Revised Vampires [Template]

[The Demented One]

Vampire

Creating a Vampire
Vampire is an applied template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid.

Size and Type
Size remains unchanged. Type changes to Undead.

Hit Dice
Increase all racial and class HD to d12's.

Armor Class
A Vampire gains a +1 natural armor bonus to AC for every three HD it has.

Special Attacks
A Vampire retains all the special attacks of the base creature and also gains the following special attacks. In addition to the following special attacks, some Vampires have salient special attacks, described below.

Blood Drain (Ex)
A Vampire can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain each round the pin is maintained. On each such successful attack, the Vampire gains 5 temporary hit points that last 1 hour per HD of the victim.

Create Spawn (Su)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid whose Constitution score is reduced to 0 by a Vampire’s blood drain ability dies and rise, 1d4 days later as a Vampire Spawn if it had 4 or less HD and as a Vampire if it had 5 or more HD.If the creature's HD are equal to your own minus four or greater, then it is created as a free-willed undead. Otherwise, the new Vampire or spawn is under the command of the Vampire that created it and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. Spawned Vampires lack salient abilities, have the same weaknesses as the Vampire that spawned them, and cannot create spawn of their own. At any given time a Vampire may have enslaved spawn totaling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn it creates that would exceed this limit are created as free-willed Vampires or Vampire Spawn. A Vampire that is enslaved may create and enslave spawn of its own, so a master Vampire can control a number of lesser Vampires in this fashion. A Vampire may voluntarily free an enslaved spawn in order to enslave a new spawn, but once freed, a Vampire or Vampire Spawn cannot be enslaved again.

Salient Special Attacks
In addition to the standard special attacks listed above, some vampires have unique special attacks, detailed below. Upon gaining the template, a Vampire may choose between 1 and 3 of the following salient special attacks to gain.

Children of the Night (Su)
Once per day, a Vampire with the children of the night salient attack can call forth 1d6+1 rat swarms, 1d4+1 bat swarms, or a pack of 3d6 wolves as a standard action. These creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the Vampire for up to 1 hour. Some Vampires may use this attack to summon different types of creatures of equivalent strength.

Dominate (Su)
A Vampire with the dominate salient can crush an opponent’s will just by looking onto his or her eyes. This is similar to a gaze attack, except that the Vampire must use a standard action, and those merely looking at it are not affected. Anyone the Vampire targets must succeed on a Will save, DC 10 + ½ the Vampire’s HD + the Vampire’s Charisma modifier, or fall instantly under the vampire’s influence as though by a dominate person spell, with caster level equal to the Vampire’s HD. The ability has a range of 30 feet.

Energy Drain (Su)
Whenever a Vampire with the energy drain salient attack successfully damages a creature with a natural weapon or unarmed strike, that creature gains 2 negative levels. For each negative level bestowed, the Vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. A Vampire can use its energy drain ability once per round. A creature killed by a Vampire’s energy drain ability rises 1d4 days later as a Vampire Spawn, regardless of its HD. If a Vampire gains this salient attack but does not have any natural weapons, then it gains two slam attacks that deal damage appropriate for its size.

Frightening Presence (Ex)
A Vampire with the frightening presence salient attack can cause fear by attacking or draining a creature of blood. Whenever a Vampire with this ability attacks a creature or uses its drain blood ability, all creatures within 30 ft. of it must make a Will save, DC 10 + ½ the Vampire’s HD + the Vampire’s Charisma modifier, or be frightened for 5d6 rounds. Once a creature successfully saves against a Vampire’s frightful presence ability, then it is immune to it for 24 hours.

Wracking Pain (Ex)
Whenever a Vampire with the wracking pain salient quality drains blood from a creature, that creature must make a Fortitude save, DC 10 + ½ the Vampire’s HD + the Vampire’s Strength modifier, or be overcome by pain, becoming paralyzed for 1d6 rounds.

Special Qualities
A Vampire retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following qualities. In addition to the following special qualities, some Vampires have salient special qualities, described below.

Damage Reduction (Ex)
A Vampire has damage reduction 1/–. The amount of this damage reduction increases by one for every 5 HD the Vampire has.

Fast Healing (Ex)
A Vampire heals 5 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point.

Resistances (Ex)
A Vampire has resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10.

Turn Resistance (Ex)
A Vampire has +1 turn resistance. The amount of this turn resistance increases by 1 for every 5 HD the Vampire has.

Salient Special Qualities
In addition to the standard special qualities listed above, some vampires have unique special qualities, detailed below. Upon gaining the template, a Vampire may choose between 1 and 3 of the following salient special qualities to gain.

Alternate Form (Su)
A Vampire with the alternate form salient quality can assume the shape of a bat, dire bat, wolf, or dire wolf as a standard action. While in its alternate form, the Vampire loses its natural attacks and any supernatural special abilities it has, but it gains the natural weapons and extraordinary special attacks of its new form. It can remain in that form until it assumes another or until the next sunrise. Some Vampires may use this attack to take on the form of different types of creatures of equivalent strength.

Gaseous Form (Su)
As a standard action, a Vampire with the gaseous form salient quality can assume gaseous form at will as the spell, but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability. If a Vampire with this quality is reduced to 0 hp, it automatically assumes gaseous form.

Inhuman Speed (Ex)
As a swift action, a Vampire with the inhuman speed salient quality may move up to its move speed plus 15 ft. Once it has used this ability, it must wait 5 rounds before it can use it again.

Invisible (Su)
Vampires with the invisible salient quality are naturally invisible. They may suppress or resume this ability as a swift action. The see invisibility and true seeing spells can reveal an invisible Vampire, and the invisibility purge spell prevents the Vampire from using this ability for a number of rounds equal to the spell’s caster level.

Spider Climb (Ex)
A Vampire with the spider climb salient quality can climb sheer surfaces, as though with the spider climb spell.

Shadowform (Su)
As a swift action, a Vampire with the shadowform salient quality may become ethereal until the beginning of its next round. Once a Vampire has used this ability, it must wait 5 rounds before it can use it again.

Unholy Toughness (Ex)
A Vampire with the unholy toughness salient quality gains an amount of bonus hp equal to its Charisma modifier for every HD it has.

Weaknesses
All Vampires have certain weaknesses, some shared, some unique. Firstly, all Vampires are vulnerable to and weakened by sunlight. A Vampire caught in natural sunlight is dazzled, takes 1d10 points of damage each round, and cannot use any of its supernatural abilities.

Secondly, all Vampires are vulnerable to being staked. Wooden stakes are treated as simple light weapons that deal 1d2 piercing damage and have a critical threat range of x2. If a character attacks a Vampire in melee with a stake and would threaten a critical hit, he may make a roll to confirm the critical, even though vampires are not affected by them, at a -8 penalty. If the confirmation roll is successful, then the character successfully stakes the Vampire’s heart, destroying it instantly. In addition, if a character coup de grace’s a Vampire with a stake, it is destroyed as well.

In addition, some Vampires may have one to fouradditional weaknesses, chosen from the list below:

Increased Sunlight Vulnerability: Vampires with this weakness are extremely vulnerable to sunlight–it’s merest touch is enough to kill them. If it is exposed to natural sunlight, it is disoriented, and can take only a single action. If it does not exit the sunlight by the end of its next round, it is destroyed.

Dominion Vulnerability: A Vampire with this weakness cannot enter certain areas unbidden. It cannot enter a house or private dwelling of its own power without the explicit permission of the dwelling’s owner. In addition, they can never enter temples or other places of worship belonging to good deities, or areas that have been hallowed (but not those that have been consecrated).

Talisman Vulnerability: Vampires with this weakness can be repelled by certain talismans. They cannot tolerate the smell of garlic, nor the presence of mirrors, or holy symbols held by characters that worship the deity of the symbol. They cannot voluntarily come within 5 ft. of any of these objects, and if they begin their turn within 5 ft. of such an object, they cannot take any actions until they move away.

Water Vulnerability: Vampires with this weakness cannot cross running water or tolerate immersal. They cannot cross running water of their own power, though they can cross it while on a ship or in their coffin. If a Vampire with this weakness is immersed in water, it takes 2d20 points of damage each round.

Abilities
Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Dex +4, Cha +4. As an undead creature, a vampire has no Constitution score.

Challenge Rating
A Vampire has a base CR equal to the base creature’s CR plus 2. In addition, for every salient attack or quality the Vampire has, increase its LA by 1/3; but for every additional weakness it has, reduce it by 1/3. If this leaves a Vampire with a fractional CR, round it up. A Vampire’s CR cannot be reduced below +2 by additional weaknesses.

Alignment
Always Evil.

Level Adjustment
A Vampire has a base LA equal to the base creature’s LA plus 3. In addition, for every salient attack or quality the Vampire has, increase its LA by ½; but for every additional weakness it has, reduce it by ½. If this leaves a Vampire with a fractional LA, round it up. A Vampire’s LA cannot be reduced below +3 by additional weaknesses.

[JackMage666]

Giving a Create Spawn ability to a player could be problematic, hence the huge LA on the current Vampire template... I'd say, add a clause that states a player cannot take Create Spawn, and that particular ability makes the LA -.

EDIT - Er, nevermind, that's a base ability - Switch it to a Salient ability, and do the LA thing... Really most of a base vampires LA comes from Create Spawn, as I said.

[The Demented One]

Giving a Create Spawn ability to a player could be problematic, hence the huge LA on the current Vampire template... I'd say, add a clause that states a player cannot take Create Spawn, and that particular ability makes the LA -.

EDIT - Er, nevermind, that's a base ability - Switch it to a Salient ability, and do the LA thing... Really most of a base vampires LA comes from Create Spawn, as I said.

I think it's really no more problematic ability than a cleric's ability to rebuke undead, or the animate dead spell.

[Gralamin]

Create Spawn Math:

0 LA Base, +3 LA = Max level 17.

Max strength controlled spawn: 17 HD - 3 HD = 14 HD
Double HD: 17*2 = 34 HD

"Best" HD usage:
2x 14 HD (28 HD so far)
1 x 6 HD (34 HD)

Encounter level calculator saids that is a ECL 16 encounter on its own.

That isn't that powerful, most of the time (EG: Before cheese).


Assuming LA Buyoff this time:
0 LA Base, +3 LA. -3 LA = Max level 20.

Max strength controlled spawn: 20 HD - 3 HD = 17 HD
Double HD: 20*2 = 40 HD

"Best" HD usage:
2x 17 HD (34 HD so far)
1 x 6 HD (40 HD)

Encounter level calculator saids that is a ECL 19 encounter on its own. That is strong.

[The Demented One]

Well, I think the problem there may lie more with LA buyoff than with the template...might still bump max spawn HD down to -4, though.

[Maerok]

This is better than the insane +8 LA of the traditional vampire template, especially as that could be sprung on you at any time if you fight vampires.

[EvilElitest]

So why did you do this? Just to avoid the +8 LA
from,
EE

[Maerok]

So why did you do this? Just to avoid the +8 LA
from,
EE

Staking. :D There's not much that's more intense than one PC grappling a vampire, pinned to the floor, with the other PC running up behind it with a stake clutched in both hands overhead.

[The Demented One]

So why did you do this? Just to avoid the +8 LA
from,
EE

Avoid that, give players/DMs a bit more options when making vampires.

[imp_fireball]

I got some ideas for new weaknesses -

Make this an automatic weakness - The vampire must drink blood (so and so amount of times) or starve as humans do (or at least become very weak or emotionally unstable and raging like a frenzied berserker). Otherwise, undead don't normally need to eat, breathe, etc.

Selectable Weaknesses -

Blood Favoritism - The vampire has grown so accustomed to feasting on the blood of a specific race that this is now the only source of blood that satiates him. Select a race as the ranger's favored enemy that is living and bleeds. This is now the only source of blood that prevents starvation (or weakened condition, however you want to play it).

The above weakness helps explain why vampires of lore often target say, humans rather than animals.

Salient Special Qualities

Immortal Hunter - Centuries of un-life and solitude have enhanced your ability to survive. Vampires now have a +8 racial bonus on Bluff, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. Receive scent.

Soul Prison
Prerequisite: Must sacrifice 'create spawn' vampire racial feature

For every living being that you suck blood from, instead of transforming them into spawn, you absorb their soul, thus acquiring their knowledge and memories. Whenever recalling knowledge, you may make a wisdom check against the will save DC of every soul you have imprisoned. Success indicates you apply an intuition bonus equal to the HD of whichever soul possessed the knowledge. Assuming the GM loses track of every soul you have absorbed (recording their will saves for reference or rolling the highest will modifier is easy though), apply an intuition bonus equal to your wisdom modifier times the number of souls you have absorbed. In either case, this intuition bonus only applies if any of the souls actually possess the knowledge or have a memory that relates to a means of acquiring the knowledge.

You may also absorb souls by means of simply touching their blood (and absorbing it), by having your familiars or shadows feast on the body, etc.

Salient Special Attacks

Rebuke Shadows
Prerequisite: Alter Form Salient

As a standard action, you may command nearby shadows to attack your enemies. The shadows are similar to the creature in the SRD with the exception that they are fully corporeal. Upon summoning the shadows, you may change their shape as your Alter Form ability to whatever you desire simultaneously with the summoning. The shadows can grow up to a size of huge (using the usual rules for increasing a creature's size). As a rule, for every 5ft. of space covered by shadows, one shadow creature is created.

Night Prowler
Prerequisite: Immortal Hunter Salient

Gain life sense at a radius equal to your Cha modifier times 10ft. Additionally, receive a bonus to your jump checks equal to your move speed at any given moment (so if your move speed is 45ft., receive a +45 to jump checks) and you no longer need to double the DC on all jump checks for not making a running jump.

Eternally Swift
Prerequisite: Inhuman Speed Salient, BAB +6

For a number of times per day equal to your strength modifier, you may act as if hasted for 5 rounds.

Regeneration
Prerequisite: Coffin Confined Trait, must have had 1d4 coffins destroyed in the past, 12 HD

Your fast healing is replaced by regeneration, bypass-able by whatever material or damage type you choose (must choose one).

Perfect Aim
Prerequisite: Immortal Hunter, BAB +9

Choose one model of weapon. You may apply true strike to this weapon as a free action a number of times per round equal to your dexterity modifier.

Control Weather
Prerequisite: Charisma 30

You can control weather a number of times per day equal to charisma modifier as weather control.

Mystic Sense
Prerequisites: Knowledge (Arcana) 12 ranks, Knowledge (Psionics) 12 ranks

Your high-grade quality of un-death has given you an eye for other things of a supernatural nature. Emit an aura of detect magic and detect psionics up to a radius of 10ft. times your charisma modifier.


Also, vampire traits

Coffin Confined
Prerequisite: Vampire Race, Gaseous Form Salient, Dominion Vulnerability Weakness

The vampire must rest in a chosen coffin (can be elaborate or simple) during day light hours. If he is reduced to -10 hp at any time (but not staked through the heart, or decapitated and stuffed with holy wafers), he may revert to gaseous form/incorporeal form (essentially, gaseous, and with the ability to pass through walls) as an immediate action and will automatically return to the coffin at a speed of roughly 60 miles per hour. Upon returning, he immediately begins regenerating at the speed of his fast healing, but is considered fatigued until he has 8 hours rest.

Destruction of the coffin means that the vampire will no longer be able to revive himself upon 'death' until he seeks out another coffin. A vampire is able to select a new coffin by sleeping in it during daylight hours for up to a week, after which this new coffin becomes his 'phylactery'.

Summon Souls
Prerequisite: Vampire Race, Soul Prison Salient

Instead of creating spawn, you are able to store and summon the souls of every creature you've drained the blood of, up to your create spawn limitation. Summoning souls is a standard action. Each soul is the ordinary character with the ghost template applied. You have complete control over these souls up to a 300ft. radius. Once they have accomplished whatever deed you asked of them, you must command them to return to your body in order to summon them later. Any souls that you 'lose', you may no longer summon. If a soul acquires free will, it will most likely wish only to escape your wrath, fading into the after life and unable to be recalled by any means short of divine intervention.

Racial Feats

Trans-eternal Blood Sucker
Prerequisite: Vampire Race, 9 HD or higher

There is no limit to the number of Salient Special Qualities or Attacks you may select.

Before: You may select up to three Salient Special Qualities and Attacks.

Null Weakness
Prerequisite: Vampire Race

Remove one salient weakness. This feat may be taken multiple times. Each time, it applies to a different weakness.

Erase Weakness
Prerequisite: Vampire Race, Null Weakness, 12 HD

Remove one standard racial weakness. This feat may be taken multiple times. Each time, it applies to a different weakness.

Expanded Life Sense [Epic]
Prerequisite: Vampire Race, Night Prowler Salient

Your life sense works up to a number of miles equal to your charisma score. You can also distinguish the life force of creatures you have met in person.

[Agrippa]

Where's the obsessive compulsive disorder Demented One? How else can you distract them with large amounts of tiny countible objects?

[imp_fireball]

It's worse than the time some friends used a silver piece, a platinum piece, a delayed blast fireball and a scroll of passwall to make a nuclear explosion in a game...

Off topic: Seriously, how does that work?

[The Tygre]

Awesome stuff, Imp. But I do feel the need to point that we're distinctly in thread-necro territory. Still, I'd like to hear some more of your vampire options. They look cool.

[imp_fireball]

Awesome stuff, Imp. But I do feel the need to point that we're distinctly in thread-necro territory. Still, I'd like to hear some more of your vampire options. They look cool.

I didn't notice the thread necro. >_>

Has this thread been categorized in that homebrew index? It should be okay then.

[Sethis]

Sorry to Necro again, but giving Regeneration to an undead is a bad plan.

Undead = Immune to subdual

Regen = Transfers all damage to subdual except whatever deals aggravated damage.

Vampire would be immune to damage.

[Eldonauran]

Wow, thread necromancy is useful sometimes. I would never have seen this otherwise. I have an opinion on a special salient ability

Inhuman Speed (Ex)
As a swift action, a Vampire with the inhuman speed salient quality may move up to its move speed plus 15 ft. Once it has used this ability, it must wait 5 rounds before it can use it again.

I feel this ability is no where near powerful enough to warrant the +1/2 LA that choosing it would entail. I would suggest changing the ability to instead allow the Vampire to act as hasted for 1 round (to move up to 30ft more and/or make an extra attack at its highest BAB) and then having to wait 5 rounds before it can use the ability again.

That would be a decent Salient Ability, though you may have to change it to (Su).

[imp_fireball]

Wow, thread necromancy is useful sometimes. I would never have seen this otherwise. I have an opinion on a special salient ability



I feel this ability is no where near powerful enough to warrant the +1/2 LA that choosing it would entail. I would suggest changing the ability to instead allow the Vampire to act as hasted for 1 round (to move up to 30ft more and/or make an extra attack at its highest BAB) and then having to wait 5 rounds before it can use the ability again.

That would be a decent Salient Ability, though you may have to change it to (Su).

Hey just because it duplicates a spell doesn't mean it has to be supernatural. The same logic could be used for why it'd need to be a (Sp). The vampire merely has extraordinary speed, so make it an (Ex) ability.

Also, make the regeneration bypass-able (usually that's how it's dealt with) or include an exception that the vampire is now vulnerable to non-lethal damage.

Some vampires are very very human after all (ie. they can still say 'ow' when punched in the face), with the only exception being a pair of fangs, the inability to die naturally or by things that would kill a human, and a thirst for blood.

[Geiger Counter]

What happens to a vampire if they are embalmed before they transform

[Eldonauran]

What happens to a vampire if they are embalmed before they transform

Zombies

[imp_fireball]

Zombies

A vampire with a bunch of sludge inside of it?

An embalmed zombie would be a bit off from a regular zombie - notably easier to look at.

[Sethis]

A vampire with a bunch of sludge inside of it?

An embalmed zombie would be a bit off from a regular zombie - notably easier to look at.

But would likely smell far worse.

As to the (su) arguement:

Extraordinary Abilities (Ex)
Extraordinary abilities are nonmagical, though they may break the laws of physics.

I'd argue that if it duplicates a spell, it's noticeably more powerful as an Ex ability than an Su. That may be pushing it up a bit.

As to the Regeneration, I'm not sure if that would work well, the only thing I can think of making it for aggravated damage is silver, which would make regeneration useless as anyone going to fight a vampire is going to take silvered weapons anyways.

[imp_fireball]

As to the Regeneration, I'm not sure if that would work well, the only thing I can think of making it for aggravated damage is silver, which would make regeneration useless as anyone going to fight a vampire is going to take silvered weapons anyways.

Buh, hardly. The reason they take silvered weapons is to bypass DR. Regeneration just makes it even more punishing to make the mistake of not bringing along silver.

[Wolfepuppy]

Wow, thread necromancy is useful sometimes. I would never have seen this otherwise. I have an opinion on a special salient ability



I feel this ability is no where near powerful enough to warrant the +1/2 LA that choosing it would entail. I would suggest changing the ability to instead allow the Vampire to act as hasted for 1 round (to move up to 30ft more and/or make an extra attack at its highest BAB) and then having to wait 5 rounds before it can use the ability again.

That would be a decent Salient Ability, though you may have to change it to (Su).

I know this thread is extremly old...
but how about just giving them fast movement like barbarians and monks get?