lycanthropy (3.5)

[grubblybubbly]

i looked through the MM about lycanthropy, and i considered getting myself bitten by a werewolf(/rat/tiger/boar etc...) just to gain the cool powers of shapechainging and bonus hit dice at no xp cost. true, it's hard to control, but if you invest full ranks in control shape (or something like that) you can pretty much transform at will. this seems too good to be true. is it?

[Solaris]

Well, there is that pesky problem with all the animal hit dice and the LA you have to contend with. It's... really not all that great, after those factors are considered.

As an aside, does anyone know if there's a lycanthrope-based prestige class floating around? Maybe something in the vein of Dragon Disciple for furries?

[Salt_Crow]

There are a few problems associated with becoming a lycanthrope in-game (meaning not during character creation):

1. Animal HD sucks. Bad.
2. LA sucks. Real bad.
3. All of them DOES count against your Effective Character Level. This means you either need to take the Savage Progression (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a) from the Wizards of the Coat web enhancement, or with really strict DMs, make a new character as the infected character's power level is no longer suitable for the party. Which, incidentally, would defeat the purpose of getting power rise at seemingly no cost.
4. Therefore, there is a significant cost involved in being a lycanthrope, and is almost as bad as becoming a Vampire (LA +8) in some extreme cases.

[Starbuck_II]

There are a few problems associated with becoming a lycanthrope in-game (meaning not during character creation):

1. Animal HD sucks. Bad.
2. LA sucks. Real bad.
3. All of them DOES count against your Effective Character Level. This means you either need to take the Savage Progression (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a) from the Wizards of the Coat web enhancement, or with really strict DMs, make a new character as the infected character's power level is no longer suitable for the party. Which, incidentally, would defeat the purpose of getting power rise at seemingly no cost.
4. Therefore, there is a significant cost involved in being a lycanthrope, and is almost as bad as becoming a Vampire (LA +8) in some extreme cases.

Not true about ECL (only pre-game is that an issue), but XP is based on ECL difference (so higher ECl means less XP) to enemies CR.
So he might never level up.

I'd be a Were DireWeasel if I were to be a Lycan. Better ECL than a Vampiure and you can suck their blood. :smallbiggrin:

[PinkysBrain]

Solaris, there used to be a lycanthrope like PrC in the Eberron Campaign Setting ... but then the erratas came and "fixed" it (now it's ridiculously bad).

[Solaris]

Were I DM of a lycanthrope character, I'd give him all the HD right off the bat - he'd just need to gain the experience to get to his next level next time he wants to level up. Thus, a 1st-level character who gets bitten by a werewolf is gonna be waiting 'til he has enough experience to hit sixth level (IIRC) before he gets his next class level.

I remember, that one thingummie class for the shifters. Weretouched Master. I can see that being adapted for anyone, not just shifters.

[msully4321]

If one of my characters contracted lycanthropy, I'd give them a little while to work it out, try to get cured, etc. Then they'd get maybe a session of playing out becoming a lycanthrope before being asked to retire that character and roll up a new one, with their old character becoming an NPC. (They'd be told this in advance.)

A massive ECL increase makes a character unplayable.

[Lamech]

I think the savage species rules mean your ECL changes, which affects the XP you need for your next level and how much you get. But your XP total doesn't change. (So you will need several levels of XP. I would suggest (if your a full caster this is easy to justify*) getting the animal HD drained away. Then try to get the level adjustment bought off. Although all in all, this just isn't worth it. The levels are too much, maybe a one time thing for killing the BBEG.

*When getting level drained most people will probably find it easier to reobtain the previous level of power. You after lycanthropy will find it harder to learn, yet more powerful in other ways. One might theorize that if one was hit by a wight one could lose the extra power/skills with out affecting casting ablities. One could then test the theory. Then one will discover their casting powers are unaffected (for a certain amount). Finally, your availbe amount of XP for crafting/casting may go up. Also if you are forcibly cured you could level up a bunch. (Hmm... really abusive idea coming on.)