A question about how you use player lycanthropy

I noticed that a lot of rules for player lycanthropy seems quite bad in both editions. So curious, do you use the 5e rules (Player gains nonmagic nonsilvered bps immunities and actions from the stat block, but at the cost of their alignment changing), the 5.5e rules(player becomes a Werewolf NPC upon hitting 0HP), or homebrew rules if a character becomes a Werewolf/Other Werebeast. If it's homebrew, how do you handle it? (Would like something to use for my game since I'm not really a fan of either ruleset)

I use the 5e rules despite playing mostly 5.5e. They simply make more sense and are easier for the player to manage.

Homebrew: If you get bit by a werewolf, you get one level of exhaustion per day and turn into a werewolf on the next full moon, at which point you become an npc.

Quote from Tana___ >>

I use the 5e rules despite playing mostly 5.5e. They simply make more sense and are easier for the player to manage.

That's an interesting take. I would say the 5.5e rules are more simple, but not necessarily better. (Because you lose your character upon dropping to 0HP)

These forums get a question about lycanthropy in a player character about once a week and the big problem is that most players want it as a power fantasy, transforming mid-combat to start ripping enemies apart with their bare hands, when the rules are set up that becoming a werewolf is not a good thing but a curse to be avoided. That's why the rules seem bad and focus heavily on losing control either by alignment change or by becoming an NPC, it's because the outcome is supposed to be bad and something to be avoided.

If you want it to be a bad thing I'd use the 5.5 rules and just go "well I guess you need a new character now" while the newly transformed werewolf attacks the rest of the party. If you want it to be part of a player power fantasy then they either need to build their character around that from the start, such as using the Shifter species or the Path of the Beast Barbarian, or you can use something like the Grim Hollow rules for transformations which essentially give something akin to a feat which has both benefits and consequences that get worse the further along the transformation you go 

I've got a set of homebrew rules published, which you can see on my thread in the advertising forums (see my sig)

Essentially, the main reason people want their characters to become werebeasts is to become more powerful, so I made it a class with a limited number of levels available. that way, "embracing the curse" is a mechanical choice- taking the level in lycanthropy. It also locks the curse in - until then, there is a cure. Once you accept the curse, it becomes more useful (but more dangerous) up until you master it.

Yeah, I think the reason this hasn't worked is because of this: Unless you make the rules for this simple, it can real complicated, real fast, like with the Grim Hollow rules. (I like these but I think they can be quite flawed in some places).

As cunningsmile said, this comes up a lot. And also as they suggested, I generally say use the shifter species from eberron.

However when the new ravenloft drops tomorrow (at least for early access) I think it’s supposed to have the lupin species, which might be another good choice.

I’ve also wondered what to do about these rules. To be honest, I was thinking about omitting them completely in my currently lycan-based campaign (started off as a one-shot, but has been requested to be extended by popular demand). That means editing out or just not using monster abilities, which I feel odd about. Having said that, I’m still only a year into DnD, and this is my first time DMing. I’m having trouble with rules as it is. Two of my players is at least very skilled DMs who have helped a lot, but I want them to have fun as players and not burden them with details or spoil much.

Def see players want this as a big power boost, instead of the curse it is. 

If you want to shape change into a super strong wolf and have no downsides, thats a druid.