Lycanthropy

A humanoid creature can be

afflicted with the curse of lycanthropy

after being wounded by a lycanthrope, or

if one or both of its parents are lycanthropes.

A remove curse spell can rid an afflicted lycanthrope of the curse, but a natural born lycanthrope can be freed of the curse only with a wish.

A lycanthrope can either resist its curse or embrace it. By resisting the curse, a lycanthrope retains its normal alignment and personality while in humanoid form. Some individuals see little point in fighting the curse and accept what they are. With time and experience, they learn to master their shapechanging ability and can assume beast form or hybrid form at will. Most lycanthropes that embrace their bestial natures succumb to bloodlust, becoming evil, opportunistic creatures that prey on the weak.

Regardless of whether the lycanthrope accepts the curse or not, when the full moon rises the curse becomes too strong to resist and the individual transforms (unless it has consumed wolfbane seeds).

Living with the Curse

A character who becomes a lycanthrope retains his or her statistics except as specified by lycanthrope type. The character gains the lycanthrope's speeds in nonhumanoid form, damage immunities, traits, and actions that don't involve equipment.

The character is proficient with the lycanthrope's natural attacks, such as its bite or claws, which deal damage as shown in the lycanthrope's statistics. The character can't speak while in animal form.

A non-lycanthrope humanoid hit by an attack that carries the curse of lycanthropy must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + the lycanthrope's proficiency bonus + the lycanthrope's Constitution modifier) or be cursed.

Handling the curse takes more than simple words, it requires everything the individual has to offer. You have an Affliction level that starts at 10. Whenever you choose to transform willingly the first time in between long rests the level increases by 1 to a maximum of 20. If you do not transform willingly between long rests the level decreases by 1 to a minimum of 10.

Bloodthirsty Table Affliction Duration Attacks Perks Consequences 10 1 1 Might of the Beast Moon Cursed 11-13 1 2 Roaring Strength Heavy Burden 14-16 2 2 Beast Recklessness Tired Body 17-19 2 3 Beast Presence Cursed Rest 20 3 3 Alpha's Thirst Shattering Fatigue

Art Credit: Daarken

Whenever you take damage and lose hit

points make a Constitution saving throw. The DC is equal to your Affliction level. On a fail, you transform into your Hybrid form (if you aren't transformed already) and go Bloodthirsty (if you aren't already).

While going bloodthirsty you receive the specified perks and on your turn you perform a number of attacks as specified by the Bloodthirsty Table to the nearest creature to you, moving to attack the next nearest creature after you fell

your current target. The attack is chosen at random. When your bloodthirst ends you receive the specified consequences. If you have multiple possible targets, you attack one at random. Your bloodthirst last a number of rounds according to the table. It also ends early if you can't reach any creature in your turn or are knocked unconscious.

The Perks and Consequences stack so, for example, if you are at an Affliction of 12 you receive the Might of the Beast and Roaring Strength perks while going bloodthirsty and suffer the Moon Cursed and Heavy Burden consequence afterwards.

A Night's Rest

Though it doesn't cure the lycanthropy curse, wolfsbane is known to help reduce its effects and actually prevent the lycanthrope from transforming. The seeds can be consumed (DC 20 Constitution saving throw) to fully avoid transformations for the next 24 hours.