Werecrocodile
Werecrocodiles are creatures as ancient as the night. They reside in swamps and humid areas, waiting at the edge of murky waters, in perfect stillness, for the right time to prey. In these ancestral homes they tend to live in groups, yet remain fiercely individualistic. While their true forms are a rare sight to the common adventurer, given their elusive nature and sheltered habitats, werecrocodiles occasionally migrate in long, overland journeys in their humanoid forms, driven away from their homes by the frequent hierarchy struggles in which they engage.
As humans, werecrocodiles appear as elongated and muscular individuals, gifted with an almost unsettling patience and focus. To an untrained eye, they may appear sedated; in truth, they are in a state of supernatural alertness. They treat the whole world as their hunting ground, ready to burst in sudden yet controlled violence when needed.
Some werecrocodiles, usually the kind not powerful enough to assert themselves in their groups of origin, are known to flee the waters and live as bandits or disguise themselves as mercenaries, preying on unsuspecting travelers and clients. They stay in their humanoid form until night comes; then, they strike.
Werecrocodiles prefer to kill. They treat their curse as some sort of harsh blessing, only bestowed upon worthy foes.
Werecrocodile
Medium humanoid (shapechanger), typically neutral evil
- Armor Class 10 in humanoid form, 12 (natural armor) in crocodile or hybrid form
- Hit Points 84 (13d8+26)
- Speed 30 ft. (swim 30 ft. in crocodile or hybrid form)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 9 (-1)
- Skills Stealth +4
- Senses passive Perception 10
- Languages Common (can't speak in crocodile form)
- Challenge 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Shapechanger. The werecrocodile can use its action to polymorph into a crocodile-humanoid hybrid or into a Large crocodile, or back into its true form, which is humanoid. Its statistics, other than its size and AC, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Regeneration. The werecrocodile regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the werecrocodile takes damage from a silvered weapon or a spell, this trait doesn't function at the start of the werecrocodile's next turn. The werecrocodile dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Hold Breath. The werecrocodile can hold its breath for 30 minutes.
Actions
Multiattack (Human or Hybrid Form Only). The werecrocodile makes two weapon attacks, only one of which can be a bite.
Bite (Crocodile or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, Reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the crocodile can't bite another target. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with werecrocodile lycantrhopy.
Spear (Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only). Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage, or 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Werecrocodile Characters
If a character becomes cursed with werecrocodile lycanthropy, you can have them gain these traits instead of using the rules presented on the Monster Manual.
Curse of Lycanthropy
You are considered a Shapechanger for the purposes of features and spells. A humanoid that takes damage from your bite attack must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be cursed with lycanthropy. The DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier.
Until the first full moon after the contagion, lycanthropy remains dormant. When the first night of full moon after the contagion occurs, you are completely taken over by the curse and lose control over your actions, following instead your lycanthrope's instincts. You turn into hybrid or animal form, and you regain control over yourself and turn back into your humanoid form at dawn. After this event, you can choose to keep resisting the curse or embrace it.
If you keep resisting the curse, you manage to mostly keep at bay the instincts of your lycanthrope type, but you will be completely taken over by the curse at every full moon. If you embrace the curse, your lycanthrope's characteristics become part of your personality, and you gain full control over your shapechanging capabilities.
Regeneration
You can take a bonus action to roll one of your hit dice and regain a number of hit points equal to the number rolled + your Constitution modifier. If you take damage from a silvered weapon or a spell, you can't use this trait until the end of your next turn.
You consume hit dice used this way in the same way you would by taking a short rest.
Change Shape
As an action, you can polymorph into a crocodile-humanoid hybrid, into a Large crocodile, or back to your humanoid form. Your statistics are the same in each form, with the following exceptions:
- While in hybrid form, you have a swimming speed equal to your running speed. While in crocodile form, you have a running speed of 20 feet and a swimming speed of 30 feet.
- While in hybrid and crocodile form, you Strength score increases by 2.
While in animal form, you can't cast spells, speak, or perform actions that would require the use of hands or speech, unless otherwise noted. Also while in this form, the only attacks you can make are the natural attacks described below. You are always proficient in your natural attacks.
You can't use this trait unless you have embraced the curse.
Natural Attacks
While in hybrid and crocodile form, you gain a bite attack. This attack has a reach of 5 feet, deals 1d8 piercing damage on a hit, and its attack and damage rolls are based on Strength. While in crocodile form, if you hit a creature with your bite, you can immediately attempt to grapple them with your mouth (no action required). Making a bite attack against a creature other than the one you're grappling ends the grapple immediately.
Hold Breath
You can hold your breath for a number of minutes equal to double your Constitution score.
Unmoving Hunter
You become proficient in the Stealth skill if you aren't already.
Werecrocodile Characteristics
When you become a werecrocodile, your humanoid form becomes more elongated and muscular. These changes happen over the course of a few days.
You also gain the following personal characteristics:
- I try to end confrontations quickly by overpowering my enemy.
- I can be extremely patient and focused. My world moves slightly slower than that of normal people.
- I rarely ever feel boredom.
- I prefer to be active at night.
- Being in the open unsettles me, and I always try to be near a natural shelter. In closed spaces, I feel at ease in dark corners or behind furnitures.
- Swamps, rivers and lakes fill me with a sense of safety. The water's edge feels like a fortress to me.
These traits are somewhat dormant if you're unaware of your curse or actively fighting against it, occasionally emerging like some deep and visceral need.
If you embrace the curse, however, these traits become part of your personality as much as the ones that come with your background.
If you transform under the full moon because it's the first full moon after you were cursed or because you're resisting the curse, these traits completely supersede your personal characteristics until the transformation ends.
