Aetol
2015-09-15, 10:34 AM
Werewolves are cool. Everybody wants to play a werewolf. Good news : there are rules in the Monster Manual for lycanthrope PCs. Bad news : they are woefully overpowered and drama-free. No sane DM would let you play a 1st-level werewolf following these rules, and it wouldn't make for an interesting character anyway.
I'm here to change that. Since werewolves are awesome, and awesomeness in D&D is directly tied to level, it follows that all these lycanthropic goodies must be unlocked with hard-earned levels. In other words, werewolf PCs should be a prestige class. Follow my instructions, and you too can rise from victim of a terrible curse to badass killing machine in four easy levels.
Over the course of 4 levels, the character must gain the following features :
Transformation at will between humanoid, hybrid, and wolf forms
Immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that aren't silvered.
Keen Hearing and Smell
Bite weapon (hybrid and wolf form) : 1d8 piercing, spreads lycanthropy (DC 8 + PB + CON)
Claws weapon (hybrid form) : 2d4 piercing
Multiattack
At-will shapeshifting is too powerful in the early levels and does not match the traditional werewolf mythos. The novice werewolf will have to pass a Wisdom check to transform at all. In addition, he will suffer involuntary transformations (Wisdom saves) when the sun sets. The full moon will also play a role by changing the DCs.
Likewise, flat-out immunity to physical damage, even with exceptions, is way too powerful in early levels. It will be resistance instead.
Keen Hearing and Smell is fine for a low-level character.
The natural weapons, will have their damage dice reduced in the first levels. The DC to avoid being infected by the bite will also be smaller at first.
The Multiattack action is too powerful in the early levels. However, this feature will be given at some point, in compensation for the delay in the obtention of the Extra Attack feature from the main class.
By taking all four levels of this prestige class, the character will miss one ASI from his main class. To compensate, the prestige class must give one ASI.
Werewolf Features
Curse
Involuntary Shapeshifting, Werewolf Form : Wolf
Level 1
Controlled Shapeshifting, Keen Senses, Werewolf Form : Hybrid
Level 2
Lycanthropic Resilience, Savage Attack
Level 3
Ability Score Increase, Improved Natural Weapons
Level 4
Master Lycanthrope
Involuntary Shapeshifting
You gain the "shapechanger" subtype.
Your statistics, other than your AC, are the same in each form. You revert to your true form if you are reduced to 0 HP.
When the sun sets, you must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. If you fail, you transform into your wolf form. You revert back to your true form at the next dawn, or when you are reduced to 0 HP. Until then, the DM controls your actions.
The full moon lasts for 3 days every 28 days. During this period, the DC to resist an involuntary transformation is 25.
If you are in any werewolf form when the sun sets and you fail your saving throw, you keep your current form but you still lose control of your actions.
Werewolf form : Wolf
You assume the shape of a wolf. Your size is medium.
You cannot speak in this form. You cannot carry or use equipment. Any equipment you were wearing or carrying are left behind when you transform.
Your speed is 40 ft.
You have a +1 natural armor bonus to AC.
Your natural weapon uses your Strength modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You are proficient with your natural weapon.
Natural weapon (Bite) : reach 5 ft., one target. Hit : 1d6 piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be cursed with werewolf lycanthropy. The DC is 4 + proficiency bonus + Constitution modifier.
Controlled Shapeshifting
You can use your action to attempt to transform. Make a Wisdom check. If you succeed, you can transform into any werewolf form or revert back to your true form. If you fail, you must wait one hour before you can try again.
The DC to assume a werewolf form is 15, and the DC to assume your true form or resist an involuntary transformation is 10.
During the full moon (even if it's day) the DC to assume a werewolf form is 10, and the DC to assume your true form or resist an involuntary transformation is 15.
Werewolf Form : Hybrid
You assume the shape of a monstrous wolf-humanoid hybrid. Your size is medium.
You can wear, carry or use equipment in this form.
You have a +1 natural armor bonus to AC.
Your natural weapons use your Strength modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You are proficient with your natural weapons.
Natural weapon (Bite) : same as in wolf form.
Natural weapon (Claws) : reach 5 ft., one target. Hit : 1d8 slashing damage.
Keen Senses
You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Lycanthropic Resilience
You are resistant to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that aren't silvered.
Savage Attack
While in hybrid form, you can use your action to make two melee attacks : one with your bite and one with your claws or a melee weapon.
Improved Natural Weapons
Your Claws attack now deals 2d4 damage.
Your Bite attack now deals 1d8 damage.
The DC to resist the curse of lycanthropy from your Bite attack is now 8 + proficiency bonus + Constitution modifier.
Master Lycanthrope
Your transformation attempts automatically succeed.
You no longer suffer involuntary transformations and loss of control.
You are immune to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that aren't silvered.
Natural werewolf
Prerequisite : 15 Strength at character creation
You gain the Curse features in addition of your first class level. The lycanthropy is part of you and cannot be removed by anything less than a Wish spell. Later, when you gain a level, you may choose to take a Werewolf level (up to 4) instead of a regular class level.
Infected Werewolf
Prerequisite : being bitten by a werewolf and failing the saving throw
The DM decides when the next full moon will happen. Until then, the curse can be removed by a Remove Curse spell. When the full moon arrives, you gain the Curse features. You cannot resist your very first transformation. Afterward, a Greater Restoration spell is necessary to remove the curse. Later, when you gain a level, you may choose to take a Werewolf level (up to 4) instead of a regular class level. Once you do so, only a Wish spell can remove the curse from you.
I'm here to change that. Since werewolves are awesome, and awesomeness in D&D is directly tied to level, it follows that all these lycanthropic goodies must be unlocked with hard-earned levels. In other words, werewolf PCs should be a prestige class. Follow my instructions, and you too can rise from victim of a terrible curse to badass killing machine in four easy levels.
Over the course of 4 levels, the character must gain the following features :
Transformation at will between humanoid, hybrid, and wolf forms
Immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that aren't silvered.
Keen Hearing and Smell
Bite weapon (hybrid and wolf form) : 1d8 piercing, spreads lycanthropy (DC 8 + PB + CON)
Claws weapon (hybrid form) : 2d4 piercing
Multiattack
At-will shapeshifting is too powerful in the early levels and does not match the traditional werewolf mythos. The novice werewolf will have to pass a Wisdom check to transform at all. In addition, he will suffer involuntary transformations (Wisdom saves) when the sun sets. The full moon will also play a role by changing the DCs.
Likewise, flat-out immunity to physical damage, even with exceptions, is way too powerful in early levels. It will be resistance instead.
Keen Hearing and Smell is fine for a low-level character.
The natural weapons, will have their damage dice reduced in the first levels. The DC to avoid being infected by the bite will also be smaller at first.
The Multiattack action is too powerful in the early levels. However, this feature will be given at some point, in compensation for the delay in the obtention of the Extra Attack feature from the main class.
By taking all four levels of this prestige class, the character will miss one ASI from his main class. To compensate, the prestige class must give one ASI.
Werewolf Features
Curse
Involuntary Shapeshifting, Werewolf Form : Wolf
Level 1
Controlled Shapeshifting, Keen Senses, Werewolf Form : Hybrid
Level 2
Lycanthropic Resilience, Savage Attack
Level 3
Ability Score Increase, Improved Natural Weapons
Level 4
Master Lycanthrope
Involuntary Shapeshifting
You gain the "shapechanger" subtype.
Your statistics, other than your AC, are the same in each form. You revert to your true form if you are reduced to 0 HP.
When the sun sets, you must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. If you fail, you transform into your wolf form. You revert back to your true form at the next dawn, or when you are reduced to 0 HP. Until then, the DM controls your actions.
The full moon lasts for 3 days every 28 days. During this period, the DC to resist an involuntary transformation is 25.
If you are in any werewolf form when the sun sets and you fail your saving throw, you keep your current form but you still lose control of your actions.
Werewolf form : Wolf
You assume the shape of a wolf. Your size is medium.
You cannot speak in this form. You cannot carry or use equipment. Any equipment you were wearing or carrying are left behind when you transform.
Your speed is 40 ft.
You have a +1 natural armor bonus to AC.
Your natural weapon uses your Strength modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You are proficient with your natural weapon.
Natural weapon (Bite) : reach 5 ft., one target. Hit : 1d6 piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be cursed with werewolf lycanthropy. The DC is 4 + proficiency bonus + Constitution modifier.
Controlled Shapeshifting
You can use your action to attempt to transform. Make a Wisdom check. If you succeed, you can transform into any werewolf form or revert back to your true form. If you fail, you must wait one hour before you can try again.
The DC to assume a werewolf form is 15, and the DC to assume your true form or resist an involuntary transformation is 10.
During the full moon (even if it's day) the DC to assume a werewolf form is 10, and the DC to assume your true form or resist an involuntary transformation is 15.
Werewolf Form : Hybrid
You assume the shape of a monstrous wolf-humanoid hybrid. Your size is medium.
You can wear, carry or use equipment in this form.
You have a +1 natural armor bonus to AC.
Your natural weapons use your Strength modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You are proficient with your natural weapons.
Natural weapon (Bite) : same as in wolf form.
Natural weapon (Claws) : reach 5 ft., one target. Hit : 1d8 slashing damage.
Keen Senses
You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Lycanthropic Resilience
You are resistant to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that aren't silvered.
Savage Attack
While in hybrid form, you can use your action to make two melee attacks : one with your bite and one with your claws or a melee weapon.
Improved Natural Weapons
Your Claws attack now deals 2d4 damage.
Your Bite attack now deals 1d8 damage.
The DC to resist the curse of lycanthropy from your Bite attack is now 8 + proficiency bonus + Constitution modifier.
Master Lycanthrope
Your transformation attempts automatically succeed.
You no longer suffer involuntary transformations and loss of control.
You are immune to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that aren't silvered.
Natural werewolf
Prerequisite : 15 Strength at character creation
You gain the Curse features in addition of your first class level. The lycanthropy is part of you and cannot be removed by anything less than a Wish spell. Later, when you gain a level, you may choose to take a Werewolf level (up to 4) instead of a regular class level.
Infected Werewolf
Prerequisite : being bitten by a werewolf and failing the saving throw
The DM decides when the next full moon will happen. Until then, the curse can be removed by a Remove Curse spell. When the full moon arrives, you gain the Curse features. You cannot resist your very first transformation. Afterward, a Greater Restoration spell is necessary to remove the curse. Later, when you gain a level, you may choose to take a Werewolf level (up to 4) instead of a regular class level. Once you do so, only a Wish spell can remove the curse from you.