Lycanthropy Using the Disease Track

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

Neat options, toshi, though I'm not really looking for mechanics for the PC to benefit from his affliction. In my mind, lycanthropes are either born that way (as several editions have said, if memory serves me right), OR are a curse passed on by bite. And if it's a curse/affliction, I want it to be unpleasant, and require some work on the party's part to get the PC cured before he kills someone innocent (or kills again...mwahhhahaha)

Now that I'm really thinking about it, pbartender, the simplest solution (which you just mentioned) really is the best. I'm all about the DM fiat if it makes for a fun story.

Here's how I'd probably handle it: keep whatever disease the lycanthrope passes on as written, and just automatically infect the PC with lycanthropy. Maybe, since a save is a lot more random than previous editions, I'd instead make an attack vs. the PC's fort defense to see if they got infected. Alternatively, it could be "contract lycanthropy if you've advanced to stage two of the disease"

Thanks for helping me mull my options, 4e pros! (By all means, feel free to continue posting ideas)

 

[Jhaelen]

I want it to be unpleasant, and require some work on the party's part to get the PC cured before he kills someone innocent (or kills again...mwahhhahaha)

Well, if you make it too unpleasant, the player might simply decide to roll up a new pc. These things are best done carefully (and with the player's assent). Most players don't appreciate when their characters are changed into something they don't want to play.

If the players are fine with it, it can certainly enhance the game, though.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Well, if you make it too unpleasant, the player might simply decide to roll up a new pc. These things are best done carefully (and with the player's assent). Most players don't appreciate when their characters are changed into something they don't want to play.

If the players are fine with it, it can certainly enhance the game, though.

Right, you want to make it fun for the player(s). It can be downright unpleasant for the CHARACTER, but it has to have some element of fun for the player.

This is sort of why I like the disease track actually. It provides a structure for several points at which the player gets to roll some dice, other player's characters can help out, etc. Just don't be too bound by the conventions of other diseases. Let the player make a few decisions about what exactly the character does or give them some die rolls they can make at various points. Maybe they can have a WILL check to keep things under control, etc. You could even have the disease only progress on specific nights, etc. If the character is going to be turning into an evil NPC if they fail to cure him then it probably should be a pretty long and involved process. No doubt they can complete some sort of quest to escape from their final doom, etc.