Wolfsbane is alchemy, it is an alchemical item (poison).
As a rule I would go with CRB over the Bestiary.
However in this can it could also be read as (if you wish).
- Wolfsbane consumed before transformation gives another save against lycanthropy each time a player survives an effect of the poison.
- Wolfsbane cures lycanthropy regardless of whether you have transformed or not as long as you survive stage 3. (Keep in mind it doesn't cure the poison).
Keep in mind that 48d6 of damage is pretty intense at the levels werewolves are fought at, especially if you can crit fail. It will require decent prep to make sure the character survives including solid poison removal options after completing stage 3.
That is to say it isn't a safe cure.
Well it's a 10th level item, assuming average damage it will deal 70 points of damage in the last stage.
You just need to keep yourself topped off. You have 1 minute between stages, and nothing will prevent you from taking healing potions or other means of being healed. So...if you're prepared it's survivable.
But from an in character perspective it would really suck.
So the question really becomes, what's the earliest party level that someone could reasonably survive?
You need at least 70 hp and the ability to heal 70 damage in less than a minute.
Actually this is interesting, because wolfsbane the item and the monster entry have different rules for what happens that are mutually exclusive.
Wolfsbane appears in folklore for its link to werecreatures. If you are afflicted with lycanthropy and survive Stage 3 of wolfsbane, you’re immediately cured of the lycanthropy.
Saving Throw DC 30 Fortitude; Onset10 minutes; Maximum Duration 6 minutes; Stage 1 12d6 poison damage (1 minute); Stage 2 16d6 poison damage (1 minute); Stage 3 20d6 poison damage (1 minute)
The wolfsbane entry makes no mention of not requiring the aid of magic or only working before the first transformation. And wolfsbane says it's automatically cured.
While the monster entry says:
Sidebar - Advice and Rules Wolfsbane
Wolfsbane is a poisonous plant that can cure the curse of the werecreature. It’s effective only if consumed before the creature transforms for the first time. If the creature survives wolfsbane’s effects without using magic to aid in surviving, the creature can attempt a new saving throw against the curse of the werecreature. On a success, the creature is cured.
Personally I think the monster entry rules are too strict, and would basically make it impossible to succeed. You're better off having someone kill you before you transform and hope that can find someone to do a resurrection ritual soon.
Well it's a 10th level item, assuming average damage it will deal 70 points of damage in the last stage.
You just need to keep yourself topped off. You have 1 minute between stages, and nothing will prevent you from taking healing potions or other means of being healed. So...if you're prepared it's survivable.
But from an in character perspective it would really suck.
So the question really becomes, what's the earliest party level that someone could reasonably survive?
You need at least 70 hp and the ability to heal 70 damage in less than a minute.
Remember that wounded exists, while it is doable it can be resource intensive and can go south especially if you don't cure it. It can easily last 6 minutes after all.
Is it possible to voluntarily fail the save and go to stage 2 or 3 perfectly? In addition, it is described in MM that you must survive without the use of magic. Does the remove course spell remove licanthropy? Victim of werewolf is 6 level barbarian
Remove curse should work as the ability has the remove curse trait, it doesn't give a counteract level though which begs the question of what level to use, half creature rounded up or a level matched to the DC of the ability?
"An afflicted werecreature’s curse can be removed like any other." (From the bestiary entry)I don't believe you can intentionally critically fail or even intentionally standard fail saves. With the drugs entry in the GMG it specifically permits voluntary failure for the first stage of a drug, which to me suggests it is by default not available as an option to fail intentionally.
Remove Curse is the better way to cure lycanthropy.
Wolfsbane is a nod to myth and classic DnD. And it looks like there's definitely a mixed message there that needs a FAQ.
I think surviving without magic would be pretty rough, and surviving w/ magic would be really easy. What's the cost of Wolfsbane vs. the cost of an appropriate strong Remove Curse? That'd be what'd inform me of which way to adjudicate.
I think surviving without magic would be pretty rough, and surviving w/ magic would be really easy. What's the cost of Wolfsbane vs. the cost of an appropriate strong Remove Curse? That'd be what'd inform me of which way to adjudicate.
Remove curse is free, unless you are getting an NPC to cast it. As a rule it will almost auto succeed if it is half the npc level. If it is a level equal to the DC of the ability, then it will clear on a success for a level 4 spell most of the time (I think the werebear bumps it to a level 5 slot if I remember correctly)
As I said above, the bestiary entry specifically states that it can be cleared normally as a curse, just doesn't give an effect level for counteraction, so likely keying off of the monster's level and super easy with remove curse.