Undeath - Vampires
Awakened to an endless night, vampires hunger for the life they have lost, and can only sate that hunger by drinking the blood of the living. Vampires abhor sunlight, for its touch burns them. They never cast shadows or reflections, for they have no substance. Every vampire remains bound to its grave, where it must rest to maintain its strength.
Whether or not a vampire retains any memories from its former life (which most do), its emotional attachments wither as once-pure feelings become twisted by undeath. In place of emotion, vampires pursue physical symbols of what they crave. Love becomes obsession, annoyance becomes hatred, and pride becomes hubris.
Whether or not a vampire retains any memories from its former life (which most do), its emotional attachments wither as once-pure feelings become twisted by undeath. In place of emotion, vampires pursue physical symbols of what they crave.
This version of vampires is not a species/race that will replace the original race upon turning. Instead, it functions as an additional class that will be forced onto your character as soon as the curse takes hold. With this system, a PC can be built as a vampire with existing racial bonuses/features still applying.
Turning
Being turned into a vampire is not a complicated process. Once a vampire bites you and drains your blood, you are technically in no danger of becoming a vampire yourself (though you are in danger of dying from your wounds and the weakness that is inherent to blood loss.) However, you are primed to be cursed. If, within seven days of being bitten, you ingest the blood of the vampire that has bitten you in any form (including if it is cooked into food), you are immediately cursed. If you die while the curse is still active, you will rise from your grave seven days later as a vampire.Identifying Vampires
In order to properly combat a vampire, you must first know how to properly identify one. The first and most obvious question to ask yourself is: has this person recently died? If a vampire is suspected, inspecting the corpse can be a good first step. A vampire in repose will show no signs of decomposition. If you see the supposed corpse walking around in a state of good health, then their being undead is a very good conclusion, and a vampire should generally be your first guess, as they are among the most dangerous undead. Lack of Substance. Vampires do not cast shadows, nor do they have reflections in mirrors. Appearance. A vampire’s appearance is somewhat paradoxical. When well-fed and calm, a vampire will become more monstrous and unsettling: their mouth widens, their eyes grow larger and will change color, and their skin loses all color. Their fingers will become clawed, and they may grow or shrink in size. When a vampire is hungry, however, they will resemble the way they were in life almost exactly, save for the a noticable paleness of the skin and the dark pits of their eyes (the whites too white, and the dark too dark). Their fangs will shrink until it is time to feed, though will always be noticeable. It is easy enough to find a well-fed vampire, but a starving vampire–the most dangerous–can be very challening to identify. Teeth. A vampire’s fangs are not the long canines that most people assume. Instead, it is actually theincisorsthat will change. Rather than two small puncture wounds, the sight of a vampiric bite is one large gouge wound that looks similar in appearance to what might be created with an engraving tool. This may serve useful in recognizing a vampire as opposed to a lycanthrope, who do have elongated canines. Vampires also have the unsettling ability tocompletely unhinge/elongate their jaw to allow for easier feeding. Credit for images uses goes to palidoozy art and Anitomika Science. Organs. If you perform the gruesome task of cutting open the suspected vampire’s corpse, another clue will be revealed: all of the organs inside the body will decompose and rot, with the exception of the heart (and the veins/arteries/etc.) and the digestive system. Additionally, the digestive system will be mutated: rather than excreting from the stomach into the intestines or kidneys, the stomach will have a mutated exit that pumps the blood, flesh, or fluid back into the vampire’s veins.Feeding and Starving
Vampires must feed on the life force of living beings in order to survive, and to use their powers. The preferred and easiest method of feeding is through blood, but flesh, cerebral spinal fluid, or organs can also be eaten. The rules outlined below assume that the vampire is feeding on blood. Each use of a vampire’s power reduces its hit point maximum by 1d8 per vampire level or CR level. In addition, a vampire will gradually weaken and hunger over a period of time without feeding. When the vampire’s starvation threshold is met, for every day it doesn’t feed, it must make a DC 15 constitution saving throw. On a failure, its hit point maximum will reduce by 1d10 per vampire/CR level. Once the hit point maximum is reduced by half, the vampire has Disadvantage on all ability checks and attack rolls. Once the hit point maximum is reduced to zero, the vampire gains the paralyzed condition, which cannot be cured by any means other than feeding. Time spent resting in the grave halts starvation, but does not reset it.Victims
A vampire’s preferred victims, for reasons unknown, are usually members of its original species. However, any humanoid will sustain them. Through charming or by force, a vampire must bite their victim to feed. A dead body can be fed upon within ten minutes of death, however only one bite will grant sustenense. A vampire can choose to feed on an animals, however the hit points they gain from the feeding will be halved. The blood of fae, elementals, undead, etc. give no benefit.Combating Vampirism
Unfortunately, once you become a fully-fledged vampire, there is no cure besides death. However, when you are still only cursed, there are steps that can be taken to reverse it before you die. There are also ways to prevent a vampire from approaching you.Warding off Vampires
There are a multitude of ways to prevent a vampire from accosting you. Flowers. The scent of garlic flowers, wild rose flowers, or hawthorn flowers is known to be abhorrent to vampires, and in greater quantities can serve as a deterrent. They can be carried, worn, or hung around buildings to provide protection. A moderate amount of these flowers provides protection in a 2d4 x 10 ft sphere, and a vampire must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become Stunned. A large amount protects a 2d4 x 50 ft sphere, and a vampire must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or become Stunned. Holy Land. Typical vampires cannot enter consecrated spaces such as churches, shrines, and some graveyards. Attempting to step onto these lands will be physically impossible, as if there is a physical barrier preventing entry. Dread vampires are not bound by this rule: they may enter consecrated spaces freely due to their technical status as divine beings. Holy symbols may also serve as a deterrent, though not as powerful as the natural scents of the above-mentioned flowers. When presented with a holy symbol by a person such as a priest, a vampire must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw with a DC equal to 12 plus the carrier’s Wisdom bonus, or become turned as if by the Turn Undead ability. Forbiddance. Vampires also may not enter a residence without permission from someone who lives within. If they attempted to do so, they are stopped as if by a physical barrier. Once they gain permission, however, they may come and go as they please. In areas where vampires are suspected, it is generally considered good sense to avoid allowing entrance to anyone.Preventing Vampirism
Once you know or suspect that someone has been cursed to become a vampire but they have not yet risen from their grave, there are preventative measures that can be taken. Stake. Pre-emptively staking the mouth and heart of a corpse will prevent them from rising. However, should those stakes be removed, they will rise seven days later. Trap the Newborn. Filling the grave with deterrents such as those listed above will not prevent the vampire from rising, but may prevent them from leaving their grave and starve them. Cremation. Burning the body to ash is the one permanent way to prevent a corpse from rising as a vampire. However, not a single part of the body can be allowed to remain. A vampire can regenerate from a single lock of hair, so even mementos must be completely destroyed. The regeneration of a vampire from a body part occurs after one full day, and is extremely rapid, taking place over the course of an hour.Killing Vampires
There are only two ways to truly kill a vampire. If any other methods are used, the vampire simply dissolves into a mist that floats away to regenerate in its grave. Stake. The most well-known method of killing a vampire is to stake it with a wooden stake through the mouth and heart while it is in its grave. Staking only the mouth or heart individually will only Paralyze the vampire. Staking the vampire outside of its grave will only cause physical damage and will not kill it. Starvation. A vampire can starve, though it is the more difficult option. If you can manage to trap the vampire in a position where it cannot feed, it will starve. How long a vampire can survive without blood depends on its level or CR level. See the Class Features table, or the Vampire CR Build table.Building NPC Vampires
When creating an NPC vampire, you may choose an origin. It is up to you to decide whether you would like to carry over the bonuses, vulnerabilities, resistances, and proficiencies of the origin, though for fodder enemies I would recommend against it. For named, important NPC’s, however, it can add variety and character to an otherwise basic statblock.Vampire Spawn
This re-tool removes “Vampire Spawn” as a separate creature. There is a rank called Spawn so you may still refer to CR5 vampires as “spawn”, but using this version of vampires removes having two separate creature statblocks for vampires of different levels.Stat Increases
For every other CR jump (at 5, 9, 13, etc.), increase either three stats by 1 each, or two stats by 2 each. The recommenation is to focus your increases on Strength, Dexterity, and/or Charisma.Traits and Weaknesses
NPC vampires have access to the same Traits and Weaknesses as a PC vampire. You can swap out the Traits and Weaknesses on the generic statblock for any of the ones listed above if you choose to. The table on the following pages also includes guidance for when to add additional traits and weaknesses. (See Vampire Re-Tool document.)Multiattack
All NPC Vampires starting from CR 5 gain the Multiattack feat. They can make two attacks per turn, only one of which can be a bite attack. If you choose to give your vampire a weapon, they can use that weapon in place of or in addition to a claw or bite attack.Children of the Night
The number of times per day that a vampire can use the Children of the Night features increases by 1 for every 6 CR levels (at 9, 15, and 21.) You can also choose to change the type of creature to the one of the creatures listed above in the Vampiric Powers section.Lair Actions
All NPC Vampires starting from CR 11 that have a lair gain a lair action.Legendary Vampires
All NPC Vampires starting from CR 13 gain the Legendary Resistance trait, and Legendary Actions. Move. The vampires moves up to their speed without provoking opportunity attacks. Attack. The vampire makes one unarmed strike or one attack with their held weapon. Bite (Costs 2 Actions). The vampire makes one bite attack.NPC Vampire Build Table
See the table below for how to edit the Vampire Base Statblock. This is only a guideline, and you can deviate if you wish to create a more personalized NPC.| Title | CR | Prof. | Hit Points | Bite Damage | Charm Duration (hrs) | Regen | Addtl Feats | Addtl Weaknesses | Starving Threshold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 3 | +2 | 55 (7d8 + 24) | 2d6 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 day |
| Spawn | 5 | +3 | 68 (8d8 + 32) | 3d6 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 6 months |
| Fledging | 7 | +3 | 75 (10d8 + 40) | 4d6 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 year |
| True Vampire | 9 | +4 | 102 (12d8 + 48) | 4d6 | 6 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 2 years |
| Champion | 11 | +4 | 119 (14d8 + 56) | 4d6 | 6 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 2 years |
| Master | 13 | +5 | 144 (17d8+ 68) | 5d6 | 12 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 5 years |
| Lord | 15 | +5 | 161 (19d8 + 76) | 5d6 | 12 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 5 years |
| Legendary | 17 | +6 | 178 (21d8 + 84) | 6d6 | 24 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 10 years |
| Ancient | 19 | +6 | 195 (23d8 + 92) | 7d6 | 24 | 26 | 3 | 3 | 10 years |
| Nightlord | 21 | +7 | 221 (26d8 + 104) | 8d6 | 24 | 29 | 3+ | 3+ | 20 years |
Type
Supernatural
Origin
Magical
Cycle
Chronic, Acquired