Lycanthrope
A howling cry is heard across the thatched rooftops. Below, a man tears at his clothes as moonlight shines down on him. The hunched figure screams in pain as muscles burst through his skin exposing fur beneath. Razor-sharp claws pierce from his fingertips. His transformation is underway.
Rain pours through the forest canopy as a villager falls to her knees in exhaustion. Unable to run further, she turns in desperate terror whilst clutching her quivering dagger. A hulking bear-like figure tears through the undergrowth with a thunderous roar. The monster then pauses to gaze at the villager and grunts, “Are you lost?” offering a paw in aid.
Lycanthropes may appear to be ordinary commoners, but behind the veneer of humanity there is a pivotal struggle between mortal and beast. For most, it is a matter of time before they lose this fight and transform into a monstrous hybrid, half-animal and half-humanoid. Most lycanthropes recall very little of their time transformed, often waking in a strange location, covered in blood and tattered clothes. However, as some lycanthropes grow, they learn to balance both natures, using their curse as a gift.
Becoming a Lycanthrope
There are few known methods of contracting the lycanthropic curse. The most common is being bitten by a lycanthrope and not curing the curse before it takes hold. Other means of gaining lycanthropy are possible. The curse of a powerful being, a side effect of a powerful artifact, or eating the raw flesh of a lycanthropic creature: all of these are potential triggers for the Lycanthrope Transformation. Once you have become a lycanthrope, consider how your character feels about the curse. Do they wish to cure it before it progresses too far? Do they wish to understand it and make peace with the beast that resides within?
This system mainly uses the Transformations from Grim Hollow but incorporates aspects of Pointy Hat's werewolves.
Lycanthropy Stages
At each stage of this Transformation, follow the instructions provided for that stage.
Achieving a New Stage
To move from one stage to the next higher one in this Transformation, an event or some other notable occurrence tied to the story of the character should take place. The following events are suggestions for ones that might trigger a move to the next stage of the Transformation:
Making a further bargain with the creature who gifted you with Lycanthropy originally.
Killing a powerful creature under the light of a full moon in your hybrid form.
Eating the heart of an allied or innocent creature under the light of a full moon in your hybrid form
Lycanthropy Stage 1
When you initially contract lycanthropy, you select one appropriate Stage 1 Boon, and also gain the Stage 1 Flaw
Stage 1 Boon: Hybrid Wolf Form
As a Bonus Action, you may voluntarily transform into a hybrid half-wolf creature. While in your hybrid form, the following rules apply:
Your ability to speak is reduced to short, basic, guttural responses.
Your ability scores remain the same as your humanoid scores, except that your Strength or Dexterity score (your choice) increases by 3. Both your Strength and Dexterity become 15 if they are not already higher.
Your Speed increases by 10 feet, and you can use the Dash action as a Bonus Action if you are not holding anything in your hands.
You have disadvantage on Constitution saving throws to maintain concentration on a spell.
While transformed, you can use weapons and equipment as normal, unless specified elsewhere.
You gain a Claw attack and a Bite attack. Each of these attacks deals 1d8 + Strength or Dexterity (your choice) modifier slashing damage. On a critical hit with a Bite attack, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your Curse DC or be cursed with lycanthropy.
If you made the Attack action, you may make a Claw attack or Bite attack as a Bonus Action.
Any equipment you wear or hold remains on you.
Your hybrid wolf form lasts 1 hour per stage of your Transformation, to a maximum of 4 hours. You immediately revert to your normal form if you die. If you entered your hybrid form voluntarily, you can revert to your normal form by using an Action on your turn. (Transformations Flaws listed below may override this rule).
You can use this feature a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded down), regaining all uses at the end of a long rest. You can attempt to use this feature more times. If you do so, you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your Curse DC or become Frenzied. If you become Frenzied in this way, you have disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws to end the Frenzied condition for the next 10 minutes.
Curse DC
Lycanthropy in this system is dependent on your Curse DC. This DC represents your struggle to take control of your mind during your transformation.
Your Curse DC changes depending on how you interact with your lycanthropy. Fighting against it will lower the DC, while giving into it and allowing yourself to transform will increase the DC:
Your Curse DC starts at 10.
When you willingly transform into your hybrid form, your Curse DC increases by 2.
When you unwillingly transform into your hybrid form, your Curse DC increases by 1.
When you successfully resist an unwilling transformation, your Curse DC decreases by 2.
When you lose control of your hybrid form when you become bloodied, your Curse DC increases by 1.
When you successfully control your hybrid form when you become bloodied, your Curse DC decreases by 1.
For each week without willingly transforming into your hybrid form, your Curse DC decreases by 1.
Your Curse DC cannot go lower than 8 or higher than 20 unless otherwise specified.
If your Curse DC reaches 20, you are permanently stuck in your hybrid form, even if you fall unconscious, and only a greater restoration or remove curse spell or dying can bring you back to your normal form. If you are are able to end your hybrid form in this way, your Curse DC is lowered by 3.
Stage 1 Flaw: Frenzy
The savage nature of your curse sometimes causes you to lose control. These ferocious tendencies are a constant struggle between you as a humanoid and the beast within.
When you become Bloodied you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your Curse DC or become Frenzied. On a success you become immune to this effect for the next 10 minutes. If you are in the light of a full moon, you automatically fail this saving throw.
While Frenzied, you are subjected to the following rules until you are able to end the hybrid form:
You immediately enter your hybrid form and go completely feral. You only retain vague memories of events while frenzied.
You gain temporary hit points equal to your level times your lycanthrope stage. You lose these temporary hit points if your frenzy ends.
You cannot concentrate on spells.
On the start of your turn while in hybrid form, you must move toward the closest creature you can see, smell, or hear, prioritising Bloodied creatures. If you end your movement and no creature is within 5 feet of you, you must use the Dash action to move toward the closest one.
If there is a creature within 5 feet of you and you have not used your action, you must use an Attack action using your Claw attack.
If you made a Claw attack against a creature, and that creature is still alive, you must use your Bonus Action to make a Bite attack against the same creature.
The DM can decide that you act in a different manner or flee when close to death.
You remain frenzied until one of the following criteria are met:
You are not bloodied. While not bloodied, you can make a Wisdom saving throw against your Curse DC at the start of each of your turns to end the frenzied condition
Remove Curse is cast on you and you succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your Curse DC at advantage
Greater Restoration is cast on you
1 hour passes
On the night of a full moon, when the moon first rises above the horizon, you must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Curse DC at disadvantage or become frenzied. On a fail, you remain frenzied and in your hybrid form until the moon sets and cannot make saving throws at the start of your turn to end the frenzy.
Lycanthrope Stage 2
When you reach Stage 2 of lycanthropy, you select one Stage 2 Boon, and also gain the Stage 2 Flaw. You also gain the Keen Nose feature.
Keen Smell
You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Stage 2 Boon: Hunter’s Howl
You learn the spell Hunter's Mark. While in your hybrid form you can unleash a howl and cast it without expending a spell slot. When cast in this way it does not require concentration. The spell lasts for as long as you remain in your hybrid form.
Stage 2 Boon: Iron Pelt
While in hybrid form, you have resistance to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage from non-silvered sources.
Stage 2 Boon: Kindred Form
You gain the ability to wild shape (see the Druid class) into the animal form representative of your Lycanthropy type, known as your kindred form:
Werebear = black bear
Wererat = giant rat
Werewolf = wolf
You can use this feature an unlimited amount of times. While in your kindred form, you cannot speak, but you can understand any language you know; you can however communicate with similar creatures as that of your form. All equipment you wear and carry falls off you. While in a kindred form, you retain your personality and memories, and the following rules apply:
Game Statistics. Your game statistics are replaced by the Beast's stat block, but you retain your creature type; Hit Points; Hit Point Dice; Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores; class features; languages; and feats. You also retain your skill and saving throw proficiencies and use your Proficiency Bonus for them, in addition to gaining the proficiencies of the creature. If a skill or saving throw modifier in the Beast's stat block is higher than yours, use the one in the stat block.
No Spellcasting. You can't cast spells, but shape-shifting doesn't break your Concentration or otherwise interfere with a spell you've already cast.
Your DM may decide that your kindred form uses the statblock of a different creature as you gain levels (such as going from the wolf to the dire wolf, or black bear to brown bear). This progression should follow that of the Druid wild shape beast shapes table.
Stage 2 Flaw: Silver Sensitivity
You have developed a debilitating sensitivity to silver. In any form, including your normal form, you have Vulnerability to Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage from silvered weapons. In addition, you cannot have Resistance or Immunity to damage inflicted by silvered weapons.
If you make direct contact with silver while in your humanoid form, you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your Curse DC or immediately enter a Frenzy.
Lycanthrope Stage 3
When you reach Stage 3 of lycanthropy, you select one appropriate Stage 3 Boon, and also gain the Stage 3 Flaw.
Stage 3 Boon: Bestial Vigour
Your Hit Point maximum increases by an amount equal to your character level, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a character level. Additionally, when in your hybrid form, you gain 5 temporary hit points at the start of each of your turns.
Stage 3 Boon: Shapeshifter’s Savagery
You have embraced the animalistic side of your transformation. While in your hybrid form, your Claw and Bite attacks do an additional 1d8 slashing damage.
Additionally, you are immune to the Charmed and Frightened conditions when you are in your hybrid form.
Stage 3 Flaw: Frayed Thoughts
You suffer the effects of sharing a mind with two personalities. Memories of less practical significance are lost to new ones of midnight hunts. You have disadvantage on Intelligence ability checks and saving throws.
Furthermore, when you are reach 0 hit points, you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your Curse DC. If you fail, you regain 1 hit point as well as temporary hit points equal to twice your level and you become frenzied. You can choose to fail this saving throw.
Lycanthrope Stage 4
When you reach Stage 4 of lycanthropy, you select the appropriate Stage 4 Boon, and also gain the Stage 4 Flaw.
Stage 4 Boon: Hybrid Form Affinity
You have reached true harmony with your hybrid form, achieving a state of peace most lycanthropes never find. You gain the following benefits while you are in your hybrid form voluntarily:
You can speak normally.
You can cast spells without needing to provide their verbal or somatic components. Additionally, you can cast spells without needing to provide material components, provided they do not have a gold cost.
You no longer have disadvantage on Constitution saving throws to maintain concentration on a spell.
Your Curse DC cannot be higher than 16.
Stage 4 Boon: Savage Instincts
You have developed an unrelenting thirst for bloodshed and carnage. Your Claw and Bite attacks do an additional 1d8 damage.
Stage 4 Flaw: Ultimate Predator
You have begun to realize the true cost of your transformation. The beast within has gained more control of your body than you have. While you can control it at times, you know it cannot be contained forever—and when it breaks free, it delights in any slaughter it can find.
You gain the following features:
If you can see, hear or smell a Bloodied or dead creature, you gain disadvantage on all Wisdom saving throws.
At the beginning of your turn, if you can see, hear or smell an Unconscious or dead creature, you must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Curse DC or become frenzied. On a success, you become immune to this effect until the end of your next Long Rest.
Whenever you kill a creature while in your Hybrid Form, you cannot transform back into your humanoid form until dawn the next day.