It's not just you. I want to love lycanthropes but they just kinda suck as far as the official ones go. You can use it as a good story hook, to have a specific character get Lycanthropy. Their stats might not be so scary, but you can definitely make a crew of werewolf pirates very interesting. Also, the idea of lycanthropes are really cool, so I like to homebrew really neat actually powerful werewolf bosses.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Uh, I have Illusory Script. I think I can read that."
They've always been a bit boring (immunity to normal weapons that weren't silver didn't really make them interesting, it was just an annoying trait at very low level and irrelevant at higher level), you'll probably want to homebrew something. This is true of most monster types really.
Pack Tactics. The werewolf has Advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the werewolf’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally doesn’t have the Incapacitated condition.
Regeneration. The werewolf regains 5 hit points at the start of each of its turns. If the werewolf takes damage from a silver weapon, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the werewolf’s next turn. The werewolf dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
Actions
Multiattack. The werewolf makes two attacks, not more than one of which can be Bite.
Bite (Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Attack Roll:+5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) Piercing damage. If the target is a Humanoid, it is subjected to the following effect. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 12. Failure: The target is cursed. If the cursed target drops to 0 Hit Points, it instead becomes a Werewolf under the DM’s control (and will presumably regenerate on its turn). Success: The target is immune to this werewolf’s curse for 24 hours.
Weapons (Hybrid Form Only).The werewolf in hybrid form may use any weapons its humanoid form is proficient with, using its statistics.
Bonus Actions
Shape-Shift (Humanoid). The werewolf shape-shifts into its humanoid form, which can be any humanoid template of CR 2 or lower. While in this form it retains its normal hit points, regeneration trait, and shape-shift actions, but otherwise uses its original template. If bloodied in humanoid form, it automatically turns into its hybrid form (no action required) at the start of its turn (most werewolves will immediately change when attacked, but they may choose otherwise).
Shape-Shift (Hybrid or Wolf). The werewolf shape-shifts into a wolf-humanoid hybrid or a Medium wolf. Its game statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed.
Their lore and RP is more interesting than their mechanics, I find. When I include them in my campaigns, I usually beef them up to make them more of a challenge.
Don't let their stat blocks dissuade you from using them, though! Especially if you have longer-term plot threads, they can be really fun additions to a campaign.
I was going to have a bunch of werewolves chase the characters into a trap... like a chase scene? But after reading this... I'm not so sure. |:
If you're characters are low level, it will almost for sure work. Especially if they don't have silvered weapons. Put enough of them so they'll be intimidated, and describe when they're fighting them, that they seem to be doing very little damage, implying they should run. The only problem is that werewolves in wolf form have a speed of 40ft which is faster than most characters, so you'd have to 'go easy' on them, so to speak, in a chase scene.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Uh, I have Illusory Script. I think I can read that."
Thanks... The characters will be level 5, and the setting is a forest. The plot is a mystical forest that is going through a mysterious drought. The antagonist behind this lives in the network of caves below the forest, where he has drained all of the water. I'm only planning ahead of time, so I still don't know exactly where the werewolves will lead them.
Haven't thought about that. Let me think... Maybe a creature from the forest comes and starts to take the water from them, and they go to investigate. There, a fairy, maybe, tells them the problem and their reasoning for stealing?
That's a good idea. Then as they are searching for the creature causing the drought, they run into werewolves. A bunch of them will be intimidating, but still level 5 characters can take a group of werewolves and I know from experience. Especially if you have six characters. So maybe werewolves aren't the best option for this. So do you know why specifically werewolves? and do you know details on why the antagonist wants the characters trapped? Do you have any details for the Antagonist itself?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Uh, I have Illusory Script. I think I can read that."
I was going to have a bunch of werewolves chase the characters into a trap... like a chase scene? But after reading this... I'm not so sure. |:
Any plot point that's reliant on the PCs running away is ... not reliable, and not generally recommended. This doesn't mean PCs will never run away, but you really can't rely on it, particularly since running away, absent special circumstances that make it possible, generally doesn't work in D&D.
I was going to have a bunch of werewolves chase the characters into a trap... like a chase scene? But after reading this... I'm not so sure. |:
Any plot point that's reliant on the PCs running away is ... not reliable, and not generally recommended. This doesn't mean PCs will never run away, but you really can't rely on it, particularly since running away, absent special circumstances that make it possible, generally doesn't work in D&D.
That is very true. Usually the best way to lure characters into a trap would be with NPC Interaction. For example, if you, StitchYoda, were to have the fairy you mentioned be a servant of the antagonist. You could have the fairy lead the characters to "the entrance to the lair" or even "to the fairy village". Then there would be a betrayal and the Characters would fall into the trap. The players should have a chance to negate this with high perception/insight checks. If they figure out that the fairy friend plans to betray them before it does, then you should allow it and then just improvise from there.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Uh, I have Illusory Script. I think I can read that."
That is very true. Usually the best way to lure characters into a trap would be with NPC Interaction.
You can also just rely on the PCs following monsters. Give them a monster to hunt (probably because they've been told it exists, or finds evidence that it exists), let them track it... into a trap.
Thanks for the help. I'll take this into consideration and, well, probably use it. And I was thinking about werewolves... Actually, I don't really know why I was thinking about werewolves. But I'll use the fairy as a servant of the antagonist instead. Thanks again!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
They don't seem to have any sort of damage resistance or regeneration or really too much at all going for them.
Heck, silver weapons aren't even particularly useful against them...or at least no more so than vs any other shape-shifted critter.
I was about to put together a crew of werewolf pirates but...they're just not that scary!
It's not just you. I want to love lycanthropes but they just kinda suck as far as the official ones go. You can use it as a good story hook, to have a specific character get Lycanthropy. Their stats might not be so scary, but you can definitely make a crew of werewolf pirates very interesting. Also, the idea of lycanthropes are really cool, so I like to homebrew really neat actually powerful werewolf bosses.
"Uh, I have Illusory Script. I think I can read that."
They've always been a bit boring (immunity to normal weapons that weren't silver didn't really make them interesting, it was just an annoying trait at very low level and irrelevant at higher level), you'll probably want to homebrew something. This is true of most monster types really.
My off-hand rebuild of the werewolf is
Pack Tactics. The werewolf has Advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the werewolf’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally doesn’t have the Incapacitated condition.
Regeneration. The werewolf regains 5 hit points at the start of each of its turns. If the werewolf takes damage from a silver weapon, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the werewolf’s next turn. The werewolf dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
Multiattack. The werewolf makes two attacks, not more than one of which can be Bite.
Bite (Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) Piercing damage. If the target is a Humanoid, it is subjected to the following effect. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 12. Failure: The target is cursed. If the cursed target drops to 0 Hit Points, it instead becomes a Werewolf under the DM’s control (and will presumably regenerate on its turn). Success: The target is immune to this werewolf’s curse for 24 hours.
Maul. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) Slashing damage.
Weapons (Hybrid Form Only). The werewolf in hybrid form may use any weapons its humanoid form is proficient with, using its statistics.
Shape-Shift (Humanoid). The werewolf shape-shifts into its humanoid form, which can be any humanoid template of CR 2 or lower. While in this form it retains its normal hit points, regeneration trait, and shape-shift actions, but otherwise uses its original template. If bloodied in humanoid form, it automatically turns into its hybrid form (no action required) at the start of its turn (most werewolves will immediately change when attacked, but they may choose otherwise).
Shape-Shift (Hybrid or Wolf). The werewolf shape-shifts into a wolf-humanoid hybrid or a Medium wolf. Its game statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed.
Their lore and RP is more interesting than their mechanics, I find. When I include them in my campaigns, I usually beef them up to make them more of a challenge.
Don't let their stat blocks dissuade you from using them, though! Especially if you have longer-term plot threads, they can be really fun additions to a campaign.
I agree, they may not have many cool abilities, but the idea of a Lycanthrope is still really cool
I have traversed all the outer planes- I have traversed all the inner planes- now I travel to the land of earth to ride an airplane.
-They/Them Pronouns-
If you need lore, spells, heaps of information, come my way!!
I was going to have a bunch of werewolves chase the characters into a trap... like a chase scene? But after reading this... I'm not so sure. |:
If you're characters are low level, it will almost for sure work. Especially if they don't have silvered weapons. Put enough of them so they'll be intimidated, and describe when they're fighting them, that they seem to be doing very little damage, implying they should run. The only problem is that werewolves in wolf form have a speed of 40ft which is faster than most characters, so you'd have to 'go easy' on them, so to speak, in a chase scene.
"Uh, I have Illusory Script. I think I can read that."
Thanks... The characters will be level 5, and the setting is a forest. The plot is a mystical forest that is going through a mysterious drought. The antagonist behind this lives in the network of caves below the forest, where he has drained all of the water. I'm only planning ahead of time, so I still don't know exactly where the werewolves will lead them.
Oh, forgot to include what I was thinking. maybe some sort of trap that makes them fall into one of the caves?
Do you know the characters motivations for being here in this forest?
"Uh, I have Illusory Script. I think I can read that."
Haven't thought about that. Let me think... Maybe a creature from the forest comes and starts to take the water from them, and they go to investigate. There, a fairy, maybe, tells them the problem and their reasoning for stealing?
That's a good idea. Then as they are searching for the creature causing the drought, they run into werewolves. A bunch of them will be intimidating, but still level 5 characters can take a group of werewolves and I know from experience. Especially if you have six characters. So maybe werewolves aren't the best option for this. So do you know why specifically werewolves? and do you know details on why the antagonist wants the characters trapped? Do you have any details for the Antagonist itself?
"Uh, I have Illusory Script. I think I can read that."
Any plot point that's reliant on the PCs running away is ... not reliable, and not generally recommended. This doesn't mean PCs will never run away, but you really can't rely on it, particularly since running away, absent special circumstances that make it possible, generally doesn't work in D&D.
That is very true. Usually the best way to lure characters into a trap would be with NPC Interaction. For example, if you, StitchYoda, were to have the fairy you mentioned be a servant of the antagonist. You could have the fairy lead the characters to "the entrance to the lair" or even "to the fairy village". Then there would be a betrayal and the Characters would fall into the trap. The players should have a chance to negate this with high perception/insight checks. If they figure out that the fairy friend plans to betray them before it does, then you should allow it and then just improvise from there.
"Uh, I have Illusory Script. I think I can read that."
You can also just rely on the PCs following monsters. Give them a monster to hunt (probably because they've been told it exists, or finds evidence that it exists), let them track it... into a trap.
Thanks for the help. I'll take this into consideration and, well, probably use it. And I was thinking about werewolves... Actually, I don't really know why I was thinking about werewolves. But I'll use the fairy as a servant of the antagonist instead. Thanks again!