Werelion (5e Class)

Werelion

As the Full Moon rises high into the night sky it illuminates the fields, forests, and creeks of the countryside. For some, it means a time of rest, but for you, it means a fight, whether it's against your own demons, or anything foolish enough to cross your path during your "time of the month". For you, it means a long night, for you are a werelion.

You either chose or have been cursed with this burden, but it can do you a favor. When your enemies are too great in strength and number you can turn into a beast that can turn the situation to better, but also to worse.

Creating a Werelion

When creating your Werelion, the most important question to answer is how did you become a werelion in the first place? Have you been attacked by a werelion and cursed by its bite, and now strive to learn how to control said curse? Is your ability to transform into a wolf hybrid actually a blessing, bestowed upon you by a deity? Have you been willingly transformed into a werewolf, as part of a rite of passage in your tribe, using a controlled version of the curse? Or maybe you have been born in this way, being the descendant of a shapeshifter.

Second, how has becoming a werelion affected your life? Some werelions live their lives as normal, striving to hide their cursed nature as much as possible. Others, embrace the savagery associated with lycanthropes, and become the monster others think they are, hunting their former kindred and reveling in gore and cruelty. There are also those who find in the ability to assume animal forms a stronger connection with nature, an impulse to protect the natural world and live in the wild, often spending more time in their animal forms than in their humanoid ones.

Quick Build

You can make a werelion quickly by following these suggestions. First, Constitution should be your highest ability score, followed by Strength or Dexterity (or Wisdom if you intend to become a Son of Gaia). Second, choose the Outlander background.

Class Features

As a Werelion you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Werelion level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Werelion level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Perception, Stealth, and Survival

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
• (a) chain mail or (b) scale mail or (c) leather armor
• (a) shortbow and 20 arrows or (b) five javelins
• (a) dungeoneer's pack or (b) explorer's pack

Table: The Werelion

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Werelion Natural Weapons
1st	+2	Werelion Transformation	1d6
2nd	+2	Fighting Style	1d6
3rd	+2	Werelion Clan	1d6
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement, Ability Score Improvement	1d6
5th	+3	Wild's Leap, Extra Attack	1d8
6th	+3	Sundering Claws, Lion Transformation	1d8
7th	+3	Clan Feature	1d8
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement, Ability Score Improvement	1d8
9th	+4	Dire Shapeshifter	1d8
10th	+4	Clan Feature	1d8
11th	+4	Hybridism	1d10
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement, Ability Score Improvement	1d10
13th	+5	Moon Roar	1d10
14th	+5	Regenerative Powers	1d10
15th	+5	Clan Feature	1d10
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement, Ability Score Improvement	1d10
17th	+6	Cursed Defense	1d12
18th	+6	Clan Feature	1d12
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement, Ability Score Improvement	1d12
20th	+6	Moon's Blessing	1d12

Werelion Transformation

Starting at 1st level, you gain control over your curse and can use your bonus action to transform into a werelion or to transform back to your normal form. While you are in your werelion form, you use the statistics shown on the werelion stat block, down below. You remain in your weretiger form until you are reduced to 0 hit points while transformed. You can swap between your normal and werelion form freely, but you can't regain hit points while in the werelion form.

Your werelion form has hit dice independently of your normal form, and you can't use your hit dice from your normal form to restore hit points to your werelion form, or vice versa. When you take a short rest, you can spend hit dice to restore both forms.

Your werelion form's claw and bite attacks become more powerful as you level up, following the "Natural Weapons" section on the werelion table.

When you are reduced to 0 hit points in your werelion form, you transform back to your human form and any additional damage is carried over into your human form. Being reduced to 0 hit points in your werelion form is a traumatic experience of semi-death, and to regain your ability to shapeshift, you need to spend a number of hit dice equal to half your Werelion level (rounded up) during a long rest.

Whenever you gain an ability score improvement, you gain 2 extra ability score points that you can only spend on your werelion form ability scores. As normal, your ability scores while in the werelion form can't be higher than 20. You can't choose feats for your werelion form.

Werelion Form

Medium humanoid (shapeshifter)

Armor Class While unarmored, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier in lion form + your proficiency bonus

Hit Points your level x (5 + your Constitution bonus in lion form).

Hit Dice d8

Speed 30 ft.

STR 16 (+3) DEX 16 (+3) CON 14 (+2) INT 8 (-1) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 10 (+0)

Saving Throws Same in both forms

Skills The same as your skills in your normal form

Senses blindsight 20 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus.

Languages Same as in the normal form (can't speak).

Lion Roar. You can communicate with lions, house cats, and similar creatures.

Keen Hearing and Smell. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

ACTIONS

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: proficiency bonus + Dexterity modifier to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 + Dexterity slashing damage.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: proficiency bonus + Strength modifier to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 + Strength piercing damage.

Fighting style

Starting at 2nd level you gain a fighting style chosen from the following below:

Great weapon fighting

When you roll a 1 or A 2 on a damage Die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, Even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Two weapon fighting

When engaged in two weapon fighting you can add the ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Dueling

When wielding a Melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 to damage rolls with that weapon.

Archery

You gain a +2 to attack rolls with ranged weapons.

Defense

While you are wearing armor you gain a +1 to AC

Natural Weapons

Starting at 2nd level, you can briefly transform your body, summoning your claws. While not transformed, you can make one claw attack as a bonus action. You use the attack bonuses and damage of your werelion form for this attack. You can't use this attack if your werelion form is unavailable to you.

In addition, while you are in your werelion form you can perform a powerful bite attack instead of one of your regular attacks. You make a melee weapon attack without any bonuses against a creature within 5 feet. On a hit, the target takes 1d12 + Strength modifier of piercing damage. The damage dice increases to 2d8 at 5th level, 2d10 at 11th level and 2d12 at 17th level. You can use the bite attack a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain your uses after finishing a short or a long rest.

Lion Senses

Starting at 3rd level, you become able to speak with lions and have access to their acute sense of smell and hearing, gaining the "Keen Hearing and Smell" ability even in your normal form.

In addition, you can cast the "speak with animals" spell a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum once).

Werelion Packs

When you reach 3rd level you choose one of three paths: the Crimson Claws, the Sons of Gaia, or the Moon Wardens, which are detailed at the bottom of this page.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, whenever you take the attack action.

In addition, you can replace any of those attacks with a claw attack while your werelion form is available.

Wild's Leap

At 5th level, you can use your bonus action to leap up to your walking movement speed in any direction. You ignore difficult terrain while using this feature.

Sundering Claws

Starting at 6th level, your natural attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Lion Transformation

Also at 6th level, you can use your action to assume the form of a lion. This transformation works in the same manner as the spell polymorph, but you can only use it to assume the shape of a lion or a dire lion. While transformed, you retain your Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma scores.

Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Dire Shapeshifter

When you reach 9th level, you can choose to become a large werelion when you shapeshift.

In addition, all your natural attacks from your werelion form, including the Power Bite feature, do an additional d6 of the attack's damage type in both werelion form and regular form.

Hybridism

At 11th level, you begin to assume aspects of your werelion form even when in human form. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can choose one of the following damage types: bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing, and become resistant to it from non-magical and non-silvered sources until your next rest.

In addition, whenever you are not wearing armor in your normal form, your AC equals 10 + your Constitution modifier + your Dexterity modifier. You can use a shield and retain this benefit.

Moon Roar

Starting at 13th level, you can unleash a powerful roar to the moon, that can generate two different effects. Once you have used this feature, you can't do it again until you complete a long rest.

Lion's Calling

Call the lions for help. While you are in a non-urban environment, you can roar to the skies and call forth lions. You must howl for 1 minute, and roll a d8, to see what creature you have summoned:

• 1-5: 1-2 Lions (roll 1d4. 1 or 2 is one lion. 3 or 4 is two lions.)
• 6-7: 1 Dire Lion
• 8: 1 Werelion

The creature remains by your side for 1 hour. The summoned lions are friendly to you and your companions. Roll initiative for the summoned lions as a group, which have their 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.

Mark of the Moon

You can mark the scent of nearby creatures. Choose a number of creatures within 60 feet of you, up to a number equal to your proficiency bonus. For 1 hour, you have advantage on all Wisdom (Survival) checks made to track those creatures (you roll one additional d20 if you already have advantage on that check). Also, you can sense those creatures without relying on sight up to a range of 60 feet.

In addition, whenever you hit a marked creature with an attack roll, you deal additional damage equal to your natural attack die.

Regenerative Powers

At 14th level, your regenerative powers are unmatched. You can use your action to roll a hit die. When you do so, you regain hit points as if you had taken a short rest.

In addition, you only age one year for every ten years passed, and can't be magically aged.

Cursed Defense

When you reach 17th level your curse defends you from death. When you are in your werewolf form and get hit by an attack that would usually drop you to 0 hit points, you can choose to drop to 1 hit point instead.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

In addition, you now have resistance to piercing, bludgeoning and slashing while in your werewolf form.

Moon's Blessing

At 20th level, your werelion form and normal form become one. Whenever you take damage, you can choose if the damage is taken by your normal or werelion form. You also have the damage resistances of your werelion form while in the normal form. If any of your forms have at least 1 hit point, you don't fall unconscious.

You can use both your's and your's werelion hit die in either form.

Werelion Clan

All werelions can trace their curse lineage back to an ancient shifter clan, each one with specific powers and strengths. You can choose between the Crimson Claws, the Nemean Brood, the Moon Wardens or the Sons of Gaia.

Crimson Claws

The crimson claws embrace the monstrous nature of the werewolves, becoming brutal and unstoppable hunters. These are the monsters from the folk tales, who terrorize villages on the countryside and turn against their own former kind, becoming a "wolf" in sheep's clothing.

Menacing Presence

Starting at 3rd level, your presence exude a dreadful aura, reflecting your monstrous nature. While you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, the creature has disadvantage on attack rolls that doesn't target you. You can only use this feature while you have your Werelion form available (with more than 0 hit points).

In addition, when a hostile creature's movement provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can use your reaction to attempt to grapple or shove the creature.

Predatory Instincts

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your feral instincts to react quickly and trace your victims. At 3rd level, you can add your Wisdom modifier to your initiative rolls.

In addition, an attacker doesn't gain advantage on attacks against you as a result of being hidden from you.

Danger Avoidance

Starting at 7th level, whenever your werelion form is available, you can use your bonus action to impose disadvantage on the attacks of one creature you can see until the start of your next turn.

Fast Regeneration

Also at 7th level, when your werelion form is reduced to 0 hit points, you can use an action on your next turn to keep the form available. When you do so, you regain the ability to shapeshift after 10 minutes, and your werewolf form is back with 1 hit point.

Bestial Reflexes

Starting at 10th level, your movements become quick and unpredictable. You can recover from the prone position without spending any additional movement.

In addition, you have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see.

Lion Dash

Starting at 15th level, you can claw your way trough your foes. If you move at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a melee weapon attack in the same turn, you deal additional damage equal to your claw damage die.

In addition, you can use an action to make a claw attack against each creature within 5 feet of you. You can make one additional attack against each creature within 5 feet of you by using your reaction. When you do this, you can't do it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Hunter's Howl

Starting at 18th level, when you use your Moon Roar to mark a creature, you can mark all enemy creatures within 60 feet of you. The creature must succeed on a Charisma saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier, or it is marked for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw in each of its turns to end the effect.

You can move twice your movement speed if you end your movement closer to a marked creature than when you started your turn.

In addition, whenever you hit a marked creature with a natural attack, you roll the damage die twice.

Nemean Brood

According to the legends, Nemean, who was slain by Heracles, yet some Warriors of Nemean believe they will play a major role in his return, and such they wait for the day of his return.

Followers of the invincible lion Nemean, these warriors worship the fury and power of this divine monster. Warriors of Nemean are common in the savanah like regions of the world, living on the outskirts of society, leading rustic and primitive lives like the beast they follow.

Monstrous Growth

Starting at 3rd level, you can emulate the powerful body and ferocity of the mythical Nemean. You have a number of uses of this feature equal to your Constitution modifier. As a bonus action on your turn, you can spend one use of this feature to increase your size, gaining the following benefits for the next minute:

• Your size becomes Large, if it is lower.
• Your natural weapons and melee weapon attacks have +5 feet reach.
• You have advantage on Strength checks and saving throws.
• When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can use your bonus action to shove the creature. If the attack is a bite, you can grapple instead.

Nemean Spirit

Beginning at 7th level, when you assume the form of a Dire Lion using the lion transformation feature, you can choose to modify it by channeling the power of Nemean. If you do so, you can use that feature as a bonus action, rather than an action, and it lasts for only 1 minute, not requiring concentration for the duration. In addition, for the duration, you add your Constitution modifier to your damage rolls.

Fangs of the Savannah

At 7th level, you embody the power of the savannah, and sand-colored smoke rolls off your claws and teeth when you are in a lion form or in your werelion form. You can choose to cause fire damage, rather than slashing or piercing, with your unarmed strikes.

In addition, you can spend one use of your Lion Transformation feature to assume the form of a Nemean Lion (stats like a winter wolf with the lion-style attacks and a flame breath weapon). Once you do so, you can't do it again until you finish a long rest.

Bind Breaker

At 10th level, in the same way Nemean could break all chains, you can easily escape from your restraints. When you are in a lion form or your Werelion Form, you gain the following benefits:

• You are immune to the paralyzed and petrified condition.

• You can use your bonus action to end the grappled or restrained condition on you, without needing a check. Doing so while grappled or restrained by an object breaks the object.

• You add your Constitution modifier to your Strength (Athletics) checks made to resist a grapple or restraint attempt.

Overgrowth

Starting at 15th level, you can spend more uses of this feature at once to increase your size even more: two uses (Huge), three uses (Gargantuan). Each use also increases your reach an additional 5 feet.

In addition, whenever you roll initiative and have no uses of your Monstrous Growth, you regain one use.

Golden-Maned Voracity

At 18th level, you gain the ability to devour your enemies. When you hit a creature with a bite attack, you can choose to devour that creature. The creature must have a size category lower than your own, and you must be in your lion or werelion form.

The creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). On a failed save, it is swallowed by you. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside you, and it takes 5d10 acid damage and 5d10 bludgeoning at the start of each of your turns. If you take 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside you, you must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of you. If you die, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Moon Wardens

Not all werelions are cursed. Some of them are blessed by the moon, tasked with the mission of acting as their agents, hunting unnatural creatures with its radiant power.

Bright Fangs

Starting at 3rd level, you can summon the blessing of the moon to glow with its power. For 1 minute, while you are in your werelion form, your claws, fangs, and eyes shed bright light in a 5-foot radius, and dim light for another 5 feet.

In addition, when you hit a creature with your natural attacks, you cause additional radiant damage equal to 1d6. This damage increases to 1d8 at 5th level, 1d10 at 11th level, and 1d12 at 17th level.

An undead or shapeshifter hit by this attack can't regain hit points until the start of your next turn and must succeed on a Saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier, or revert to their true form and are frightened until the end of your next turn.

Once you use this feature, you can't do it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Moon Glow

At 7th level, all your unarmed strikes while you are using your Bright Fangs gain additional 10 feet of reach, except the Power Bite feature. The damage is radiant, instead of slashing or piercing, for these attacks.

Lunar Embrace

At 10th level, the moon comforts and emboldens you. You become immune to the frightened, charmed, or poisoned condition. In addition, while you are under the moon glow, you can use your action to end any of the aforementioned effects and also to end a "curse" active on a creature within your claw range.

Shimmering Restoration

At 15th level, once in each of your turns when you are with your Bright Fangs active, you can replace one of your attacks on your turn to restore a number of hit points equal to your natural weapon damage to a creature other than yourself within your reach.

Light Regeneration

At 18th level, during the night when you are outdoors, and while your Bright Fangs feature is active, both your normal and hybrid forms regain a number of hit points equal to your Constitution modifier at the start of each of your turns.

Sons of Gaia

Sons of Gaia are the wardens of nature. They don't see lycanthropy as a curse, but as a blessing from the gods of nature and a symbol of the duty they have to protect sacred sites devoted to gods and entities linked to the wild.

Spellcasting

When you reach 3rd level, you embrace Mother Nature that in return grants you the power to cast spells. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 of the Player's Handbook for the druid's spell list.

Son of Gaia Spellcasting

Werelion Level	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
			1st	2nd	3rd	4th
3rd	2	3	2	—	—	—
4th	2	4	3	—	—	—
5th	2	4	3	—	—	—
6th	2	4	3	—	—	—
7th	2	5	4	2	—	—
8th	2	6	4	2	—	—
9th	2	6	4	2	—	—
10th	3	7	4	3	—	—
11th	3	8	4	3	—	—
12th	3	8	4	3	—	—
13th	3	9	4	3	2	—
14th	3	10	4	3	2	—
15th	3	10	4	3	2	—
16th	3	11	4	3	3	—
17th	3	11	4	3	3	—
18th	3	11	4	3	3	—
19th	3	12	4	3	3	1
20th	3	13	4	3	3	1

Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. You learn an additional druid cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots. The Sons of Gaia Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spells level or higher. You regain all expended slots when you finish a long rest.

For example, if you know the first level spell chromatic orb and have a 1st-level and 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast chromatic orb using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher. You know two 1st-level druid spells of your choice.

The Spells Known column of the Sons of Gaia Spellcasting table shows when you can learn more druid spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st of 2nd level.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the druid spells you know with another spell of your choice from the druid spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your druid spells, since your magic draws from your attunement with nature. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a druid spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Natural Replenishment

Starting at 3rd level, whenever you cast a spell of 1st level or higher, the nature you embrace restores your vitality. You regain a number of hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier. If you are at your maximum number of hit points, you gain the same amount in temporary hit points instead.

Natural Movement

At 7th level, when you use your action to cast a spell, you can use your bonus action to enter a tree within 5 feet of you and emerge in another tree within 5 feet.

Alternatively, if you don't have any tree nearby, you can burrow for a range up to your movement speed as a bonus action. You must end your movement above ground, or else you take 1d10 bludgeoning damage and are expelled from the ground.

Natural Vitality

Starting at 10th level, whenever you restore hit points to a creature, you restore the maximum amount of hit points for each die.

Aura of Recovery

Starting 15th level, your natural blessing spreads life around you. When you use your Natural Replenishment feature, you can choose two creatures within 10 feet to recover the same amount of hit points.

Animal Nature

At 18th level, whenever you use your Lion Transformation feature, you retain your Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma ability scores and proficiency bonus. In addition, the form lasts for a number of hours equal to your level in this class or until your choose to drop it, doesn't require concentration and you can cast spells while in that form.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Werelion class, you must meet these prerequisites: Strength 13 or Constitution 13.

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Werelion class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light Armor, Martial Weapons, Herbalism kit

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