Lycanthrope, 2nd Variant (5e Race)

Lyncathrope Variant

Physical Description

While any race can become a Lycanthrope, there are some general characteristics you can use to identify one aside from their beast state. For example, all Lyncathropes have bright, narrow eyes like a predators. Lycanthropes are generally taller and more muscular than their kin, not enough to stand out in a crowd but a noticeable trait. Upon closer inspection you will find that Lyncanthropes have sharp teeth and claw-like fingernails and toenails, and for races with hair they might have excess body and facial hair, as for creatures with scales or feathers such as Dragonborn and Aarakocra they will usually have thicker scales and feathers and appear more wild or disheveled.

History

The source of the Lyncathropy is unknown, though tales of mortals with the power to shift into savage beasts, slaughtering families, terrorizing villages, and hunting farm animals have circulated taverns for centuries. Over the years legends of the Lycanthropes started to spread, unexplained murders and vicious attacks oozing with mystery and gossip, but eventually it became apparent that the so-called Lycanthropes were more than mere tall tales. Once the existence of the Lycanthropes became public knowledge, multiple groups and orders were formed to hunt and kill them, some seeking to protect the public from them, others to try discovering the source of their transformation and claim it for themselves. Eventually clerics found a way to cure one of Lycanthropy, and the mass hysteria started to die down, although this came at the cost of many lives, both of the hunting parties who were often never heard from again, and the Lycanthropes dissected and torn apart in horrible and cruel experiments. Now the Lycanthropes have been reduced to a simple wives' tale used to frighten children not linger about before dark, but the truth is that the Lycanthropes are still among us, as our neighbors, as our friends, as our family, and one day, when you least suspect it, a dark hunger might emerge inside them, and you could become their next victim.

Society

Lycanthropes are a very distant group. It is highly likely that one Lycanthrope could go their entire life without ever even encountering another Lycanthrope, but when two Lycanthropes meet they are almost immediately able to identify each other. Lycanthropes, although extremely rare, have been known to form "packs" of sorts, either nomadic tribes, hunting parties, or in some cases, full fledged villages. While Lycanthropes can come in various shapes, sizes, and forms, they share a deeper, primal connection, a sort of trust, knowing that you share something in common and have both had to deal with it on a daily basis, and as of such most Lycanthropes stick together upon meeting and form close relationships, rarely breaking them and almost never going so far as to betray or spite them. Lycanthrope groups have a hierarchy similar to that of predators, the alpha is the strongest hunter or fighter amongst them, and the beta is either the alpha's mate or closest companion. An alpha carries the most influence over a pack, gets the largest portions of a night's hunt, and generally commands the respect of his peers, though envy might lead a member of the pack to challenge an alpha for dominance or even outright betray them.

Lycanthrope Names

Some Lycanthropes abandon their previous lives upon being afflicted with the curse, including their names. Packs typically name members based on their reputation and accomplishments. Names such as, Greta of the hunt, Derrick, slayer of trolls, or perhaps Nero the harrowing.

Lycanthrope Traits

The curse of Lycanthropy can afflict any race, either through contact with a Lycanthrope or having it passed down through ancestry, but due to the nature of the curse you forego your ability score modifiers and replace them with the Lycanthrope ability score modifiers, but you keep all the other features, traits, and abilities of your primary race in addition to the following.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength increases by 2, your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age. While Lycanthropy does increase your overall lifespan by approximately 20 years, most usually never live to die of old age because they are also frequently killed during transformation and hunted mercilessly by multiple factions.
Alignment. Lycanthropes almost always lean towards chaotic because they are either forced to live in exile or hide their true nature from the world, although they are fairly neutral.
Size. During a Lycanthrope's transformation they can grow as large as a foot taller than their normal height, although never enough to exceed their size category.
Speed. Your speed is the same as your race's normal speed, although it increases during transformation.
Aversion To Silver. You are vulnerable against weapons or ammunition made of silver.
Superior Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 120 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.
Primal Bloodlust. Your Lycanthropy has burdened you with an insatiable urge for blood and gore. During combat, if a creature within 5ft of you is at under half of their maximum hit points, you must make a Wisdom saving throw, and should you fail you must use your action to attack the creature unless you are physically unable to do so. This doesn't apply if the creature doesn't have blood, such as constructs or elementals.
Uncanny Smell. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks involving smell, and if you have the scent of a creature, potentially via close proximity, tracks, or interacting with one of their possessions, you have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track the creature.
Beast Adaptations. Your claws are a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier.
Lycanthrope Transformation. You are able to transform into a savage animal state at will. You are allowed to choose what form of Lycanthropy you undergo and what predator animal your form will resemble and assume the traits of, although they all have the same core benefits and any other bonuses or features are at the DM's discretion. As an action you can invoke your curse to transform into your Lycanthrope state, when entering this state you gain temporary hitpoints equal to 1d4 per character level, your walking speed increases to 40ft, you gain advantage on Strength and Dexterity checks and saving throws, you get disadvantage on Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma checks and saving throws, and you are resistant to piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning damage from something not made of silver. These effects last for an hour or you can willingly transform yourself back and you must complete a long rest before using this ability again. After the duration of the transformation wears off or you can use an action to willingly revert back to normal you will suffer from one level of exhaustion. While you are in your beast state you cannot cast spells, speak any languages, or activate magical objects.
Languages. You can speak with animals you share a from with, for example a werewolf can speak with wolves and a werebear can speak with bears

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
′ ″	+	lb.	× () lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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