Lycanthropy

[Trellian]

A 2nd level paladin in my group was bitten by a wererat last session. I rolled his save secretly and failed. After receiving the XP for that adventure, he levelled to 3rd level, thereby gaining immunity to lycanthropy. Question is.. he was bitten while he was still 2nd level... is he still afflicted?

A lycanthrope also confers a +2 level adjustment. Does this mean that he has to level 3 times to actual gain a level (if you know what I mean...) I gather he doesn't drop 2 levels... in other words.. he needs 15,000 xp to 4th? And if he has 14,000 xp when he is cured.. he jumps from 3rd to 5th level right away?

 

[Bladesong]

Interesting situation. As DM you can run it any way you like. Personally I have paladins sort of "ritual" their way into a level that confers a new ability. I would either: say the ritual/level gain points out his affliction and you can run a small side adventure for a cure/attonement (depending on your point of view), or say that the divine ability just acquired purges the affliction (if you just do not want to mess with it).

But it is your game, use it or ignore it. You will probably find people who can argue the situation for hours here, but why?

Good luck.

 

[smootrk]

He is afflicted, as the disease occurred before xp was alloted. His new +2 level adjustment means that you likely did not actually level up and you would not gain another level until much later (don't forget he gets an additional 1 HD in addition to the +2 level adjustment for a total ECL of 5 - pal2, wererat hd1, +2LA.

Your next level would be at the equivalent xp of a 6th level character.

But, the abilities gained are great. How the DM handles the Alignment problems can make for good play.

 

[Trellian]

It is indeed an interesting conundrum, and a situation you don't see very often. I guess I would have wanted the PHB paragraph to say whether any current conflictions were removed or not, but I guess they couldn't think of everything. I got an idea for an adventure where the characters were investigating some slayings, and found out that the paladin had done it... would be kinda interesting. I just know the player will object due to Divine Health, so I wanted to find out how to interpret the rule. In any case, I would like to level him to 3rd so as not to alert him just yet. I won't take away from him the paladin abilities or give him the wererat special qualities before he finds out either.

 

[smootrk]

That does sound like an interesting plot line to follow. Given the circumstances you want to have the characters go through, I would agree to level the character up, and not apply any of the bonuses or penalties (LA) until he finds out his nature.

You can deal with the immunity issue by simply saying that the disease was acquired before level 3, and assure him that his disease was not merely DM's Fiat... that it was acquired fairly, and you merely adapted and included the event into your campaign.

As a side note, I reviewed the info on were-rats, and they are +1LA, and +1HD... correcting myself.

 

[Trellian]

As a side note, I reviewed the info on were-rats, and they are +1LA, and +1HD... correcting myself.

Are you sure? All lycanthropes are +3 ECL as far as I can see... with the extra hit die, this 3rd level paladin is the equivalent of a 7th level character, right?

 

[smootrk]

I got my info from Races of Faerun book, which has a section on the different types.

Acquired Disease is +1 LA, then factor in the HD for the various types.
Natural Lycanthrope is +2, then factor in the HD for the various types.

Therefore 3rd level Paladin Wererat (inflicted) ECL 5 - 3level of Paladin, 1HD (d8 wererat), +1LA (inflicted). Next level would be at the xp equivalent of a 6th level character.

Races of Faerun has the most comprehensive (that I have come across) info on Lycanthropes, listing out the additional BAB, Feats, Saves and such for the additional HD gained, and other info. Also as a WOTC book, it is somewhat official (as official as a FR book can be anyway).

 

[Trellian]

Ah, I didn't think about Races of Faerun... all my info came from the Monstrous manual.. I'll check it up. Thanks.

 

[winterwolf]

In a case like this, you should do whatever you think would work best for your campaign...if you think that it would be neat to have several people murdered by a wererat, and have that wererat turn out to be the paladin, then by all means do so. There are several spells that cure lycanthropy, so it's not like the curse would be permanent...and some players would love a chance to play a paladin that is seeking redemption for killing numerous people while cursed. The DMG states that you can make rulings like that...you are the final arbitrator (says so on page 9 in the 3.0...don't have 3.5 yet).
If, on the other hand, you think the paladin would hate to play that through...don't force him to.
I would strongly suggest against forcing the paladin to lose levels to an ELA from lycanthropy...the first time he voluntarily shifts into a wererat, he becomes chaotic evil and therefore loses most of his paladin abilities. And if you don't change shape voluntarily, you have no control over your actions and therefore aren't really gaining anything from the template.
I would say the same thing goes for any other classes, except that they should gain the ELA if they don't attempt to cure the disease, or they voluntarily change forms.

 

[Land Outcast]

Had someething similar happen (CG lycanthrope hunter, elven ranger werefolfisizedp )).
We ruled: If the PC is trying to get rid of the ilness as soon as possible (according with any personal rolplay (Ex: wouldn't kill innocents to get it off)) the LA dosn't count towards the XP awards.
BTW: IIRC, you don't adquire an alignment for something you had no control over.