Not too long ago my players met a bunch of private guards. Those where the custodians of a magic school in a big city full of mages (where if you have no magic at all you are a servant or a slave) and they where all werebeasts (the school was closed at night).
It was not a combat encounter, they met at a local tavern and drink and chat; but I was a little apprehensive that someone wanted to be infected.
I thought hard about how to handle an eventual transformation and the MM rules where not of my liking. I wanted more that a static bonus or modifier.
Then I thought of the barbarian totem warrior. High hp, no armor AC rules, strenght feats rules and strenght damage bonus. Bear totem for the damage resistance, etc...
Ok, it needs some small change here and there but overall I think is pretty accurate and scale with level, no balancing problems here.
So, when one PC transform he/she became a (modified) barbarian of the same level (as the character gains level the curse strengthened too).
Let's see the details:
Basic rules:
Firs of all this require the player to have a totally separated character sheet for when he is in lycanthrope form.
In this form the PC is always considered raging.
Probably the character will need some fixed minimum for Strenght and Constitution when in bestial form. Lets say.. 15 at third level, up to 19 at 20th?
The PC can not speak in lycanthrope form.
The Pc's moral alignment will be changed during the transformation.
HD: all good. It's the best of any class. The new Hp score will replace the old.
Proficiencies: no tool, weapons or armor proficiencies for the lycanthrope. Not even the ones He has in humanoid form.
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution. The beast is a fisical power but it lacks the clear mind and controll of the original form. So this is ok also.
Skills: I will replace the PC normal skills with: Athletics, Intimidation, Perception and Survival (the character will still have 4 skill. More or less a normal number between class and background).
Rage: no changes, but is always on.
Unarmored defense: no changes, but no shield.
ASI: I think this will be skipped in favor of a fixed number for Strenght and Constitution if the PC's are lower.
Reckless Attack, Danger Sense, ecc..: Let's say that all the basic barbarian features are good to me.
Totem Warrior:
Spirit Seeker and Totem Spirit: This will go away. I will change them with an unarmed combat damage die. I think 1d6 for the 3rd level up to a d12 al higher levels?
Bear Totem (3rd level): This is a non choice. It simulates the unnatural resistance of the lycanthrope. I will change the psychic damage exception with a 'silver and magic weapons' one. A little less powerfull but more on point.
Aspect of the Beast (6th level): No real choice either. The Bear one is of no use. The constant rage give the advantage anyways and a lycanthrope is not beast of burden. The eagle one is not really tematic, but the Wolf one? just spot on with the classic werewolf stories.
Spirit Walker (10th level): This as to go, but what can I exchange it for? Maybe the the Berserker's 'Intimidating Presence'.
Totemic Attunement (14th level): Either wolf or Bear will do.
Do you guys think is a viable option? (Provided there are no barbarians in the party).
Or alternatively do you think that the cration of a dedicated path (homebrew obviously) for the Barbarian class can be a decent choice to simulate a lycanthrope Pc?
It was not a combat encounter, they met at a local tavern and drink and chat; but I was a little apprehensive that someone wanted to be infected.
I thought hard about how to handle an eventual transformation and the MM rules where not of my liking. I wanted more that a static bonus or modifier.
Then I thought of the barbarian totem warrior. High hp, no armor AC rules, strenght feats rules and strenght damage bonus. Bear totem for the damage resistance, etc...
Ok, it needs some small change here and there but overall I think is pretty accurate and scale with level, no balancing problems here.
So, when one PC transform he/she became a (modified) barbarian of the same level (as the character gains level the curse strengthened too).
Let's see the details:
Basic rules:
Firs of all this require the player to have a totally separated character sheet for when he is in lycanthrope form.
In this form the PC is always considered raging.
Probably the character will need some fixed minimum for Strenght and Constitution when in bestial form. Lets say.. 15 at third level, up to 19 at 20th?
The PC can not speak in lycanthrope form.
The Pc's moral alignment will be changed during the transformation.
HD: all good. It's the best of any class. The new Hp score will replace the old.
Proficiencies: no tool, weapons or armor proficiencies for the lycanthrope. Not even the ones He has in humanoid form.
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution. The beast is a fisical power but it lacks the clear mind and controll of the original form. So this is ok also.
Skills: I will replace the PC normal skills with: Athletics, Intimidation, Perception and Survival (the character will still have 4 skill. More or less a normal number between class and background).
Rage: no changes, but is always on.
Unarmored defense: no changes, but no shield.
ASI: I think this will be skipped in favor of a fixed number for Strenght and Constitution if the PC's are lower.
Reckless Attack, Danger Sense, ecc..: Let's say that all the basic barbarian features are good to me.
Totem Warrior:
Spirit Seeker and Totem Spirit: This will go away. I will change them with an unarmed combat damage die. I think 1d6 for the 3rd level up to a d12 al higher levels?
Bear Totem (3rd level): This is a non choice. It simulates the unnatural resistance of the lycanthrope. I will change the psychic damage exception with a 'silver and magic weapons' one. A little less powerfull but more on point.
Aspect of the Beast (6th level): No real choice either. The Bear one is of no use. The constant rage give the advantage anyways and a lycanthrope is not beast of burden. The eagle one is not really tematic, but the Wolf one? just spot on with the classic werewolf stories.
Spirit Walker (10th level): This as to go, but what can I exchange it for? Maybe the the Berserker's 'Intimidating Presence'.
Totemic Attunement (14th level): Either wolf or Bear will do.
Do you guys think is a viable option? (Provided there are no barbarians in the party).
Or alternatively do you think that the cration of a dedicated path (homebrew obviously) for the Barbarian class can be a decent choice to simulate a lycanthrope Pc?
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