Werewolf (Template)

Natural werewolves are humanoids born with the ability to assume wolf and hybrid forms. A humanoid who contracts lycanthropy after being wounded by a werewolf becomes an afflicted werewolf.

Template Traits

"Werewolf" is a template (inherited for natural werewolves, acquired for afflicted werewolves) that can be added to any humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the character).

A werewolf uses either the character's or the wolf's statistics and special abilities in addition to those described below.

Challenge Rating: Same as the character +2.

Hit Dice: Same as the character plus the wolf's Hit Dice (2d8).

Speed: Same as the character, or 50 feet for hybrid and wolf form.

Defense: Same as the character while in humanoid form. In hybrid and animal form, the creature gains a +2 natural armor bonus. This bonus does not stack with other natural armor bonuses.

Base Attack: Same as the character +1.

Grapple Bonus: Apply modifiers for Strength depending on the lycanthrope's form.

Attacks: Same as the character while in humanoid form. In hybrid and animal form, a werewolf attacks with its powerful bite, dealing 1d6 points of damage plus its Strength modifier.

Special Qualities: A werewolf retains all the special qualities of the character and gains the additional special qualities listed below.

Alternate Form (Su): A werewolf can assume wolf or hybrid form, but its gear is not absorbed into the new form. The bipedal hybrid form is about 6 feet tall, with a short tail and thick fur. The legs are like those of a wolf, and the head combines humanoid and lupine features in degrees that vary from one werewolf to the next. The animal form is that of a fully-grown wolf without any trace of human features.

Changing to or from wolf or hybrid form is a move action. Upon assuming either form, the werewolf regains hit points as if having rested for a day. A slain werewolf reverts to its humanoid form, although it remains dead. Afflicted werewolves find this ability difficult to control (see Lycanthropy as an Affliction, below), but natural lycanthropes have full control over this power.

Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid hit by a werewolf's bite attack (in wolf or hybrid form) must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 15) or contract lycanthropy.

Trip (Ex): A werewolf in wolf form that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip its opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the werewolf.

Scent (Ex): This ability allows a werewolf in wolf or hybrid form to detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell.

Damage Reduction 15/Silver (Su): A werewolf in wolf or hybrid form ignores the first 15 points of damage dealt by a nonsilver or nonmagical weapon but takes full damage from silvered weapons or weapons with a +1 or better magic bonus.

Wolf Empathy (Ex): A werewolf can communicate with wolves in any form and gains a +4 species bonus on Diplomacy checks when influencing a wolf's attitude. A friendly wolf understands and heeds simple commands, such as "wait," "chase," "flee," and "attack."

Darkvision (Ex): In their wolf and hybrid forms, werewolves have darkvision with a range of 60 feet.

Saves: Same as the character, with a +3 bonus on Fortitude and Reflex saves.

Ability Scores: Werewolves gain the following ability score increases: Con +4, Wis +2. Additionally, a werewolf that assumes wolf and hybrid form gains the following additional benefits for as long as it remains in either form: Str +2, Dex +4.

Allegiances: A natural werewolf typically has allegiance to chaos and evil. An afflicted werewolf gains the chaos and evil allegiances (displacing other allegiances, if need be). These allegiances can be removed only when the werewolf has the ability to control the curse of lycanthropy by taking 10 on a Control Shape check.

Skills: Same as the character, with a +1 species bonus on Hide checks, a +2 species bonus on Move Silently checks, a +3 species bonus on Spot checks, and a +5 species bonus on Listen checks. A werewolf in wolf or hybrid form also gains a +4 species bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

Feats: Same as the character. A werewolf gains the bonus feats Iron Will and Weapon Finesse (bite).

Talents: Same as the character.

Werewolf in Humanoid Form (Human Strong Hero 5): CR 7; Medium-size humanoid; HD 5d8+15 plus 2d8+6; hp 52; Mas 17; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 15, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +3 class); BAB +5; Grap +8; Atk +8 melee (1d6+6/19-20, cleaver); Full Atk +8 melee (1d6+6/19-20, cleaver), or +7 ranged (2d8, Mossberg); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ alternate form, trip, scent, wolf empathy; AL evil, chaos; SV Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +2; AP 2; Rep +1; Str 16, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 8.

Skills: Climb +9, Handle Animal +3, Hide +3, Jump +7, Knowledge (current events) +5, Knowledge (popular culture) +5, Knowledge (streetwise) +5, Listen +6, Move Silently +4, Profession +5, Read/Write Language (any two), Speak Language (any two), Spot +4, Swim +9.

Feats: Athletic, Heroic Surge, Iron Will, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Power Attack, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Weapon Finesse (bite).

Talents (Strong Hero): Melee smash, improved melee smash, advanced melee smash.

Possessions: Mossberg (12-gauge shotgun), 12 rounds of 12-gauge ammunition, cleaver, casual clothes.

Werewolf in Hybrid or Wolf Form (Human Strong Hero 5): As humanoid form except: Init +4; Spd 50 ft.; Defense 17, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +3 class, +2 natural); Grap +9; Atk +9 melee (1d6+7, bite); Full Atk +9 melee (1d6+7, bite), or +9 ranged; SQ alternate form, curse of lycanthropy, trip, scent, damage reduction 15/silver, wolf empathy, darkvision 60 ft.; SV Ref +8; Str 18, Dex 18.

Adjusted Skills: Climb +10, Hide +5, Jump +8, Move Silently +6, Swim +10, Survival +5 (when tracking by scent).

Lycanthropy as an Affliction

When a character contracts lycanthropy through a werewolf's attack, no symptoms appear until the first night of the next full moon. On that night, the afflicted character involuntarily assumes animal form and becomes a ravenous beast, forgetting his or her own identity. The character remains in animal form until dawn and remembers nothing about the incident.

Thereafter, the character is subject to involuntary transformation under the full moon and whenever damaged in combat. He or she feels an overwhelming rage building up and must succeed on a Control Shape check to resist changing into animal form.

Curing Lycanthropy

An afflicted character who eats a sprig of belladonna (also called wolfsbane) within an hour of a lycanthrope's attack can attempt a Fortitude save (DC 20) to shake off the affliction. If someone with ranks in the Treat Injury skill administers the herb, use the character's saving throw or the healer's Treat Injury check, whichever is higher. The character gets only one chance, no matter how much belladonna is consumed. The belladonna must be reasonably fresh (picked within the last week).

Fresh or not, belladonna is toxic. A character consuming the herb must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 13) or take initial damage of 1d6 points of temporary Strength. One minute later, the character must succeed on a second save (same DC) or take an additional 2d6 points of temporary Strength damage.

The only other way to remove the curse of lycanthropy is to cast remove curse or break enchantment on the character during one of the three days of the full moon. After receiving the spell, the character must succeed on a Will save (DC 20) to break the curse (the caster knows whether the spell works). Otherwise, the process must be repeated. Characters undergoing this cure are often kept bound or confined in cages until the cure takes effect.

Only afflicted lycanthropes can be cured of lycanthropy. Natural lycanthropy cannot be cured.

New Skill: Control Shape (Wis) Trained Only

Any character who has contracted lycanthropy and is aware of his or her condition can learn Control Shape as a class skill. This determines whether the afflicted werewolf can voluntarily control his shape. Natural lycanthropes have control over their shapeshifting abilities.

Check: The afflicted character must make a check at moonrise each night of the full moon to resist involuntarily assuming animal form. An injured character must also check for an involuntary change after accumulating enough damage to reduce his or her hit point total to three-quarters of its full normal value and again after each additional one-quarter lost (save DC same as for full moon).

Try Again?: Check for an involuntary change once each time a triggering event occurs. On a failed check to return to humanoid form (see below), the character must remain in animal or hybrid form until the next dawn, when he or she automatically returns to humanoid form.

Special: A character can take 10, but cannot take 20.

When returning to normal form after an involuntary change, the character attempts a Wisdom check (DC 15) to realize what has happened. If the check succeeds, the character becomes aware of the affliction and can now voluntarily attempt to change to animal or hybrid form, using the appropriate DC. An attempt is a standard action and can be made each round. Any voluntary change to animal or hybrid form immediately and permanently changes the character's two strongest allegiances to chaos and evil.

An afflicted character who is aware of his or her condition can also try to return to humanoid from after assuming animal or hybrid form, using the appropriate DC. Only one attempt is allowed, however, as described above.

Time: Attempting to control one's shape is a full-round action.