Lycanthropy in a Player Character
In the realm of Sanctuary, lycanthropy serves as a brutal curse unto all who fall under its terrifying sway. Each lycanthropic curse was set upon mortals by the Goddess Tara in far more antiquated times. Each curses history, however, found only in dusty old tomes or lost to time itself. The following is a supplement requiring the Madness System supplement in tandem. This supplement will allow player characters set in stone mechanics for when the hungry and dark curse of lycanthropy comes gnawing at the character's soul. Happy harrowing!
The Embrace of the Full Moon
In Sanctuary, the moon has always been associated with both the soul of a creature, and the mysteriousness of pure, duplicitous evil. On nights when the moon shows brightest, those effected by any kind of lycanthropy are transformed into the lycanthropic state upon midnight, and stay within this form till the suns shines it's light upon the creature.
Every other night, the character must roll a transformation check. Roll a percentile dice. If the number rolled is a 1, the character transforms. Whenever the character transforms, add another 1 point to the threshold of the transformation check. For example, if a character transforms into its lycanthropic state five times, it would have to roll a 6 or lower on the percentile die to transform every night other than a full moon.
Whenever a character's threshold reaches 60, it cannot control its lycanthropic form any longer. When the threshold reaches 80, the character's alignment shifts to the alignment stated in its lycanthropic form. When the threshold reaches 100, the character cannot change back into its human form, and cannot be cured of lycanthropy by any means short of a wish spell.
The Horror of the Beast
Giving into the gnawing sensation of the bestial form will prove troublesome to both body and brain, for both the lycanthrope, and its companions. Whenever the lycanthrope transforms into its lycanthropic state, all creatures within 30 feet of the lycanthrope that can see it must make a Wisdom saving throw, with a DC equal to 8 + the lycanthrope's Charisma modifier + the lycanthrope's proficiency bonus. On a failure, the creature gains two points of madness, or half as many points on a success.
Additionally, for every 10 minutes the lycanthrope remains in its lycanthropic form, it receives 2 points of madness. The lycanthrope can gain points of madness from this effect until the lycanthrope has a total of 10 madness points, at which point, it ceases to gain points of madness through this effect until the total amount of madness points goes below 10.
Forms of Lycanthropy
Many different forms of lycanthropy exist in the world. Each one a curse upon the soul of an individual, tainting it with burden. Depending on what matter a character gains this curse determines its lycanthropic form. As an action, a character can polymorph into its lycanthropic form.
While a character is polymorphed into its lycanthropic form, it has immunity to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage from non-magical weapons that aren't silvered or enhanced by holy means. Additionally, the polymorphed character gains benefits depending on which form it takes.
Each lycanthropic form gains access to a natural attack which can transfer the curse to others. When a lycanthrope successfully hits a humanoid with the cursed attack, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + the lycanthrope's Constitution modifier + the lycanthrope's proficiency bonus, or be cursed with the same curse as the lycanthrope.
The following are each of the lycanthropic forms. They list the name of the form, the form's shifted alignment, the cursed attack, and the benefits granted to the character whilst polymorphed into the lycanthropic form.
Muscanthropy (Wererat)
Shifted Alignment: Lawful Evil
Curse Attack: You gain a bite attack with which you are proficient. It is a melee attack that deals piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier.
- Your Intelligence score is 19 and your Dexterity score is 17.
- Darkvision 120 ft.
- Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell and Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
- You know the Infestation cantrip, and can cast it as a bonus action. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this cantrip.
Corvunthropy (Wereraven)
Shifted Alignment: Lawful Good
Curse Attack: You gain a beak attack with which you are proficient. It is a melee attack that deals piercing damage equal to 1d8 + your Strength modifier.
- Your Dexterity score is 19 and your Charisma score is 17.
- Flying speed of 50 ft.
- Attack rolls against you are at disadvantage while you are flying.
- You can mimic simple sounds you have heard. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check contested by your Charisma (Deception) check.
Lupanthropy (Werewolf)
Shifted Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Curse Attack: You gain a bite attack with which you are proficient. It is a melee attack that deals piercing damage equal to 1d10 + your Strength modifier.
- Your Strength score is 19 and your Dexterity score is 17.
- Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
- You are proficient with your claws, which are a melee weapon that deal slashing damage equal to 1d10 + your Strength modifier.
- If you successfully hit a creature with your claws, you may make a bite attack against that creature as a bonus action.
- Your movement speed is increased by 15 ft.
Aperanthropy (Wereboar)
Shifted Alignment: Neutral Evil
Curse Attack: You gain a tusk attack with which you are proficient. It is a melee attack that deals piercing damage equal to 2d6 + your Strength modifier.
- Your Constitution score is 19 and your Strength score is 17.
- If you move at least 15 feet straight toward a target and then hit it with your tusks on the same turn, the target takes an extra 2d6 slashing damage and is knocked prone.
- If damage would reduce you to 0 hit points, you are reduced to 1 hit point instead.
- You have advantage on Constitution saving throws.
Tigrinthropy (Weretiger)
Shifted Alignment: True Neutral
Curse Attack: You gain a bite attack with which you are proficient. It is a melee attack that deals piercing damage equal to 1d8 + your Strength modifier.
- Your Dexterity score is 19 and your Strength score is 17.
- If you move at least 15 feet straight toward a creature and then hit it with your claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a Strength saving throw, with a DC equal to 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus, or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, you can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
- You are proficient with your claws, which are a melee weapon that deal slashing damage equal to 1d8 + your Strength modifier.
- If you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Ursanthropy (Werebear)
Shifted Alignment: Neutral Good
Curse Attack: You gain a bite attack with which you are proficient. It is a melee attack that deals piercing damage equal to 2d10 + your Strength modifier.
- Your Strength and Constitution scores are 19.
- Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell
- Once per turn, whenever you score a critical hit on a melee attack roll, you add two extra die to the damage roll.