I think the Lychomancer tone I'm going for fits particularly well with Dungeon Crawl Classics. I've decided to write up a "Transformation Table" in the Style of DCC. This table modifies the Lychomancer's forms so roll on this table when the Lychomancer transforms. Roll 1d6 when transforming into beast form. Roll 1d20 when transforming into demon form. Note that once the demon form is activated, the Lychomancer must make a will save to attempt any action besides a melee strike (or a move towards a melee strike). Failure might indicate an attack on an ally instead!
Add one's level and WIS modifier to the roll. But a natural 1 on a d20 counts as a 1. CON and WIS may be burned to heighten the effects. Burned points recover at the rate of a magic user's recovery time. The beast form may be rerolled at the start of every encounter (The higher value may be chosen. It just takes the Lychomancer a little while for the moon to energize him). The demon form must be rerolled every time it is utilized. But re-roll if the value is lower than the Beast form's total value. A transformation grants all the benefits on the table up to (and including) the value of the roll.
I'm not really sure how well the Lychomancer will balance with the other classes. The Lychomancer is perhaps best suited to fulfilling an antagonistic NPC role. I'll allow the Lychomancer as a PC class in my game, but I'm sure I'll be tweaking it as the campaign churns on.
TRANSFORMATION TABLE
1. Flight over fight in beast form; gain x1.25 speed. DEX becomes 15 (unless it was already higher). In addition the Lychomancer's human form takes on a permanent lupine feature (tail, pointy wolf-ears, nocturnal eyes, etc). Enough of these features eliminates the human form until the Lychomancer only has the beast and demon forms.
2. Leap attack. Like a charge but without the AC penalty on the following turn. If the attack hits, deal an additional +1d6 "slam" damage (modified by STR).
3. Bite and claw attacks add double strength modifier damage to hit rolls.
4. Howl; -1 to enemy morale on failed will save.
5. Gain five temporary HP with resistances*
6. Gain six temporary HP with resistances*
7. Can verbally speak to and understand animals. Gain seven temporary HP with resistances*
8. Gain eight temporary HP with resistances*
9. Gain nine temporary HP with resistances*
10. Gain x1.5 speed. Gain ten temporary HP with resistances*
11. Leap attack (as above) but +1d8 "slam" damage (modified by STR)
12. May make a bite AND claw attack in addition to normal attacks.
13. Howl; -2 to enemy morale on failed will save. Furthermore, enemies subject to the effects of the howl cannot move for 1d3 rounds.
14. May cast spells in demon form without making a will save.
15. Gain x2 speed. Gain 15 temporary HP*
16. When a Lychomancer slays an enemy in demon form, an adjacent enemy must make an immediate will save or flee with a chance of dropping any held weapons.
17. Either a bite or claw attack may be rolled with 1d6 damage every attack (as opposed to 1d4).
18. Claw & bite attacks crit on a natural 18.
19. Every killing blow by the Lychomaner in an encounter grants a cumulative +1 bonus to attacks till the end of the encounter. The maximum bonus is equal to the Lychomancer's level.
20. Killing blows grant temp HP equal to damage dealt*
21. Black Pact; can telepathically communicate with any predator within line of sight at will. The predator is "friendly" once the psychic bond is instated.
22. Gain 18 temporary HP*
23. Bite and claw attacks crit on a natural 17.
24. Shadow Leap; Lychomancer may teleport from shadow to shadow within line of sight as a move action. This might allow for truly absurd leap attacks**
25. Gain 20 temporary HP*
26. Bite and claw attacks crit on a natural 16.
27. Savage Sight; Lychomancer see through any predator's eyes w/ in 100 miles.
28. Gain 22 temporary HP*
29. Bite and claw attacks crit on a natural 15.
30. Immortal moon; cannot die on the night of a full moon. These effects persist even after the demon form is shed (till dawn). Once reduced to to 1 HP the Lychomancer disintegrates into shadows and is dispersed. On the following dawn the Lychomancer will return to human form in the wilderness fully healed and rested (as though at least 24 hours had passed). If the Lychomancer is ever reduced to this shadow state, he will never age but may ONLY subsist on sentient flesh***
* These temporary HP with resistances take damage before non-temporary hit points. These hit points last as long as the form (that called for the roll) remains active. Temporary HP recovers in beast form after a short rest or short bout of non-strenuous activity. Regular HP heals as normal. The resistances work differently depending on the chosen Road. These temporary HP only take half damage from most attacks (round damage down). But silver weapons instead deal full damage to followers of the Road of Moon. Holy weapons deal full damage to followers of the Road of Sanctity.
Note: Alternatively the temporary HP might instead convert a number of already existing hit points to a resistant status (without granting extra HP). This would still allow the Lychomancer a significant measure of protection. I will probably use this tweak for players in Cult of Aois who choose to play werewolf characters.
** I owe this ability to the 3rd edition "Shadowdancer" prestige class.
*** DCC's Hound of Hirot is the premier inspiration for this power.
Part three will begin to cover Lychomancer spells.
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