Folks, infectious lycanthropy that offers big stat boosts but doesn’t turn the character evil or offer *any* other consequence is not a good idea – not for narrative theme, world logic, or game balance.
Lookin’ at you, werebear. Even werebears should be doing things the character probably doesn't want to wake up to discover during full moons.
Chaotic good werebears are still possessed of a ferocious bestial nature, and they'll take that to the extreme.
— Dan Dillon 👥 (@Dan_Dillon_1) January 8, 2020
The headmaster of an orphanage is keeping the kids in indentured servitude, or molding them into a fledgeling thieves' guild, well, that werebear NPC might wake up in the blood-spattered remains of her destroyed home or office with the city watch pounding on the door.
— Dan Dillon 👥 (@Dan_Dillon_1) January 8, 2020
werebear PC*
— Dan Dillon 👥 (@Dan_Dillon_1) January 8, 2020
Hey, that local baroness is gouging taxes and working her vassals half to death, running heavy conscription and using her soldiers to prepare for a coup, but the party can’t move against her because of her tremendous clout at court? That next full moon is going to get interesting But, then there's the issue of "accepting the curse," so I totally get where you're coming from.
That's always been a sticking point with PC lycanthropes.
— Dan Dillon 👥 (@Dan_Dillon_1) January 8, 2020
I think even in the case of good-aligned lycanthropes, accepting the curse probably has to come with “No you’re motivated to go do this other crap that isn’t really conducive to adventuring.” Of course, unless you're okay with a PC(s) being immune to about 75% of the damage they'll face over the course of a campaign. In which case, go nuts. Just don't say I didn't warn you. 😂
— Dan Dillon 👥 (@Dan_Dillon_1) January 8, 2020