How do you go about a were-creature biting and infecting a player? Do they need to roll a knowledge check to understand the dangers of the bite? How do you deal with this event? My player knows what happened. I just want to know how to roleplay it out.

How do you go about a were-creature biting and infecting a player? Do they need to roll a knowledge check to understand the dangers of the bite? How do you deal with this event? My player knows what happened. I just want to know how to roleplay it out.

I would go with a Knowledge (Local) check DC 10 + CR of the biting creature (assuming Wererat or Werewolf).

I would go with a Knowledge (Local) check DC 10 + CR of the biting creature (assuming Wererat or Werewolf).

The Bestiary says "A creature that catches lycanthropy...shows no symptoms...until the night of the next full moon...The character remains in animal form until the next dawn and remembers nothing about the entire episode...unless he makes a DC 20 Will save, in which case he becomes aware of his condition."

I wouldn't allow any check to determine if a PC is infected, nor would I give information on the disease away unless the PC has an opportunity to research lycanthropy or would have a reason to know anything about it. One of the PCs I DM for was recently infected by a were-rat, and I'm going to dangle it over his head for awhile. Just because the player assumes something doesn't mean the character can do likewise.

Zo

The Bestiary says "A creature that catches lycanthropy...shows no symptoms...until the night of the next full moon...The character remains in animal form until the next dawn and remembers nothing about the entire episode...unless he makes a DC 20 Will save, in which case he becomes aware of his condition."

I wouldn't allow any check to determine if a PC is infected, nor would I give information on the disease away unless the PC has an opportunity to research lycanthropy or would have a reason to know anything about it. One of the PCs I DM for was recently infected by a were-rat, and I'm going to dangle it over his head for awhile. Just because the player assumes something doesn't mean the character can do likewise.

Zo

I was responding more in the vein of "Do they need to roll a knowledge check to understand the dangers of the bite?" as opposed to whether or not they could figure out if they, in fact, had contracted the disease. Even if they make their Knowledge check to understand the dangers of getting bitten (ie. you might contract lycanthropy), they still wouldn't know for certain if they had in fact contracted said disease. That part would be left up to the rules you quoted from the bestiary.

The reason I would allow the check is based partly on the fact that even in a world where werewolves don't exist (ours? ;), it is fairly common knowledge how someone becomes a werewolf. In the game world I would suspect that this would also be the case, if not more so, seeing as how there are actually werewolves and such.

Secondly, Knowledge checks are allowed by RAW to determine strengths and weaknesses of creatures. Table 4-6 (page 101) at the bottom lists "Identify a monster’s abilities and weaknesses -- Varies -- 10 + monster’s CR". The Knowledge check for "humanoid" monsters is "Local". Arcana covers dragons, constructs and magical beasts. Dungeoneering covers aberrations and oozes. So on and so forth.

Lastly, give the guys who spend skill points in knowledge a chance to use em! :) EDIT: Remember, Knowledge is a trained only skill! (ie That would be my "have the reason" for the check being allowed.) They have already spent time researching humanoid creatures as per their skill point expenditure.

Of course, as always, do what fits your game!

Cheers

PS You also have to remember that the character being bitten has to also be aware that they have been bitten by a werewolf as opposed to just a normal wolf. If the character is unaware that the thing that bit him was a werewolf, then I wouldn't make the check. If on the other hand the character saw the werewolf assume its form then...

I was responding more in the vein of "Do they need to roll a knowledge check to understand the dangers of the bite?" as opposed to whether or not they could figure out if they, in fact, had contracted the disease.

Ahh, I can dig that. How about a scaled Knowledge roll, similar to Gather Information checks? Something like: