That instead borrows from horror fiction, most notably the Universal Pictures Wolf Man films of the 1940s. Many of the tropes we associate with werewolves today were made popular by those films, and, in fact, often don't date back much further than the 19th century. In these films, however, as in some more modern examples such as An American Werewolf in London and Harry Potter, werewolves are portrayed as (mostly) tragic individuals, while in Twilight they seem relatively benign. D&D, like many other RPGs, makes them definitively evil although the potential for tragedy is still implicit in their ability to pass on the condition to others.
1E
The connection to the cinematic, rather than folkloric, version of werewolves is particularly obvious in 1E, in which the werewolf is shown as having a form similar to that of the monster in 1941's The Wolf Man. As this indicates, werewolves in D&D transform primarily into a bipedal human-wolf hybrid, a convention of modern films, rather than into powerful, but otherwise broadly normal-looking, wolves as they do in folklore (and Tolkien). We are, however, told that quadrupedal "wolweres" also exist, being born as wolves and only later transforming, and that the two types of being regularly live side-by-side in the same pack.
As is common in 1E, werewolves form part of a hierarchy of similar creatures, each with one extra hit dice, one extra point of armour, and a 5% greater chance to land a blow than the one before it - although, in this case, the various other features that they possess are not so neatly graded. Perhaps surprisingly, werewolves are the second lowest rung on this particular ladder, although they are said to be more common than the other four types.
Werewolves are said to be "chaotic evil", doubtless reflecting the ferocious rage and bloodlust that they typically have in both classic and cinematic versions. However, they must be capable of some cooperation, because they live in packs averaging ten individuals. Smaller packs are said to be family groups, with a mated pair of adults and a small number of pups, implying that they breed true as well as passing their condition on through a bite.
Werewolfism is specifically described as a disease, responding to folk treatments as well as disease-targeting magic. Given this, it's unsurprising that they can be of any race or gender, although none of the alleged signs of werewolves in folklore (such as a single eyebrow) are meaningful. Although they're described as "human" when not in animal form, the disease is transmissible to any humanoid, so dwarf-werewolves and so on must logically exist.
2E
In 2E, there are three kinds of werewolf, each with a specific non-human form. The one illustrated is that used in all future editions, with a wolf-like head, tail, and lower legs/feet, but otherwise having a human body covered in thick fur. A second type resembles the 1E version, while the third is a quadrupedal giant wolf. This latter is, however, distinguished from the wolf-born version (now called "wolfweres") which are now implacably hostile to the more common sort, rather than close allies.
Werewolf reproduction is also expanded upon. It turns out that they give birth to litters of young that initially have something much like the beast form, and only later learn to shape-shift. They also grow more rapidly than humans, emphasising that they are a distinct race rather than merely being infected humans. The offspring of a werewolf and a human woman is fully human but may transform into a werewolf at adolescence, although this is uncommon. What the offspring of a werewolf and a human man might be like is not explained, although it's hard to see why this would be any less common.
3E
The more detailed rules of 3E provide further insight into the effects of lycanthropy, as well as necessitating some changes in the exact mechanics of, for example, the method of transmission of the condition. Details here include the heightened senses of a werewolf compared with a regular human, and the resilient flesh that gives a degree of natural 'armour' even before taking account of their resistance to non-silvered weapons. There's also more of a clear attempt to align the lupine aspects of the werewolf more closely with the attributes of regular wolves, providing a template for other types of shapeshifter not specifically described.
More significant, however, are the changes to the nature of werewolves. Firstly, all werewolves now have three forms: humanoid, quadrupedal, and a wolf-headed bipedal 'hybrid'. A second difference is that, whereas previously, magic weapons were just as effective against werewolves as silver, this is no longer the case. It is, however, now at least possible to injure werewolves with non-silver weapons - just very hard. It's also clarified that this resistance to damage does not apply while the werewolf is in human form; this form does, however, retain its lycanthropic natural resilience, low-light vision, and wolf-like sense of smell.
In 1E, werewolves are said to be one of the most commonly encountered of all monsters. Their actual numbers are likely much lower than, say, orcs, because, when they are encountered, they live in much smaller groups, but the implication is that they are a constant threat to human civilisation. One D&D setting that takes a different view is Eberron, where they have been almost entirely wiped out, albeit leaving behind a true-breeding race of 'shifters' with much more limited bestial traits. Werewolves are also common in other fantasy games. Twists on the usual image occur in Glorantha, where they are a non-evil tribal culture of wolf-worshipping hunter-gatherers, only a minority of whom are cursed to transform into ravening beasts on the night of the full moon, and World of Darkness, where they are sort of bestial eco-warrior and a standard type of PC.
In most editions, lycanthropy is described as a disease. It can be cured by taking a toxic herbal remedy shortly after infection, presumably by killing the pathogen before it has a chance to affect the body's chemistry or physiology too much. Potent Cure Disease spells also do the trick, although not on individuals born as werewolves, which are evidently too far gone.
The exact nature of the causative agent is impossible to determine in a world that lacks a science of microbiology, but it's clearly one that can be passed on by saliva-to-blood contact. Presumably, other body fluids would also work, and whatever is can readily cross the placental barrier to infect the unborn child of a werewolf mother but is not, for example, transmitted sexually, so it probably has to get directly into the bloodstream.
In 5E, however, while the method of transmission remains the same, magic normally devoted to curing diseases has no effect and neither, presumably, does the herbal remedy. Instead, lycanthropy is specifically a magical curse, only cured by spells designed to remove such things. (There is something of a half-way house in 3E here, because Remove Curse can sometimes work if used on the night of the full moon while the subject is transformed, although, even then, it isn't very reliable. This might imply that, while the pathogen may be a bacterium or virus, it is also, unsurprisingly, a magical one). 5E werewolves can also pass the 'curse' on from father to child, without affecting the mother, which also doesn't fit with the pathogenic model.
In the default D&D settings, werewolves seem to have a culture of sorts, living as nomadic packs breeding among themselves. These natural-born werewolves are contrasted with the sort that contract the condition from a bite. The latter has to adapt to their new abilities, if they cannot be cured, and initially transforms involuntarily. In films, this first transformation is often portrayed as particularly painful, which makes sense given that the skeleton and musculature are warping out of shape and stretching and twisting the flesh around them in the process. This, however, becomes easier with time as the body habituates to the process.
Wolves, it should be noted, have relatively few internal structures that humans don't, even if they are a different shape or proportionate size. Exceptions include the tail, which has multiple bones rather than one tiny vestigial structure in the rump, and the presence of an additional bone inside the penis. But otherwise, for example, nails can become claws, the nasal cavity can enlarge, and so on.
Since werewolves in D&D are described as evil, the disease is also implied to affect the brain, causing what's in effect a psychiatric disorder as the victim becomes bloodthirsty and sadistic. The rule mechanics for this vary between editions, but the general idea seems universal in the core rules.
The effect of the full moon is also a matter of interest. In the real world, full moons occur once every 29½ days. They are usually considered to last for a single night, although some definitions include the night to either side of the full moon proper - an interpretation specifically endorsed in the 3E Monster Manual.
Whatever effect the full moon has on werewolves, it's clearly a magical one. It can't be moonlight that drives it, since that would mean that an overcast sky or staying indoors would prevent the transformation, which clearly it doesn't. Similarly, it can't be a tidal effect, partly because the spring tide occurs twice per lunar cycle, not just at the full moon, and also because it isn't large enough to affect anything as small as a human (if it were, even ponds would have visible tides). Magic is not so constrained, and in worlds with lunar deities, it's hard to imagine that they don't have something to do with the origin of werewolves, one way or the other.
In 1E, werewolves are typically compelled to shapeshift on the night of the full moon, but by 3E this is no longer the case. The full moon does, however, have an effect on those who have recently been afflicted with lycanthropy, forcing them to change on the appropriate night(s) until they come to terms with, and learn to control, their new power - at which point, it apparently ceases to be relevant.
Not all fantasy worlds, however, have a moon like ours. Forgotten Realms, for instance, has a moon with a 30½ day cycle, while on Harn, it's exactly 30 days. These sorts of difference are relatively minor, if still the sort of thing you'd want to be aware of where involuntary lycanthropy is concerned. Other worlds, however, can diverge more drastically - the 7-day cycle of Glorantha's "Red Moon" being particularly notable (and, yes, cursed werewolves there really do have to change that often).
A common trope in RPG fantasy worlds is to have there be more than one moon, and this naturally raises questions. For example, while the published Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting frequently refers to "the moon" as if there's only one, its world is apparently supposed to have two, although we don't know the cycles of either. In this case, as in many others, one moon resembles our own and affects lycanthropy, the other is smaller, and does not. The same thing is true of Mystara, where the 'other' moon is invisible anyway.
Kalamar has three moons; one has a 28-day cycle and looks similar to our own, so it's probably that which affects lycanthropy, although this doesn't appear to be specifically stated. Meanwhile, it's probably just as well as Eberron has so few lycanthropes, since it has no less than twelve moons, all more-or-less equal, and goodness knows how that affects them.
As noted, werewolves are a common trope in fantasy games, not to mention horror and cross-genre RPGs. Naturally, there is considerable variation about how they work, even once pure issues of rule mechanics are glossed over. Even D&D varies in this respect, with the combat prowess of 3E werewolves being noticeably weaker (relative to the rules sets) than the 1E/2E sort, and the 5E sort being quite a lot tougher. Armour, the effect of non-silver weapons, and the methods of curing those recently infected also varies between editions, although it's probably fair to say that there ought to be some sort of "saving throw" against the effect.
More significant, however, are the changes to the nature of werewolves. Firstly, all werewolves now have three forms: humanoid, quadrupedal, and a wolf-headed bipedal 'hybrid'. A second difference is that, whereas previously, magic weapons were just as effective against werewolves as silver, this is no longer the case. It is, however, now at least possible to injure werewolves with non-silver weapons - just very hard. It's also clarified that this resistance to damage does not apply while the werewolf is in human form; this form does, however, retain its lycanthropic natural resilience, low-light vision, and wolf-like sense of smell.
5E
The 5E version of the werewolf retains the 3E ability to transform into two different non-human forms at its choice, although the change in their statistics is less significant when they do so. Magic weapons once again have full effect, and, while their combat skills have improved, their natural armour is now far less effective; just a thick coat of natural fur in beast form, and nothing more. While the 'hybrid' form no longer has a tail, in other respects, they seem broadly similar to the 3E sort.In 1E, werewolves are said to be one of the most commonly encountered of all monsters. Their actual numbers are likely much lower than, say, orcs, because, when they are encountered, they live in much smaller groups, but the implication is that they are a constant threat to human civilisation. One D&D setting that takes a different view is Eberron, where they have been almost entirely wiped out, albeit leaving behind a true-breeding race of 'shifters' with much more limited bestial traits. Werewolves are also common in other fantasy games. Twists on the usual image occur in Glorantha, where they are a non-evil tribal culture of wolf-worshipping hunter-gatherers, only a minority of whom are cursed to transform into ravening beasts on the night of the full moon, and World of Darkness, where they are sort of bestial eco-warrior and a standard type of PC.
In most editions, lycanthropy is described as a disease. It can be cured by taking a toxic herbal remedy shortly after infection, presumably by killing the pathogen before it has a chance to affect the body's chemistry or physiology too much. Potent Cure Disease spells also do the trick, although not on individuals born as werewolves, which are evidently too far gone.
The exact nature of the causative agent is impossible to determine in a world that lacks a science of microbiology, but it's clearly one that can be passed on by saliva-to-blood contact. Presumably, other body fluids would also work, and whatever is can readily cross the placental barrier to infect the unborn child of a werewolf mother but is not, for example, transmitted sexually, so it probably has to get directly into the bloodstream.
In 5E, however, while the method of transmission remains the same, magic normally devoted to curing diseases has no effect and neither, presumably, does the herbal remedy. Instead, lycanthropy is specifically a magical curse, only cured by spells designed to remove such things. (There is something of a half-way house in 3E here, because Remove Curse can sometimes work if used on the night of the full moon while the subject is transformed, although, even then, it isn't very reliable. This might imply that, while the pathogen may be a bacterium or virus, it is also, unsurprisingly, a magical one). 5E werewolves can also pass the 'curse' on from father to child, without affecting the mother, which also doesn't fit with the pathogenic model.
Wolves, it should be noted, have relatively few internal structures that humans don't, even if they are a different shape or proportionate size. Exceptions include the tail, which has multiple bones rather than one tiny vestigial structure in the rump, and the presence of an additional bone inside the penis. But otherwise, for example, nails can become claws, the nasal cavity can enlarge, and so on.
Since werewolves in D&D are described as evil, the disease is also implied to affect the brain, causing what's in effect a psychiatric disorder as the victim becomes bloodthirsty and sadistic. The rule mechanics for this vary between editions, but the general idea seems universal in the core rules.
The effect of the full moon is also a matter of interest. In the real world, full moons occur once every 29½ days. They are usually considered to last for a single night, although some definitions include the night to either side of the full moon proper - an interpretation specifically endorsed in the 3E Monster Manual.
Whatever effect the full moon has on werewolves, it's clearly a magical one. It can't be moonlight that drives it, since that would mean that an overcast sky or staying indoors would prevent the transformation, which clearly it doesn't. Similarly, it can't be a tidal effect, partly because the spring tide occurs twice per lunar cycle, not just at the full moon, and also because it isn't large enough to affect anything as small as a human (if it were, even ponds would have visible tides). Magic is not so constrained, and in worlds with lunar deities, it's hard to imagine that they don't have something to do with the origin of werewolves, one way or the other.
In 1E, werewolves are typically compelled to shapeshift on the night of the full moon, but by 3E this is no longer the case. The full moon does, however, have an effect on those who have recently been afflicted with lycanthropy, forcing them to change on the appropriate night(s) until they come to terms with, and learn to control, their new power - at which point, it apparently ceases to be relevant.
Not all fantasy worlds, however, have a moon like ours. Forgotten Realms, for instance, has a moon with a 30½ day cycle, while on Harn, it's exactly 30 days. These sorts of difference are relatively minor, if still the sort of thing you'd want to be aware of where involuntary lycanthropy is concerned. Other worlds, however, can diverge more drastically - the 7-day cycle of Glorantha's "Red Moon" being particularly notable (and, yes, cursed werewolves there really do have to change that often).
A common trope in RPG fantasy worlds is to have there be more than one moon, and this naturally raises questions. For example, while the published Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting frequently refers to "the moon" as if there's only one, its world is apparently supposed to have two, although we don't know the cycles of either. In this case, as in many others, one moon resembles our own and affects lycanthropy, the other is smaller, and does not. The same thing is true of Mystara, where the 'other' moon is invisible anyway.
Kalamar has three moons; one has a 28-day cycle and looks similar to our own, so it's probably that which affects lycanthropy, although this doesn't appear to be specifically stated. Meanwhile, it's probably just as well as Eberron has so few lycanthropes, since it has no less than twelve moons, all more-or-less equal, and goodness knows how that affects them.
As noted, werewolves are a common trope in fantasy games, not to mention horror and cross-genre RPGs. Naturally, there is considerable variation about how they work, even once pure issues of rule mechanics are glossed over. Even D&D varies in this respect, with the combat prowess of 3E werewolves being noticeably weaker (relative to the rules sets) than the 1E/2E sort, and the 5E sort being quite a lot tougher. Armour, the effect of non-silver weapons, and the methods of curing those recently infected also varies between editions, although it's probably fair to say that there ought to be some sort of "saving throw" against the effect.
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