So, my character was cursed with Lycanthropy. We are in the middle of nowhere, and only level 2. And as soon as night falls, the full moon will rise. My character knows that he is cursed. The in-character solution would be to leave the party, because my character puts the lives of innocents above his own. I think I should change characters at this point, for the DM doesn’t seem to willing to „miraculously“ save me. I understand that this could be a cool plot-line, but I just feel like it would be very uncharacteristic for my char to stay, given the current circumstances. Is that a bad move? What do you think?
Leaving would mean your lycanthrope character wandering around on their own while the curse is in effect, potentially harming anyone they came across. Staying with the group would mean your lycanthrope character could be restrained and watched over so they couldn't go off on a murder spree. Unless you have some sort of idea for avoiding the consequences of scenario 1, I think your character is more likely to go with door n° 2. Well, that or killing themselves, but that could be difficult to pull off with a high degree of certainty at character level 2.
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Do the traditional thing and get yourself chained up through the night, by people, e.g. your party, who know what to do. Safest for everyone.
If you feel strongly enough about it that it feels like you'd consider retiring the character, and you feel that the DM isn't going to easily allow it to be cured, then point out to the DM that your character's principal goal from now on will be to cure the lycanthropy, and will do so relentlessly over pursuing any other goal. Do this out of game first, rather than in-game as you don't want to derail things in a way that can seem bitter, but it's worth letting them know that the only story goal you'll be pursuing from now on is getting it cured. Hopefully the DM can conveniently combine it with other quest goals.
If you retire the character you'll always feel bad about it.
I understand that this could be a cool plot-line, but I just feel like it would be very uncharacteristic for my char to stay, given the current circumstances. Is that a bad move? What do you think?
Thinking about what your character would do is good. I think honouring character concepts is part of the challenge and fun of the game; however, behaviour is complex. There are plenty of reasons—good and bad alike—your character might choose to stay or go. You likely don't have to break character to choose either option here, as long as you can process the decision from your character's perspective.
That said, do you want to keep playing this character as a lycanthrope (with no promise of immediate remedy)? DnD does require some commitment to things that aren't always fun to add impact to the things that are, but you are not honour bound to slog through playing a role you don't enjoy or that bothers you. If it's just less than ideal or frustrating in the short term, I'd recommend playing through with this character to let the scenario play out. But if it bothers you or feels like it's killing your investment/ fun, then by all means, stop. Lycanthropy is one of those things that if used well, it can enhance a game, but it can also be a total buzzkill because it pushes some measure of bloodlust onto players which may not be something they have any interest in playing. If it feels like the DM set you up to go down this road (as opposed to you making bad decisions, or just the will of the dice), then it can be unpleasant.
that is some great advice, thank you so much 😊. I think I will wait a bit and see where the DM wants to go with this. You are right, It could be fun, who knows. But maybe I also start working on a backup character, just in case.
Everyone else beat me to it. Somehow I imagine that if that was me I’d have my friends restrain me somehow so that I couldn’t kill anyone and work out what to do after the first full moon was over. And any PC that I play would do the same thing.
Honestly, I think things like this need to be discussed at session zero, as should anything else that will change a player's character on such a large level. Were you given any opportunity to avoid being cursed?
Honestly, I think things like this need to be discussed at session zero, as should anything else that will change a player's character on such a large level. Were you given any opportunity to avoid being cursed?
well, only a constitution saving throw. That is what bugs me a bit.
Honestly, I think things like this need to be discussed at session zero, as should anything else that will change a player's character on such a large level. Were you given any opportunity to avoid being cursed?
well, only a constitution saving throw. That is what bugs me a bit.
I get the impression this is more what the DM thinks will be fun rather than the DM letting the players decide what is going to be fun for them. I personally would avoid anything like this that is going to so drastically change a character unless a player expressed an interest in wanting to go down that route.
Given your disappointment and expressing it on a public forum, this seems like a matter you need to approach your DM about. You're unsure about whether or not they'll miraculously save you, but even less sure than you is every single contributor to this thread, because we weren't there to see any tells from your DM about if they've any tricks up their sleeve.
You've mentioned that you're tempted to reroll the character, which isn't really solving the problem. They can be released from your control, perhaps becoming an antagonist for your new character (and what's to say they won't get afflicted?), but they won't disappear. They're a lycanthrope with their survival instinct having greater pull than their moral compass, and they may well find their way back to the party they were previously part of, seeing them as little more than food.
The golden rule of the game is that no D&D is better than bad D&D. If this isn't going to make the game better for anyone, including your DM who may have just well done this because the rules say so, it may be time to put the game on pause and talk this through. At the very least this should come up in the next Session 0, as Jamie90 rightly points out. Character death is one thing, but having control wrested when the DM decides it's night-time to play tea party with your character for however long night-time is not an unwritten rule I'd expect anyone to just know.
This could all blow over come the next session. If you can find out before, that'd be fab. I hope this all works out for you in the end. ^^
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Zero is the most important number in D&D: Session Zero sets the boundaries and the tone; Rule Zero dictates the Dungeon Master (DM) is the final arbiter; and Zero D&D is better than Bad D&D.
"Let us speak plainly now, and in earnest, for words mean little without the weight of conviction."
Bottom line, is this curse going to impact your char, and more importantly, the party of chars, negatively, in the long run?
If the answer is yes, then retire the char. It is that simple.
In the face of adversity, quit. Is it that simple?
I see so many talk about "fun" in the game.
Are you talking about "adversity" for the char, which can indeed be fun for the player (maybe), or net adversity for the player and group of players? Because the latter is never fun.
I love in-game challenges. But when they get so monumental that the "fun" of the in-game challenge is smaller than the aggravation it might cause the player, or other players, then it is net negative the entire game, and should be ended.
Further, what may be fun for one player, as his char struggles with a curse, or the NPC law after the char, or some blood feud, or whatever, may not be "fun" for the other players. Often, that "fun" for the individual detracts from the enjoyment of the game for the other players, When that happens, if the one player persists with that behaviour, or char, that is called a selfish player.
The good of the many outweighs the good of the few, or the one. D&D, or any multiplayer game, is Star Trek II, not Star Trek III.
What happened wasn't the player's choice. What happened is what happens in every session of every game of D&D ever: the DM had something happen and now the players get to riff with that. Don't make it out to be one player's fun vs everyone else's. They're in it together.
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What happened wasn't the player's choice. What happened is what happens in every session of every game of D&D ever: the DM had something happen and now the players get to riff with that. Don't make it out to be one player's fun vs everyone else's. They're in it together.
Lycanthropy is somewhat exceptional. Most things the DM throws at players are situational, and players decide how they want to respond to that situation. To a person who is inflicted with lycanthropy, it's not just situational—it redefines part of the character, possibly minimally and possibly significantly. Personally, the lycanthrope characteristics under a full moon (or when embraced), amount to something I specifically want not to play. Generally, however, I'd accept it as part of the game even though it is something I would find unpleasant to RP.
Where I'd struggle is if I felt like I'd been railroaded into it, or if the DM used it to wrest control of my character for their story rather than the one we are co-creating. While the core issues in that scenario aren't due lycanthropy per se, lycanthropy does create a situation where limits are going to be tested a little.
And that's a great conversation to have with the DM if it's an issue for you. I don't think the go-to strategy here should be to retire the character, that's all.
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Bottom line, is this curse going to impact your char, and more importantly, the party of chars, negatively, in the long run?
If the answer is yes, then retire the char. It is that simple.
In the face of adversity, quit. Is it that simple?
I see so many talk about "fun" in the game.
Are you talking about "adversity" for the char, which can indeed be fun for the player (maybe), or net adversity for the player and group of players? Because the latter is never fun.
I love in-game challenges. But when they get so monumental that the "fun" of the in-game challenge is smaller than the aggravation it might cause the player, or other players, then it is net negative the entire game, and should be ended.
Further, what may be fun for one player, as his char struggles with a curse, or the NPC law after the char, or some blood feud, or whatever, may not be "fun" for the other players. Often, that "fun" for the individual detracts from the enjoyment of the game for the other players, When that happens, if the one player persists with that behaviour, or char, that is called a selfish player.
The good of the many outweighs the good of the few, or the one. D&D, or any multiplayer game, is Star Trek II, not Star Trek III.
What happened wasn't the player's choice. What happened is what happens in every session of every game of D&D ever: the DM had something happen and now the players get to riff with that. Don't make it out to be one player's fun vs everyone else's. They're in it together.
And many many many players are not thrilled when the game becomes centred on one player. Contrary to what the general story told to the public, most players are NOT great actors, and most players are equally not interested in the machinations and travails of any individual char, other than their own. If affected player is not Lawrence Oliver or Kevin Spacey level talent, then its gets real old, real quick listening watching that player perform with whatever issue that impacts that char.
Then take it up with the DM. Having a bit of a chat isn't going to hurt. No need to expect another player to ditch their character over something the DM can smooth over in 5 minutes if they really want to.
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Werewolf. And my character knows that he is cursed, because the DM told me so? He said that I feel the curse running through my veins, and that I remember being told that a Werewolf-Bite can turn you into one. As said, I will talk a bit with my DM about it, and just wait for the next session and see where it goes.
First of all have you actually talked to your DM about your concerns? If not that is step 1 - before the next game session, explain to him that you are considering pulling the character because of this.
there are good and neutral lycanthropy as well as evil ones, you haven’t said what bit you so it’s hard to judge just how bad the problem is. I’m kind of assuming it’s a werewolf since your talking about full moon but it’s not clear. I’m less concerned about them cheating ( that’s not to say I wouldn’t be concerned) but the fact that they can’t admit it in private is troubling. You say that they are a friend but friendship is built on trust and they are destroying your trust in them. If they will cheat the game and not admit it what else are the cheating at and not admitting?
Unless the DM is homebrewing, the cure is a relatively widely available 3rd level spell. Also unless they're homebrewing, they will likely want to have your character get cured as fast as possible, having a character that's immune to most attacks by monsters becomes a problem very quickly.
I did something similar in my campaign that I’m DMing. One of my PCs got bitten by a were-shark and failed his Constitution saving throw. I did not tell him what happened, I role played it.
A couple of weeks later in game time I had everyone in the party roll perception checks and they all failed them so they didn’t notice his PC jumping overboard into the ocean in the middle of the night and they also didn’t see him transform into a shark as he hit the water. He woke up miles away from the ship floating in the water without any clothing. It wasn’t that bad, he’s playing an aarokroca so he was able to fly back to the ship. It just took most of the day and it gave everyone a mystery to talk about for 15-20 minutes of game time.
At this point I privately told him that his strength is now 20. He’s a 9th level sorcerer so that’s a wasted ability score. No he shouldn’t have been in melee with a were-shark in the first place. Oops!
A month later in game, which happened to be a week that the party’s rogue wasn’t there, he somehow jumped overboard without being noticed again (the high Perception score was still less than 10) only this time when he woke up in the morning he had 1 HP and 1 level of exhaustion. This time he was lying face down and he noticed that he was breathing water instead of choking. He was hurt because he fought water elementals while in shark form and they’re able to hurt him.
The next day the surviving water elementals attacked the ship and the party was able to defeat them.
More has happened, but the party still hasn’t figured out yet that he’s a we’re-shark. I’m eagerly waiting to see when they discover it and what they decide to do when they discover that he was cursed. The player knows and has figured it out, but the rest of the players still don’t know what’s happening, only that they have a mystery to solve.
It would be a lot different if they weren’t in a water based campaign and they’re primarily on a ship. But at some point they’re going to figure it out and have to decide how to deal with the curse, because sooner or later he’s going to be strong enough to transform into a hybrid shape…..
Trust your DM. He might have something fun planned.
So, my character was cursed with Lycanthropy. We are in the middle of nowhere, and only level 2. And as soon as night falls, the full moon will rise. My character knows that he is cursed. The in-character solution would be to leave the party, because my character puts the lives of innocents above his own. I think I should change characters at this point, for the DM doesn’t seem to willing to „miraculously“ save me. I understand that this could be a cool plot-line, but I just feel like it would be very uncharacteristic for my char to stay, given the current circumstances. Is that a bad move? What do you think?
Leaving would mean your lycanthrope character wandering around on their own while the curse is in effect, potentially harming anyone they came across. Staying with the group would mean your lycanthrope character could be restrained and watched over so they couldn't go off on a murder spree. Unless you have some sort of idea for avoiding the consequences of scenario 1, I think your character is more likely to go with door n° 2. Well, that or killing themselves, but that could be difficult to pull off with a high degree of certainty at character level 2.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Do the traditional thing and get yourself chained up through the night, by people, e.g. your party, who know what to do. Safest for everyone.
If you feel strongly enough about it that it feels like you'd consider retiring the character, and you feel that the DM isn't going to easily allow it to be cured, then point out to the DM that your character's principal goal from now on will be to cure the lycanthropy, and will do so relentlessly over pursuing any other goal. Do this out of game first, rather than in-game as you don't want to derail things in a way that can seem bitter, but it's worth letting them know that the only story goal you'll be pursuing from now on is getting it cured. Hopefully the DM can conveniently combine it with other quest goals.
If you retire the character you'll always feel bad about it.
that is some great advice, thank you so much 😊. I think I will wait a bit and see where the DM wants to go with this. You are right, It could be fun, who knows. But maybe I also start working on a backup character, just in case.
Everyone else beat me to it. Somehow I imagine that if that was me I’d have my friends restrain me somehow so that I couldn’t kill anyone and work out what to do after the first full moon was over. And any PC that I play would do the same thing.
Professional computer geek
Honestly, I think things like this need to be discussed at session zero, as should anything else that will change a player's character on such a large level. Were you given any opportunity to avoid being cursed?
well, only a constitution saving throw. That is what bugs me a bit.
I get the impression this is more what the DM thinks will be fun rather than the DM letting the players decide what is going to be fun for them. I personally would avoid anything like this that is going to so drastically change a character unless a player expressed an interest in wanting to go down that route.
Given your disappointment and expressing it on a public forum, this seems like a matter you need to approach your DM about. You're unsure about whether or not they'll miraculously save you, but even less sure than you is every single contributor to this thread, because we weren't there to see any tells from your DM about if they've any tricks up their sleeve.
You've mentioned that you're tempted to reroll the character, which isn't really solving the problem. They can be released from your control, perhaps becoming an antagonist for your new character (and what's to say they won't get afflicted?), but they won't disappear. They're a lycanthrope with their survival instinct having greater pull than their moral compass, and they may well find their way back to the party they were previously part of, seeing them as little more than food.
The golden rule of the game is that no D&D is better than bad D&D. If this isn't going to make the game better for anyone, including your DM who may have just well done this because the rules say so, it may be time to put the game on pause and talk this through. At the very least this should come up in the next Session 0, as Jamie90 rightly points out. Character death is one thing, but having control wrested when the DM decides it's night-time to play tea party with your character for however long night-time is not an unwritten rule I'd expect anyone to just know.
This could all blow over come the next session. If you can find out before, that'd be fab. I hope this all works out for you in the end. ^^
Zero is the most important number in D&D: Session Zero sets the boundaries and the tone; Rule Zero dictates the Dungeon Master (DM) is the final arbiter; and Zero D&D is better than Bad D&D.
"Let us speak plainly now, and in earnest, for words mean little without the weight of conviction."
- The Assemblage of Houses, World of Warcraft
In the face of adversity, quit. Is it that simple?
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
What happened wasn't the player's choice. What happened is what happens in every session of every game of D&D ever: the DM had something happen and now the players get to riff with that. Don't make it out to be one player's fun vs everyone else's. They're in it together.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
And that's a great conversation to have with the DM if it's an issue for you. I don't think the go-to strategy here should be to retire the character, that's all.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Maybe a quest to find a cure?
Then take it up with the DM. Having a bit of a chat isn't going to hurt. No need to expect another player to ditch their character over something the DM can smooth over in 5 minutes if they really want to.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Werewolf. And my character knows that he is cursed, because the DM told me so? He said that I feel the curse running through my veins, and that I remember being told that a Werewolf-Bite can turn you into one. As said, I will talk a bit with my DM about it, and just wait for the next session and see where it goes.
First of all have you actually talked to your DM about your concerns? If not that is step 1 - before the next game session, explain to him that you are considering pulling the character because of this.
there are good and neutral lycanthropy as well as evil ones, you haven’t said what bit you so it’s hard to judge just how bad the problem is. I’m kind of assuming it’s a werewolf since your talking about full moon but it’s not clear. I’m less concerned about them cheating ( that’s not to say I wouldn’t be concerned) but the fact that they can’t admit it in private is troubling. You say that they are a friend but friendship is built on trust and they are destroying your trust in them. If they will cheat the game and not admit it what else are the cheating at and not admitting?
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
Unless the DM is homebrewing, the cure is a relatively widely available 3rd level spell. Also unless they're homebrewing, they will likely want to have your character get cured as fast as possible, having a character that's immune to most attacks by monsters becomes a problem very quickly.
I did something similar in my campaign that I’m DMing. One of my PCs got bitten by a were-shark and failed his Constitution saving throw. I did not tell him what happened, I role played it.
A couple of weeks later in game time I had everyone in the party roll perception checks and they all failed them so they didn’t notice his PC jumping overboard into the ocean in the middle of the night and they also didn’t see him transform into a shark as he hit the water. He woke up miles away from the ship floating in the water without any clothing. It wasn’t that bad, he’s playing an aarokroca so he was able to fly back to the ship. It just took most of the day and it gave everyone a mystery to talk about for 15-20 minutes of game time.
At this point I privately told him that his strength is now 20. He’s a 9th level sorcerer so that’s a wasted ability score. No he shouldn’t have been in melee with a were-shark in the first place. Oops!
A month later in game, which happened to be a week that the party’s rogue wasn’t there, he somehow jumped overboard without being noticed again (the high Perception score was still less than 10) only this time when he woke up in the morning he had 1 HP and 1 level of exhaustion. This time he was lying face down and he noticed that he was breathing water instead of choking. He was hurt because he fought water elementals while in shark form and they’re able to hurt him.
The next day the surviving water elementals attacked the ship and the party was able to defeat them.
More has happened, but the party still hasn’t figured out yet that he’s a we’re-shark. I’m eagerly waiting to see when they discover it and what they decide to do when they discover that he was cursed. The player knows and has figured it out, but the rest of the players still don’t know what’s happening, only that they have a mystery to solve.
It would be a lot different if they weren’t in a water based campaign and they’re primarily on a ship. But at some point they’re going to figure it out and have to decide how to deal with the curse, because sooner or later he’s going to be strong enough to transform into a hybrid shape…..
Trust your DM. He might have something fun planned.
Professional computer geek