Lycanthropy but it's not a curse (and not OP)

[Greywander]

A while back I remember reading somewhere online about an order of "good" werewolves who protected villages and were vampire hunters, but I can't for the life of me remember where I read it or find it again. In any case, it gave me an idea for a tweak to lycanthropy to make it more manageable, both for DMs and PCs.

Lycanthropy (this specific form, at least) is no longer a curse. These means that, (a) it can't be transmitted by bite. It is hereditary and/or bestowed through a ritual. And (b) no more uncontrolled murderous rampages during a full moon.

We need another part to this, though. Therefore...

You don't get immunity to non-silvered weapons. Let's be honest, invulnerability is, narratively speaking, a trait for villains, whose job is to be a difficult obstacle to overcome, and not for heroes, whose job is to overcome their own weaknesses through many trials, and defeat the villain in spite of their weakness. Superman notwithstanding. Personally, I don't think the immunity is completely unmanageable (there are other damage types to use, and other non-damage-related challenges) (again, consider Superman as an example), but it does trivialize a lot of challenges. And sometimes someone wants to RP as a werebeast without upsetting the game balance too much. Kind of like how dragonborn exist for those who want to "play a dragon" without unbalancing the game.

You could give some sort of partial resistance to non-silvered weapons. Maybe you're just straight up resistant, but not immune. Maybe you're immune on a full moon, take normal damage on a new moon, and are resistant at all other times. Maybe you're only resistant at night. Maybe, instead of immunity or resistance, you get some kind of damage reduction (like with Heavy Armor Master). It's probably easiest just to have no special resistance to non-silvered weapons, but someone might want to have options.

No forced alignment changes. This one could go without saying, but it's also one of the justifications to turn a PC-turned-werebeast into an NPC. Probably best to specify that this non-cursed version of lycanthropy doesn't affect personality or alignment.

I don't even think it's necessary to give the ability score changes (e.g. automatic 17 STR for werebears), especially if it's hereditary only. That would mean you've always been a werebeast.

So really, all you're getting is the shapechanging and a few related animal traits (keen senses, pounce, etc.). It's still a small power boost, but so is being a half-dragon. So it has to be up to the DM's discretion if they want to allow it. Since it's no longer transmitted by bite, it also makes it almost impossible for a PC to become a werebeast by accident. The DM either OKs it at character creation, or allows it to be bestowed through a ritual.

Oh yeah, and there's no reason you can't run these benign lycanthropes alongside the cursed ones. Have your cake and eat it, too.

Possible new trait? Unarmed attacks count as silvered (or magical). Makes a lot of sense in the context of "good" lycanthropes that fight evil monsters, especially cursed lycanthropes.

Would you use something like this? As a DM? As a player?

[MikeRoxTheBoat]

Seems what you're looking for is the Shifter race from Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron. The other option could be Bloodhunter Order of the Lycan. Or some combination of the two.

Shifters give half-animal forms and some animal related traits.

Order of the Lycan gives a hybrid form, animal traits, and a bunch of other combat shenanigans. Their claw attacks are even considered magical after a bit, for fighting other werewolves or beasties.

Either of those seem to be fairly accepted methods to get what you're going for. Only real thing missing is if you want them to have the ability to shapeshift into a full animal form, which is easy enough to tack on to either option.

[Greywander]

Either of those seem to be fairly accepted methods to get what you're going for. Only real thing missing is if you want them to have the ability to shapeshift into a full animal form, which is easy enough to tack on to either option.
What if I wanted to apply it on top of an existing race and/or class?

Actually, one specific application I had in mind was abusing the werebear, not for the immunity to non-silvered weapons, but for the Large bear (or hybrid) form to make a grappler who can grapple Gargantuan enemies. Normally you can't play a Large PC race (for some reason).

Another reason this topic came to my mind was because someone had brought up lycanthropy not too long ago and characterized it as "the best buff", mostly due to the immunity to non-silvered weapons. They got a lot of pushback about how, as a DM, people would opt to try to ruin the player's day for daring to have fun in a game (okay, maybe powergaming has its place and should sometimes stay there). I found this a little sad, because there actually is a lot of RP potential for a lycanthrope PC. So I wanted to offer an alternative that's a bit more DM (and PC) friendly.

Sure, the options you presented would be another way for a player to get something similar. Having a template in addition to a race and class means more options depending on what someone wants.

[Unoriginal]

What's the point of lycanthropy being lycanthropy if it's not a curse?

If it's not a curse, then turning into a wolfman is just a superpower, just like some people in FR have psionic powers for no particular reasons.

[Dr. Cliché]

What's the point of lycanthropy being lycanthropy if it's not a curse?

Ask Werebears. :smallwink:

[hamishspence]

Forgotten Realms Lythari are pretty much "lycanthropy but not as a curse" (elf werewolves).

Tibbits were basically the same, but werecats.

[MikeRoxTheBoat]

What if I wanted to apply it on top of an existing race and/or class?

I'd assume if you wanted a werebeast with a different class, pick shifter. If you wanted it with a different race, pick Order of Lycan.

I suppose you could make it a feat. Give them the ability to shift into a single animal, then a certain number of hybrid shifts per day that use an action. Add in some specific animal traits they get while shifted and it shouldn't be too out of balance.

Lyncanthropy has good buffs because it's supposed to be bad. As you pointed out, it's designed for villains, not heroes. Taking out all the bad sides to it ruins the flavor a bit. Even the Order of the Lycan, supposed experts on it, have a chance to decimate their own party with bloodlust if they can't keep it under control.

If you want "good" lyncanthropy in your game, I think it should be balanced with some bad sides. Possibly something really inconvenient, but can add to the story. Like, they're normal for the most part and can shift at will back and forth during the day, but they're forced into hybrid form under the light of the moon. Make having to plan night ops more interesting for them.

[strangebloke]

If the race has subrace options (tieflings, dwarves, halflings, elves, half-elves and humans all do) then you can just create a 'lycanthrope' subrace which replaces whatever features they got from their subrace with claws and wildshape:wolf 1/long rest.

Actually it would need to be very different depending on how big the race is.

like,okay, these are the longtooth shifter abilities:

Ability Score Increase
Your Strength score increases by 2.

Fierce
You have proficiency with the Intimidation skill.

Shifting Feature
While shifted, you can use your elongated fangs to make an unarmed strike as a bonus action. If you hit with your fangs, you can deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Then add in the shifting racial feature.

This is very very strong if you're replacing just the skill versatility section of the Half Elf, but less overpowered if you're replacing all the mountain dwarf stuff. So yeah, just handle it on a case-by-case basis depending on the race.

Off the top of my head I'd say:

Dwarf: gains ASI, Shifting, Shifting feature. Loses subrace.
Elf: Gains +1 STR, Shifting, Shifting feature. Loses subrace.
Half-Elf: Gains Shifting, Shifting feature, Loses skill versatility and one of its +1s.
vHumans: Gains Shifting, Shifting feature, loses feat.
Humans: Turns into Vhuman.

...and so on.

[Unoriginal]

Ask Werebears. :smallwink:

Werebears acknowledge it's a curse.

[VonKaiserstein]

So you want to be able to shapeshift into other things, have control over it, and not have resistance or curse obligations to work around.

How is this different from Druid? Just tell your DM you only want one Wildshape, and let it turn you into a Large sized Ape, then fluff it that you got your powers by being bitten by the original Wercar. Done and dusted.

Otherwise, if you take away the drawbacks, won't everyone just become werewolves to get the bonuses on top of their class and race?

[Dr. Cliché]

Werebears acknowledge it's a curse.

Would you like to eat this plate of sushi?

It may look like a plate of dog turds but I've acknowledged it as sushi so it must be sushi.

That's how logic works, right?

Bon appetit.