D&D (2024) Lycanthropes in the MM

[wizard71]

I don't even like soul knife (never played one). But I know the "DM thinks the core ability of X is broken, so he secretly screws his player by making it artificially less effective" type well enough to know your concern isn't about "balance."

How nice of you to be able to read my mind. You must be a psionicist. Sorry bro but I don’t need to conform to every new D&D class, subclass, spell, magic item, etc that comes out just because you bought it. Psychic damage was pretty rare in 2924 so many monster’s didn’t have resistances to it. What did WOTC do? Give a subclass psychic damage at will. So it’s ok for a wizard using elemental damage to be hit with resistances and even immunities but level the playing by applying those same resistances to the shinny new power source is out of line? Whatever dude. You obviously caster haters is showing through and I don’t need to be a psychic to see it.

 

[Remathilis]

How nice of you to be able to read my mind. You must be a psionicist. Sorry bro but I don’t need to conform to every new D&D class, subclass, spell, magic item, etc that comes out just because you bought it. Psychic damage was pretty rare in 2924 so many monster’s didn’t have resistances to it. What did WOTC do? Give a subclass psychic damage at will. So it’s ok for a wizard using elemental damage to be hit with resistances and even immunities but level the playing by applying those same resistances to the shinny new power source is out of line? Whatever dude. You obviously caster haters is showing through and I don’t need to be a psychic to see it.

There are 22 spells that were produced from 2014-2023 that do psychic damage, including two cantrips (viscious mockery, and mind sliver). Additionally, there are 70 monsters that resist psychic damage and four races (githyanki, githzerai, kalashtar, and emerald dragonborn) that do. That is also excluding all the subclasses that either deal psychic damage (whisper bard) or resist it (Goo warlock). There is nothing special about psychic bro.

 

[occam]

Yep, great that WOTC broke their own balance rules. My Soul Knife player wasn’t laughing when many monsters curiously acquired psychic resistance.

Balance based on being able to bypass Barbarian DR? But I thought you said:

D&D is NOT a pvp game.

You seem to have lost the thread of your own argument a long time ago, if there ever was one.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

How cute, you nerfed the players main reason to pick that subclass. I can safely ignore your concerns about class balance going further..

Oh so you only complain when it’s a nerf to the class that you like? Gotcha. Yeah your argument ms holds as much water as a leaking cup and I lend as much credence to your concerns also.

Mod Note:

Everyone: here’s a classic example of why we ask people not to announce they’re ignoring others, either casually or invoking the use of their account’s ignore lists. It more often agitates other participants in the thread instead of reducing tensions.

You two in particular- knock it off.

 

[Rushbolt]

I thought a little more about the idea of needing a silver weapon to kill a lycanthrope and I think that can be implemented a little different way. The lycanthrope can regenerate so many hit points a turn unless struck by a silver weapon, but it stops regenerating at 0 hp. The lycanthrope can be dead if it was damaged by a silver weapon, or it can follow the Stable creature rules if it wasn't damaged by a silver weapon. The lycanthrope would regain 1 hit point after 1d4 hours then it would regenerate its health in a minute or two depending on its maximum hp. This could make some interesting tension as the players might be on a bit of a timer to avoid the lycanthropes they may have defeated early in the dungeon without silver. It creates a complication for those players who like to long rest after a few combats to keep themselves topped off. The werewolves they killed in the first few rooms of the dungeon come looking for them after they recover right in the middle of their planned rest.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

I don't really like the 2024 implementation. It just doesn't feel...evocative to me? I'm not sad to see the immunity against non-magic / silvered weapons go as that resulted in some tedious battles; though I think SOME sort of resistance to normal damage should have been kept for thematic reasons; regeneration might have been one way to accomplish this. Though I worry about it intruding on the Troll's personal uniqueness a bit. What do you all think of something like THIS maybe?

Werewolf (Shapechanger)
HP: 65 or so?
AC: 14 (natural armor)
Speed: 30 (40 in wolf or hybrid form)
St 16 Dx 14 Cn 15 In 10 Ws 14 Ch 8
Skills: Perception +4 Survival +6
Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Slashing, and Piercing from non-silvered weapons while blood-frenzied only
Immunities: None
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet, Keen Hearing and Smell, passive perception 14
Traits:
Blood-Frenzy: Werewolves enter a euphoric state when inflicting bloody wounds upon sentient creatures. When dealing damage in combat, the werewolf gains the blood-frenzied status until the end of their next turn. This grants advantage on attack rolls, resistance to bludgeoning / piercing / slashing damage from non-silvered weapons, and increases the damage from their attacks by 2d6

Rapid Healing: Werewolves heal 3 hp at the beginning of their turn in combat. If reduced to 0 hp, the werewolf dies normally. But it returns to life at the next full moon unless slain with a silvered weapon or poisoned with wolfsbane. The lupine spirit that inhabits a werewolf is even capable of creating a new body if necessary.

Shapechange: (standard lycanthrope)
Keen Hearing and Smell

Actions
Multiattack: The werewolf makes two attacks with its claws or spear. One of these attacks may be replaced with a bite attack while in wolf or hybrid form

Claws (Hybrid only): +5 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) or 14 (1d8+3 plus 2d6) while blood-frenzied.

Spear (Human only): +5 to hit, reach 5 ft or range 20/60, single target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) or 14 (1d8+3 plus 2d6) while blood-frenzied.

Bite (Hybrid or Wolf only): +5 to hit, reach 5 ft, single target. Hit: 8 (2d4+3) or 15 (2d4+3 plus 2d6) while blood-frenzied plus Curse of Lycanthropy.

Bonus Actions
Feral Leap (recharges 5-6): The werewolf can make a jump of up to 15 feet long and 10 feet high in distance. This movement doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity.

Tweak damage, hp, etc as needed.

 

[DarkCrisis]

A player received a silvered sword during the game this weekend and he was all "I'll hang onto it incase we run across were-beasts".

He was straight shocked to find it Silver means nothing to 5.5 Were monsters.

"But you can BUY a Silvered weapon in the PHB! Why even do that?"

I made sure that if they come across a werewolf would allow him extra damage or something with the silvered sword.

Still, absolutely ridiculous that WotC took that out.

Edit: And thats what I get for going off half cocked. Apparently Silver does do something, just not mentioned in the monster text.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

A player received a silvered sword during the game this weekend and he was all "I'll hang onto it incase we run across were-beasts".

He was straight shocked to find it Silver means nothing to 5.5 Were monsters.

"But you can BUY a Silvered weapon in the PHB! Why even do that?"

I made sure that if they come across a werewolf would allow him extra damage or something with the silvered sword.

Still, absolutely ridiculous that WotC took that out.

Edit: And thats what I get for going off half cocked. Apparently Silver does do something, just not mentioned in the monster text.

That is not true. Silvered weapons are move effective, you have to look in the PHB, not the MM IIRC. Now the effectiveness is greatly reduced, but they are still more effective.

Edit: it is in the DMG

 

[pukunui]

That is not true. Silvered weapons are move effective, you have to look in the PHB, not the MM IIRC. Now the effectiveness is greatly reduced, but they are still more effective.

“… in 2024 rules, silver weapons will deal an extra damage die whenever you score a critical hit with it against any shapeshifter.”

It’s not in the PHB. Silvered weapons are now a magic item in the DMG.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

It’s not in the PHB. Silvered weapons are now a magic item in the DMG.

Yep, I just edited my post