The Lycanthrope

A howling call is heard across thatched rooftops, summoning the pack to assemble. Below, a man tears at his clothes as moonlight shines down on him. The hunched figure screams in pain, begging his family to run. With muscles bursting and razor-sharp claws forming, his transformation is underway. Rain pours through the forest canopy as a woman falls to her knees in exhaustion. Unable to run further, she accepts her fate and awaits the monsters of the dark. Instead, she hears a thunderous roar as a hulking figure tears through the undergrowth with impossible strength. The hulking, bear-like figure then turns to the woman and grunts, "Are you lost?" offering a paw in aid. Lycanthropes may appear to be ordinary humanoids, but behind the veneer of humanity there is a pivotal struggle between beast and man. 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

In Etharis, there are two documented methods of contracting the Lycanthropic curse. The first is being bitten by a Lycanthrope and not curing the curse before it takes hold. The second is to complete a druidic ritual known as the Lunar Sacrament. 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?

Transformation Features

A Lycanthrope has the following transformation features:

Prerequisites

Ability Scores: Strength 13 Roleplay: You must have contracted the Curse of Lycanthropy. This usually comes from being bitten by a Lycanthrope and surviving the encounter. Alternatively, you may have completed the Lunar Sacrament and been imbued with Lycanthropy. Discuss with your GM how you can achieve this within your backstory or in-game. Some of your abilities require your target to make a saving throw to resist their effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: Transformation Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier

Level Milestones

The following are examples of possible level milestones for the Lycanthrope:

Establishing a pack of other Lycanthropes.
Killing an Alpha Lycanthrope.
Gaining control of your animalistic urges.
Unleashing the beast within and losing your humanity.

Transformation Level 1

Starting at 1st level, you gain all the following Transformation Boons and this level's Transformation Flaw.

Transformation Boon: Hybrid Transformation

As an action, you may transform into a monstrous hybrid: half-beast, half-sentient. While in your hybrid form, the following rules apply:

You can't cast spells or concentrate on spells. Your ability to speak is reduced to short, basic, guttural responses.
Your stats remain the same as your humanoid stats.
Any armour you are wearing merges into your Hybrid Form or immediately drops to the ground. The GM may decide if they feel the armour is too large to merge.
While transformed and not wearing any armour or using a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Constitution modifier + your Dexterity modifier.
While transformed you can use weapons and equipment as normal, unless specified elsewhere.
You roll a d6 in place of the normal damage for your unarmed strikes. Attacks using your claws deal slashing damage instead of bludgeoning damage.
When making the attack action you may substitute one attack to make an unarmed bite attack. If the attack hits, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d8 + your Strength modifier. If you make a bite attack, you cannot make another until the beginning of your next turn.
If you made the attack action, as a bonus action you may make an unarmed bite attack, provided you have not already used your bonus action.

Your hybrid form lasts for a number of hours equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) and ends early if you are knocked unconcious or reduced to 0 hit points. You can end your Hybrid Form by using an action on your turn.

Transformation Boon: Shapechanger's Form

Your Strength score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1. An ability score cannot be increased beyond 20 this way. You become a Shapechanger in addition to any other creature types you are. Spells and abilities that affect Shapechangers of a specific CR have no effect on you.

Helpless Creatures

The defenceless and downtrodden are met with a modicum of sympathy by most. However, to the bestial side of a Lycanthrope, these creatures represent prey. This Transformation refers to helpless creatures in multiple instances. For game purposes a helpless creature is a humanoid that is unconcious, restrained, blinded, paralyzed, or frightened. Additionally, creatures that are so vulnerable in their current situation, they are completely defenceless are also considered helpless. For example, a disarmed and defeated enemy, pleading for mercy. In these instances the GM decides if the creature is considered helpless or not.

Transformation Flaw: Lust for the Hunt

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 are in your hybrid form, you must succeed at a DC10 Wisdom saving throw at the beginning of each turn or lose control. If you are in the light of a full moon, you automatically fail this saving throw. If you fail this saving throw, you are subjected to the following until you succeed:

You must move toward the closest non-allied (ally requiring a strong bond) creature you can see, smell or hear, prioritising helpless creatures. If you end your movement and no non-allied creature is within 5 feet of you, then you must use your action to dash toward one.
If there is a non-allied creature within 5 feet of you and you have not used your action, you must make a melee attack against it, prioritising helpless creatures.
If you made a melee attack against a creature, and that creature is still alive, then you must use your bonus action to make an unarmed claw or bite attack against the same creature.

Additionally, if you are subjected to the light of a full moon you must succeed at a DC20 Wisdom saving throw or automatically turn into your hybrid form and cannot transform back until dawn. If you succeed in this saving throw, you are immune to its effects for 24 hours.

Transformation Level 2

Starting at 2nd level, you can pick one of the following Transformation Boons. You also gain this level's Transformation Flaw.

Transformation Boon: Iron Pelt

While in hybrid form, you have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from non-silvered, non-magical sources.

Transformation Boon: Hunter's Howl

While in your hybrid form, you can use a bonus action to let out a loud howl and mark a creature within 60 feet as your prey. While a creature is marked as your prey, you gain the following benefits:

Whenever you hit the marked creature with a melee attack, you deal an additional 1d6 damage. This damage is the same type as the attack.
You have advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) check you make to track your prey.

You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Strength modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses of this feature upon a short or long rest.

Transformation Boon: Kindred Form

You gain the ability to transform into the animal form representative of your Lycanthropy type, known as your Kindred Form. You follow the same rules as the Hybrid Transformation feature and any feature that specifies the hybrid transformation, unless specified otherwise. You can only transform into the kindred form representation of your Lycanthropy. Each Kindred Form gains the follow rules:

You cannot speak.
You cannot take any actions requiring hands, except your Transformation capabilities.
You can only use unarmed claw and bite attacks.
You automatically succeed at all saving throws relating to the Lust for the Hunt flaw.

Other than being larger, you are indistinguishable from a regular animal of your Kindred Form. Kindred Form - Bear
Your kindred form takes the shape of a large bear. While in your kindred form, you gain the additional features:

You can speak to and understand other bears.
When you make a saving throw, you can add your Constitution modifier to the result.
Your hit point maximum increases by 15 hit points.

Kindred Form - Wolf
Your kindred form takes the shape of a ferocious dire wolf. While in your kindred form, you gain the additional features:

You can speak to and understand other wolves.
When making an attack against a creature, if an ally is within 5 feet of that creature and not incapacitated, you have advantage on that attack roll.
Your speed increases by 20 feet, to a maximum of 60.

Transformation Boon: Heart of the Wild

The spirits of nature speak to you through your bestial side, offering you guidance and knowledge. You may now cast and concentrate on spells in your hybrid form. Additionally, you can speak, read, and write Sylvan, and you have advantage on Wisdom and Charisma checks to interact with fey and beasts.

Transformation Flaw: Silver Sensitivity

You have developed a debilitating sensitivity to silver. While in your Hybrid or Kindred form, you have vulnerability to silvered weapons. In addition, you do not have resistance to attacks made with a silvered weapon.

Transformation Level 3

Starting at 3rd level, you can pick one of the following Transformation Boons, or pick a boon from a lower level that you meet the prerequisites for. You also gain this level's Transformation Flaw.

Transformation Boon: Titanic Vigor

Your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to twice your character level, and it increases by 2 every time you gain a character level. Additionally, when in your hybrid form, you gain 5 temporary hit points at the start of your turn

Transformation Boon: Predatory Leap

Your jump distance is doubled. In addition, in hybrid form, if you jumped more than 5 feet and land within 5 feet of a creature, you can immediately take the attack action to attack that creature. On a hit, the target must make a Strength saving throw or become prone on a failed save. You can decide to automatically grapple the target if they fail their save.

Transformation Boon: Bestial Savagery

You have embraced the animalistic side of your transformation. While in your Hybrid Form, you gain the following benefits:

Your unarmed attacks deal 1d8 slashing damage and are considered magic attacks.
Your AC increases by 1.
You are immune to the charmed and frightened conditions.

Transformation Boon: Call The Pack

Prerequisite: Hunter's Howl When you use your Hunter’s Howl ability, up to three allies you designate within 60 feet of the target also gain the benefits. Your Hunter’s Howl also grants those allies advantage on attack rolls against the target if another affected ally is within 5 feet of the creature and# not incapacitated. Additionally, when a hostile creature afflicted by your Hunter’s Howl dies, you regain hit points equal to twice your Strength modifier.

Transformation Flaw: Fraying Memories

You have begun to suffer the effects of sharing a mind with two personalities. Memories of less practical significance have been lost to new ones of midnight hunts. You have disadvantage on Intelligence ability and skill checks recalling information or knowledge.

Transformation Level 4

Starting at 4th Level, you can pick one of the following Transformation Boons, or pick a boon from a lower level that you meet the prerequisites for. You also gain this level's Transformation Flaw.

Transformation Boon: Savage Instincts

You have developed an unrelenting thirst for bloodshed and carnage. While in your hybrid form, if you hit a creature with an unarmed attach, and it is missing any of its hit points, the base damage die is increased to 1d12.

Transformation Boon: Kindred Affinity

Prerequisite: Kindred Form Transformation feature. You have reached true harmony with your Kindred Form, achieving a state of peace most Lycanthropes never find. You gain the following benefits while in your Kindred Form:

You can speak.
You can cast spells without needing to provide their verbal or somantic components. Additionally, you can cast spells without needing to provide material components, provided they do not have a gold cost.
Friendly creatures within 20 feet of you have advantage on Wisdom checks and saving throws.
If you can see, hear, or smell a helpless creature, you gain disadvantage on all Wisdom saving throws.
At the beginning of your turn, if you can see, hear, or smell a hostile or helpless non-allied creature, you must succeed a DC10 Wisdom saving throw or be transformed into your Hybrid Form. If you succeed this saving throw, you become immune to this effect until dawn.
Whenever you kill a creature and are in your Hybrid Form, you cannot transform back into your humanoid form until dawn the next day. Although you can transform into your Kindred Form.

Transformation Boon: Unstoppable Rage

You have become a visage of unkillable carnage and slaughter even other Lycanthropes fear. When you are reduced to 0 hit points and you are not killed outright, you are not knocked unconscious. You can take your future turns as though you were not at 0 hit points and are affected by all spells, abilities and features as normal. While you have 0 hit points, taking damage causes death saving throw failures as normal, and three death saving throw failures can still kill you.

Transformation Boon: Blood Frenzy

Prerequisite: Bestial Savagery Your bite attack damage increases to 2d8. If you hit a creature with a bite attack, you can force the creature to make a Strength saving throw against your Transformation Save DC or be grappled. While the target is grappled in this way, you have advantage on attack rolls against them and deal additional damage with your

Transformation Flaw: Predatory Nature

If you can see, hear or smell a helpless creature, you gain disadvantage on all Wisdom saving throws.
succeed
Whenever you kill a creature and you are in your Hybrid Form, you cannot transform back into your humanoid form until dawn the next day. Although you can transform into your Kindred Form.

Type

Supernatural