Contracting Lycanthropy - How to manage the power gap.

[Kossuth]

Hello everyone!

I have a PC that wants to play an afflicted lycanthrope, a Werebear. This form gains 6d8 hd and a +2 level adjustment, and the party is level 6, meaning his new ECL would jump from 6 to 14. I have no problem with someone playing a Werebear, it gives me a lot of chances to mess with them [failed saves to control the change, monster hunters, being shunned from polite society, etc], however, the gap in power between an ECL 14 and his ECL 6 compatriots is just too big. Anything that would be a challenge for the ECL 14 would kill the rest of the party easily. I hesitate to nerf the stats because thats half the reason he wants it.

Are there any rules for metering out the templated bonuses over the next few levels at least? Or do I have to wing it?

[Forrestfire]

Actually there is, (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20031114a) if they choose to focus on getting lycanthropy abilities.

[Dalebert]

I don't think it just adds hit dice. My understanding is that would be his minimum HD but it would replace class HD unless they're bigger. For instance, if he's a rogue with d6, then 6 of his HD would become d8. No?

How do people handle it when characters contract lycanthropy through no desire of their own? I have an NPC would was attacked by a wererat and failed his save. The party is preparing to spend a lot of money to prevent the change despite there not appearing to be much of a downside. The description of the wererat even talks about it like it's a bad thing. Otherwise, why would you be saving to avoid it?

[Akadzjian]

There is no "typical method" for metering advancement like that. You can't just eliminate the HD because that's actually part of the power balancing (class levels trump racials).

So afflict him, and make him take the racial hd as his next Xth levels, metering out the ability score bonuses as he levels up as you see fit.

[Forrestfire]

I don't think it just adds hit dice. My understanding is that would be his minimum HD but it would replace class HD unless they're bigger. For instance, if he's a rogue with d6, then 6 of his HD would become d8. No?

Your understanding is incorrect. It adds hit dice and LA on top of already existing class levels, although your method could be a neat way to handle it.

[Ettina]

How do people handle it when characters contract lycanthropy through no desire of their own? I have an NPC would was attacked by a wererat and failed his save. The party is preparing to spend a lot of money to prevent the change despite there not appearing to be much of a downside. The description of the wererat even talks about it like it's a bad thing. Otherwise, why would you be saving to avoid it?

Well, every full moon he'll forcibly transform, and if he gains too much control over his change, he risks alignment change. (Wererats are neutral evil.) Plus I believe wererats go nuts if they spend too much time away from other wererats. Those are certainly downsides for many characters.