Werewolf

Every night of a full moon, a creature cursed with lycanthropy is forcibly changed into their hybrid form unless they can succeed on a saving throw. On their first full moon, a lycanthrope feels a rush of power, desire, and energy as the curse takes hold. Whether they embrace it or not, the beast within them typically takes over at moonrise, mindlessly rampaging in its most powerful form. A lycanthrope at the full moon cannot differentiate friend from foe, seeing all living creatures as nothing more than food. In the morning, the lycanthrope awakens with vague memories of its actions.

As the full moon rises and the beast calls to them, a lycanthrope has a choice: they can embrace it, submitting to the curse in its entirety and accepting the bloodlust as part of life. Alternatively, they can attempt to resist the curse—potentially mastering their abilities in a limited form, or embrace the transformation and focusing on maintaining a sense of self. Resistance is a brutal, agonizing process, but the lycanthrope has a chance to retain their humanity in the face of their curse.

Whatever their choice, a player has little to no control over what they do between moonrise and dawn.

Days Around a Full Moon

While there is only one night per lunar cycle with a true full moon, the preceding and succeeding nights can both trigger a transformation. At moonrise on the day before and after the full moon, a lycanthrope must succeed on a DC10 Constitution saving throw to avoid transforming and rampaging.

A lycanthrope can gain advantage on this saving throw by consuming a Potion of Wolfsbane during the preceding twenty-four hours. Other than that, the resistance rituals described below do not apply on these nights.

Consequences of a Rampage

Changing takes a massive toll on the body. A night of rampaging and rage is tiring, especially after long days of adventuring or travel. The morning after a full transformation, the lycanthrope gains a level of exhaustion.

Embracing the Curse

A lycanthrope that chooses to succumb to the curse instantly transforms into the appropriate were-creature. They become a full lycanthrope, using the statblock and alignment appropriate for the creature. Alternatively, they use the full moon lycanthrope statblock provided here as a base.

Once a creature has embraced the curse, there is no turning back. The curse takes hold, irrevocably shifting their personality and alignment to match that of their respective creature. A creature that chooses to submit to their curse immediately becomes an NPC in the DM's control.

Interacting with the Curse

Embracing the Curse

If an infected creature wants to embrace their curse but maintain a sense of control of their actions (based on morality and DM decisions) during the full moon, they can do so relying on their willpower. Doing so causes the creature to automatically fail its saving throw against changing, and requires a successful Wisdom saving throw to maintain mental control. The DC for this saving throw is equal to 14 + the creature's Lycanthropy Rank.

Resisting the Curse

If an infected creature wishes to resist the call of the curse, they face a grueling task. The curse is ancient and deadly, a force of dark magic that has survived countless generations through sheer power.

If Remove Curse or Greater Restoration is cast on an infected creature and if they succeed on both saving throws listed below, the curse of lycanthropy is lifted.

The Curse of Body

The curse of lycanthropy forces a physical change—a lycanthrope shifts form, gaining animal features to enhance their power.

To resist the physical transformation, an infected creature must succeed on a DC14 Constitution saving throw. A creature that has ingested a wolfsbane potion during the last twenty-four hours has advantage on this saving throw.

The Curse of Mind

The curse of lycanthropy forces a mental change—the spirit of the beast promises a hunt unlike any other, a sense of true fulfillment and purpose in the mindless glory of an animal in its element.

To resist the rising emotions and bloodlust, an infected creature must succeed on a DC14 Wisdom saving throw. A creature that has undergone a ritual silver Ceremony or undergone character-specific spiritual guidance, has advantage on this saving throw.

Category 0

Lycanthropic State: The curse is dormant, and you have not undergone any physical transformations yet.

Effects:

• You are cursed (remove curse suppresses the lycanthropy temporarily, but it does not cure it).
• You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on hearing or smell.

Full Moon: Disadvantage on your saving throws against Lunar Change.

Category 1

Lycanthropic State: The curse is now active, having transformed at least once.

Effects:

• Your Strength and Constitution scores increase by 1.
• You gain the shapechanger creature tag.
• You have vulnerability to Silvered Weapons. Maintaining contact with items made of silver cause 1 point of necrotic damage at the start of each of your turns.
• Your unarmed strikes deal 1d4 + an amount of extra damage equal to your Strength or Dexterity modifier (whichever is higher).
• You have advantage on saving throws against disease and poison.
• Your base walking speed increases by +5 ft.
• You can use your action to polymorph into a Wolf, or back into your true form at-will. You can also change into your Dire Wolf form for up to 1 hour, and can make the transformation once per long rest. Your statistics, other than your AC, are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn't transformed. You revert to your true form if you die. You receive a +1 natural armor bonus when polymorphed.

Full Moon: ...

Category 2

Lycanthropic State: You have transformed at least three times.

Effects:

• Your Strength, Dexterity and Constitution scores increase by 1.
• You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks not made with Silvered Weapons.
• Your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 + an amount of extra damage equal to your Strength or Dexterity modifier (whichever is higher).
• Your base walking speed increases by +5 ft.
• You have advantage on Strength (Athletics) and Wisdom (Survival) checks.
• You gain darkvision out to a range of 60 ft., or if you already have darkvision, the range increases by 30 feet.
• You can use your action to polymorph into a Wolf or Dire Wolf, or back into your true form at-will. You can also change into your hybrid form for up to 1 hour, and can make the transformation once per long rest. Your statistics, other than your AC, are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn't transformed. You revert to your true form if you die. You receive a +1 natural armor bonus when polymorphed.

Full Moon: ...

Category 3

Lycanthropic State: ...

Effects:

• ...

Full Moon: ...

Category 4

Lycanthropic State: ...

Effects:

• ...

Full Moon: ...

Category 5

Lycanthropic State: ...

Effects:

• ...

Full Moon: ...

Armor Class 11 in humanoid form, 12 (natural armor) in wolf or hybrid form
Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
Speed 30 ft. (40 ft. in wolf form)

Skills Perception +4, Stealth +3
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Common (can't speak in wolf form)
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Shapechanger. The werewolf can use its action to polymorph into a wolf-humanoid hybrid or into a wolf, or back into its true form, which is humanoid. Its statistics, other than its AC, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Keen Hearing and Smell. The werewolf has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Actions

Multiattack. (Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only). The werewolf makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws or spear.
Bite (Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with werewolf lycanthropy.
Claws. (Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage.
Spear (Humanoid Form Only). Melee or _Ranged Weapon Attack:__ +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one creature. _Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, or 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.