Werewolf (5e Background)

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Design Note: An experiment to see if undead and lycanthropes can be treated as modifications to races rather than particular creatures or races, by overloading the 'background' concept rather than changing a creature's race or class. This background uses the Vampire (5e Background), the Werewolf (5e Class), the Werewolf Lord (5e Creature) and the Lycanthrope Background (Drive) as reference, everything here is an inspiration.

Werewolf

Players may Not choose this background when making characters. This is a background to be given to or forced upon a character by a dungeon master if the character becomes a werewolf. Creatures with this background do not get Ability Score Improvements (ASI).

• If you become a werewolf, you gain this background. You also retain your previous background.
• If an NPC starts out with a werewolf background, they usually get an extra background to start with.

Your character is modified as follows:

Character Modifications

• Level: You lose two levels (but do not drop below first level). You lose the hit points you gained at those levels. If you are multiclassed you may lose 2 levels in one class or one level in each of two classes.
• Ability ASI's: You lose all accrued ability score ASI's. You do not get ability ASI's even if you roll 6 on the flaws list (below).
• Feats: You lose all accrued feats and never gain feats unless you roll a 6 on the flaws list (see below).
• Hit Points: You gain 1 additional hit point per remaining level.
• Passive Perception: +1
• Alignment: If you resist the curse, you maintain your alignment as long as you are not transformed, but your alignment becomes chaotic evil when you transform. If you embrace the curse, your alignment changes to chaotic evil.

Skill Proficiencies: Perception and Stealth.

Tool Proficiencies: No new tools.

Languages: No new languages.

Equipment: No new equipment.

Life of Hardship

d4	Life of Hardship
1	I was raised in secret and seclusion.
2	I served as a weapon for my people.
3	I have been running since I was little.
4	I never gave up searching for a cure.

Features

Your level is the total level of your character after modifications are applied.

Level Advancement

You may only advance in levels in your primary class (see flaws). Each time you advance in level you gain a point in each of two abilities to apply in your transformation. You can use the ability mod calculations above to determine which two by recalculating from your original ability scores.

Level 1 - Shapechanger

As an action, you can change into your hybrid. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying is not transformed. You revert to your original form when you take an action to revert back, or if you are reduced to 0 hit points. You can swap between your normal and werewolf form freely, but you can't regain hit points in one form while in the other form. When you are reduced to 0 hit points in your werewolf form, you transform back to your human form and any additional damage is carried over into your human form. When transformed you have the following changes:

• Ability Modifications:

• Strength = original strength + Level/3 round up.
• Dexterity = original dexterity + Level/3 round off.
• Constitution = original constitution + 2 + Level/3 round up.
• Intelligence = original intelligence - 5 + Level/3 round down.
• Wisdom = original wisdom - 5 + Level/3 round off.
• Charisma = original charisma - 5 + Level/3 round down.

• Hit Points. In hybrid form your hit points are equal to your level x (5 + your Constitution bonus in hybrid form).

• Unarmored Defense. When not wearing a armor, you can add your Constitution modifier to your AC.

• Damage Immunities. Bludgeoning, Piercing and Slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons.

• Intimidation. You can use your Strength modifier rather than your Charisma modifier in your Intimidation checks.

• Keen Hearing and Smell. The werewolf has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

• Claws. You gain claws that are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Your damage dice increase by one size at levels 5, 11 and 17.

Level 2

• Bite. Your bite is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes while in werewolf form. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. In addition, you can make a grapple check as part of a bite action to latch on to the creature. Your damage dice increase by one size at levels 5, 11 and 17. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be cursed with werewolf lycanthropy. The DC is 12 or 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier, you can choose.

Level 3

• Wolf form. You can transform into a wolf and assume it's statistics. You revert to your original form when you take an action to revert back, or if you are reduced to 0 hit points. You can swap between your normal and werewolf form freely, but you can't regain hit points in one form while in the other form. When you are reduced to 0 hit points in your werewolf form, you transform back to your human form and any additional damage is carried over into your human form.

• Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. You only have darkvision in hybrid and wolf form, and is seen in shades of red, not grey.

Level 4 (most werewolves do not get ASI's)

• Non-Magic Resistance: - You gain resistance to non-magical attacks - bludgeoning, piercing or slashing, in your human or beast form.

• Speak with Wolves. When transformed, you can communicate with wolves and wolf-like creatures as if they shared a language.

Level 5

• Regeneration. While in hybrid form, you regenerate hit points plus equal to your Constitution modifier plus 1 per level above level 4.

Level 6

• Pack call (1/Day): As an action while in the hybrid or beast form, you can draw 3d6 wolves to your aid within 1d4 rounds.

Level 7

• Vamp-sense. You can sense whether a bat or a humanoid is in fact a vampire as an action within 30 ft.

Level 8

• Multiattack. You may attack one extra time when you use your action to make a claw attack.

Level 9

• Regional Effects. Wolves and dire wolfs multiply in the region around your lair.

• Advanced Wolf Form. You can now transform in a Dire Wolf instead of a Wolf.

Level 10

• Pack Tactics. The wolf has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the wolf's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

• Advanced Immunities. Now you are immune to Bludgeoning, Piercing and Slashing damage from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons iven when not in hybrid form.

Level 11

• Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If you fail a saving throw, you can choose to succeed instead.

Level 12

• Advanced Vamp-sense. You can sense whether a creature or a humaoid is a vampire and what kind of vampire it is within 60 ft as an action.

level 13

• Legendary Actions (3/Turn). Only in hybrid form:

* Leap. You may move up to your speed without opportunity attacks.

* Claws. You make one extra unarmed strike.

* Detect. You make a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Level 14

• Savage Attacker. The werewolf can reroll damage dice and take the higher of the two rolled.

• Speed Improvement. Your speed increases by 10 feet.

Level 15

• Natural Weapon Mastery. The werewolf adds its proficiency bonus to the damage rolls for its bite and claw attacks.

Level 16

• Cleaver. When the werewolf reduces a creature to 0 hit points, it can make one additional melee attack against a creature within reach.

• Multiattack. You may attack three times when you use your action to make a claw attack.

Level 18

• Howl (Recharge 5-6). When transformed you can emit a bloodcurdling howl. Each creature within 30 ft of you must suceed Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of the werewolf for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turn. If the creature fails the initial saving throw by 5 or more, or if this feature is used during a full moon, the creature is also stunned until the beginning of your next turn. The DC is equal to 8 + your Intimidation Bonus.

• Unstoppable. You become immune to the charmed, frightened and paralyzed conditions.

Suggested Characteristics

d8	Personality Trait
1	Many years of being hunted have made me paranoid, I can hardly trust anyone these days.
2	A life of secrecy and seclusion has made me ignorant about the world, as well as its cultures and history.
3	My life as a ruthless monster has made me fearless even against the most terrifying of foes.
4	I have dedicated my life to searching for the cure to lycanthropy, not just for me, but for all lycanthropes.
5	Even if I'm regarded by most as a savage beast, I would still like to find love and start a family.
6	Secretly I'll run off in the middle of the night to trasnform and relieve some of my stress.
7	Despite the difficulty, I still wish to show the world that not all lycanthropes are "monsters."
8	Grrr! Stay away from me, for your information, I do bite and I'm not afraid to bite you!

d6	Ideal
1	Empathy. I strive to prevent my curse from ever afflicting another (Good)
2	Order. The peace must be kept, even if that means I must surrender myself. (Lawful)
3	Perspective. Monster is a matter of opinion, anyone could be a monster in the eyes of another. (Neutral)
4	Vengeance. If the world rejects me, I'll reject the world, and tear it apart piece by piece. (Evil)
5	Rebellion. Rules weren't made to be broken, but there are times when you just have to break them anyways. (Chaotic)
6	Realism. It doesn't really matter what we do, the world will keep on going regardless. (Any)

d6	Bond
1	My family, pack, or tribe is the most important thing in the world to me.
2	The friends I've made during my travels, I'll never forget them.
3	True love found me, despite my curse, and I hope to keep hold of it forever.
4	Me, myself, and I, that's all I'll ever need.
5	I feel a deep kinship with those who share my curse, we're all the same in the eyes of the common folk.
6	Even if they fear me, I will defend the people who are incapable of defending themselves.

Flaws For Werewolves

All werewolves have 5 out of 6 of the Flaws in the Flaws list.

Each werewolf has all but one of the flaws on the following table. Roll d6 to determine which flaw you do NOT have. The default is 5 if you do not roll.

d6	Flaw
1	Sensitive ears. Because my ears are very sensitive I end up being vulnerable to thunder damage when transformed.
2	Fire. If I take fire damage I can't regenarate on that turn.
3	Wolfsbane. I can't get within 10 feet of wolfsbane.
4	Vulnerability. I am vulnerable to damage dealt by silver weapons.
5	Full Moon. When under the light of the full moon I transform into a savage beast with no control over my actions, forgetting everything I've done this night and coming back to normal at the morning.
6	Stagnant. I no longer get ASI's, and I am only able to add levels in my primary class (the one I have the highest level in). Worse yet, the experience I receive from now on is cut by 50%.

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