Hello, everyone! This week, we’re diving into the first of the long-anticipated Lycan player options, the Path of the Blood Moon!

Legends tell of a wayward Moon Spirit who descended from the skies to live as a mortal among the people of the dunes. The spirit offered a blessing to allow the people to walk among animals, to see the world through new eyes as she had. However, the cruelest of these mortals betrayed her, and in doing so, irrevocably damaged the spirit’s gift.

When the full moon rose, those touched by the Moon Spirit’s gift found themselves overtaken with rage, and without her presence to calm them, the once-blessed people became the first of the Lycans.

Over time, the Lycans fought among themselves for dwindling territory and perished, but the untethered Lycan spirits remained, warped echoes driven even further into madness over centuries of solitude.

When people began to settle the Rust Moon Territory again nearly 50 years ago, the spirits too found homes among the living. Now, when the full moon’s light shines on the Rust Moon Territory, the curse of Lycanthropy spreads, and the desert claims yet more victims.

Unseen Predators. During the day, Lycans are largely indistinguishable from other humanoid creatures, though they often appear unkempt or exhibit subtle animal traits. However, when night falls, those traits become far more pronounced. As a Lycan grows into their curse, they often develop greater control over it, but the curse inevitably draws out its victims’ most bestial instincts.

Prime Lycans. A Lycan may awaken under the light of their moon to find themselves host to a Lycan spirit. Those so bound become Prime Lycans, who can be recognized by the auroras which follow them in the moonlight and the matching runes which glow on the Lycan’s body. These animal spirits house violent tempers, and twist their hosts’ minds until their transformation becomes permanent. While all Lycans have an aversion to silver, it’s said only silver forged by the light of that same cruel moon can harm a Lycan spirit.

Barbarian: Path of the Blood Moon

It’s thought that one of the werewolves, first among the Lycans, was the one to slay the Moon Spirit and bring imbalance and ruin to Rust Moon. Equally cruel and clever, werewolves use the Moon Spirit’s powers to command allies in battle and lead their packs in hunts.

Level 3: Call to Hunt

When battle begins, you let out a bestial howl which stirs your allies to take battle positions. When you roll initiative, you and each ally within 30 feet of you may move up to their speed as a reaction.

Level 3: Lycan Regeneration

Your wounds begin to rapidly close, even in the heat of battle. While you are raging, at the start of each of your turns, you regain a number of hit points equal to your rage damage.

Level 6: Pack Tactics

Your allies have advantage on attack rolls against creatures within 5 feet of you while you are not incapacitated.

Level 10: Lunar Howl

You let loose a bone-chilling howl which attracts a pack of Lycan spirits to your aid. As an action, you may summon a number of spectral wolves equal to your Wisdom modifier. These spectral wolves appear within empty spaces within 10 feet of you.

The spectral wolves are considered your allies. These wolves are Medium in size, do not have hit points, have an Armor Class of 10, and disappear after 1 minute or when they would take damage. When an effect requires a spectral wolf to make a save, it automatically fails. A creature can move through a spectral wolf, but cannot end its turn in the same space. When you move, you may also move each spectral wolf up to 25 feet.

Each spectral wolf deals 1d8 Cold damage and 1d8 Radiant damage to a hostile creature which ends its turn within 5 feet of it.

Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest.

Level 14: Pack Fury

You compel your pack to deliver a feral attacks to bring your prey down. When you deal damage with a melee weapon attack, you may use your Reaction to allow each creature friendly to you within 5 feet of your target to make a melee weapon attack against the target.

Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you complete a Short Rest.