[3.5] Dhampir (Half Vampire template) (PEACH)

**Geiger Counter** · 2010-03-23, 06:37 PM (ISO 8601)

This is a +1 LA template that can be added onto any living humanoid.
Vampires are an unusual type of undead and can produce Dhampir, or half vampire spawn when mating with mortal women. Dhampirs abilities awaken when reaching adulthood, although they always have a pallid and feral look.
+2 Str +2 Cha.
+2 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, and Spot checks.
+8 bonus to climb checks and can always take a 10 on climb checks.
+8 bonus to hide in mist or fog.
-8 penalty to swim checks.
Natural armor bonus equal to half it's constitution bonus rounding down, this never applies as a penalty.
1d6 Slam Attack.
Darkvision (Ex): Out to 60 feet, or improved by 60 feet if the base creature already has darkvision.
Endure elements (Ex): as the spell, but as an extraordinary ability.
Damage Reduction (Su): A Dhampir gains DR 2/magic or silver.
Charming gaze (Su): The Dhampir gets a +4 bonus on social interactions(most charisma and sense motive checks), against any creature within 30 feet that does not purposefully avoid direct eye contact with the Dhampir. Avoiding direct eye contact with a Dhampir does not grant an attack penalty, though the creature does take a -4 penalty on charisma and sense motive checks against the Dhampir as not being able to look at someone you are talking to in the eye usually hampers your ability to use and observe body language and does not give you a look of confidence.
Undead Blood: For all effects related to race, a Dhampir is considered an undead in addition to whatever subtype the base creature had. However spells and supernatural abilities which effect only undead usually have no effect on a Dhampir.
Tainted: Dhampirs always radiate a mildly evil aura regardless of their true alignment. Holy water deals half damage and unholy water heals half it would an undead. Holy symbols, garlic and mirrors (though Dhampirs do have a reflection) cause Dhampirs to become shaken.
Unsettle Animals (Ex): All herbivores and most domesticated animals are automatically hostile towards Dhampirs which makes handle animal and ride checks towards them impossible without the calm animals spell. So Dhampirs normally can't ride horses, but they can ride in carriages pulled by horses driven by a human. Horse skeletons are another option. Dhampirs gain a +4 bonus to handle animal and ride checks against undomesticated carnivores.
Drink blood: A Dhampir can drain the blood of any living helpless warmblooded creature, dealing 5 points of con damage per round gaining temporary hitpoints equal to the constitution points absorbed. Every 5 points point of constitution absorbed to a maximum of 7 allows the Dhampir to last one day without needing to eat or sleep or drink, although they still can do these things to gain benefits from them.
Death kneel (Sp): As soon as he reaches the third level a Dhampir can cast death kneel once per day.
Children of the night (Sp): Once per day a Dhampir can cast the highest version of summon monster (Fiendish animals only) at a caster level equal to cleric of HD equal to his minus 3.
Sunlight weakened: While in any contact with sunlight causes a Dhampir to take a -2 penalty to it's attack bonus, caster level and all skill checks.
Bonus feat: A Dhampir may chose one from the following list: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, and Lightning Reflexes. He must meet the feat's requirements to take it.

**dragonfan6490** · 2010-03-23, 07:09 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Geiger Counter

This is a +1 LA template that can be added onto any living humanoid.
Vampires are an unusual type of undead and can produce Damphir, or half vampire spawn when mating with mortal women. Damphirs abilities awaken when reaching adulthood, although they always have a pallid and feral look.

Ok, lets take this one step at a time.

+2 Str +2 Dex +2 Cha.
+2 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, and Spot checks.
+8 bonus to climb checks and can always take a 10 on climb checks.
+8 bonus to hide in mist or fog.
-8 penalty to swim checks.

Good so far, makes sense.

Natural armor bonus equal to constitution bonus, this never applies as a penalty.
1d6 Slam Attack.
Darkvision (Ex): Out to 60 feet, or improved by 60 feet if the base creature already has darkvision.
Endure elements (Ex): as the spell, but as an extraordinary ability.
Damage Reduction (Su): A Damphir gains DR 5/good or silver.
Fast Healing (Ex): A Damphir gains Fast healing equal to their charisma bonus every 10 minutes.
Charming gaze (Su): The Damphir gets a bonus on charisma and sense motive checks equal to it's HD against any creature within 30 feet that does not purposefully avoid direct eye contact with the Damphir. Avoiding direct eye contact with a Damphir does not grant an attack penalty, though the creature does take a -4 penalty on charisma and sense motive checks against the Damphir.
Undead Blood: For all effects related to race, a Damphir is considered an undead in addition to whatever subtype the base creature had. However spells and supernatural abilities which effect only undead usually have no effect on a Damphir.
Tainted: Damphirs always radiate a mildly evil aura regardless of their true alignment. Holy water deals half damage and unholy water heals half it would an undead. Holy symbols, garlic and mirrors (though Damphirs do have a reflection) cause Damphirs to become shaken.
Death kneel (Sp): A Damphir can cast death kneel once per day. Successfully using this ability replaces the Damphir's need to eat and drink for that day.
Children of the night (Sp): Once per day a Damphir can cast the highest version of natures ally as a druid of equal HD can cast at a caster level equal to his class levels. A DM may ban the Damphir's ability to summon any animal type that he deems as "unsuitable", all bats, rats and wolves are always allowed.
Sunlight weakened: While in any contact with sunlight causes a Damphir to take a -2 penalty to it's attack bonus, caster level and all skill checks.
Bonus feat: A Damphir may chose one from the following list: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, and Lightning Reflexes. He must meet the feat's requirements to take it.

Brew Blood Potions: If a Vampire or Damphir has the brew potions feat, he can create blood potions that only works for damphirs and vampires. A damphir can hang any freshly killed medium or large warmblooded creature upsidedown for an hour than distill it's blood which requires another hour, the brewer can make a potion that heal a number of hit points equal to the drained creature's constitution bonus.

All of these various powers together, IMO are much more powerful than LA +1. Even with the sunlight weakness, I'd say this is worth LA +3 or 4. If you just want LA +1, I think you should either tune down the abilities or trim them down to just one or two abilities.

Edit: Okay, it was more than just one step at a time, but this just screamed at me: Higher LA!

**Geiger Counter** · 2010-03-23, 07:20 PM (ISO 8601)

(I just added the unsettle animals quality)

@dragonfan6490
I don't see it, can you tell me specifically what abilities you think are over powered. Many of their abilities are ability based, so they are very easy to loose with the right opponent (poisons, diseases, ability damage)

**BRC** · 2010-03-23, 07:24 PM (ISO 8601)

Three stat boosts with no penalties is worth a +1 LA by itself. Then you throw on Children of the Night, an SLA that scales with HD per day. Damage Reduction. They gain the benefits

A bonus to charisma and sense motive checks that scales with HD. Plus Natural armor equal to constitution?
Edit: I didn't even see those skill bonuses. Sweet Gygax, those are massive.
Also "Situations exist that could make this not broken" does not mean it's balanced.
I'm sorry sir, but this is +3 LA at least.

**Geiger Counter** · 2010-03-23, 07:30 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by BRC

Three stat boosts with no penalties is worth a +1 LA by itself. Then you throw on Children of the Night, an SLA that scales with HD per day. Damage Reduction. They gain the benefits

A bonus to charisma and sense motive checks that scales with HD. Plus Natural armor equal to constitution?

I'm sorry sir, but this is +3 LA at least.

I just halved those abilities. IMO Most creatures in the monster manuals with playable LA (lizardfolk, drow, hobgoblins, Tieflings, aasimar) are heinously underpowered.

**dragonfan6490** · 2010-03-23, 09:21 PM (ISO 8601)

Sure, I understand that. But the thing is, they are balanced against the PHB classes. This is way more powerful than any of those, and at only LA +1, you get a whole host of useful abilities, DR 5? Death Kneel? Charming Gaze? Bonus Feat?

**Geiger Counter** · 2010-03-23, 09:33 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by dragonfan6490

Sure, I understand that. But the thing is, they are balanced against the PHB classes. This is way more powerful than any of those, and at only LA +1, you get a whole host of useful abilities, DR 5? Death Kneel? Charming Gaze? Bonus Feat?

Their DR and charming gaze in now scaling and capped at level 10.
Their bonus feats are extremely limited compared to the human bonus feat.
Also they have a ton of flaws for balance, they can't swim, paladins will consider them evil, the fact that many common items cause them to freak out and most animals in a village will freak out around them.

**Geiger Counter** · 2010-03-24, 10:05 PM (ISO 8601)

Updated.

**erikun** · 2010-03-24, 10:35 PM (ISO 8601)

Alright, let me try looking it over.

Originally Posted by Geiger Counter

+2 Str +2 Cha.
+2 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, and Spot checks, these double to +4 on gaining the 10th level.
+8 bonus to climb checks and can always take a 10 on climb checks.
+8 bonus to hide in mist or fog.
-8 penalty to swim checks.
Bonus feat: A Dhampir may chose one from the following list: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, and Lightning Reflexes. He must meet the feat's requirements to take it.

Looks good so far. As DragonFan mentioned previously, this is close to a +1 LA by itself.

Originally Posted by Geiger Counter

Natural armor bonus equal to half it's constitution bonus rounding down, this never applies as a penalty.
1d6 Slam Attack.
Darkvision (Ex): Out to 60 feet, or improved by 60 feet if the base creature already has darkvision.
Endure elements (Ex): as the spell, but as an extraordinary ability.
Damage Reduction (Su): A Dhampir gains DR 2/magic or silver.
Fast Healing (Ex): A Dhampir gains Fast healing equal to their charisma bonus every 10 minutes.

Not bad. Darkvision is good, although the rest are mostly flavor - or at least not something that will apply in battle. The ability heal up quickly outside of combat is very useful, though.

Originally Posted by Geiger Counter

Charming gaze (Su): The Dhampir gets a +4 bonus on charisma and sense motive checks, doubling to +8 at level 10, against any creature within 30 feet that does not purposefully avoid direct eye contact with the Dhampir. Avoiding direct eye contact with a Dhampir does not grant an attack penalty, though the creature does take a -4 penalty on charisma and sense motive checks against the Dhampir as not being able to look at someone you are talking to in the eye usually hampers your ability to use and observe body language and does not give you a look of confidence.

This doesn't quite make sense. Why would bluffing or wearing a disguise be less useful when the NPC doesn't look the Dhampire in the eye? I'm sure there are several other times when this wouldn't be appropriate - the charisma check during Planar Binding comes to mind.

Originally Posted by Geiger Counter

Undead Blood: For all effects related to race, a Dhampir is considered an undead in addition to whatever subtype the base creature had. However spells and supernatural abilities which effect only undead usually have no effect on a Dhampir.
Tainted: Dhampirs always radiate a mildly evil aura regardless of their true alignment. Holy water deals half damage and unholy water heals half it would an undead. Holy symbols, garlic and mirrors (though Dhampirs do have a reflection) cause Dhampirs to become shaken.
Unsettle Animals (Ex): All herbivores and most domesticated animals are automatically hostile towards Dhampirs which makes handle animal and ride checks towards them impossible without the calm animals spell. So Dhampirs normally can't ride horses, but they can ride in carriages pulled by horses driven by a human. Horse skeletons are another option. Dhampirs gain a +4 bonus to handle animal and ride checks against undomesticated carnivores.
Sunlight weakened: While in any contact with sunlight causes a Dhampir to take a -2 penalty to it's attack bonus, caster level and all skill checks.

You might want to make a note on which abilities are the ones that "usually" affect the Dhampire. Sunbeam? Turning? Radiant Servant of Pelor?

I assume you mean strongly presented holy symbols, or all holy symbols? Would a Dhampire Cleric be permanently shaken as long has he has his holy symbol? Does it apply to items that act as holy symbols, such as a Holy Avenger?

I'm not sure why they would get a bonus to handling carnivores. Traditionally, all natural animals shied away from undead.

Can the Dhampire take Daylight Resistance to negate Sunlight Weakened?

Overall, it makes life difficult for the Dhampire, but it's nothing worth adjusting the LA over. Well, unless they can be turned or take damage from Cure Light Wounds.

Originally Posted by Geiger Counter

Drink blood: A Dhampir can drain the blood of any living helpless warmblooded creature, dealing 5 points of con damage per round gaining temporary hitpoints equal to the constitution points absorbed. Every 5 points point of constitution absorbed to a maximum of 7 allows the Dhampir to last one day without needing to eat or sleep or drink, although they still can do these things to gain benefits from them.
Death kneel (Sp): As soon as he reaches the third level a Dhampir can cast death kneel once per day.
Children of the night (Sp): Once per day a Dhampir can cast the highest version of summon monster (Fiendish animals only) at a caster level equal to cleric of HD equal to his minus 3.

So: free healing from downed opponents outside of combat (or grappled/paralyzed opponents in combat), Death Knell 3/day, and Summon Monster 1/day. That's pretty good, especially when you basically get a free Ring of Substance out of the deal. You won't be summoning any unicorns or chain-gate solars, but there's still plenty of things you can do with free summons. I'm not quite sure why vampires = demons, though.

Overall, I'd give the template a +2 LA, and is in need of some clarifications. The first block is definitely a +1 LA, and the combination of the second and last blocks push it up another +1. It might very well be +3 LA with Charming Gaze as written, considering that it is an effective +4/+8 bonus to any check relating to Charisma. Sunlight Weakened will give problems during daylight hours, although this can be easily remedied by adventuring by night - or just hanging out in a nearby shadow.

**Geiger Counter** · 2010-03-24, 11:12 PM (ISO 8601)