Building A Better Vampire

[SHARK]

Greetings!

Well, I was thinking about the Vampire Template in the 3.5 Monster Manual. They didn't change a thing on it, and I think that they missed an opportunity to do something more with it. As is, I tend to think that the vampire template is kinda weak. It seems like the basic vampire--nothing special. I tend to think that vampires are not only more varied, but also more powerful than the standard vampire template, especially as the vampire aged and became more experienced.

I have developed a Vampire Class that I use in my own campaigns that is statted out to 20th level. The vampire-class is then used as is for multi-classing purposes and so on. Thus, a "young" or newly made vampire might be a 4th level Fighter/2nd level Vampire; while an older, more experienced vampire character might be a 6th level Fighter/4th level Cleric/10th level Vampire; and an ancient, vastly powerful vampire lord might be a 10th level Fighter/26th level Wizard/20th level Vampire. This mechanic makes the "Vampire Spawn" in the MM merely a lower level Vampire.

I think more could be done with the vampire; it seems like a creature that is quite neglected within not only the Core Rules, but also third-party supplements that have been put out over the years.

What do you think of Vampires? Shouldn't they be more powerful than what is presented in the Monster Manual? Of course, multi-classing presents some options, but just inherently, there seems to be something lacking with the vampire template, as written.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

 

[ForceUser]

Check out vampires in the Ravenloft campaign setting by Sword & Sorcery. They have rules for aging vampires, all the way from fledgling (0-99 years old) to patriarch (1000+ years old). As vampires age they essentially get special vampire-only abilities called salient powers that they can pick and choose, so no two elder vampires are exactly alike. My favorites are Improved Domination (-4 to Will saves verses this vampire's domination attacks), Improved Energy Drain (this vampire's energy drain attacks inflict an extra negative level per slam, and you can take this power up to three times), and Corpse Feeder (The vampire is unable to drink blood from a living being and instead must sate its blood from fresh corpses. More of a limitation than a power, but it's a great flavor thing). Very cool stuff.

 

[Gothmog]

Hey SHARK, you might want to check out Bottled Imp Games Lords of the Night: Vampyres supplement for D20. I picked it up on a whim a few weeks ago, and was extremely impressed with the quality of this product. In it are detailed numerous vampire types and templates, including Black Bloods (MM vamps), Ash vampires (corruptors and destroyers), Fire Vampires (mortals who died a horrible fiery death), the Lost (exiled celestials who now feed on mortals), Mock Vampires (vamps who appear rotting, and can turn into oozes), Ravenous Vampires (ones who consume bodies and spread disease), Shadow Vampires (insubstantial shadowy vampires that feed on the essence of life), and the Vangaard (hulking brute vampires with the strength of giants and animal abilities).

There are also a ton of new vamp qualities, feats, and spells, which vamps can mix and match to their liking. It definitely goes a long way towards de-standardizing the boring normal D&D vampire.

 

[Voadam]

There is also an available pdf book _Gaming Frontiers: Monsters_ that has two variant vampires I wrote in it among the fifty or so presented critters. One is a template and one is a straight undead magical king of the night (nontemplate).

I think the problems of the standard template are not that it is weak, but that it is a mishmash of elements. It has energy draining punches which is just not that vampiric a flavor. Also there is an odd and very restrictive set of vulnerabilities that seriously restrict the use of a vampire as more than a stock monster encounter. If used fully, their restrictions prevent the standard vampire from a lot of activities.

They present some of the same problems as the Rakshasa, know their odd D&D weakness and they are relatively easy to kill.

 

[Razuur]

Bottled Imps Vamp book is good.

But Green Ronin's Fang and Fury is the best I ahve seen. i redefines vampires more into what I think they are/should be.

Both of the above supplements used together would be down right CRAZY!

Razuur

 

[Mordane76]

I have developed a Vampire Class that I use in my own campaigns that is statted out to 20th level. The vampire-class is then used as is for multi-classing purposes and so on. Thus, a "young" or newly made vampire might be a 4th level Fighter/2nd level Vampire; while an older, more experienced vampire character might be a 6th level Fighter/4th level Cleric/10th level Vampire; and an ancient, vastly powerful vampire lord might be a 10th level Fighter/26th level Wizard/20th level Vampire. This mechanic makes the "Vampire Spawn" in the MM merely a lower level Vampire.

Hmm... Sounds like something I'd like to see. Would you be remiss to posting this class in House rules, or do you intend to do something with it that will make you some dough?

If you're planning on making some dough... do you need a play-tester/proof-reader?

 

[Bran Blackbyrd]

Re: Re: Building A Better Vampire

Hmm... Sounds like something I'd like to see. Would you be remiss to posting this class in House rules, or do you intend to do something with it that will make you some dough?

Shark's been teasing us with tales of this homebrew vampire for ages. He does it just to see us sweat, I know it!
I'll get you SHARK!


How many months has SHARK been tormenting us?

 

[Necropolis]

Hi
i have the bottled imp book " the lords of the night : vampires : and i must tell you that it's the BEST book about vampires that i have ever read
as Gothmog said , it as many new types of new vampires that i think are awesome and there are a lot of info on new powers and unique powers of vampires

so as you can see , i highly recommend you to buy the lords of the night vampires , belive me you won't be sorry

p.s they are going to release a book about liches and as it seems , it will be the best liches product to date !

 

[Synicism]

I dunno, Shark. I'm pretty happy with the vampire as it stands. If I want to make it nastier, I just give it class levels.

I threw a vampiric monk at a 10th level party with 1.5X starting GP and wound up with a TPK. Granted, I allowed it to use its unarmed attack progression (this was 3.0) with its level draining ability, but it made sense to me because the vampire energy drains through its unarmed attacks anyway.

 

[Craer]

Energy Drain by a vampire, or any other undead in the same fashion can only happen once per round.

Tough luck on them. Might I suggest either an apology, or never letting them see this post?

Spoken with tongue firmly set in cheek,
-Craer