A werewolf is a savage predator that can appear as a humanoid, as a wolf, or in a terrifying hybrid form—a furred and well-muscled humanoid body topped by a ravening wolf’s head.

In its humanoid form, a werewolf has heightened senses, a fiery temper, and a tendency to eat rare meat. Its wolf form is a fearsome predator, but its hybrid form is more terrifying by far — a furred and well-muscled humanoid body topped by a ravening wolf’s head. A werewolf can wield weapons in hybrid form, though it prefers to tear foes apart with its powerful claws and bite.

Most werewolves flee civilized lands not long after becoming afflicted. Those that reject the curse fear what will happen if they remain among their friends and family. Those that embrace the curse fear discovery and the consequences of their murderous acts. In the wild, werewolves form packs, which can also include Wolves and Dire Wolves.

~ Van Richten

Curse of Lycanthropy. A humanoid afflicted with garou lycanthropy becomes a werewolf during the night of the next full moon, wherein the afflicted creature completes its first transformation. A humanoid child born to one or more lycanthrope parents carries the curse in its blood; and usually completes its first transformation by the age of six.

A werewolf, moreover, a lycanthrope, can either resist its curse or embrace it. By resisting the curse, a lycanthrope retains its normal alignment and personality while in humanoid form. It lives its life as it always has, burying deep the bestial urges raging inside it. However, when the full moon rises, the curse becomes too strong to resist, transforming the individual into its beast form — or into a horrible hybrid form that combines animal and humanoid traits. When the moon wanes, the beast within can be controlled once again. Especially if the cursed creature is unaware of its condition, it might not remember the events of its transformation, though those memories often haunt a lycanthrope as bloody dreams.

Some individuals see little point in fighting the curse and accept what they are. With time and experience, they learn to master their shapechanging ability and can assume beast form or hybrid form at will. Many lycanthropes that embrace their bestial natures however, eventually succumb to bloodlust, becoming evil, opportunistic creatures that prey on the weak, without the willpower to control the animal inside. Regardless of the manner by which a humanoid becomes a lycanthrope, removing the curse is no simple manner.

A remove curse spell cast upon any lycanthrope forces the target to make a Constitution saving throw (spell save DC of the caster). On a successful save, the target is unaffected by the spell, and it automatically succeeds on any saving throws it makes to resist similar effects for 1 month. On a failed save, the target gains a level of exhaustion and polymorphs into it’s natural form and can't use it’s shapechanger ability again until a period of 24 hours passes.

A greater restoration spell cast on an afflicted lycanthrope forces the target to make a Constitution saving throw (spell save DC of the caster). On a successful save, the target is unaffected by the spell. On a failed save, the target gains three levels of exhaustion and is cured of its lycanthropy.

Only the power of a wish spell can cure a natural born lycanthrope of its curse. In which case, the target immediately gains three levels of exhaustion, and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution save or be knocked unconscious for 1 hour from the experience.