Shifter, Blood Hunter Lycan, or Lycan Curse?

[MikeRoxTheBoat]

I'm currently playing a War Cleric 1/Gloomstalker Ranger 3 in an Eberron campaign and we just got to a point in the story where it would make sense for my character to gain the ability to shift. The DM gave me three options for how this would manifest. I would either respec the 3 levels of ranger to be Bloodhunter instead, change my race to be a shifter, or contract the Lycan Curse. I'm currently trying to decide which one would be best.

I'm currently a half drow with stats 8, 16, 14, 10, 16, 10. We got a free level 1 feat that I used for Sharpshooter. My game plan so far has been to pre-cast bless, then take Sharpshooter shots each round, usually with a bonus action shot if I miss or have advantage.

I'm leaning towards the Bloodhunter route, simply 'cause I haven't played one and it wouldn't change my stats, race, or game plan at all, besides giving me a melee option and Rite damage at the cost of ranger stuffs (standard ranger, no revised).

[Rukelnikov]

I'm currently playing a War Cleric 1/Gloomstalker Ranger 3 in an Eberron campaign and we just got to a point in the story where it would make sense for my character to gain the ability to shift. The DM gave me three options for how this would manifest. I would either respec the 3 levels of ranger to be Bloodhunter instead, change my race to be a shifter, or contract the Lycan Curse. I'm currently trying to decide which one would be best.

I'm currently a half drow with stats 8, 16, 14, 10, 16, 10. My game plan so far has been to pre-cast bless, then take Sharpshooter shots each round, usually with a bonus action shot if I miss or have advantage.

I'm leaning towards the Bloodhunter route, simply 'cause I haven't played one and it wouldn't change my stats, race, or game plan at all, besides giving me a melee option and Rite damage at the cost of ranger stuffs (standard ranger, no revised).

Is there an in game reason why your character's race would change? I mean, every table plays how it likes, but I would find it hard to get why after 3 levels my characters race suddenly changed.

Retraining Ranger for Bloodhunter is a good option if you are interested in playing one.

Going Lycan means you can keep the same build as before, you just slap the Lycan template on top.

BTW, i'm not very sure how you expect to have Bless precasted often, it lasts only a minute, and has verbal component to cast, so if you are skulking around you may reveal your position while casting it, and if you are not, you effectively initiated the encounter by casting it.

[MikeRoxTheBoat]

Is there an in game reason why your character's race would change? I mean, every table plays how it likes, but I would find it hard to get why after 3 levels my characters race suddenly changed.

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BTW, i'm not very sure how you expect to have Bless precasted often, it lasts only a minute, and has verbal component to cast, so if you are skulking around you may reveal your position while casting it, and if you are not, you effectively initiated the encounter by casting it.

There is an in game reason. Half of my somewhat reclusive forest dwelling drow society are actually shifters. Wouldn't be too hard to say that I'm one, too, or half of one that got that side awakened or something. Apparently the transformations are curse related, though, so the other two options would make sense without having to race change.

Bless has usually been my, "We ready to engage? Alright, let's go" option. We're not a very stealthy bunch, so it tends to go bless, then everyone rush in. I've been told that there's going to be a Necklace of Prayer beads in my future, though, so I'll get a number of free bonus action blesses throughout the day a little later in the campaign.