Werelion
Gifted with an otherwordly charisma, werelions carry themselves with pride, which sometimes turns into arrogance. Their destiny is to be kings, warlords, supreme judges. Cursed with both the capabilities to achieve excellence and the burning need to reach further and further, they hold themselves to an unrealistic standard of perfection. Other humans are not their peer. Werelions might love them and even assist them in their matters, but they always do so with the attitude of an higher benevolent force. This makes them perfect mediators between factions. No one would dare disrespect the word of a werelion.
In any of their forms, they are imposing and magnificent. Loyalty, devotion and even veneration come naturally to them. Depending on the individual, their charisma may not always be accompanied with the wisdom that should befit a lion. There's record of cult leaders and nomad warchiefs gathering large followings thanks to their werelion curse. Nonetheless, werelions usually are the radiant leaders one might expect. Thanks to their numerous feats and crucial roles in history, they gradually made themselves into the only widely accepted
lycanthrope in human society. Most don't hide their condition – they sometimes even show up at private or public meetings in their glorious hybrid form, to inspire awe in allies and reverence in opponents.
But what seem like a pure blessing conceals an hideous aspect. When they cannot reach their destined roles – due to external circumstances or individual failures – , werelions become bitter and resentful. They spit on the world that shun their ambitions; in some cases, they might even employ their natural authority to raise anarchic armies, or try to take over entire empires with their sheer force of will.
When werelions lose control, their childish need for dominance completely clouds their mind; they, however, keep their ability to speak and their profound understanding of social rules. During these fits, they are known to stay in their hybrid form as they drift through the city, chasing excess and indulging in immoral acts. Anyone who might dare disrespect their "rule" will be corrected with unrestrained violence; sometimes, even with death.
A werelion treats their curse as a blessed heritage. They reserve their bite to pass down their legacy, instead of using it as a weapon in common confrontations.
Werelion
Medium humanoid (shapechanger), typically lawful neutral
- Armor Class 12 in humanoid form, 16 (natural armor) in lion or hybrid form
- Hit Points 150 (20d8+60)
- Speed 30 ft. (40 ft. in lion form)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 20 (+5)
- Saving Throws Str +6; Cha +8
- Skills Athletics +6; Intimidation +8; Persuasion +8
- Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 11
- Languages Common, any one other language (can't speak in lion form)
- Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Shapechanger. The werelion can use its action to polymorph into a lion-humanoid hybrid or into a Large lion, 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.
Keen Hearing and Smell. The werelion has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Regeneration. The werelion regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the werelion takes damage from a silvered weapon or a spell, this trait doesn't function at the start of the werelion's next turn. The werelion dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Actions
Multiattack (Human or Hybrid Form Only). The werelion makes two weapon attacks.
Bite (Lion or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with werelion lycanthropy.
Claw (Lion or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing damage.
Glaive (Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) slashing damage.
Reactions
Intimidate. After the werelion hits a creature with a melee attack, it can force that creature to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on all attacks it makes against the werelion until the end of the target's next turn.
Werelion Characters
If a character becomes cursed with werelion 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 lion-humanoid hybrid, into a Large lion, or back to your humanoid form. Your statistics are the same in each form, with the following exceptions:
- While in lion form, your running speed is 40 feet.
- While in lion and hybrid form, you Charisma 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 the natural attacks granted by your lycanthrope type.
You can't use this trait unless you have embraced the curse.
Natural Attacks
While in lion and hybrid form, you gain a bite and a claw attack. The bite attack has a reach of 5 feet, deals 1d8 piercing damage on a hit, and its attack and damage rolls are based on Strength. The claw attack has a reach of 5 feet, deals 1d6 slashing damage on a hit, and its attack and damage rolls are based on Strength.
Darkvision
You gain darkvision out to a range of 30 feet.
Keen Hearing and Smell
You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Lion's Magnificence
The starting attitude that people you don't know have towards you is more likely to be either friendly or hostile, rather than indifferent, depending on whether those people see you as intimidating or awe inspiring.
Additionally, you become proficient in the Intimidation and Persuasion skills if you aren't already.
Werelion Characteristics
When you become a werelion, your humanoid form becomes more muscular and harmonious. You grow thick and light colored hair, even if you were previously bald. These changes happen over the course of a few days. You also gain the following personal characteristics:
- My destiny is to be a leader or a master of my craft. Being anything less than this would be outrageous.
- I must reach excellence in everything I do. Sometimes I do not even grant myself the time to learn.
- I need to dominate in any situation I find myself in. The way I try to do so depends on my personality, but almost never involves unhinged violence.
- I exude a natural charisma.
- I feel like I am an otherworldly force descended into the world of men.
- If my life is not going according to my perceived destiny, I become extremely resentful. While in this mental state, I easily fall prey to excess and immoral acts.
- I like to spend my leisure time sleeping.
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.
