Lycanthropy (Skyrim)

Lycanthropy is a Disease in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Werewolves are lycanthropes: men and women who can transform into powerful and monstrous creatures. Some, such as the Companions in Whiterun, see this as a blessing, a way of drawing on the strength and ferocity of their inner beast. Some see it as a curse, a twisting of their wills and nature. The most notable group that dislikes Werewolves is the Silver Hand. For some, it is simply a way of life.

Appearance
The appearance of the werewolf form is that of a large wolfish humanoid creature with razor sharp claws and a set of large teeth. Unlike the more wolf-faced look of the Bloodmoon werewolves, the werewolves of Skyrim have monstrous faces and muscular builds. Their colouring ranges from light brown to black depending on race and gender.

Becoming a Werewolf
If the player contracts Lycanthropy the player will turn into a Werewolf. There are two ways to contract this disease: being attacked by a werewolf, or participating in a ritual that will require you to drink the blood of a werewolf.

Lycanthropy can easily be contracted as part of the blood ritual that occurs during The Companions Quest: The Silver Hand. Your first transformation is particularly violent, causing you to prowl the streets of Whiterun as the inhabitants of the city flee for their lives. Soon you black out, and from this point on, you are more fully in control of your animal nature.

Removing the curse
At the end of the Companions questline, a radiant quest "Purity" becomes available for those adventurers who wish to rid themselves of the beast within. As part of that quest, you must cut off the head of a Glenmoril Witch, bringing it into the depths of the Tomb of Ysgramor, draw the spirit of the wolf from your body, and defeat it. Once the ritual is complete, your cure is permanent, and you cannot contract Lycanthropy again.

Beast Form
When you become a werewolf, you acquire a new power known as Beast Form. This allows you to transform into a werewolf once a day. Once transformed, you remain a werewolf for 2.5 minutes of real time. You can extend this time by approaching a corpse and feeding on it by activating it as if you were looting it. This restores 50 points of Health and gives you an additional 30 seconds of time as a werewolf. Beast form can be extremely useful in situations where your equipment is removed, such as during the quest No One Escapes Cidhna Mine.

Permanent
You cannot become diseased, which also negates any diseases already afflicting you when you become a werewolf. Amusingly, becoming a werewolf even cures vampirism as well, regardless of what stage it is currently in.

Shapeshifted
Your damage is base 20 and levels with you until level 45, where base damage is 80. While a werewolf you also gain 100 health and stamina, not to mention a much higher sprint speed that makes you faster than any horse in the game and can be utilized for long periods of time.

You can transform at will, during day or night, and under the veil of Beast Form your actions do not count towards your normal self's bounty. The exception is if anyone see's you shifting forms in which case a 1000 coin bounty is added to your head in the appropiate town.

Additionally, wolves treat you as ally, although this is not neccesarily a game breaking edge.

Other
Later in the game you can obtain the Hircine's Ring which will allow you turn into a werewolf anytime you want, having an extra number of uses. Equipping it will give you the "Ring of Hircine" power which you technically lose when you use it, giving it to you again when you put the ring on after changing back.

Permanent
Your sleep patterns are out the window, and so you may never become well-rested while you remain afflicted.

You also cannot gain the temporary bonus of Lover's Comfort (normally gained by sleeping in your house when your spouse is present) while you are afflicted.

Shapeshifted
Once transformed, you can return to your humanoid character by waiting 2.5 minutes (May take longer if you have fed on several bodies). Your large, lumbering form has trouble fitting through narrow passages, and it may not fit or handle delicate equipment like armor, weapons, spells or even maps, much less locks. You can also "sheath" your claws by pressing the sheath button which allows you to pan the camara as normal and causes the werewolf to assume a less agressive stance.

You cannot speak while shifted, either (Unless you reach a part of a quest where a character starts a conversation with you then strangely enough you can reply to them in your werewolf form). This makes it difficult to explain your situation to anyone unfamiliar with your form, and they will usually flee or try to attack you. Any followers you may have will not leave your service for simply transforming into a werewolf and will still follow you and attack enemies but if you were to use your roar or purposely or accidentally hit your follower (even if you only hit them once) they would leave your service and flee or attack you so it is advised to be carefull around your companions when in your werewolf form.

You can feed upon your fallen foes by activating them, this allows you to regenerate your health, but this is also the only way to heal while in this form. (No automatic health regeneration) It also increases the duration of your form by thirty seconds.

Since all armor and weapons are unequipped when in Beast Form, you will not gain any skills points.

And though this surely cannot happen to you, after finding a dead Werewolf during the quest The Silver Hand it is stated by Aela the Huntress that most people who contract lycanthropy cannot control it and become feral.

Weapon loss
When you leave Werewolf form all of your weapons, armor, etc... will be unequipped and you will have to re-equip them. Thus you should be wary when in large groups of enemies and turning back.

Tips
Using the Werewolf form can be tricky at first, as the camera is forced to be in third person, but here are a few tips to make yourself as effective as possible. (Note: You can cancel the feeding animation by roaring as soon as you go down to feed. You will still regain your health and bloodlust, and you will also become mobile quicker. this can be very helpful when attacking large groups where you need to feed and kill fast.)
 * Achieving a critical hit as a werewolf will make you perform an execution (similar to weapon executions) which will instantly kill the opponent. Note that these can only be achieved by using the regular swiping attack by simply pressing either of the attack buttons.
 * Here are some of the Werewolf executions:
 * You knock your enemy to the floor and begin slashing them with your claws.
 * You knock your enemy to the floor and begin biting their throat.
 * You grab your enemy, lift them off the floor, and throw them to the right or left (depending on what claw you hit them with).
 * You grab your enemy with both hands, lift them up, and rip their head off with your jaws.
 * You grab your enemy by his or her head, lift them up, then squeeze their head in with your hands and claws. (May be the same as above. Normaly easily executed by tapping the left and right attack buttons.)
 * This is extremely efffective as you may be able to kill an extremely powerful enemy with only a few swipes from your claws rather than hitting them multiple times and risking being killed (Note that these executions can only be performed on races which you can play as e.g. nords, imperials, argonians, wood elves and so on...).
 * Use both arms - as a werewolf, you have two sets of claws. Use them. They can be used with whatever buttons the left and right attack buttons are on your console. Instead of using stamina like a combo attack, you can quickly fan both buttons for no loss in stamina. Which is much more effective than just slapping with one hand.
 * Once you are a werewolf it's best not to attack large groups of enemies as they will gang up on you and easily destroy your health. Use your roar to startle them and make them flee. After which you should give chase and take out your opponents one by one.
 * The Dash Attack - While sprinting as a Werewolf, press the attack button for a powerful attack which involves you jumping forward with both of your claws. This attack makes easy work of almost any enemy, including giants.
 * Power Attacks - Using the power attacks in werewolf form causes knockback and high damage, like a weaker single-target version of the Unrelenting Force shout. This allows you to send enemies flying off cliffs or knock boss NPCs to the ground where you can hack away at them with your claws without fear of counterattacks or blocks. Make sure to take advantage of this.
 * Roaring - Roaring can be rather useful in a pinch, as it causes nearby foes to run away from you (allowing you to then finish them off with a Dash Attack). High-level enemies are not affected by the roar, so be wary. This power can be swapped out for alternative powers like Howl of the Pack and Scent of Blood, by praying at the totems in the Underforge, these are aquired by the Radiant quests given by Aela after becoming Harbringer. (verification recommended; possible level scaling on the skill).
 * Alteration magic like "Stoneflesh" can be cast before transforming to improve your armor rating while in werewolf form. The Alteration "Mage Armor" perk helps tremendously since transforming strips you of all your equipment. This is a good alternative approach to combat situations for full mage type characters if magic isn't doing the trick.
 * It is also important to know that when you are in werewolf form you cannot search corpses or containers, or open the menu. Due to these setbacks you should avoid turning into a werewolf in buildings or dungeons.

(Note: Transforming whilst in water will allow you to keep your weapons equipped.)

(Note: Most people you transform in front of will attack you, no matter what bond you share with them. It is best to avoid transforming near people you like or need. This does not affect companions in your party. Among the other exceptions to this are the members of the Dark Brotherhood)

(Note: You are vulnerable to taking damage while you are transforming or feeding)

(Note: Having the Blade of Woe equipped when you transform will keep it equipped, causing extra damage and raising your One-Handed skill. Only confirmed on XBOX)

(Note: Having a Pickaxe eguipped during the blood ritual (see above) will keep it equipped making you damage less.)

Known Werewolves

 * Aela the Huntress
 * Farkas
 * Sinding
 * Skjor
 * Vilkas
 * Arnbjorn of the Dark Brotherhood, Astrid's husband.
 * Kodlak Whitemane

Quests

 * Ill Met By Moonlight
 * Proving Honor
 * The Silver Hand

Bugs

 * Sometimes when in beast form a random one handed weapon will be equipped meaning you can level up in that skill, this also means that the finishing moves will usually glitch which will zoom in on the target they will stay still for several seconds and then collapse after no other animations, it does not crash the game. I have only noticed this with a blade sword.
 * Sometimes when you die and load back, your roar won't work.
 * If you use a Dragon Shout before you transform, then you won't be able to use your roar, until it finishes cooling down.