Order of the Lycanthrope

Of the many terrible curses that plague the realm, few are as ancient or as feared as Lycanthropy. Passed through blood, this affliction seeds a host with the savage strength and hunger for violence of a wicked beast. The Order of the Lycanthrope is a lost order of blood hunters who underwent “The Taming,” a ceremonial inflicting of lycanthropy from a senior member, or gained the curse via other means and with will power alone control the beast

These hunters then use their abilities to harness the power of the monster they harbor, at the cost of losing themselves to it. Through intense honing of one’s own willpower, combined with the secrets of the order’s blood magic rituals, members learn to control and unleash their hybrid form for short periods of time, risking the safety of themselves and others. This often leads them to be seen with distrust, taking on the code of  a " Monster to Fight Monsters " too literally, in the eyes of other Orders.

This led to many of the members of the Order of the Lycanthrope being hunted down, seen as just another monster to kill, leaving very few remaining.

Enhanced physical prowess, unnatural resilience, and razor-sharp claws make these warriors a terrible foe to any evil that crosses their path. Yet, no training is perfect, and without care and complete focus, even the greatest of blood hunters can lose themselves to their bloodlust and hunger.

Heightened Senses

Starting when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you begin to adopt the improved abilities of a natural predator. You gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell. 

Additionally you can smell blood up to a mile away.

Shapechanging

Upon choosing this archetype at 3rd level, you begin to learn to control the lycanthropic curse that now lives in your blood. You are a shapechanger with secondary and tertiary forms. As an action, you can transform into either forms for up to 1 hour. 

When you transfigure, you can turn into a Dire Wolf or a  Wolf-humanoid Hybrid. Non-magical equipment doesn't change size or shape to fit your wolf or hybrid form, but magical equipment does. Any equipment that your wolf or hybrid form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with your wolf or hybrid form has no effect until you leave that form.

In your hybrid form, you can speak, use equipment, and wear armor but are unable to do either in your wolf form. You can revert to your normal form earlier as a bonus action. You automatically revert to your normal form if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. 

Once you use up all uses of this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

In the Character Builder, set the option for Shapechanging Transformation to Hybrid Form or Wolf Form to activate the bonuses for that form on the character sheet.

Normal Form

Your character is in their normal form. Change this option to "Hybrid Form" when the character has transformed.

Wolf Form

Selecting this option has updated the character sheet with the features of your Hybrid Form.

Shapechanging Features

While you are transformed, you gain the following features:

Feral Might. You gain a +1 to melee damage rolls. This bonus increases by 1 at 7th and 11th level. You also have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws and your movement speed increases by 10ft.

Resilient Hide. You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks not made with silver weapons. While you are not wearing heavy armor, you gain a +2 bonus to your AC.

Shapeshifting. You are a shapechanger with secondary and tertiary forms. As an action, you can transform between any of these forms; you revert to your true form as an action or upon dying. When you transfigure, you can turn into a Dire Wolf or a  Wolf-humanoid Hybrid. 

Non-magical equipment doesn't change size or shape to fit your wolf or hybrid form, but magical equipment does. Any equipment that your wolf or hybrid form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with your wolf or hybrid form has no effect until you leave that form.

Predatory Strikes.  You have claws and a bite as natural weapons. Your Bite's damage die is equal to 1d8 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (Your choice). Your bite does piercing damage, and your claws can deal slashing damage. 

You can apply your Crimson Rite feature to your claws or bite as a single weapon. You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolIs of either natural weapons. When you use the Attack action with a natural weapon, you can make either attack as a bonus action.

Your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 slashing damage in your normal form. The damage increases to 1d8 at 11th level.

Your bite deals 1d8 slashing damage in your normal form.  The damage increases to 1d10 at 11th level. 

Bloodlust

A bloodlust can be triggered by dramatic phenomena, as described below. When a bloodlust is triggered, the lycanthrope must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, the DC of which is determined by the trigger. On a failed save, the lycanthrope immediately shapeshifts into their hybrid form (no action required) and moves directly towards the nearest creature to you and use the Attack action against that creature.

You can choose whether or not to use your Extra Attack feature for this frenzied attack. If there is more than one possible target, roll to randomly determine the target. You then regain control for the remainder of your turn.

There are four types of triggers:

Change. A lycanthrope’s bloodlust is infamously triggered by a rare act of great change, such as the rising of the full moon, a once-in-a-century storm, the turning of seasons, a solstice, or a passing of a comet. It is impossible for a lycanthrope to resist this trigger, and the lycanthrope does not need to witness this phenomenon to be triggered by it.

This bloodlust lasts for 1d6 + 6 hours or until the triggering phenomena has passed. By succeeding on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw, the lycanthrope can delay their transfiguration by 1d10 minutes, after which they transform.

Danger. A bloodlust can be triggered whenever a lycanthrope is harmed, even by their own hand. The lycanthrope must make a Wisdom saving throw if any of the following events occur:

• The lycanthrope suffers a critical hit (DC 10 or half the damage the lycanthrope takes, whichever is greater).
• The lycanthrope starts their turn with half their maximum hit points or fewer (DC 15).
• The lycanthrope regains 1 or more hit points after having been reduced to 0 hit points (DC 20). On a failed save, the bloodlust occurs, lasting until all known threats have been eliminated or driven off, until 1 hour has passed, or until the lycanthrope is affected by a Calm Emotions spell.

Emotion. An intense emotional response—rage, fear, or even love—can trigger bloodlust. Examples of emotional triggers include:

• Suffering from the frightened condition.
• Spells and effects similar to Crown of Madness and Enemies Abound that incite the lycanthrope into a rage.
• The death (or threat thereof) of a loved one, the unexpected treachery of a trusted comrade, or the birth of one’s child.

To resist an emotional trigger, the lycanthrope must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the lycanthrope is immune to emotional triggers for the next minute. On a failure, the lycanthrope attacks or protects the cause of the emotional trigger until all known threats are gone.

Hunger. The longer a lycanthrope goes without satisfying its hunger, the more likely they are to enter a bloodlust. At dawn, if a lycanthrope has not satiated its hunger for at least four days prior (including the food it has missed out on), it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or enter a bloodlust.

The DC to resist this trigger equals 10 + the number of days it has been since the lycanthrope ate its fill. The sight or taste of blood can also trigger a hunger-induced bloodlust if the lycanthrope has not sated its hunger.

On a failed save, you turn into your Hybrid Form (no action required) and move directly towards the nearest creature to you and use the Attack action against that creature.

The bloodlust occurs, lasting until all known threats have been eliminated or driven off until 1 hour has passed, or until the lycanthrope is affected by a Calm Emotions spell. During this time you are immune to the charmed and frightened conditions and can use your features normally.

The Bloodlust triggered by Change is exempt from this. While under this Bloodlust, you can't cast spells and are unable to form coherent speech, succumbing to your animalistic instincts. You can however use your Crimson Rite.

 

Feral Might

Your movement speed increases by 10 feet, additionally gaining an extra 5 feet at 7th, 11th and 18th level. You also gain a +2 to melee damage rolls and have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.

Feral Might (level 11)

Your movement speed increases by 10 feet. You gain an additional 5 feet at 7th, 11th and 18th level. You also gain a +2 to melee damage rolls and have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.

Feral Might (level 18)

Your movement speed increases by 10 feet. You gain an additional 5 feet at 7th, 11th and 18th level. You also gain a +2 to melee damage rolls and have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.

Feral Might (level 7)

Your movement speed increases by 10 feet. You gain an additional 5 feet at 7th, 11th and 18th level. You also gain a +2 to melee damage rolls and have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.

Normal Form

You are in your normal form, gaining additional features.

Predatory Strikes

Predatory Strikes.  You have claws and a bite as natural weapons. Your Bite's damage die is equal to 1d8 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (Your choice). Your bite does piercing damage, and your claws can deal slashing damage. 

You can apply your Crimson Rite feature to your claws or bite as a single weapon. You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolIs of either natural weapons. When you use the Attack action with a natural weapon, you can make either attack as a bonus action.

Your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 slashing damage in your normal form. The damage increases to 1d8 while in your Hybrid Form.

The damage increases to 1d8 and 1d10 respectively at 11th level.

Your bite deals 1d8 slashing damage in your normal form. The damage increases to 1d10 while in your Hybrid Form.

The damage increases to 1d10 and 1d12 respectively at 11th level.

Resilient Hide

You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks not made with silver weapons. In your Hybrid Form, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from attacks not made with silver weapons.

While you are not wearing heavy armor, you gain a +2 bonus to your AC.

Stalker's Prowess

At 7th level, your long jump distance and your high jump distance increase 10 feet and 3 feet respectively. In addition, your hybrid form gains the Improved Predatory Strikes and Lycan Regeneration features.

Improved Predatory Strikes. You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls made with your unarmed strikes. This bonus increases by 1 at 11th level (+2) and 18th level (+3). In addition, when you have an active Crimson Rite while in your hybrid form, your unarmed strikes are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Lycan Regeneration. At the start of each of your turns, you regain hit points equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one) if you have at least 1 hit point and no more than half of your hit points left.

Lycan Regeneration

At the start of each of your turns you regain hit points equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one) if you have at least 1 hit point and no more than half of your hit points left.

Advanced Transformation

Starting at 11th level, you learn to unleash and control more of the beast within. In addition, your hybrid and normal forms gain the  Feral Agility Features.

Feral Agility. Your Dexterity scores increase by 2. Your maximum for those scores is now 22.

Dextrous Predator.  While in your hybrid form, you have a climbing speed equal to 30ft.

Your wolf form improves. You can turn into a Guardian Wolf, treating it as a wildshape.

Brand of the Voracious

At 15th level, you have advantage on your Wisdom saving throws to maintain control of your bloodlust in hybrid form. In addition, your Brand of Castigation now binds your foe to your hunter’s thirst for savagery.  Your attacks have advantage against a creature branded by you.

Shapechanging Mastery

At 18th level, you have wrestled your inner predator and mastered it. You can use your Shapechanging feature an unlimited number of times, and your hybrid and wolf forms can now last indefinitely.

You also gain the Blood Curse of the Howl for your Blood Maledict feature. This does not count against your number of blood curses known.