The Mythological Figures column has been hijacked by builds using the material from A Touch More Class for a while now: Sherlock Holmes as a savant, Nikola Tesla as a tinkerer, Billy the Kidd as a gunfighter, Paul Bunyan as a monster tamer alongside Babe the blue ox, Harry Houdini as a fatebender, and Zhang Zhou as a geomancer. Today though we’re switching it up a bit and calling up a class from the original A Touch of Class.
The Kickstarter for the sequel is on its final days (pledge while you still can! There are no late pledges or pledge manager after the fact!) but if you like what’s coming you can get the revised AToC as a pledge reward, including the improved version of the occultist used below to create Vlad the Impaler!
Obviously the real Vlad the Impaler was not a real vampire, and indeed, allusions to him being one didn’t really start until Bram Stoker sat down to write the dubiously long-winded Dracula. For anyone interested in his tumultuous history, Vlad spent most of his youth in captivity to the Ottoman Empire and if you were to build him from the ground up realistically, you’d probably be looking at a fighter/noble build. A less-than-cursory look at the real Vlad’s life can be found on Wikipedia.
Design Notes: I’m pleased with how this build rolled out! A real vampire is only slightly more powerful (by DMG standards Vlad here is CR 13, but I erred on the side of the Blog of Holding rubric’s 12) and if my goal as a player was to play a vampire, I reckon I’d be pretty satisfied with this character sheet! He is of course no match for Hollywood-Dracula but there it is.
Vlad the Impaler
Medium humanoid (human), occultist (vampire) 15 neutral evil
Armor Class 20 (+1 studded leather, natural armor, ring of protection)
Hit Points 127 (15d8+60)
Speed 50 ft., fly 40 ft.
Saving Throws Str +6, Dex +11, Con +10, Wis +6, Cha +7
Skills Athletics +5, History +6, Insight +5, Persuasion +6; ceremonial relics +6
Damage Vulnerabilities radiant (or 5 damage each round he is in sunlight; GM’s choice)
Damage Resistances piercing, slashing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses darkvision 60 ft. (sees through magical darkness), passive Perception 15
Languages Romanian, Turkish (Ottoman)
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
Background: Lordship. Due to his position as nobility, Vlad is treated with a measure of respect wherever he goes. He is treated as royalty (or as closely as possible) by most peasants and traders, and as an equal when meeting other authority figures (who make time in their schedule to see him if requested to do so).
Bloodsucker. Vlad can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. When using Dark Strike to deal necrotic damage to a living creature (not constructs or undead), he heals 2 (1d4) hit points.
Darkness Form (2/Short Rest). If he isn’t in sunlight or running water, Vlad can use an action to polymorph into a Tiny bat or a Medium cloud of mist. While in bat form, Vlad can’t speak, his walking speed is 5 feet, and he has a flying speed of 30 feet. His statistics, other than size and speed, are unchanged. Anything Vlad is wearing transforms with him, but nothing he is carrying does. While in mist form, Vlad can’t take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. He is weightless, has a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, Vlad can do so without squeezing, and he can’t pass through water. He gains advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and he is immune to all nonmagical damage (except for sunlight which deals 10 radiant damage to him each turn). Vlad can stay in a darkness form for 7 hours. He then reverts to his normal form unless he expends another use of this feature. Vlad can revert to his normal form earlier by using a bonus action on his turn. He automatically reverts if he falls unconscious, drops to 0 hit points, or dies.
In addition, Vlad takes 20 acid damage when he ends his turn in running water.
Dark Strike. Vlad can use Dexterity or Strength for the attack and damage rolls of his unarmed strikes, and he can roll a d10 in place of the normal damage of his unarmed strike. When he uses the Attack action with an unarmed strike on his turn, he can choose to deal necrotic damage by spending a bonus action. He can use Constitution for the attack and damage rolls of his unarmed strike when dealing necrotic damage.
Devotee of Darkness. Vlad has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and Wisdom (Perception) checks made in darkness or dim light.
Escaping Mist. When Vlad drops to 0 hit points outside of his resting place, he transforms into a cloud of mist (as in the Darkness Forms feature) instead of falling unconscious, provided that he isn’t in sunlight or running water. If Vlad can’t transform, he is destroyed. While he has 0 hit points in mist form, Vlad can’t revert to his normal form, and he must reach his resting place within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once in his resting place, Vlad reverts to his normal form. He is then paralyzed until he regains at least 1 hit point. After spending 1 hour in his resting place with 0 hit points, Vlad regains 1 hit point.
In addition, Vlad is damaged by holy water as if he were a fiend or undead.
Supernatural Save. Vlad is proficient with Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom saving throws. He may change which type of saving throw he gains proficiency in by performing an hour long ritual that requires the use of ceremonial relics. At the end of the ritual he makes a DC 13 Charisma check and on a success, he may change one type of saving throw proficiency granted by this feature. On a failed check he cannot change the type of saving throw again for one week.
ACTIONS
Extra Attack. Vlad attacks three times, instead of once, whenever he takes the Attack action on his turn.
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack:+10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10+5) bludgeoning damage.
Dark Strike. Melee Weapon Attack:+9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10+4) necrotic damage.
Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8+5) piercing damage.
Charm (5/Long Rest). Vlad can target one humanoid he can see within 30 feet. If the target can see Vlad, the target must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by him. The charmed target regards Vlad as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn’t under his control, it takes his requests or actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for his Dark Strike attack. Each time Vlad or his companions do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until Vlad is destroyed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a bonus action to end the effect.
Children of the Night (1/Long Rest). Vlad magically calls 1d4 swarms of bats or rats, provided that the sun isn’t up. While outdoors, he can call 2d6 wolves instead. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as Vlad’s allies and obeying his spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour, until Vlad dies, or until he dismisses them as a bonus action.
The Kickstarter for the sequel is on its final days (pledge while you still can! There are no late pledges or pledge manager after the fact!) but if you like what’s coming you can get the revised AToC as a pledge reward, including the improved version of the occultist used below to create Vlad the Impaler!
Obviously the real Vlad the Impaler was not a real vampire, and indeed, allusions to him being one didn’t really start until Bram Stoker sat down to write the dubiously long-winded Dracula. For anyone interested in his tumultuous history, Vlad spent most of his youth in captivity to the Ottoman Empire and if you were to build him from the ground up realistically, you’d probably be looking at a fighter/noble build. A less-than-cursory look at the real Vlad’s life can be found on Wikipedia.
Design Notes: I’m pleased with how this build rolled out! A real vampire is only slightly more powerful (by DMG standards Vlad here is CR 13, but I erred on the side of the Blog of Holding rubric’s 12) and if my goal as a player was to play a vampire, I reckon I’d be pretty satisfied with this character sheet! He is of course no match for Hollywood-Dracula but there it is.
Vlad the Impaler
Medium humanoid (human), occultist (vampire) 15 neutral evil
Armor Class 20 (+1 studded leather, natural armor, ring of protection)
Hit Points 127 (15d8+60)
Speed 50 ft., fly 40 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| 11 (+0) | 20 (+5) | 18 (+4) | 12 (+1) | 10 (+0) | 12 (+1) |
Saving Throws Str +6, Dex +11, Con +10, Wis +6, Cha +7
Skills Athletics +5, History +6, Insight +5, Persuasion +6; ceremonial relics +6
Damage Vulnerabilities radiant (or 5 damage each round he is in sunlight; GM’s choice)
Damage Resistances piercing, slashing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses darkvision 60 ft. (sees through magical darkness), passive Perception 15
Languages Romanian, Turkish (Ottoman)
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
Background: Lordship. Due to his position as nobility, Vlad is treated with a measure of respect wherever he goes. He is treated as royalty (or as closely as possible) by most peasants and traders, and as an equal when meeting other authority figures (who make time in their schedule to see him if requested to do so).
Bloodsucker. Vlad can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. When using Dark Strike to deal necrotic damage to a living creature (not constructs or undead), he heals 2 (1d4) hit points.
Darkness Form (2/Short Rest). If he isn’t in sunlight or running water, Vlad can use an action to polymorph into a Tiny bat or a Medium cloud of mist. While in bat form, Vlad can’t speak, his walking speed is 5 feet, and he has a flying speed of 30 feet. His statistics, other than size and speed, are unchanged. Anything Vlad is wearing transforms with him, but nothing he is carrying does. While in mist form, Vlad can’t take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. He is weightless, has a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, Vlad can do so without squeezing, and he can’t pass through water. He gains advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and he is immune to all nonmagical damage (except for sunlight which deals 10 radiant damage to him each turn). Vlad can stay in a darkness form for 7 hours. He then reverts to his normal form unless he expends another use of this feature. Vlad can revert to his normal form earlier by using a bonus action on his turn. He automatically reverts if he falls unconscious, drops to 0 hit points, or dies.
In addition, Vlad takes 20 acid damage when he ends his turn in running water.
Dark Strike. Vlad can use Dexterity or Strength for the attack and damage rolls of his unarmed strikes, and he can roll a d10 in place of the normal damage of his unarmed strike. When he uses the Attack action with an unarmed strike on his turn, he can choose to deal necrotic damage by spending a bonus action. He can use Constitution for the attack and damage rolls of his unarmed strike when dealing necrotic damage.
Devotee of Darkness. Vlad has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and Wisdom (Perception) checks made in darkness or dim light.
Escaping Mist. When Vlad drops to 0 hit points outside of his resting place, he transforms into a cloud of mist (as in the Darkness Forms feature) instead of falling unconscious, provided that he isn’t in sunlight or running water. If Vlad can’t transform, he is destroyed. While he has 0 hit points in mist form, Vlad can’t revert to his normal form, and he must reach his resting place within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once in his resting place, Vlad reverts to his normal form. He is then paralyzed until he regains at least 1 hit point. After spending 1 hour in his resting place with 0 hit points, Vlad regains 1 hit point.
In addition, Vlad is damaged by holy water as if he were a fiend or undead.
Supernatural Save. Vlad is proficient with Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom saving throws. He may change which type of saving throw he gains proficiency in by performing an hour long ritual that requires the use of ceremonial relics. At the end of the ritual he makes a DC 13 Charisma check and on a success, he may change one type of saving throw proficiency granted by this feature. On a failed check he cannot change the type of saving throw again for one week.
ACTIONS
Extra Attack. Vlad attacks three times, instead of once, whenever he takes the Attack action on his turn.
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack:+10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10+5) bludgeoning damage.
Dark Strike. Melee Weapon Attack:+9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10+4) necrotic damage.
Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8+5) piercing damage.
Charm (5/Long Rest). Vlad can target one humanoid he can see within 30 feet. If the target can see Vlad, the target must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by him. The charmed target regards Vlad as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn’t under his control, it takes his requests or actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for his Dark Strike attack. Each time Vlad or his companions do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until Vlad is destroyed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a bonus action to end the effect.
Children of the Night (1/Long Rest). Vlad magically calls 1d4 swarms of bats or rats, provided that the sun isn’t up. While outdoors, he can call 2d6 wolves instead. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as Vlad’s allies and obeying his spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour, until Vlad dies, or until he dismisses them as a bonus action.
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