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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next I am creating a homebrew setting, and lycanthropy will be a rather easily obtainable



darkrose50
2016-01-23, 09:16 AM
I am creating a homebrew setting, and lycanthropy will be a rather easily obtainable option (a starting option). I would like some feedback.

Here are my design goals:

[1] Player characters will be humans rolled up using 4D4 + 4D6 (perhaps 3D4 + 3D6), keep the best three dice, in STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA order, replace any one attribute with a 15. NPC's normally use 3D6, in order. After rolling a player may choose to be a lycanthrope. Lycanthropes will then be able to replace the lowest of STR, DEX, or CON with a 13. This can be quite the tempting offer to many people. Imagine being sickly with a 7 CON, being infected, and then being robustly healthy with a 13 CON.

[2] Werewolves are cool, and I would like my players to have the opportunity to play them.

[3] The standard 5e D&D werewolves are rather overpowered, and are not designed to be player characters.

[4] I want to capture the feel of werewolves without making them overpowered.

[5] Healing abilities are significantly less potent in 5e. Introducing a healing option decreases the need for a healer. Healing is less important to the point where I think items such as rings of regeneration should be a lower level item now.

[6] Being infected with lycanthropy is often a death sentence. Many do not survive the change. Lycanthropes are feared as they can inflict a death sentence with a bite.

[7] Humanities home island (effectively England) is suffering from a post-apocalyptic undead plague that hit 101-years past. A side effect is that humans poses a resistance to lycanthropy and are much less likely to die from it (CON DC 12 save with advantage). This does little to reduce the fear of death via lycanthropy.

[8] Humans are taking the dregs of society and are creating units of werewolfs to retake their lands overran by the surviving undead and apex predators unchecked by civilization. This terrifies the non-human races on the mainland.

Lycanthrope (werewolf, wererat, etcetera).

[1/*] Burning the Crimson Hunger - Using any lycanthrope special features causes their eyes to burn crimson. These glowing red eyes unnerve man and beast. Using lycanthrope special features also causes a hunger that is truly best satiated with meat. During a day where lycanthrope special features are used a lycanthrope’s caloric requirement becomes twice that of an unaffected, unless consumed in meat.

[2/*] Dark-vision: As a bonus action activate 60-feet of dark-vision. One may keep dark-vision active for as long as one likes, but like all lycanthrope special features this causes the eyes to glow red. Dark-vision and Enhanced Senses are activated with the same bonus action.

[3/*] Enhanced Senses: As a bonus action gain a bonus to Perception skill checks equal to your proficiency bonus. Dark-vision and Enhanced Senses are activated with the same bonus action.

[4/*] Transformation: When transforming from one form to another the lycanthrope may use the regeneration feature as a reaction. A lycanthrope may take the human form, an animal form, and a hybrid form.

[5/*] Animal Form: As an action one may transform into the lycanthropes animal form gaining the option to attack with claw 1D4, or bite 1D6. While in the animal form the lycanthrope smells and looks like an animal of that type (behavior may give away its true nature).

[6/*] Hybrid Form: As an action one may transform into the lycanthropes hybrid form gaining the option to attack with claw 1D6, or bite 1D8. While in the animal form the lycanthrope smells and looks like a combination of human and an animal of that type.

[7/*] Regeneration: You may use a bonus action, expend a hit die, roll the hit die, and regain hit points equal to the result.

[8/*] Well of Vitality: On your turn, you may use a bonus action, and recover a spent hit dice. Once you use this feature you must finish a long rest before you may use it again.

[9/*] Silver Allergy: Touching silver causes itching, then rashes, and eventually blistering. Silver weapons cause 1d6 additional damage. Taking silver damage (a) renders Regeneration and Well of Vitality unavailable for an hour, and (b) causes most other forms of healing to be half as effective for an hour (some healing potions are brewed specifically to work under the influence of silver).

[10/*] Temper: Lycanthropes are known for their, often violent, temper. On a full moon they need to make a Wisdom DC 12 check or transition into a state where they act out in anger. If this occurs, then those around them could be in danger. In this transitioned state, if they will argue, growl, act intimidating, and if still challenged they may be forced to display dominance via physical violence (not necessarily lethal) unless they make a Wisdom DC 12 check. A pack leader (usually one father figure and one mother figure) present can either cause these rolls to be at an advantage, or at a disadvantage.

[11/*] Lycanthropy: If someone is damaged by a bite or claw, and any part of that damage brings them (or is) below half their maximum hit points, then they need to make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be infected with lycanthropy. On the next full moon they will transform into a Lycanthrope. The lowest of STR, DEX, or CON will then be raised to 13. Next, he or she needs to make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or die. Human descendants of the survivors of the undead plague have advantage on the saving throw to avoid death.