especially odd on a Werebear which is typically neutral good

Yeah, it reads to me like a lack of trust in players to handle a PC with lycanthropy, so the game is taking that choice away.

 

[Lazybones]

The question is whether the change is permanent, or if the remove curse spell would still work after the cursed player character is reduced to zero hit points and makes the change. If not, and if revivify or other magic won't undo it after the changed character is killed, then it's a very nasty upgrade indeed.

 

[Remathilis]

Yeah, it reads to me like a lack of trust in players to handle a PC with lycanthropy, so the game is taking that choice away.

Most editions of D&D have made infected lycanthropes DM controlled if they are transformed or openly embracing the curse. The only time I've seen player rules for lycanthropes in D&D that were usable was in Night Howlers for Basic.

 

[pukunui]

The question is whether the change is permanent, or if the remove curse spell would still work after the cursed player character is reduced to zero hit points and makes the change. If not, and if revivify or other magic won't undo it after the changed character is killed, then it's a very nasty upgrade indeed.

On D&D Beyond, the statblock links to the PHB glossary definition of a curse, which states "Some game effects curse a creature or an object. The effect that confers a curse defines what the curse does. Curses can be removed by the Remove Curse and Greater Restoration spells or other magic that explicitly ends curses."

Most editions of D&D have made infected lycanthropes DM controlled if they are transformed or openly embracing the curse. The only time I've seen player rules for lycanthropes in D&D that were usable was in Night Howlers for Basic.

Yeah. I mean, while 2014 had rules for lycanthrope and vampire PCs, they weren't good rules. In one of my first ever 5e campaigns, one of the PCs got turned into a wererat and instantly became overpowered thanks to the damage immunities. Even regeneration would've been too OP for a PC.

I think WotC is just doubling down on lycanthropes being monsters regardless of their alignment. Werebears might be good, but they're based on beings like Beorn from The Hobbit, and let's not forget how Bilbo and the dwarves had to walk on eggshells so as not to upset him and get themselves killed by him.