Greyback Rogue (v1.4)

A were-creature 5e subclass & guide by XYAgain

W erewolves and other lycanthropes have been feared and despised by many groups over the centuries. The possibility of one succumbing to their primal urges and hurting a community member is notoriously quite high, so those cursed with lycanthropy are often forced to live on the margins of society – sometimes in close-knit packs for safety – or alone far out in the wilderness. Will you tame the beast within, or give in to the urge to rip, tear, eat, & repeat?

Saving Throws

Some features of this subclass require your target to make a saving throw to resist their effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Greyback save DC = 8 + PB + your CON modifier

Preternatural Predator (3rd)

The curse you carry has begun altering your body and mind, shaping you into a terrifying and deadly apex predator. You gain the following features:

Tapetum Lucidum. You gain 90 feet of Darkvision. If you already have it, its range increases by 30 feet. Your eyes eerily reflect light in the gloom.
Beastly Hide. You can use your Strength or Constitution modifier (your choice) instead of Dexterity when calculating your AC. You have Vulnerability to attacks with silvered weapons, and take 1d6 Acid damage at the start of your turn and cannot regain Hit Points if you are touching silver.
Persistence Hunter. Your Speed increases by 5 feet, and you gain a Climb Speed equal to it. You must have at least one free hand to climb, and your claws may leave visible gouge marks on surfaces you ascend.
Enhanced Form. You can select one additional Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom-based skill in which you are proficient to benefit from your 1st-level Expertise feature.
Wild Regeneration. When you use your Cunning Action, you can spend 1–3 Hit Dice and regain Hit Points equal to the roll + your Constitution modifier once per die.

Rending Claws (3rd)

Your nails lengthen and sharpen into claws, which you can use to make Unarmed Strikes. On a hit, your claws deal Slashing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier. Your claws are considered a natural weapon with the Finesse property and Graze Mastery (you can use this property, and it doesn't count against your known Weapon Masteries).

Blood Frenzy. You don’t need Advantage on the attack roll to use your Sneak Attack against a creature if it is below half its Hit Point maximum and you don’t have Disadvantage on the attack roll. You can also use any other natural weapons you have. All the other rules for Sneak Attack still apply to you.

Rip and Tear. Once per turn when you take the Attack action and attack with your claws, you can make one additional claw attack as part of that action. You can make this extra attack a number of times equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier, regaining all uses after a Short or Long Rest.

Greyback Transformation (9th)

You can unleash the primal fury of your curse in short but deadly bursts. As an Action, you can Transform into a monstrous hybrid form with shaggy fur & snarling teeth. The Transformation lasts for a number of minutes equal to 1 + your Proficiency Bonus, or until you choose to end it early as a Bonus Action. Once you use your Greyback Transformation, you can't do so again until you finish a Short or Long Rest.

The Beast Within. While Transformed, your claws deal 1d8 Slashing damage instead of 1d6, your Speed increases by 15 feet, and you have Advantage on Wisdom (Perception, Insight, & Survival) checks made to locate or track creatures.

No Spellcasting. You can’t cast spells, but Transforming doesn’t break your Concentration on a spell or otherwise interfere with a spell you’ve already cast.

The Aftermath. At the end of each Transformation when you revert to your normal form, you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your own Greyback save DC. On a failure, you still revert, but you gain 1 level of Exhaustion. If your species is Shifter, you always have Advantage on this saving throw.

Terrible Claws. Your claws and all other natural weapons you may have now count as magical, and you gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls you make with them. This bonus increases to +2 at 13th level, and +3 at 17th level.

Savage Takedown (13th)

If you hit a Huge or smaller creature with two claw attacks in the same turn, you can force it to make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, it gains the Prone condition and its Speed is reduced to 0 until the beginning of its next turn.

Go For The Throat. When a creature is Prone and you are Transformed, you can use the Bonus Action granted by your Cunning Action to make a melee attack against it. On a hit, roll the damage twice and keep the higher total, then gain Hit Points equal to your Rogue level + your Constitution modifier.

Hunter of Hunters (17th)

Your bestial nature cannot be contained, and your mighty claws can tear your enemies asunder. You become immune to the Charmed and Frightened conditions, and you have Advantage on saving throws against all spells and effects that would impose a condition or alter your form (such as Hold Person or Polymorph).

The Red Mist. While you are Transformed, your claw attacks now deal 2d8 damage. Additionally, once per turn when a melee attack you make against a creature reduces it to a number of Hit Points equal to or lower than your Rogue level, you can use your Reaction to instantly reduce the target to 0 Hit Points, then move up to your Speed toward another hostile creature without provoking Opportunity Attacks.

Handling Player Lycanthropy

Although it may be daunting for a Dungeon Master to deal with a player who wants to play a werewolf or other lycanthrope, it can be a fun and highly personalized narrative tool in a PC's journey, and can be done without compromising the game's (alleged) balance. It's important to consider the ramifications of & attitude towards lycanthropy in your world (if it differs from Faerûn) as well as the boundaries & preferences of the player, the party, and the DM. This document is by no means definitive, but it contains playtested starting points for a table that wishes to introduce and manage lycanthropy as an ongoing story element.

The Curse

By default in D&D 5e, lycanthropy is a curse transmissible by being wounded by a lycanthrope (usually bitten), or if one or both of a creature's parents are lycanthropes. A simple casting of the Remove Curse spell is considered enough to "cure" an afflicted person, but a natural born one can only be "cured" by a Wish spell or similar magic. They also can choose to resist or embrace the curse, transforming only on a full moon or at will once mastered, respectively. The werewolf^5e stat block says: "Most lycanthropes that embrace their bestial natures succumb to bloodlust, becoming evil, opportunistic creatures that prey on the weak."

problem: THIS IS VERY BORING!

Embracing or removing the curse should be a personal journey, determining the future of the character through thoughtful play, not by simply diminishing them to an evil monster to be slain. There are many aspects of the were-thing power fantasy. Explore the fun & risks of losing control, the promise of power from a dark god of the hunt, the potential to foster love, form a pack, and be truly good despite your primal compulsions... and maybe get your ears scratched a little bit.

The Moon and You

Given the pacing and setting variety of modern D&D, it can be difficult to track the lunar cycle. Work with your DM to figure out when you should prepare for a full moon, and determine what will happen when it comes – likely an involuntary transformation & possible loss of control. A "good" night with a full moon could look like this for you (scale DCs per Greyback):

WIS/CON saving throw at nightfall to delay the initial transformation until you can get somewhere safe.
WIS/INT save during/after the change to retain mental faculties. Allow friends (even paladins) to help if they can.
CHA/WIS save partway through the night to resist the urge to howl & rampage, possibly drawing unwanted attention.
CON save in the morning to determine how many levels of Exhaustion you must endure (1–3 levels on sliding DC).

Your character may request to be restrained or locked away to prevent unwanted damage to innocents & property. Also, instead of simply negating your affliction, the Remove Curse spell could be used to suppress the transformation for a while (recommend 1–8 hours). If your character should fail the initial saving throws and run wild for the night, you may be at the mercy of your DM. DM Reminder: Removing player agency is one of the worst feelings in any TTRPG. Restore control ASAP!

Transferring the Curse

Sharp-eyed readers will have noticed that the Greyback subclass does not include any mechanics for spreading the curse. This is intentional. Most commonly, the curse is spread through bites alone, though sometimes being clawed by a lycanthrope is enough to infect someone – since the Greyback doesn't get a bite attack, that mechanic was omitted. The werewolf^5e stat block's bite attack specifies:

"If the target is a Humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with werewolf lycanthropy."

Cursed Claws. To incorporate a spreadable version of lycanthropy for a Greyback, simply give any Humanoid creatures that survive a melee battle with the Greyback a Constitution saving throw against the player's Greyback save DC at the end of the encounter. On a failure, they are cursed.

Cursed Bite. If the player character is a Longtooth Shifter, Dhampir, or other species with an innate bite attack, you can limit the curse's transmission to that attack, and allow the same Constitution saving throw against the Greyback save DC.

Outright killing an opponent with a bite or claw attack will not pass on the curse under most circumstances, but leaving a bitten opponent alive can quickly become a massive liability. If the creature is cursed, simply replace the NPC's stat block with the werewolf^5e/matching lycanthrope, werewolf ravager^LoE, or loup garou^VRGR stats depending on their CR & importance.

Embracing or Overcoming

This is by far the most subjective part of this "guide". Each player character will have their own journey, and may decide over the course of a campaign how they want to deal with their lycanthropy. Your character's alignment might change along the way, or at least their personality. Roleplay these changes and determine what path best suits your character.

Embracing. This could look like your character spending time reflecting on their own existence, choices, and actions. Perhaps they use their gifts sparingly, and always abide by a strict no-biting code, or maybe they simply feel most at home running wild through the forest. Freedom means choosing.

Overcoming. At higher levels, players may have access to spells like True Resurrection and Wish that specifically state that they are able to lift
curses or create a new,
healthy body for those
who have lost their
original one. These
can be cast by the
players or upon them
by a powerful entity
such as a god, greater
Celestial, Fey, or a skilled
cleric. Upon removal,
allow the player to
change subclasses
or even retire
their character.

Were-Synergy & Roleplaying the Inner Beast

The Greyback subclass is but one tool in a D&D player's arsenal to achieve that delicious, blood-splattered monster vibe that so many of us crave. A quick search displays hundreds of homebrews for 5e were-stuff. To prevent DM headaches, it's good to keep random homebrew you found (like this subclass) to a minimum and focus on reflavoring official or semi-official content. Anything listed on this page can be found on D&D Beyond (Legacy/2024 5e) & includes partnered content (Critical Role, Drakkenheim, Humblewood, Grim Hollow, MCDM, etc.)

Scary Species

SHIFTER: This is the most obvious choice to pair with lycanthropy of any kind. Wildhunt or Longtooth both work well for werewolves, but the others each have their own merits. It is also the only one that gets an explicit benefit from Greyback (Advantage on Transformation WIS saves).
TABAXI/LEONIN: Obviously may require reflavoring, but their speed, proficiencies, and roaring all mesh very well.
ORC/HALF-ORC: Relentless, brutal, extremely strong. Probably prone to biting. Don't ask what the other half is.
BUGBEAR: Literally all of their features make a Greyback even deadlier than usual. Sneaky is particularly scary.
SHADAR-KAI: Teleportation with damage resistance, free Perception proficiency, and Trance all make a real monster.

Classes & Subclasses

There are many good options, but consider your spellcasting limitations and action economy. Become the monster of your dreams! Multiclassing Greyback with any of these is sure to be a bloody good time. Bold options are my personal top picks.

ARTIFICER: Armorer, Artillerist
BARBARIAN: Beast, Berserker, Carrion Raven, Giant, Juggernaut, Totem Warrior, Shadow Gnawer, Zealot
BARD: Swords, Valor, Requiems, Shadows, Tragedy
BLOOD HUNTER: Lycan (shocker)
CLERIC: Grave, Nature, Order, Twilight, Blood, Inquisition, Keeper, Moon, Night, Shadow
DRUID: Land (any), Moon, Shepherd, Shadows, Blighted
FIGHTER: Battle Master, Purple Dragon Knight, Rune Knight, Blade Breaker, Echo Knight, Scofflaw
MONK: Shadow, Drunken Master, Open Hand
PALADIN: Conquest, Glory, Redemption, Ancients, Vengeance, Oathbreaker, Zeal
RANGER: Beast Master, Gloom Stalker, Hunter
SORCERER: Lunar, Shadow, Wild Magic, Light Weaver
WARLOCK: Archfey, Undead, Mother of Sorrows
WIZARD: Bladesinging, War, Blood, Shadow

Feat Suggestions

Alert, Athlete, Charger, Cruel, Durable, Fey-Touched, Fighting Initiate, Grappler, Keen Mind, Mage Slayer, Magic Initiate, Mobile/Speedy, Observant, Perfect Landing, Remarkable Recovery, Resilient (WIS/CON), Savage Attacker, Sentinel, Shadow-Touched, Skulker, Slasher, Squat Nimbleness, Tavern Brawler, Tough, War Caster, Woodwise

Strange New Feelings

Being a werewolf or other lycanthrope is not simply a cosmetic change. It influences your senses, your thinking, your behavior, your threat responses – practically every aspect of your physical and mental being is eventually touched by the curse.

If your character is bitten or otherwise becomes a lycanthrope during play, it can be fun to pepper in behavioral quirks and new sensations appropriate to your changing form:

d8	New Experiences
1	Sensory Sharpening. Your ears twitch at the slightest sounds, some colors are more vibrant, and night feels right.
2	Yucky Cravings. Raw red meat taunts you, veggies seem bland, and a dreadful gnawing hunger lingers at all times.
3	Restless Spirit. Moonlit walks become common, and you stay up later and later each night. The quiet forest beckons.
4	Glimpses of the Beast. A low growl escapes during a heated argument and you bare your teeth, eyes flashing yellow.
5	Animal Allegiances. Horses whinny in your presence, stray dogs follow and obey you, cats hiss and arch their backs.
6	Wild Passions. You can't pass up swimming in a nice cool lake, a big campfire every night, or indulging in your lover(s).
7	Pack Loyalty. Your allies are basically your family; you readily offer support, and loudly celebrate others' victories.
8	Stinging Silver. Other metals are much prettier – that one hurts – and you simply cannot make change for a gold piece.

If your character begins their journey already cursed, some of those behaviors might be baked in – go learn more! Watch a nature documentary, play too many hours of WolfQuest, or consider volunteering at a local wildlife sanctuary!

Emotional Baggage (Shredded)

The horrific experience of being chased, hunted, bitten, and somehow surviving can be a tough burden to bear. It can take many years to overcome trauma of any kind, so be mindful of how you approach and play your character's trauma (or lack thereof). New and changing emotions could come out in the form of sudden aggression, or saved for quiet moments alone.

It may be helpful to come up with a short list of emotional triggers for your character that you're comfortable letting your DM sprinkle into the narrative. Seeing, hearing, or smelling certain things linked to your backstory could set off your fight-or-flight responses or even cause momentary loss of control.

Unexpected Turmoil

It would be reasonable for the DM to ask for a Wisdom or Charisma saving throw against your Greyback save DC for a surprise shift/flare-up/wolf-out, but it shouldn't consume a limited-use charge, and you should have another chance to get it/keep it together within 1 minute. If you succeed on the save, you might roleplay struggling to maintain your composure, sweating intensely, letting out some nervous laughter, or pouring yourself another ale. With your Constitution, you know you can handle it.

Were-Stuff

A small collection of homebrew feats & spells meant to extend & expand the were-creature fantasy. If you ask politely, your DM may allow you to take these feats at the usual times for such things. If you're granted a free feat on character creation, try to stick to official sources and the previous synergy list. The spells below can be learned by any lycanthropic player character capable of spellcasting, regardless of class, and are valid choices for any version of the Magic Initiate feat.

Spells

Grim Snarl

Enchantment cantrip

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous

You snarl menacingly at one creature within range that can hear you, letting it know that it cannot escape even if it tries to run. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it takes 1d6 Psychic damage and subtracts the same amount from the next Strength or Dexterity D20 Test it makes before the end of your next turn. On a success, its Speed increases by 5 feet until the end of its next turn.

You can cast this spell even while under the effects of spells or class features that normally disallow spellcasting (such as Polymorph, Wild Shape, or Rage), though it is still negated by an Antimagic Field. The sound produced is appropriate to your form, and is audible to every creature within range.

Cantrip Upgrade. The damage and penalty both increase by 1d6 when you reach levels 5 (2d6), 11 (3d6), and 17 (4d6).

Scything Jaws

1st-level Transmutation

Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Your teeth elongate into vicious fangs, which count as a natural weapon with which you are proficient. When you cast the spell and again as a Bonus Action on your turn while the spell is active, you can make a melee spell attack against a target within 5 feet of you.

On a hit, a creature takes 1d8 Piercing or Slashing damage (your choice) and cannot take the Dash action until after the end of its next turn. If the target is an object, it instead takes 10 damage and its damage threshold (if it has one) is reduced by 5 until repaired.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The creature damage increases by 1d8, the object damage by 10, and the threshold reduction by 5 for each slot level above 1st.

♥ ~ credit ~ ♥

_{2nd/4th-pg. wolves by VolgaIsGlitching; art used with permission.
The Greyback is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC}

Feats

Hunting Partner

Prerequisite: Level 4+, Wisdom 13+, Shifter species or cursed with lycanthropy

Other lupine creatures recognize your prowess and ferocity, and you begin to understand their intentions. You have Advantage on all Charisma and Wisdom ability checks you make when interacting with dogs, wolves, werewolves, and similar creatures.

Spirit of the Pack. You can use a Magic Action to call support from the forests beyond life. You cast the Summon Beast spell at a level equal to your Proficiency Bonus without Material components or Concentration, using Wisdom as your spellcasting ability.

The summoned creature is Medium instead of Small, and is always in the form of a wolf or similar creature regardless of the environmental choice. You can't cast this spell this way again until after a Long Rest.

Moonblood

Prerequisite: Level 8+, cursed with lycanthropy

You have begun to accept the beast within, and the pale light of the moon bolsters you and your pack. You gain the following benefits:

Ability Score Increase. Increase one ability score of your choice by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Lunar Protection. At night or any time you are in moonlight, Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage that you take from nonmagical, nonsilvered sources is reduced by an amount equal to your Constitution modifier.
Howl. As a Bonus Action, you let out a bloodcurdling howl, affecting all creatures within 30 feet that can hear you (though the howl is audible out to 300 feet). You can howl 2 times, regaining both uses after a Short or Long Rest. Each time you howl, choose one of the following effects:
- Rile Up. Each allied creature within range can use their Reaction to move up to half their Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks. All affected creatures gain a bonus to their next attack and damage rolls equal to the number of allies within range of your howl (including you).
- Rally. Each allied creature within range gains Temporary Hit Points equal to your Proficiency Bonus + your WIS or CHA modifier (whichever is higher). These Temporary Hit Points last for 10 minutes.
- Bloodcall. Each hostile creature within range must succeed a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + PB + CON) or be Frightened of you until the end of your next turn. While affected, creatures cannot be Invisible.

Ambush Predator