Lycanthrope Transformation: Level 1

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 claw attack or 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 unconscious 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 16 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 unconscious, restrained, blinded, paralized 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 DC 10 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 nonplayer creature you can see, smell or hear, prioritising helpless creatures. If you end your movement and no non-player creature is within 5 feet of you, then you must use your action to dash toward one.
• If there is a non-player 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 DC 20 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.