Hello, everyone! This week’s preview of Rust Moon looks at a species of Lycan we haven’t yet talked about in the Territory, the Werelynx. You might have noticed, between this post and last week’s, that the Lycans of Rust Moon aren’t using the same game mechanics for Lycanthropy as D&D 5.24.

One of the main reasons for this is that, quite frankly, we’re not very fond of how the newest edition of the game handles this curse. If you’re running these monsters in your D&D 5.24 adventures, you might have noticed that they have a strange way of handling this fantasy staple, so the Rust Moon setting book will include its own rules for handling freshly-turned Lycans. If you prefer the mechanic presented in the Monster Manual, though, I wholeheartedly encourage you to continue using it. In next week’s article, we’ll be discussing the mechanics of becoming a new Lycan.

Werelynx Lycan Spirit

Moon-cursed Skeletal Spirits of the First Lycans

Often found hunting solitarily, Werelynxes use their massive claws to their advantage, ascending terrain other creatures would find impossible to traverse. The Lycan Spirits are no exception – they no longer seek prey for food, but instead seek out intruders in what once was their territory in life. They consider fellow Lycans to be the greatest threat to their territory and relentlessly give chase until a Lycan leaves their territory.

Werelynx Lycan Spirit

Medium Undead, Chaotic Evil

AC 14 Initiative +4 (14)

HP 54 (12d8)

Speed 50 ft. Climb 50ft.

STR 8 +2 +2 DEX 18 +4 +4 CON 10 +1 +1

INT 8 -1 -1 WIS 18 +4 +4 CHA 10 +0 +0

Skills Perception +8, Stealth +8

Senses Passive Perception 18

Languages Understands Common but can’t speak

CR 4 (1,100 XP; PB +2)

TRAITS

Bound Skeleton. When the Lycan Spirit is Bloodied or takes damage from a weapon attack with a silvered weapon, the bones carrying the spirit are destroyed and the Spirit becomes untethered. The Lycan Spirit becomes Vulnerable to all damage types, and deals an additional 8(2d8) Radiant damage with each of its attacks.

Cruel Stalker.  If the Lynx Spirit used its climb speed this turn, it has Advantage on all attacks.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The Lycan Spirit makes two Claw attacks and one Bite attack.

Claw. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 6 (1d4+4) Slashing damage and 4(1d8) Radiant damage.

Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) Piercing damage and 4(1d8) Radiant damage. If the Lycan Spirit is Bloodied and the target is Humanoid, it is subjected to the following effect. Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 12. Failure: The target is cursed with Lycanthropy.