how to apply lycan template?

[Deca4531]

so my players were fighting a werebear and one wound up infected. i expected him to just get it cured (they had potions on them to cleans it) but he says he is cool with being a werebear. now what im not sure about how to handle the LA for it. afflicted is a +1 LA (by forgotten realms standards) and a bear has 6d8 HD. so dose that mean:

A) his next 7 levels are negated
B) he instantly gain 6 more HD
C) he only looses 1 level
D) he levels up for the next 6 levels but only gains HD and nothing else (other then feats and skill points those HD provide) and looses his 7th?

also, if he dose get it cleansed after a few levels how do you handle the adjustment of HD to class levels if D is the correct way to handle it.

Thanks in advance for the help

[VGLordR2]

I would recommend the Werebear Savage Progression (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20031114a). Each time he levels up, just give him the next level of the template class. It essentially divides up the bonuses of the Werebear into six levels, and once you finish it, you have the full template.

[Deca4531]

I would recommend the Werebear Savage Progression (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20031114a). Each time he levels up, just give him the next level of the template class. It essentially divides up the bonuses of the Werebear into six levels, and once you finish it, you have the full template.

that is really helpful but i was hoping for a ruling on how to go about it so i know for future situations like this.

[KillianHawkeye]

If you are going by the strict rules, he instantly gains 6 animal HD and a +2 Level Adjustment (I don't know where you got +1 from, it's +2 for afflicted lycanthropes in the Monster Manual). He then doesn't gain another level for a REALLY LONG time.

[Deca4531]

If you are going by the strict rules, he instantly gains 6 animal HD and a +2 Level Adjustment (I don't know where you got +1 from, it's +2 for afflicted lycanthropes in the Monster Manual). He then doesn't gain another level for a REALLY LONG time.

Races of Faerun p.145. there is a whole section on lycans that gives slightly different rules for lycans. i like using that book over the MM version.

[TypoNinja]

Races of Faerun p.145. there is a whole section on lycans that gives slightly different rules for lycans. i like using that book over the MM version.

Fascinating, they got stronger, and they lowered the LA. Guess WotC clued in that RHD completely suck.

Anyway, strictly speaking he gains all the new abilties, HD (and everything that comes with them) stat adjustments, saves skill points, ect of his type of Lycanthrope immediately.

He also gains his LA for a turned Lycanthrope, and the Racial HD (which count as levels).

Then he'll pretty much never level up again, or at least till the party catches up. His ECL is going to be Class levels + RHD + LA. That should put him Seven levels above the party (6 RHD and his 1 LA).

Think of it as gaining seven levels all at once and choosing to level up as a Lycanthrope.

As you can Imagine that makes him a lot stronger than the rest of the party for a while, and also will leave him rather bored in short order, he's not going to gain any new goodies from leveling up for a long time. That's pretty much why things like the savage progressions exist.

[Prime32]

Try looking at PF lycanthropes (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/lycanthrope). They don't gain any extra HD, and the CR is equal to their stronger form's CR +1.

So basically, an LA +1 template where the animal must have a CR equal to or lower than the infectee's ECL (before the LA of the template itself is applied). If their animal form falls behind after a while, let them "evolve" it from black bear (2) -> magebred black bear (3) -> brown bear (4) -> magebred brown bear (5) -> dire bear (7) -> magebred dire bear (8) -> legendary bear (9) -> magebred legendary bear (10) -> ? -> paragon black bear (17)

[Eldan]

Strictly by the rules: he gains 6 HD and +2 LA. That means his effective character level is now his class level +8.

So, as an example: he was a level 5 character. His effective character level is now 13. He would now gain XP from encounters as a level 13 character. Assuming you still balance most encounters for level 5s, the rest of his party, he'd gain absolutely nothing for most. TO level up the next time, he'd have to get the amount of XP necessary to advance to level 14, so about 9 level's worth.

[Deca4531]

I think WoTC didnt think out template adding very well IMO. lol

[Urpriest]

Races of Faerun p.145. there is a whole section on lycans that gives slightly different rules for lycans. i like using that book over the MM version.

I'm not entirely sure that's a viable choice. Races of Faerun is right on the border of 3.0 vs. 3.5, and while they've got the 3.5 skills, that doesn't mean they're fully updated if something went to press after it was edited. You really should use the rules from the MM.

Regardless, yes, by default your player just gains all those levels. If you want to go that route, I would advise making the player an NPC until the party catches up or the lycanthropy is cured (removing all the extra HD and LA). That said, it really would be more streamlined for you to use the Savage Progression, since the end result is the same.

[Deca4531]

so lets say we went with the progression system and he gains 4 levels of that. then lets say he isnt happy with the lack of levels from his class and chooses to have it cured. would he instantly gain 4 new levels of his normal class?

[KillianHawkeye]

I'd say he wouldn't, but there's really not an explicit rule about how that works.