Lycanthrope (3.5e Class)

Summary::A 5-level class that turns the person taking it into a full-fledged lycanthrope. Minimum Level::1 Class Ability:: Other Class Ability Progression::Full

Lycanthrope
A Lycanthrope is someone infected with the disease of Lycanthropy, granting them the power to turn into a beast.

Making a Lycanthrope
Abilities: Physical ability scores are emphasized for use in Hybrid form, though not as much so as other martial classes due to the bonuses in animal form. Mental ability scores are probably lowered in animal or hybrid form, but Wisdom is good at lower levels for making will saves.

Races: Any race can be a Lycanthrope- the disease can strike anyone.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: as Barbarian.

Starting Age: Simple

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Lycanthrope.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Lycanthrope is proficient with simple and martial weapons, and light armor.

 : At 1st level, the Lycanthrope chooses an animal to transform into. This animal must be of a CR equal to the player’s character level-2. A Lycanthrope of level 1 or 2 can choose an animal form of CR 1. The Lycanthrope automatically transforms into the animal form every night a full moon is in the sky. He also may transform when he is injured: Every turn the Lycanthrope has less than 1/5 of his full hit points, he must make a DC 15 will save to avoid transforming. A Lycanthrope can also willingly transform, though this is strenuous, dealing 1 point of nonlethal damage. He also takes 1 point of nonlethal damage every minute he remains in animal form. Transforming is a full-round action, whether it is willing or unwilling. An unwilling transformation lasts for 5 rounds, unless it is one that occurs because of a full moon, in which case it lasts until the full moon ends. If the Lycanthrope ever reaches 0 hit points or falls unconscious in animal form, he automatically transforms back into human form. When he returns to human form, all of the damage he took in animal form is healed, but any wounds on his human form return, and he cannot transform back into animal form for 24 hours. The Lycanthrope, when in animal form, gains all the statistics of the chosen animal, including intelligence and hit points. All his equipment is dropped on the ground when he transforms. He transforms with full hit points, though when he returns to human form he regains all of his injuries. He keeps some of his knowledge, though it is translated into animal emotions- for example, he feels loyalty towards friends and animosity towards enemies. However, specific knowledge, such as vulnerabilities of his enemies, is lost. When a Lycanthrope gains levels, he can adjust his animal form with templates or advanced HD to keep the CR equal to his character level-2.

 : At 2nd level, the Lycanthrope can choose to adopt a hybrid form, halfway between the animal and human form. His intelligence drops to 6, and the rest of the scores are split- that is, half of the difference between his current scores and the animal scores is added to his current scores. His size is halfway between his current and animal size, with splits being given to the larger size. Hit dice from humanoid form and animal form are split, taking half the hit dice from each, and hit points are recalculated for the new Constitution modifier. Class abilities, excluding spellcasting, and the ability to use equipment are kept (assuming that the equipment fits a resized creature). Natural weapons and armor from animal form are kept. Movement speed is averaged between forms, and flying movement speed is one maneuverability step down. If already at Clumsy, it does not change. Hybrid form can be taken as often and in the same way as animal form, though it does not activate automatically.

 : At 3rd level, a Lycanthrope gains more control over his form. The Will save to avoid changing form is now DC 10, and he can make a DC 20 Will save to avoid changing form under the full moon.

 : At 4th level, a Lycanthrope maintains more of his intelligence in animal form. He now only takes a -4 penalty to Intelligence in animal form, and a -2 penalty in Hybrid form. He also gains a +2 bonus to two physical ability scores of his choice when changing form.

 : At 5th level, a Lycanthrope gains perfect control over his transformations. He can transform as a swift action, and does not take nonlethal damage from transformations. He no longer needs to make Will saves to avoid transforming when taking damage or under the full moon.

Epic Lycanthropes
There aren't epic lycanthropes, mostly because once you can do it all you do it all- there isn't anything else to advance. An epic lycanthrope is a Lycanthrope 5/Barbarian 16 or something.