Query: I caught lycanthropy

[Alejandro]

So my PC got infected by a lycanthrope bite. We are not clear on what happens to me. We read the info in the MM. Two questions:

Does my Dex change right now? Or does it happen only if I shift? (Wererat)

Do I gain immunity to nonmagic/nonsilver weapons right now and at all times, or does that only happen when I am in a wereform? Lycanthropes themselves appear to always be immune?

[RickAllison]

So my PC got infected by a lycanthrope bite. We are not clear on what happens to me. We read the info in the MM. Two questions:

Does my Dex change right now? Or does it happen only if I shift? (Wererat)

Do I gain immunity to nonmagic/nonsilver weapons right now and at all times, or does that only happen when I am in a wereform? Lycanthropes themselves appear to always be immune?

0) With the way it is described in the MM, the base assumption is that changes are applied to all forms, with form-specific changes listed as such.

1) Dex change happens now. Dex 15 isn't that much, but it might be handy!

2) Immunity is right now and at all times. Enjoy! My lycanthrope (wereraven) has never been able to use this except in PvP when our charmed druid used Conjure Animals against me. Everything else has either been magical weapon damage or non-bludgeoning/slashing/piercing.

3) Augmented speed is explicitly restricted to non-humanoid forms, while immunities, traits, and non-equipment actions are given and follow how they work for an NPC. So I think that gives you 60 ft. darkvision, Shapechanger (restricted based on embracing the curse), and Keen Smell all the time. Multiattack is only available in humanoid or hybrid form. Bite is only available in hybrid or beast form. Enjoy!

[furby076]

I believe

Dex when shifted
Immunity and weaknesses always

[MinotaurWarrior]

I'd recommend house ruling the immunities away. Thats what I did when my OH monk got it. Immunity to multiple damage types is lame.

You're also forgetting the keen sense of smell.

[jaappleton]

You caught it, or your character caught it? Because my advice is going to be wildly different depending on who has it. :P

[Hopeless]

Your character will be quite ill for every night of the full moon phase they were bit within then have until the next full moon phase to be cured or they become a were and unlike others will fully know they are!

Traditionally your gm decides when it takes hold and unless they're willing to let you run that character it becomes an npc so you really shouldn't worry about what changes will happen to your character!👿

How is your gm handling this?

[RickAllison]

Your character will be quite ill for every night of the full moon phase they were bit within then have until the next full moon phase to be cured or they become a were and unlike others will fully know they are!

Traditionally your gm decides when it takes hold and unless they're willing to let you run that character it becomes an npc so you really shouldn't worry about what changes will happen to your character!👿

How is your gm handling this?

Incorrect. The actual text:


lf the
character embraces the curse, his or her alignment becomes
the one defined for the lycanthrope. The DM is free to decide
that a change in alignment places the character under DM
control until the curse of lycanthropy is removed.

So to even qualify for being put under DM control, the PC has to first embrace the curse. If the PC never embraces the curse, there is no text-based precedent for doing so and you just have a tyrant DM trying to screw the player. Presumably there would also be the prerequisite change in alignment (unless OP's PC was Lawful Evil), as not having a change in alignment means there is again no reason to turn them into an NPC. Becoming an NPC is supposed to be for when the PC has gone out of character, that they are not who they were before. A non-embraced lycanthrope is just like normal barring nights when they transform (optional RP for subtle changes), while an embraced PC who hasn't changed alignments should probably RP changes, but they haven't had a massive personality shift.

And I say that a DM who tries that without text precedent is a tyrant because they have intentionally engineered a scenario where the player has no choice in whether their PC is wrested from their control. It would be no different than a DM saying "A siren's call beckons you across the country. Roll a Charisma saving throw. You failed? Give me your character sheet."

[Alejandro]

At the moment, the only pressing thing I/our group needs to know is the mechanical effects.

Specifically, whether or not my PC is now (immediately) immune to nonmagical attacks (Monster Manual errata changed all references to nonmagical weapon attacks to all nonmagical attacks) that are not silvered.

[MinotaurWarrior]

At the moment, the only pressing thing I/our group needs to know is the mechanical effects.

Specifically, whether or not my PC is now (immediately) immune to nonmagical attacks (Monster Manual errata changed all references to nonmagical weapon attacks to all nonmagical attacks) that are not silvered.

yes. There is no mention of a delay.

[nilshai]

I'd recommend house ruling the immunities away. Thats what I did when my OH monk got it. Immunity to multiple damage types is lame.

I never understood why some stupid Weresnail should have better defenses than a friggin Balor. At least Demogorgon has immunity, too.

[MinotaurWarrior]

I never understood why some stupid Weresnail should have better defenses than a friggin Balor. At least Demogorgon has immunity, too.

I like it for fighting them. Silvering is cheap, but dramatic.

I just think it's really bad for a PC to be immune to the most common damage types, or for every random bandit to suddenly have silver weapons.

[Herobizkit]

I like it for fighting them. Silvering is cheap, but dramatic.

I just think it's really bad for a PC to be immune to the most common damage types, or for every random bandit to suddenly have silver weapons.Not every bandit, but certain sects/cults might be interested in purging the evil from the PC or convincing him to make more wererats...

[RickAllison]

Not every bandit, but certain sects/cults might be interested in purging the evil from the PC or convincing him to make more wererats...

Oh, yes. I had a lycanthrope PC and the monk spent a considerable amount of time trying to get bit so he could become one as well. Deliberately put himself into harm's way for werewolves to do it as well. It is actually rather funny, my lycanthrope's Con is so high that the saving throw would be extremely likely to fail...

[MinotaurWarrior]

Oh, yes. I had a lycanthrope PC and the monk spent a considerable amount of time trying to get bit so he could become one as well. Deliberately put himself into harm's way for werewolves to do it as well. It is actually rather funny, my lycanthrope's Con is so high that the saving throw would be extremely likely to fail...

Hah, my wererat was a monk too. Got it right before getting immunity to disease. Ended up being NPC'd when I was the only PC to accept a BBEG's offer. Ended up turning a whole city of elves into my clan Warren and his food supply.

[RickAllison]

Hah, my wererat was a monk too. Got it right before getting immunity to disease. Ended up being NPC'd when I was the only PC to accept a BBEG's offer. Ended up turning a whole city of elves into my clan Warren and his food supply.

I don't think it would count as a disease anyway, being more like a curse.

[Mandragola]

Yeah it's a curse, not a disease. My 12th level paladin just got bitten by a weretiger. He's in the middle of a dungeon and, while several of us can potentially cure the curse, none of us has the spell prepared!

Guess he'll just have to live with immunity to non-magical damage until tomorrow. Oh well, can't be helped.

[RickAllison]

Yeah it's a curse, not a disease. My 12th level paladin just got bitten by a weretiger. He's in the middle of a dungeon and, while several of us can potentially cure the curse, none of us has the spell prepared!

Guess he'll just have to live with immunity to non-magical damage until tomorrow. Oh well, can't be helped.

Screw that, I would be a weretiger no problem! I really love that particular lycanthrope :smallbiggrin:

[Mandragola]

Screw that, I would be a weretiger no problem! I really love that particular lycanthrope :smallbiggrin:

There's some merit to that idea, I agree. I can't really make it work for this character though. He's a LG vengeance paladin of Ilmater, and there's no real way he's going to surrender that to become a neutral cat guy who hunts stuff for fun. I think that a character would etiher embrace lycanthropy or look for a cure, and since this guy can easily cure himself (or ask his friends the cleric and druid to do so), it seems to me that he would.

[Goober4473]

Weirdly, being a lycanthrope is sort of mostly a benefit. I did come up with some alternate rules (http://www.dmsguild.com/product/192210/The-Curse-of-Lycanthropy) for it though.

[Balyano]

Now that you've caught lycanthropy you will start to notice changes. You will begin to experience unfamiliar emotions that you don't quite understand. You will often find yourself staring at your companions, feeling funny, a kind of hunger. You will experience sudden changes in mood, it will be like you've become another person, you will say and do things that you will regret later. Hopefully those that love you will be understanding. You will experience sudden spurts of growth, and may find that you are growing stronger, things that seemed heavy before are nothing to you now. You will begin growing hair in places you never had hair before. Your voice will change, growing deeper, then back to its original timbre, then deeper again. You will find that you are more aggressive and reckless. Things will annoy you that never bothered you before, and you may find that things you once thought were disgusting are now tempting. This will be a difficult transition, it is for most, but when it's finished you will be stronger for it.

[OrbanSirgen]

Now that you've caught lycanthropy you will start to notice changes. You will begin to experience unfamiliar emotions that you don't quite understand. You will often find yourself staring at your companions, feeling funny, a kind of hunger. You will experience sudden changes in mood, it will be like you've become another person, you will say and do things that you will regret later. Hopefully those that love you will be understanding. You will experience sudden spurts of growth, and may find that you are growing stronger, things that seemed heavy before are nothing to you now. You will begin growing hair in places you never had hair before. Your voice will change, growing deeper, then back to its original timbre, then deeper again. You will find that you are more aggressive and reckless. Things will annoy you that never bothered you before, and you may find that things you once thought were disgusting are now tempting. This will be a difficult transition, it is for most, but when it's finished you will be stronger for it.

Nope, that's just puberty...