Core 3.5 Druid 6 caught lycanthropy -Help!

[Stygofthedump]

the shape change rules seem to contradict.
1 Which wolf form do I use the stat bonus one or the base template or even the ware wolf template?
2 can a druid freely shape change to were wolf or basic wolf (are they the same thing?)
3 Does silver reduction work with 'basic wolf form'?
4 other forms?
5 Can druid resist shape change to avoid the alignment shift? "Will save (DC 15 + number of times he has been in animal form) or permanently assume the alignment of his animal form in all shapes."
6 does this mean normal wolf form might be a bad idea?
7 are there any core 3.5 alignment druid spells?

we use Monster manual, Players and DM's
-Cheers

[supermonkeyjoe]

This has the potential to go badly wrong:


Werewolf:

Alignment: Always chaotic evil

Changing Alignment:

A character with awareness of his condition retains his identity and does not lose control of his actions if he changes. However, each time he changes to his animal form, he must make a Will save (DC 15 + number of times he has been in animal form) or permanently assume the alignment of his animal form in all shapes.

Druid:

Alignment

Neutral good, lawful neutral, neutral, chaotic neutral, or neutral evil.


Ex-Druids

A druid who ceases to revere nature, changes to a prohibited alignment, or teaches the Druidic language to a nondruid loses all spells and druid abilities (including her animal companion, but not including weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She cannot thereafter gain levels as a druid until she atones (see the atonement spell description).

You fail that will save it's goodbye druid powers until you get your alignment fixed, best to try one of these:


A remove disease or heal spell cast by a cleric of 12th level or higher also cures the affliction, provided the character receives the spell within three days of the lycanthrope’s attack.

The only other way to remove the affliction is to cast remove curse or break enchantment on the character during one of the three days of the full moon. After receiving the spell, the character must succeed on a DC 20 Will save to break the curse (the caster knows if the spell works). If the save fails, the process must be repeated.

[Fouredged Sword]

OK, his character level just jumped 3 levels.

This should help. Look at the "as characters" section

You gain 1 HD, take the skill points from that and dump them into control form.

When you shift into your hybrid form you get +2 str, +4 dex, and +4 Con.

You get +2 wisdom at all times.

This stacks with most stuff.

There is a PRC somewhere that grants the ability to maintain your alignment while a were creature, and it advances some spellcasting. Not a bad option for a druid who wants to focus on his werewolf form.

Also a 2-4 level dip in warshaper is not out of order.

A nice DM would allow the character to take that HD of mosterous humanoid as a level of the PRC that allows improved control over your werewolf form.

[ShriekingDrake]

Get a good barber.

[Emperor Tippy]

Die+Raise Dead to strip off the extra HD, makes Were-X far more reasonable to play.

Talk with your DM about the alignment issue.

[Stygofthedump]

I agree its bad but no cure available currently. i guess 17 wiz then +2 with extra save bonus from wolf gets +11 to save. maby deliberate change with guidance cantrip and the bard inspiring me means i need a 1 or 2 on the roll (at first). I just wanna ride it out untill I can get cured. extra HP and silver resist is nice in the mean while.
still not sure about druid wolf form?

[Urpriest]

I agree its bad but no cure available currently. i guess 17 wiz then +2 with extra save bonus from wolf gets +11 to save. maby deliberate change with guidance cantrip and the bard inspiring me means i need a 1 or 2 on the roll (at first). I just wanna ride it out untill I can get cured. extra HP and silver resist is nice in the mean while.
still not sure about druid wolf form?

What about it? I don't think any of us are sure what your question was there.

[Stygofthedump]

Ok
A druid can change to a wolf and gets the stats of a wolf
This is different from changing to w aolf as a werewolf, that involves a stat increase.
Wolf=wolf?
Also damage reduction is in animal form, any form?

Thanks if anyone can help!

[Fouredged Sword]

You don't change into a wolf.

You become more wolf like, but you stay in your own shape. You get exactly what is stated in the lycanthropy SRD page, nothing more.

[Razanir]

Alternatively, wish. If I was a DM, I'd allow you to use the spell to remove the alignment switching part of transformation. Not only is there currently a risk of switching, it's automatic if you voluntarily switch. Get a wish, remove that effect. I'd allow it, at least.

But until then, you'd better buy a bulk discount on atonements, because you'll be guaranteed to need one this upcoming full moon, and lycanthropy only gets more expensive from there

[Gavinfoxx]

I would suggest reading these to make sure you understand all the rules involved:

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=4398.0

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207928

Further, I don't necessarily think your DM understands the rules involved, ie, how giving a PC Lycanthropy, especially for a creature that will make him lose his class features, and not letting him cure it is a really ****ish move.

[Stygofthedump]

Hes just running module, wolfbane failed, save failed, gotta finish job before cure.
Good idea on atonment though!

[Fates]

You don't change into a wolf.

You become more wolf like, but you stay in your own shape. You get exactly what is stated in the lycanthropy SRD page, nothing more.

...And as you can clearly see on the SRD page (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/lycanthrope.htm), lycanthropes do get the ability to change into both a "hybrid" form, and the form of their designated animal. The table at the bottom even gives specific instructions for how afflicted lycanthropes can alter their form.

I'm not sure where you're getting your info, unless I am totally misunderstanding you. :smallconfused:

[Stygofthedump]

Sooo, cheese to change to wolf then use lycanthropy to assume wolf like form and get stats from both!

[Just to Browse]

Sooo, cheese to change to wolf then use lycanthropy to assume wolf like form and get stats from both!

Yes, this is exactly what you do.

[137beth]

Hes just running module, wolfbane failed, save failed, gotta finish job before cure.
Good idea on atonment though!

Yea, that's sounding sorta like he doesn't realize how much of an issue lycanthropy on a PC can be.

[KillingAScarab]

I would show the Savage Progressions series to your DM. The first article (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030824a) outlines why template classes might be needed, while there is an article covering the werewolf template class here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040117a). It isn't the best written bit of rules ever (the table and the text have contradictions), but that should help decide whether the character will actually keep the disease when the DM and you realize the "benefits" might be worth 4 Effective Character Levels to do much of what you could already do before as a druid.


Sooo, cheese to change to wolf then use lycanthropy to assume wolf like form and get stats from both!First, as soon as you voluntarily change into a wolf, you will become chaotic evil, and you will become an ex-druid and probably shift back to humanoid form.

Regarding some of your other questions, a hypothetical druid which is also a lycanthrope (this works better with wereboars or weretigers) would have two different methods which can change their shape. The alternate form quality does not seem like it can be "mixed" with what a druid gets from wildshape; you just end up with two different ways to look like that animal. Here's what Rules Compendium has to say about alternate form.


The creature retains the special qualities of its natural form. It doesn't gain any special qualities of its assumed form.
...
The creature gains the physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution) of its assumed form. It retains the mental ability scores (Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma) of its natural form.

Your natural form? It isn't a wolf, it's a humanoid. If it wasn't, your mental ability scores would change to those of a wolf, meaning your intelligence would drop to 2 and you would never be a player character again.

Also, the entry for Wild Shape in Rules Compendium says, "This ability functions like alternate form, except as noted here," and there's nothing contradicting those two points I quoted above. Things like the damage reduction? That's a special quality for being a lycanthrope which explicitly only functions for the alternate form given by lycanthropy. The template is nice enough to have specific rules and trump the general, letting you apply bonuses to (rather than replace) your humanoid physical attributes when you use the lycanthrope alternate form.

However, that's only nice if you already had fairly good physical attributes. As a druid, you probably have been relying upon your wild shape to give you good physical stats. As a druid going into the werewolf template (or template class), you might end up being weaker than a wolf, but able to grab things from the top shelf in hybrid form. You also earned the chance to spend your skill points on control shape: a skill which no one else needs to waste skill points on. Tooootally worth becoming chaotic evil.

[137beth]

Going just off of their mythological basis, it doesn't really make sense to me that werewolfs would have to be CE. Chaotic makes sense. Evil does not.

[KillingAScarab]

Going just off of their mythological basis, it doesn't really make sense to me that werewolfs would have to be CE. Chaotic makes sense. Evil does not.Perhaps when seeking inspiration for a monster manual entry, the D&D approach looked to the French Enlightenment and the Encyclopédie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A9die). One of my favorite quotes regarding it...

In more than 70,000 articles, the best French minds explained and classified information on everything from adultery, wild mint, typesetting, and friendship to opera, purgatory, hydraulics, and raccoons. Also, werewolves.

You can find a translation of the relevant entry (http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=did;cc=did;rgn=main;view=text;idno=did2222.0 000.158) into English hosted by the University of Michigan. Of note are the two approaches to the definition, a reference to demonologists for the one which involves some transformation, and a glimpse at how mental health was viewed in an earlier time for the other.

[Crake]

Use wildshape to change into an animal as often as you can. While wildshaped you lose your lycanthropy shapechange ability, so you wont have to worry about the will saves. Also at night on full moons, spend the 12 hours of night wildshaped too, that should prevent the change. Keep this up until you manage to cure it.

[Kaerou]

A remove disease or heal spell cast by a cleric of 12th level or higher also cures the affliction, provided the character receives the spell within three days of the lycanthrope’s attack.

I would argue that Druids would be just as if not more able to deal with a 'curse of nature' like this than clerics, likely one of those things they overlooked/didn't think of when writing the system (it seems to be a 'thing' in regard to Druidic healing). As a DM I would certainly go with the idea that a Druid of 12th or even maybe 9th would be perfectly capable of dealing with this. Perhaps speak to your DM and present this, and bring up the idea of travelling to your Druidic sect to seek their help. It could make for a cool adventure, a 'race against time' type thing.

[KillingAScarab]

I would argue that Druids would be just as if not more able to deal with a 'curse of nature' like this than clerics, likely one of those things they overlooked/didn't think of when writing the system (it seems to be a 'thing' in regard to Druidic healing). As a DM I would certainly go with the idea that a Druid of 12th or even maybe 9th would be perfectly capable of dealing with this. Perhaps speak to your DM and present this, and bring up the idea of travelling to your Druidic sect to seek their help. It could make for a cool adventure, a 'race against time' type thing.It's probably easier than listing cleric/druid/ranger, which all have access to the spell. Actually clerics and druids get the spell much earlier (this 6th level druid could cast it), but the spell description supports the idea that higher caster levels may be required to counter certain diseases. At least, I assume it's caster level which counts rather than class or character level. The description doesn't specify.

On a similar note, though, I remember there was a kit for Baldur's Gate II where a druid intentionally got infected with lycanthropy and then made that their primary shapeshifting power. No idea how accurately that reflected anything from 2nd edition, but it was specifically a werewolf hybrid form you turned into and there weren't any additional alignment restrictions. A DM giving druids a better understanding, at the least, of lycanthropes seems like a good idea to me for a 3.x game.

[Stygofthedump]

Ok stay in animal form during full moon, dont use lycanthrope form and try to remain neutral good at all costs! seek cure asap!

Thanks all for your advice and links

[Gavinfoxx]

Remember, as a level 6 druid, you can wild shape for 6 hours at a time. That's 12 hours as an Eagle, with an 80' fly speed.

You have access to both actual healing (to heal damage from fatigue/exhaustion) and lesser restoration, which removes fatigue, meaning you don't have to actually sleep -- you just need to meditate for like an hour each day at a particular time to regain your spells and abilities. You have spells that make food (goodberry, I believe).

It is totally viable for you to just fly to your druid sept in the middle of the adventure, even with a HUGE GIANT time limit. You are THAT CAPABLE of strategic movement; in fact, at this level, you are perhaps the character with the fastest strategic mobility in the game. You can totally just double-move / hustle the entire range!