This is a template inspired by an online story 'On a Clear Day
You Can See Forever' by Mark MacKinnon. I would like to ask
you to give it a look over and see if there is anything I missed.
I would also like some advice on how to set the CR and LA. I
am aiming for a lower LA, that can still imitate most of a vam-
pire's abilities, but at vastly lower effectivness (basically, can
fool peasants but not skilled adventures). Certainly, it does
not match the half-fiend or half-celestial (LA +4) in power.
At the moment, my 'guesstimate' is:
CR: 1~3 as base; 4~ CR +1 (lack of level drain so one lower than a vampire);
LA: +2;
... is this reasonable? I would like to hear your opinions. Thank you!
You Can See Forever' by Mark MacKinnon. I would like to ask
you to give it a look over and see if there is anything I missed.
I would also like some advice on how to set the CR and LA. I
am aiming for a lower LA, that can still imitate most of a vam-
pire's abilities, but at vastly lower effectivness (basically, can
fool peasants but not skilled adventures). Certainly, it does
not match the half-fiend or half-celestial (LA +4) in power.
At the moment, my 'guesstimate' is:
CR: 1~3 as base; 4~ CR +1 (lack of level drain so one lower than a vampire);
LA: +2;
... is this reasonable? I would like to hear your opinions. Thank you!
Code:
HALF-VAMPIRE
Half-vampires can occur in only one way: if a pregnant humanoid
or monstrous humanoid is suckled on vampire blood during her
pregnancy there is a chance, equal to the percentage of the
duration of the preganacy that she was drink vampiric blood,
that the unfortunate child will be born a half-vampire.
For example, a human woman who is suckled on vampire blood
of three monthes of a nine month pregnancy, there will be a
33% chance that the child will be cursed to be born as a half-
vampire.
CREATING A HALF-VAMPIRE
“Half-Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to
any mammalian humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature
(referred to hereafter as the base creature) before its birth.
A half-vampire uses all the base creature’s statistics and special
abilities except as noted here.
Type: A half-vampire retains the base creature's type and subtype.
Tainted Blood: A half-vampire always detects as evil and undead,
despite her true alignment and even though she is alive.
Blood Curse (Ex): Each night, and each time she uses a spell-like
or supernatural ability gained from the half-vampire template, a
half-vampire must make Will save against DC 0 +1 per day without
feeding on blood or be mastered by hunger for blood and enter
blood frenzy. Each use of a spell-like or supernatural ability gained
from the half-vampire template also increases any future Will save
DC to resist blood frenzy by +1.
Blood Frenzy (Ex): During a blood frenzy, a half-vampire is consumed
with the need for blood. She runs wild in search of blood and may
attack even those she normally holds dear (this is similar to the
werewolf’s curse, except the vampire hunts for blood to drink). While
frenzied, the half-vampire gains a +4 bonus to her Strength and
Constitution scores, but suffers a –2 penalty to AC. These bonuses
and penalties are identical to (does not stack with) a barbarian’s rage.
She ignores all fatigue, exhaustion and pain-based effects, and gains
5 points resistance all non-lethal attacks (subtract 5 points non-lethal
damage from any attack that deals non-lethal damage). She can use
the spell-like abilities granted by the half-vampire template, but she
cannot use any other skill, feat or ability that requires patience or
concentration.
The half-vampire cannot attempt to break out of the frenzy until she
has drained at least 6 Con points worth of blood. Afterwards, she can
attempt a Will save at a –10 penalty each round to regain control
of herself. For every 2 points of Con drained above 6, the Will save
DC is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 0).
Special Attacks: A half-vampire retains all the special attacks of the
base creature and gains those described below. Saves have a DC of
10 + 1/2 half-vampire’s HD + half-vampire’s Cha modifier unless noted
otherwise.
Blood Drain (Ex): A half-vampire can suck blood from a living victim
with her fangs by making a successful grapple check. If she pins the
foe, she can drain blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain
each round the pin is maintained. For every 3 points of constitution
points drained in this fashion, the half-vampire gains a +1 bonus to
her strength and constitution scores. This bonus stacks with itself,
but the total bonus cannot go higher then 1 plus her charisma
modifier (minimum +1). The bonus STR and CON points last for 10
minutes plus 1 minute per charisma modifier.
Once a half-vampire tastes blood, she cannot make herself stop
drinking blood unless she makes a Will save against her Blood Curse
DC or until the victim is drained to 0 Con.
Spell-like abilities (Sp):
Table: Half-vampire spell-like abilities
CL Spell-like abilities[sup]1[/sup]
1 summon creatures of the night[sup]2[/sup] 0 (1d4 rats, or 1d3 bats), 1/day;
2~3 spider climb, 1/day
summon creatures of the night[sup]2[/sup] I (1 wolf, or 1d6+1 rats, or 1d4+1 bats), 1/day;
4~6 spider climb, 2/day
polymorph self (one small or medium sized form[sup]3, 4[/sup]), 1/day
summon creatures of the night[sup]2[/sup] II (1d3 wolves, or 1 rat swarm, or 1 bat swarm), 1/day;
7~10 spider climb, 3/day;
polymorph self (two small, medium or large sized forms[sup]3, 4[/sup]), 2/day;
dominate person[sup]5[/sup], 1/day;
summon creatures of the night[sup]2[/sup] III (1 dire wolf, or 1d4+1 wolves, or 1d4 rats swarms, or 1d3 bat swarms), 1/day;
11~15 spider climb, 5/day;
polymorph self (three tiny, small, medium or large sized forms[sup]3, 4[/sup]), 3/day;
dominate person[sup]5[/sup], 3/day;
summon creatures of the night[sup]2[/sup] IV (1d3 dire wolves, or 1d6+1 wolves, or 1d6+1 rats swarms, or 1d4+1 bat swarms), 1/day;
16~21 spider climb, at will;
polymorph self (four diminutive, tiny, small, medium or large sized forms[sup]3, 4[/sup]), 5/day;
dominate person[sup]5[/sup], 5/day;
summon creatures of the night[sup]2[/sup] V (1 advanced [16 HD] dire wolf, or 1d4+1 dire wolves, or 2d6 wolves, or 2d6 rats swarms, or 1d6+1 bat swarms), 1/day;
gaseous form[sup]4[/sup], 1/day;
22~ spider climb, at will;
polymorph self (five diminutive, tiny, small, medium or large sized forms[sup]3, 4[/sup]), at will;
dominate person[sup]5[/sup], at will;
summon creatures of the night[sup]2[/sup] VI (1d3 advanced [16 HD] dire wolves, or 1d6+1 dire wolves, or 3d8 wolves, or 3d8 rats swarms, or 2d6 bat swarms), 1/day;
gaseous form[sup]4[/sup], 3/day;
[sup]1[/sup] Abilities are NOT cumulative. None of these abilities function
while under sunlight (even indirect sunlight).
[sup]2[/sup] Creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds, and serve for 1 hour or until
released. Summon Creatures of the Night 0 is considered a 0th level spell,
SCotN I ~ VI are considered 1st ~ 6th level spells, respectively.
[sup]3[/sup] Choose from rat, dire rat, bat, dire bat, wolf, or dire wolf only;
the half-vampire does NOT regain hit points for changing form.
[sup]4[/sup] Duration is 30 minutes per character level, or until the half-
vampire chooses to change back.
[sup]5[/sup] The half-vampire must look into the eyes of her victim when
using this ability. The victim can try to avoid her gaze, is a fashion similar
to avoiding a gaze attack. If the would-be victim succeeds at avoiding
the half-vampire's gaze, the spell-like ability fails and that use of the
ability is wasted.
Special Qualities: A half-vampire retains all the special qualities
of the base creature and gains those described below.
Darkvision (Ex): A half-vampire has darkvision 120 ft.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows:
Str +2, Dex +2, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +2.
Skills: Half-vampires receive a +8 bonus to handle animal checks
relating to wolves, bats and rats (including dire variants).
Challenge Rating: 1 HD ~ 3 HD as base; 4+ HD CR +1
Alignment: Any.
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: LA +2
Half-Vampire Weaknesses
The tainted blood of a half-vampire curses her with a number of
weaknesses.
Sunlight Weakness: A half-vampire suffers -4 Str, -4 Dex, -2 Con,
-4 Cha penalty when in direct sunlight (not just a daylight spell).
None of a half-vampire’s spell-like abilities from this template function
while under natural sunlight (even indirect sunlight). Furthermore,
while under direct sunlight she is considered under vigorous motion
(DC 10, plus spell level if any) whenever she does anything that
requires concentration.
Mental Breach: A half-vampire suffers a –4 penalty to her Will save
against spells, spell-like abilities or supernatural abilities of the
enchantment (compulsion) category from the vampire that created her.
Damnation: A half-vampire that dies rises within 1d4+1 days as a
vampire (5 HD or more) or vampire spawn (4 HD or less) under of the
control of the vampire that created her. If that vampire is destroyed,
the half-vampire rises as a free-willed vampire or vampire spawn.
Redemption: If a slain half-vampire receives a resurrection or true
resurrection spell cast on hallowed ground by a cleric of a good god,
the half-vampire returns from the dead clean and untainted. Only
through death can a half-vampire be freed from her curse.
Half-Vampire Characters: As base class, but half-vampires tend to
shun daylight, so they lean towards classes or careers that do not
require too much exposure to the sun.
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