Lycanthrope and vampire prestige classes for your 5 th Edition game by “JESTER” DAVID GIBSON
Written by “Jester” David Gibson
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DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, For gott en Real ms, the dragon amper sand, and al l ot her Wizards of t he Coast pr oduct names, and their r espective l ogos are tr ademarks of Wizards of t he Coast i n t he USA and other count ries. This work contains mater ial that is copyright Wizar ds of the Coast and/or other author s. Such mater ial is used with per mission under t he Communit y Content Agreement f or Dungeon Masters Guil d. 5 Mi nut e Workday Present s: Prest igious M onster s ©2016, David Gibson and 5 Minut e Workday Publ ishing, and publ ished under the Communit y Content Agreement f or Dungeon M asters Guil d.
ISBN:978-0-9937524-8-3
Playtest The contents of this document are still being tweaked and need another set of eyes (or two or three). Some of the features need to be evaluated for balance and given some extra thought. But balancing something as funky as these classes – especially the vampire – requires a little extra effort and more thought than one person can provide. So I’m making these classes available to the public for free. When I’m satisfied with the result, I’ll update the files and jack up the price to my usual 50 cents.
Lycanthrope Tainted by an ancient curse, lyca nthropes transform into feral monsters mingling humanoid and bestial features. Most terrifying, the claws and fangs o f these creatures can impart the curse, transmitting it to innocent victims. Those infected with lycanthrope either embrace the curse or fight it, the later try to resist their bestial urges each month until the full moo n rises and they lose all control. The majority of those who accept their curse surrender to the beast within and bec ome true monsters. However, a few manage to both retain their identity and control their bloodlust. However, mastery of the inner beast takes dedication and focus, coming at the expense of other talents. Those lycanthropes that take up the path of adventurers often do so to satiate their lust for violence in an acceptable manner. Adventurers that become lycanthropes often continue their old lives to convince themselves the curse has not changed them, that they are not the beast. Some infected lycanthropes throw themselves into the dangerous life of adventuring as an indirect method of suicide, or as penance for those slain or injured while they were learning to c ontrol the beast. Not all the myriad strains of lycanthropy can be controlled through willpower. Varieties that can be mastered include werebears, wereboars, wererats, weretigers, and werewolves. Other types might exist at the Dungeon Master's discretion.
Prerequisites In order to multiclass into levels of the lycanthrope prestige class, you must meet the following prerequisites: Constitution 13. Infected lycanthropes need to be durable to withstand the rigors of c hanging shape, which painfully twists muscle, sinew, and bone.
Wisdom 13. In order for an infected lycanthrope to control their primal urges and instincts they must be strong willed. Character level 4. The inexperienced and unskilled easily succumb to the c urse of lycanthropy and lose themselves to the beast. You must be a 4th level character before you can gain levels in the lycanthrope prestige class. Cursed. You must have been injured by a lycanthrope and contracted its curse.
Class Features As a lycanthrope, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d10 per lycanthrope level Hit Points per Level: 1d10 + your Constitution modifier per lycanthrope level
Proficiencies None Saving Throws: None Skills: Perception
Equipment The lycanthrope class does not grant any special equipment
Lycanthropic Flaws d6
Flaw
1 2 3 4 5
My temper is unpredictable and intense. I love hunting and running down prey. When distracted I growl instead of speaking. I relish the taste of blood in my mouth. It's important for me to determine everyone's position in the pack hierarchy. I have little respect for those weaker than me.
6
Lycanthrope Level
1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Features Shapechanger Animal Form, Keen Sense Improved Shapechanger Bestial Ability
Shapechanger At 1st level you have learned to exercise some control over the beast within. Y ou no longer transform uncontrollably during the full moon.
On your turn, you can polymorph into a beasthumanoid hybrid as a bonus action. The type of beast is the same as the creature who cursed you with lycanthrope. While in hybrid form, you gain the following benefits: You have advantage on either Strength or Dexterity checks and on Strength or Dexterity saving throws. Choose one when you gain this prestige class; once this choice has been made it cannot be changed. You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from sources that are not silver You have darkvision and 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 colour in darkness, only shades of grey. When you aren't wearing armour, your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You grow claws, fangs, tusk or a similar type of natural weapon. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d4 bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, as appropriate to the natural weapon. This natural weapon is considered silver for purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity.
You remain in hybrid form for 1 minute or until you return to your true form as a bonus action. You can use this ability twice. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. At 3rd level, you can use this ability a third time between rests. Additionally, the damage from your natural weapons becomes 1d6.
Animal Form At 2nd level you can fully shed your humanity for a time, transforming yourself into a beast. This type of animal is determined by the strain of lycanthropy you contrac ted. You can stay in a beast shape for 1 hour for every four levels you possess, after which you revert t o your normal form. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. While you are transformed, the following rules apply: Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies. You retain your own hit points and Hit Dice.
You can’t cast spells, speak, or take any action that requires hands. Transforming doesn’t break your concentration on a spell you’ve already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell that you’ve already cast. You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t use any of your specia l senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense. When you transform, your equipment falls to the ground in your space. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form.
Keen Sense Also at 2nd level, one of your senses becomes heightened. When you gain this feature, pick one sense to become heightened; you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on that sense.
Bestial Ability When you reach 4th level, your ability scores increase based on the type of werebeast that cursed you with lycanthrope. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 with this feature. Lycanthrope
Ability Score
Werebear Wereboar Wererat Weretiger Werewolf
+2 Strength +2 Constitution +2 Dexterity +1 Strength, +1 Dexterity +1 Strength, +1 Constitution
Design Notes: The lycans in the Monster Manual don’t really change their stats when they shift forms. Which makes sense but is less fun for a PC variant. So shapechanger. Which also provides a way to limit the resistance to non-silver weapons. I tried to balance the Shapechanger ability based on the barbarian’s rage. Might need more oomf. Perhaps being able to make an unarmed strike as a bonus action. Animal Form on a slightly weaker version of the druid’s Wildshape. Retaining hp made sense as were beasts do so. I removed the skill proficiencies line for simplicity, but might put it back in.
Vampire An undead scourge, vampires turn their victims into lesser spawn that obey the will of their creator. When the master vampire is slain, the spawn regain their free will and some vestiges of their personality. Vampires that rise from the grave only after their creator is slain retain much of their individuality and personality. As these vampires are not empowered by consuming the blood of their creator or time spent as a vampire spawn, these newly formed undead are weaker and lack many abilities. It takes some time for their vampiric powers to grow in potency. On rare occasions, the survivor of a vampire attack might even rise as a vampire when killed at a later date, the taint of undeath preventing their rest and reanimating their corpse. A few independent vampires are spawn who manage to break free from t he control of their master through sheer force of will. However, the effort of breaking free often leaves a spawn weakened. Vampires who continue their careers as adventurers often do so in an attempt to retain an element of their past, emulating their past selves. By surrounding themselves with former friends and continuing unfinished quests, the newborn vampire better remembers who they were. This is often a charade as the transition to undeath alters the mind and twists the soul, but a few vampires delude themselves into believe they are unchanged… at least for a t ime.
Class Features As a vampire, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d8 per vampire level Hit Points per Level: 1d8 + your Constitution modifier per vampire level
Proficiencies None Saving Throws: None Skills: None
Equipment The vampire class does not grant any special equipment
Vampiric Flaws d6 1
Flaw I often forget to act alive, unnervingly not blinking or breathing. The smell of decay and the grave follow me wherever I go. I have an almost irresistible desire to lick spilt blood. My positive emotions are muted while I intensely feel jealousy and anger. Inflicting pain brings me pleasure. I dislike reminders of my unnatural state, such as mirrors.
2 3 4 5 6
Prerequisites In order to multiclass into levels of the vampire prestige class, you must meet the following prerequisites: Wisdom Score 13. Only individuals with strong willpower can overcome vampiric bloodlust and fight the dark desires pushing the undead to evil. Charisma 13. A powerful sense of self and identity is required to retain your personality following the transition to undeath. Character level 8. The inexperienced and unskilled easily succumb to the c urse of lycanthropy and lose themselves to the beast. You must be a 8th level character before you can gain levels in the vampire prestige class. Turned. You must have been slain by the bite of a vampire.
Vampire Level
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
Features Necrology, Vulnerabilities Shapechanger (bat), Spider Climb Charming Gaze, Shapechanger (wolf) Blood Drain, Vampiric Might Shapechanger (mist), Increased Vulnerabilities, Improved Spider Climb Children of the Night (1/rest), Improved Blood Drain Improved Charming Gaze Children of the Night (2/rest), Improved Vampiric Might
Necrology When you gain your 1st level of this prestige class, you gain the following features: Type. Your type changes to undead
Bite. You gain a bite attack. This is an unarmed strike that deals 1d6 piercing damage. Your bite is considered magical for purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks. 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 colour in darkness. Damage Resistances. You have resistance to necrotic damage as well as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from sources that are neither magical nor silver. If you take radiant damage, you lose your resistances until the end of your next turn. Dead. You no longer need to breathe or eat. However, each day you must drink a quarter gallon of fresh blood (from a living creature or one that has been dead less than a minute) or twice that amount of stale blood (a creature dead longer than 1 minute but less than 1 day). Failure to consume enough blood means you are unable regain hit points through resting, and eventually being to suffer the effects o f dehydration as if you had not drunk enough water. A Medium creature has 1 ½ gallons of blood in its body. Each time it loses a gallon it gains 1 level of exhaustion. Natural Armour. When not wearing armour, your AC is equal to 12 + your Dexterity modifier.
Vulnerabilities Also at 1st level, you gain the following weaknesses: Forbiddance. You can’t enter a private residence without an invitation from one of the occupants. Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into you while you are incapacitated, you are paralyzed until the stake is removed. Sunlight Sensitivity. You take 5 (1d10) radiant damage when you starts your turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, you have disadvantage on attack rolls a nd ability checks. A heavy cloak is enough to prevent the damage. At 5th level, because of your increasing necrotic powers, you gain the following additional weaknesses: Harmed by Running Water. If you end your turn i n running water, you take 18 (4d8) acid damage. Sunlight Hypersensitivity. You takes 22 (4d10) radiant damage when you starts your turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, you have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. A covering, such as a heavy cloak, halves this damage.
Shapechanger
At 2nd level, you can use your action to assume the form of a tiny bat. You can remain polymorphed into an animal for a number of hours each day equal to half your level, after which you revert to your normal form. You can revert to your normal form earlier as an action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. While you are transformed, the following rules apply: Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the animal, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies. You retain your own hit points and Hit Dice. You can’t cast spells, speak, or take any action that requires hands. Transforming doesn’t break your concentration on a spell you’ve already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell that you’ve already cast. You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t use any of your specia l senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense. When you transform, your equipment falls to the ground in your space. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form.
At 3rd level you can also assume the form of a wolf, and at 5th level you can assume the form of a cloud of must. While in mist form, you can’t take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. You are weightless, have a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, you can do so without squeezing. However, you treat liquids as if they were solid surfaces. You have advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and are immune to all nonmagical damage, except the damage you take from sunlight.
Spider Climb Also at 2nd level, you have advantage on ability checks to climb difficult surfaces. Additionally, you can climb along upside down surfaces, such as ceilings. While clinging to such a surface, you cannot use your hands for anything but climbing. At 5th level, you no longer require an ability check to climb difficult surfaces.
Charming Gaze At 3rd level you can hypnotize creatures with a glance. As an action you attempt to charm a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. If the target can see you, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus) or be charmed by you. If you or your companions are in combat with the creature or its allies it has advantage on this saving throw. While charmed the creature considers you a friend, and remains charmed for 8 hours. You can also choose to end the charm early as a bonus action. The effect also ends if you or a companion attack the creature or you use this feature to charm another creature. At 7th level, your charming gaze lasts for 24 hours. If you or an ally attack the creature, the charm does not longer automatically ends, but the charmed c reature can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success.
Blood Drain When you reach 4th level, you can more effectively drain blood in battle. When you make a bite attack against a living creature that is willing, incapacitated, or restrained, you deal an additional 1d6 necrotic damage. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken and you gain temporary hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. At 6th level the necrotic damage increases to 2d6 and if you have fewer than half your hit points left you regain hit points equal to the damage rather than gaining temporary hit points.
Vampiric Might When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th level, your physical abilities are augmented. Increase your Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores by 1, to a maximum of 18.
Children of the Night At 6th level you can magically call nocturnal beasts to your aid. As an action you summon creatures that appear in unoccupied spaces that you can see within range. Choose one of the following options for what appears: • Four wolves • Eight swarms of bats The creatures remain for 1 hour, or until you lose your concentration (as if concentrating on a spell). The
summoned creatures are friendly to you and your companions. Roll initiative for the summoned creatures as a group, which has its own turns. They obey any verbal commands that you issue to them (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any commands to them, they defend themselves from hostile creatures, but otherwise take no actions. Once you use this feature, you must complete a long rest before you can use it again. At 8th level, you can use this feature an additional time between rests.
Design Notes: This was a bit of a beast… The ability dump at first level was kinda necessary. Uncertain how dramatic the type change to undead will be. Might vary greatly depending on campaigns, as monster powers affect creatures, but spells might specify humanoid. Maybe a line that says it is still treated as “humanoid” for purposes of spells? Ditto the damage resistance. Slipping silver and the radiant weakness is a poor attempt to make it slightly less broken. Thoughts? Hopefully those benefits are offset slightly by t he weaknesses. Stacking weaknesses to balance powers isn’t the greatest design, but vampires are rather defined by their weaknesses, so those do need to be included. Uncertain about the power level of Spider Climb. It’s an at-will spell, but it’s a weak spell. And forcing the hands to maintain their grip means no vampires pulling a Spider-Man then producing a bow or unleashing spells. Blood Drain feels weak to me. While at-will temporary hit points, it only works on living creatures, so it might not see much use in battle. Vampiric Might is an option I’m really uncertain of. Vampires are supposed to have a Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution of 18, so boo sting all three kinda makes sense. And it’s set, not providing a choice, which makes it less potent than +1 to two stats you really need. And this class also has benefits from a high Charisma, so it’s already pretty M.A.D. so an extra couple plusses aren’t that bad. But… +1 to three stats still feels really good. Too good? Let me know.
Maneuvers & Commander Archetype 27 new maneuvers and a new fighter martial archetype
Diseases & Poisons 21 new diseases and 14 new poisons
Traps 19 new traps to stun, surprise, and sever!
Feats 22 new feats to customize your character
