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Am I the only one who doesn't like the D&D Vampire? (Pointless rant, I suppose)
- Thread starter Green Knight
- Start date
Voadam
Legend
Voadam said:This thread inspired me to do some more freelance writing. If you are interested, in October GFDF Monsters should be coming out and I wrote a vampire template and vampire standard critter for it. Neither one has a slam energy drain attack
Well, it ended up not coming out in October. I talked to the publisher and he said publication was held back until March to coincide with the publication of the next gaming frontiers magazine.
Oni
First Post
I will take this opportunity to pimp my stuff. This is a Dhampir PrC that I made, it wouldn't take much (if anything) to convert it to a full scale vampire.
Dhampir.
A dhampir is the result of the pairing of a vampire and a mortal woman, or a direct decendent of that union. How these rare creatures come to be is difficult to say, but some sages believe that a vampire’s close ties to the to the vitality of life is what makes it possible. Dhampirs are quite rare and few still of that number realize their full potential. Dhampirs almost always come from either a human or elven background though a few exceptions to this exist. Dhampirs are most often male, though female ones have been known to exist.
Dark Lineage [general]
You are directly descended from a vampire who had a dalience with a mortal woman.
Benefit: You have a strong connection to the night time. You gain lowlight vision, if you already have lowlight vision you gain darkvision, if you already have darkvision you extent the range by 30ft. Creatures of the night show deference to you, rats, bats, and wolves will not attack you unless provoked. However daylight seems to wear at you. From dawn to dusk you suffer a –1 circumstance penalty to all save, attack, damage, ability check, and skill rolls.
Special: This feat may only be taken at first level.
Awakened Dhampir
“The Power of my ancestors flows in my blood……and yours.”
Most Dhampir go through their lives never really knowing the full extent of their birthright, however now and again one discovers this power. A Dhampir that has tasted the blood of a vampire begins to feel a stirring inside of him, a welling up of power that he did not know before, if he answers this call and draws upon this power nursing it like a newly started fire he will become awakened and learn the power of his ancestors.
The majority of Dhampir that tread this path often lose their way as they begin to lust for power and for blood. Some are able to maintain their humanity and turn their dark powers on the very forces that spawned them and they are held in as much awe as they are fear. Dhampir are commonly awakened by the vampire that parented them as tool to be set against their enemies.
Dhampire come from almost any background though they are never good aligned clerics. Their very nature makes them poor vessels to wield the divine energies of a good aligned god as they tend to have an adverse affect on their being.
Hit Dice: d8
Requirments
To qualify to become an Awakened Dhampir, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Knowledge (Arcana): 4 ranks
Feat: Dark Lineage
Special: Must have drunk the blood of a true vampire, either willingly or unwillingly. However it should be noted that only characters of 5th level and higher have a strong enough life force and sense of self to do this. If a dhampir of inadaquate level drinks of the blood of a vampire, they are seized by blood madness. From dusk to dawn the become ravanous madmen as if under the unfluence of a barbarian rage they seek nothing but blood to sate their thirst. From dawn to dusk they are fatigued. This state of affairs can be cured with a heal spell which burns the foreign blood from their veins, though most do not survive long enough to receive this treatment. A heal spell will not strip an awakened dhampir of their powers as the vampire blood has become an intrinsic part of their being.
Class Skills
The Awakened Dhampir’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spot (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier
Class Features
All the following are class features of the awakened dhampir prestige class.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: An awakened dhampir gains no additional proficiency in any weapon or armor.
Heritage (Ex): With the infusion and awakening of vampiric blood comes a price. Awakened dhampirs gain some of the strengths and weaknesses of the parentage. They gain a +2 to saving throws against mind-influencing attacks, energy drain attacks, cold, and electrical attacks. Between dawn and dusk the dhampir has a –2 circumstance penalty to all save, attack, damage, ability check, and skill rolls made. If a cleric turns or rebukes them they suffer a –2 morale penalty to all save, attack, damage, ability check, and skill rolls made for one minute. If a cleric would be able to command or destroy then the penalty becomes –4. A successful dispel turning check may negate these benalties and a successful Bolster Undead roll adds a +2 to all of the dhampirs save, attack, damage, ability check, and skill rolls for one minute. Even a layperson that strongly presents a holy symbol to the dhampir may make a turning check, if they are success the penalty is a –1 morale penalty. They also gain enhanced vision, creatures with lowlight vision gain darkvision, and creatures with darkvision may extend the range and additional 30ft.
Blood Drain (Ex): Though it is not unheard of for dhampirs to drink blood they normally benefit little from this practice. An awakened dhampir can however make use of blood they drain with practice. Awakened dhampir may suck blood from the living or newly dead (slain within the last hour, may only gain half their con in blood points round down) with their fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe it drains blood, inflicting 1 temporary constitution damage each round the pin is maintained. Each point of constitution drained in this manner grants 1 blood point, an awakened dhampir may hold 3xtheir awakened dhampir class level in blood points any beyond that are wasted.
Blood Magic (Su): Awakened dhampirs learn to draw upon the power of blood to to wield abilities similar to those of their ancestor. To the untrained this often makes them hard to distinguish from their undead parents, though a dhampir’s powers are not as refined and must have blood to power them. This ability only works during the hours from dusk until dawn. Using a blood magic requires a standard action unless otherwise noted.
-I. Commanding Gaze – The awakened dhampir may spend one blood point to make a gaze attack as a standard action against one target, those merely looking on but not targeted are unaffected. The creature targeted must make a will save of DC 10 + awakened dhampir levels + Charisma modifier. Those that fail are affected as though by a charm person spell with a caster level equal to the dhampir’s awakened dhampir level. If the creature would not normally be affected by charm person, then they are not affected by this ability. This ability has a range of 30ft.
-II. Night Speech – By spending one blood point the dhampir may duplicate the effects of speak with animals, but only with rats, bats and wolves. The caster level is equal to the dhampir’s awakened dhampir level.
-III. Feral Shape – The awakened dhampir may spend two blood points to transform into bat or a wolf as per the druid’s wildshape ability, with the exception that it provides no healing. This effect ends at dawn, or earlier if the awakened dhampir so chooses.
-IV. Enhance – By spending a blood point the awakened dhampir may add a +1 to either their strength or dexterity score, more than one point can be spend in the manner and may be divided between strength and dexterity as the dhampir sees fit. The awakened dhampir may not spend more blood points in a given round than they have awakened dhampir levels however. This ability last for one minute.
-V. Blood Regeneration – An awakened dhampir may spend up to their awakened dhampir level in blood points in a around to power this ability. For each blood point spend in this manner the dhampir heals 1d8 damage to himself.
-VI. Mist Form – An awakened dhampir may spend 3 blood points to duplicate the effects of a gaseous form spell on their person. The duration is until dawn, but may be ended earlier if the dhampir so chooses.
-VII. Dread Gaze – As commanding gaze, except it reproduces the effects of a dominate person spell and cost 3 blood points to use.
-VIII. Greater Feral Shape – As Feral shape, except the dhampir may choose to assume the form of either a dire bat or a dire wolf and it cost 4 blood points to use this ability.
-IX. Fortify – The awakened dhampir can call upon the power of blood to greatly increase their resiliency. By spending 4 blood points the dhampir may can damage reduction 15/+1 for 1 round per awakened dhampir level.
-X. Soul Touch – The awakened dhampir is able to reproduce perhaps one of the most feared powers of their undead parent. By spending 5 blood points the dhampir may make a touch attack that deals 1d4 negative levels to the target as per the energy drain spell. In 24 hours the recipient must make a saving throw for each negative level at a DC of 10 + awakened dhampir levels + Charisma modifier failure means the level is permanently drained. Each level drained this manner grants Awakened Dhampir 5 temporary hit points.
Class Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special
1st +0 +2 +2 +0 Blood Drain, Blood Magic I, Heritage
2nd +1 +3 +3 +0 Blood Magic II
3rd +2 +3 +3 +1 Blood Magic III
4th +3 +4 +4 +1 Blood Magic IV
5th +3 +4 +4 +1 Blood Magic V
6th +4 +5 +5 +2 Blood Magic VI
7th +5 +5 +5 +2 Blood Magic VII
8th +6 +6 +6 +2 Blood Magic VIII
9th +6 +6 +6 +3 Blood Magic IX
10th +7 +7 +7 +3 Blood Magic X
Dhampir.
A dhampir is the result of the pairing of a vampire and a mortal woman, or a direct decendent of that union. How these rare creatures come to be is difficult to say, but some sages believe that a vampire’s close ties to the to the vitality of life is what makes it possible. Dhampirs are quite rare and few still of that number realize their full potential. Dhampirs almost always come from either a human or elven background though a few exceptions to this exist. Dhampirs are most often male, though female ones have been known to exist.
Dark Lineage [general]
You are directly descended from a vampire who had a dalience with a mortal woman.
Benefit: You have a strong connection to the night time. You gain lowlight vision, if you already have lowlight vision you gain darkvision, if you already have darkvision you extent the range by 30ft. Creatures of the night show deference to you, rats, bats, and wolves will not attack you unless provoked. However daylight seems to wear at you. From dawn to dusk you suffer a –1 circumstance penalty to all save, attack, damage, ability check, and skill rolls.
Special: This feat may only be taken at first level.
Awakened Dhampir
“The Power of my ancestors flows in my blood……and yours.”
Most Dhampir go through their lives never really knowing the full extent of their birthright, however now and again one discovers this power. A Dhampir that has tasted the blood of a vampire begins to feel a stirring inside of him, a welling up of power that he did not know before, if he answers this call and draws upon this power nursing it like a newly started fire he will become awakened and learn the power of his ancestors.
The majority of Dhampir that tread this path often lose their way as they begin to lust for power and for blood. Some are able to maintain their humanity and turn their dark powers on the very forces that spawned them and they are held in as much awe as they are fear. Dhampir are commonly awakened by the vampire that parented them as tool to be set against their enemies.
Dhampire come from almost any background though they are never good aligned clerics. Their very nature makes them poor vessels to wield the divine energies of a good aligned god as they tend to have an adverse affect on their being.
Hit Dice: d8
Requirments
To qualify to become an Awakened Dhampir, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Knowledge (Arcana): 4 ranks
Feat: Dark Lineage
Special: Must have drunk the blood of a true vampire, either willingly or unwillingly. However it should be noted that only characters of 5th level and higher have a strong enough life force and sense of self to do this. If a dhampir of inadaquate level drinks of the blood of a vampire, they are seized by blood madness. From dusk to dawn the become ravanous madmen as if under the unfluence of a barbarian rage they seek nothing but blood to sate their thirst. From dawn to dusk they are fatigued. This state of affairs can be cured with a heal spell which burns the foreign blood from their veins, though most do not survive long enough to receive this treatment. A heal spell will not strip an awakened dhampir of their powers as the vampire blood has become an intrinsic part of their being.
Class Skills
The Awakened Dhampir’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spot (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier
Class Features
All the following are class features of the awakened dhampir prestige class.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: An awakened dhampir gains no additional proficiency in any weapon or armor.
Heritage (Ex): With the infusion and awakening of vampiric blood comes a price. Awakened dhampirs gain some of the strengths and weaknesses of the parentage. They gain a +2 to saving throws against mind-influencing attacks, energy drain attacks, cold, and electrical attacks. Between dawn and dusk the dhampir has a –2 circumstance penalty to all save, attack, damage, ability check, and skill rolls made. If a cleric turns or rebukes them they suffer a –2 morale penalty to all save, attack, damage, ability check, and skill rolls made for one minute. If a cleric would be able to command or destroy then the penalty becomes –4. A successful dispel turning check may negate these benalties and a successful Bolster Undead roll adds a +2 to all of the dhampirs save, attack, damage, ability check, and skill rolls for one minute. Even a layperson that strongly presents a holy symbol to the dhampir may make a turning check, if they are success the penalty is a –1 morale penalty. They also gain enhanced vision, creatures with lowlight vision gain darkvision, and creatures with darkvision may extend the range and additional 30ft.
Blood Drain (Ex): Though it is not unheard of for dhampirs to drink blood they normally benefit little from this practice. An awakened dhampir can however make use of blood they drain with practice. Awakened dhampir may suck blood from the living or newly dead (slain within the last hour, may only gain half their con in blood points round down) with their fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe it drains blood, inflicting 1 temporary constitution damage each round the pin is maintained. Each point of constitution drained in this manner grants 1 blood point, an awakened dhampir may hold 3xtheir awakened dhampir class level in blood points any beyond that are wasted.
Blood Magic (Su): Awakened dhampirs learn to draw upon the power of blood to to wield abilities similar to those of their ancestor. To the untrained this often makes them hard to distinguish from their undead parents, though a dhampir’s powers are not as refined and must have blood to power them. This ability only works during the hours from dusk until dawn. Using a blood magic requires a standard action unless otherwise noted.
-I. Commanding Gaze – The awakened dhampir may spend one blood point to make a gaze attack as a standard action against one target, those merely looking on but not targeted are unaffected. The creature targeted must make a will save of DC 10 + awakened dhampir levels + Charisma modifier. Those that fail are affected as though by a charm person spell with a caster level equal to the dhampir’s awakened dhampir level. If the creature would not normally be affected by charm person, then they are not affected by this ability. This ability has a range of 30ft.
-II. Night Speech – By spending one blood point the dhampir may duplicate the effects of speak with animals, but only with rats, bats and wolves. The caster level is equal to the dhampir’s awakened dhampir level.
-III. Feral Shape – The awakened dhampir may spend two blood points to transform into bat or a wolf as per the druid’s wildshape ability, with the exception that it provides no healing. This effect ends at dawn, or earlier if the awakened dhampir so chooses.
-IV. Enhance – By spending a blood point the awakened dhampir may add a +1 to either their strength or dexterity score, more than one point can be spend in the manner and may be divided between strength and dexterity as the dhampir sees fit. The awakened dhampir may not spend more blood points in a given round than they have awakened dhampir levels however. This ability last for one minute.
-V. Blood Regeneration – An awakened dhampir may spend up to their awakened dhampir level in blood points in a around to power this ability. For each blood point spend in this manner the dhampir heals 1d8 damage to himself.
-VI. Mist Form – An awakened dhampir may spend 3 blood points to duplicate the effects of a gaseous form spell on their person. The duration is until dawn, but may be ended earlier if the dhampir so chooses.
-VII. Dread Gaze – As commanding gaze, except it reproduces the effects of a dominate person spell and cost 3 blood points to use.
-VIII. Greater Feral Shape – As Feral shape, except the dhampir may choose to assume the form of either a dire bat or a dire wolf and it cost 4 blood points to use this ability.
-IX. Fortify – The awakened dhampir can call upon the power of blood to greatly increase their resiliency. By spending 4 blood points the dhampir may can damage reduction 15/+1 for 1 round per awakened dhampir level.
-X. Soul Touch – The awakened dhampir is able to reproduce perhaps one of the most feared powers of their undead parent. By spending 5 blood points the dhampir may make a touch attack that deals 1d4 negative levels to the target as per the energy drain spell. In 24 hours the recipient must make a saving throw for each negative level at a DC of 10 + awakened dhampir levels + Charisma modifier failure means the level is permanently drained. Each level drained this manner grants Awakened Dhampir 5 temporary hit points.
Class Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special
1st +0 +2 +2 +0 Blood Drain, Blood Magic I, Heritage
2nd +1 +3 +3 +0 Blood Magic II
3rd +2 +3 +3 +1 Blood Magic III
4th +3 +4 +4 +1 Blood Magic IV
5th +3 +4 +4 +1 Blood Magic V
6th +4 +5 +5 +2 Blood Magic VI
7th +5 +5 +5 +2 Blood Magic VII
8th +6 +6 +6 +2 Blood Magic VIII
9th +6 +6 +6 +3 Blood Magic IX
10th +7 +7 +7 +3 Blood Magic X
tetsujin28
First Post
Re: Re: Am I the only one who doesn't like the D&D Vampire? (Pointless rant, I suppose)
That's "suplex," Colonel. I don't know what a Soufflex is...maybe some sort of abyssal soufle?ColonelHardisson said:
I just found this thread and thought you might be interested in having a look at Bottled Imp Games.
Their first product is specifically about Vampires, and they seem to be coming at the idea from a fresh angle. They've got a couple of interesting previews on their downloads page.
It might be worth a look: www.bottledimpgames.com
Their first product is specifically about Vampires, and they seem to be coming at the idea from a fresh angle. They've got a couple of interesting previews on their downloads page.
It might be worth a look: www.bottledimpgames.com
Bran Blackbyrd
Explorer
Wow, someone exhumed this thread...
Whatever happened to the SHARK vampire?
Cool stuff Oni.
Whatever happened to the SHARK vampire?
Cool stuff Oni.
Wolv0rine
First Post
Green Knight said:
Mina Harker was a big-time vampire victim, and she eventually recovered her health (I'm pretty darned sure). Now her husband, him I don't really remember about. But good lord he was the main course in a she-vamp dinner party, which is a little more severe than just being lightly dined upon once.
Arthur Tealeaf
First Post
Arrgh!
I shall not let this thread perish!!!!!
B-U-M-P-!
Sorry, but I don't have time to add a proper opinion, and I don't want the thread to disappear!
I shall not let this thread perish!!!!!
B-U-M-P-!
Sorry, but I don't have time to add a proper opinion, and I don't want the thread to disappear!
Green Knight
First Post
Wow! Can't believe this thread is still going! Anyway, to add to the discussion:
Exactly my point. They kept drinking from this guy and he didn't die. If he didn't recover, then he would've been dead pretty fast. So he obviousl recovered enough that they could keep drinking from him without killing him. So people do recover from a vampire bite. At least according to Bram Stoker. It seems like such a pointless thing to me. More like that rule's there to screw with PC's rather than to portray a vampire the way it should be portrayed. And if the goal is to create a critter that exists solely to screw with PC's, then why not create a wholly new critter? Or a vampire variant? But for the vampire itself, let's keep it as sensible and as close to the source material (As in Dracula) as possible.
And hey, if you want a vampire that DOES do permanent CON damage, why not make it a variant? Or give vampires a list of additional powers to choose from, like the Ghost, which makes them more unique? That's my opinion, anyway.
Whatever the case, here's hoping D&D 3.5 does a better job of it when it comes to the vampire.
Mina Harker was a big-time vampire victim, and she eventually recovered her health (I'm pretty darned sure). Now her husband, him I don't really remember about. But good lord he was the main course in a she-vamp dinner party, which is a little more severe than just being lightly dined upon once.
Exactly my point. They kept drinking from this guy and he didn't die. If he didn't recover, then he would've been dead pretty fast. So he obviousl recovered enough that they could keep drinking from him without killing him. So people do recover from a vampire bite. At least according to Bram Stoker. It seems like such a pointless thing to me. More like that rule's there to screw with PC's rather than to portray a vampire the way it should be portrayed. And if the goal is to create a critter that exists solely to screw with PC's, then why not create a wholly new critter? Or a vampire variant? But for the vampire itself, let's keep it as sensible and as close to the source material (As in Dracula) as possible.
And hey, if you want a vampire that DOES do permanent CON damage, why not make it a variant? Or give vampires a list of additional powers to choose from, like the Ghost, which makes them more unique? That's my opinion, anyway.
Whatever the case, here's hoping D&D 3.5 does a better job of it when it comes to the vampire.
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