Player Characters as Lycanthropes
Source: Monster Manual p. 207, Curse of Strahd p. 242, Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage p. 317, Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft p. 237
A character who becomes a lycanthrope retains his or her statistics except as specified by lycanthrope type. The character gains the lycanthrope’s speeds in non-humanoid form, damage immunities, traits, and actions that don’t involve equipment. The character is proficient with the lycanthrope’s natural attacks, such as its bite or claws, which deal damage as shown in the lycanthrope’s statistics. The character can’t speak while in animal form.
A non-lycanthrope humanoid hit by an attack that carries the curse of lycanthropy must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + the lycanthrope’s proficiency bonus + the lycanthrope’s Constitution modifier) or be cursed. If 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.
The following information applies to specific lycanthropes.
Werebear
The character gains a Strength of 19 if his or her score isn’t already higher, and a +1 bonus to AC while in bear or hybrid form (from natural armor). Attack and damage rolls for the natural weapons are based on Strength.
Wereboar
The character gains a Strength of 17 if his or her score isn’t already higher, and a +1 bonus to AC while in boar or hybrid form (from natural armor). Attack and damage rolls for the tusks are based on Strength. For the Charge trait, the DC is 8 + the character’s proficiency bonus + Strength modifier.
Wererat
The character gains a Dexterity of 15 if his or her score isn’t already higher. Attack and damage rolls for the bite are based on whichever is higher of the character’s Strength and Dexterity.
Weretiger
The character gains a Strength of 17 if his or her score isn’t already higher. Attack and damage rolls for the natural weapons are based on Strength. For the Pounce trait, the DC is 8 + the character’s proficiency bonus + Strength modifier.
Werewolf
The character gains a Strength of 15 if his or her score isn’t already higher, and a +1 bonus to AC while in wolf or hybrid form (from natural armor). Attack and damage rolls for the natural weapons are based on Strength.
Wereraven
Source: Curse of Strahd
A character cursed with wereraven lycanthropy gains a Dexterity of 15 if his or her score isn’t already higher. Attack and damage rolls for the wereraven’s bite are based on whichever is higher of the character’s Strength and Dexterity. The bite of a wereraven in raven form deals 1 piercing damage (no ability modifier applies to this damage) and carries the curse of lycanthropy.
Werebat
Source: Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
A player character who becomes a werebat gains a Dexterity of 17 if their score isn’t already higher. Attack and damage rolls for the werebat’s bite attack are based on the character’s Strength or Dexterity score, whichever is higher.
Loup Garou
Source: Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
A Humanoid who succumbs to a loup garou’s lycanthropy becomes a werewolf (see above). This form of lycanthropy can’t be removed while the loup garou that inflicted the curse lives.
Once a loup garou is slain, a remove curse spell cast during the night of a full moon on any afflicted werewolf it created forces the target to make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. On a success, the curse is broken, and the target returns to its normal form and gains 3 levels of exhaustion. On a failure, the curse remains, and the target automatically fails any saving throw made to break this curse for 1 month.