Werefolk

Each culture has its own origins for the shape shifters. Some say its divine punishment, others say it's dark magic, maybe even a little wild magic. Werefolk can come in many forms that bears a strong resemblance to a beast. Not every were beast form is well known or common place, but they all tend to have a few things in common physically, but due to the dizzying variety on animals in the world, as a whole werefolk have few common bonds. Each culture treating them differently. One culture may hunt them down, another may integrate them wholeheartedly. In Novus, the human cultures shun them as cursed beasts. In the truinsear tribes they accept werefoxes as medicine folk and werewolves as warriors. The gnolls in the agrean continent hunt down werebadgers when discovered.

Born or created?

The largest segment of werefolk are created from others. The animals they resemble often tend to be the same regionally, if common, and they tend to share a culture. Most often the try to hide their forms and make associations and private spaces for themselves and their allies, even if begrudgingly. There is also tales of werefolk that have immunity to physical damage unless a magical blade is used, but those tales also preclude those creations being made from dark magics and evil beings.

Those born to it are special to groups and tend to have more refined powers. Often "alphas" are made from the coming together of two similar werefolk. In the case one parent is a werefolk they may or may not be born as a werefolk. The children of two different werefolk will take after one of the parents. The forms never seem to mix suggesting their transformation is more magical then natural. True alphas are rare and don't show signs until later in their development, sometimes for decades. 

Breed true

All werefolk have a partial transformation form that shares a resemblance to their breed form. Among their kind they call this their breed. Many werefolk derive benefits from their breed, from natural aptitudes with certain abilities and skills to the ability to fly, breath water, or even use echolocation.

Werefolk Traits

Ability score increase. Increase one ability score by 2 and another by 1.

Age. Based on your base race. 

Alignment. Based on home culture.

Size. Determined by race.

Speed. Walking speed is 30.

Languages. You know common and a language typical of your race.

Shapechanger Weakness. 

You have a weakness to a specific damage type, material, condition, or circumstance approved by a GM. When hit with the damage or material, the attack is made with advantage. When afflicted with the condition or circumstance specified they have disadvantage on a specific save.

Shapechanger Virulence. 

Explain how your breed of werefolk is afflicted onto others, which will be approved by a GM. Commonly it's passed via some form of contact often through a bite or claw. The target of affliction must pass a DC 13 constitution check or they contract your werefolk affliction.

Shapechanger. The werefolk can use its action to polymorph into a breed-humanoid hybrid or into a it's breed, or back into its true form, which is humanoid. While in this form you have natural weapons that befit your breed. When you make unarmed strikes you can change the damage type that fits your breeds natural weapons.

In your breed form your character’s game statistics, except health, class features, and mental ability scores are replaced by the statistics of your breed. You retain your alignment and personality. You are limited in the actions you can perform by the nature of your breed form, and you can’t speak, cast spells, or take any other action that requires hands or intelligent speech. Your gear melds into the your breed form. You can’t activate, use, wield, or otherwise benefit from any of your equipment. Additionally, you can use whatever attacks are available to the standard beast form. 

Werebeast Traits. Pick two minor traits and one major trait that generally match your breed form statistics. Some are more magically gifted then others.

Minor Traits:

• Keen senses. Choose one sense. You gain advantage on perception rolls that utilize that sense. This can be chosen twice.
• Natural Talent. Gain proficiency in one skill related to your breed. This can be chosen twice.
• Low-Light Vision. You can see in dim light as if it were bright light. This ability has physical manifestations related to your breed.
• Kin to beasts. Advantage on animal handling checks.
• Cold adapted. You're acclimated to extreme cold and do not suffer it's effects.
• Heat adapted. You're acclimated to extreme hot and do not suffer it's effects.

Major Traits:

• Aquatic. While in hybrid form, you have a swim speed of 30 feet and can breathe air and water.
• Arboreal. While in hybrid form, you have a climb speed of 30.
• Fossorial. While in hybrid form, you have a dig speed of 30 feet and tremorsense of 5 feet while underground.
• Agile. As a bonus action you increase your movement speed by 10 feet for 10 minutes. You regain this use back on a short rest.
• Major Weapons. While in hybrid form your natural weapons deal 1d6 + your strength or dexterity modifier.
• Flyer. While in hybrid form you have a fly speed of 30 feet while.  If you're carrying more then half your carry weight you have a fly speed of 0.
• Pounce. While in hybrid form, once per round if you run more then 20 feet and your first melee attack successful, the target must make a strength save. On a failure they are knocked prone. The dc is 8 + proficiency + strength modifier.
• Natural armor. While in hybrid form, you have an ac of 13+dexterity.
• Standing leap. While in hybrid form, your long jump is up to 30 feet and high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start.
• Venomous. When you hit someone with a natural weapon they must succeed on a constitution save of 12. On a failure they gain the poison condition for 1 minute and take 2d4 poison damage. You can use this ability 2 times per long rest.
• Environmental Adaption. Increase any ability stat by 1 that hasn't been increased yet.