Converting monsters from Imagine Magazine

[Shade]

How's this?

Alter Self (Su): As a swift action, a greater vampire may assume the form of a humanoid as if using the alter self spell. However, the greater vampire only gains a +6 bonus on Disguise checks (rather than the usual +10), since its assumed face always subtlely retains aspects of its own appearance. The greater vampire retains its own physical ability scores in the assumed form.

 

[freyar]

Looks good!

When desired, and in any event when overtly stressed, the monster can exude a foul stench that will affect all creatures within a 3" radius as the stench of a ghast. Apart from holy water the stench will also spoil food and drink.

How about combining ghast stench with a black dragon's corrupt water?

Stench (Ex): The stink of death and corruption surrounding these creatures is overwhelming. Living creatures within 10 feet must succeed on a DC X Fortitude save or be sickened for 1d6+4 minutes. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same vampire’s stench for 24 hours. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes the effect from a sickened creature. Creatures with immunity to poison are unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their saving throws. In addition, the stench spoils food and water, along with magical liquids (such as potions) that fail a DC X Will save. This ability does not affect holy water. The save DC is Charisma-based.

 

[Shade]

Ooh...I like! Nice work.

A greater vampire continually radiates fear that affects creatures as below (no saving throw).
12" radius: all normal and giant-sized animals become agitated.
6" radius: as above, plus untrained animals will attempt to flee
3" radius: as above, plus trained animals also attempt to flee

Obviously, rats, bats, and wolves are immune to these effects as are non-intelligent animals, and those animals under the vampire's control.

Modify this?

Unnatural Aura (Su): Animals, whether wild or domesticated, can sense the unnatural presence of a wraith at a distance of 30 feet. They will not willingly approach nearer than that and panic if forced to do so; they remain panicked as long as they are within that range.

 

[freyar]

Hmmm, what about allowing characters a Handle Animal check to keep a trained animal from panicking to within a certain radius? I'm also going to round all distances to the next 5 foot increment.

Unnatural Aura (Su): Animals, whether wild or domesticated, can sense the unnatural presence of a greater vampire at a distance of 15 feet. They will not willingly approach nearer than that and panic if forced to do so; they remain panicked as long as they are within that range. A character may calm a panicked animal with a DC X Handle Animal check if the animal is trained. However, even a trained animal panics if brought within 10 feet.

 

[Shade]

That seems reasonable.

In human-kind the vampire is especially feared: any zero-level human that gazes upon the vampire's true face will be turned permanently insane (no save): 75% catatonia, 25% suicidal mania.

Hmmm...gaze attack or something else?

Once per turn a greater vampire can breath forth a noxious vapor of cone dimensions 3" long, 1" high, and 2" base diameter. Creatures within this area are automatically infected with a random disease, and must also save versus poison or else be helpless with nausea for 1-4 rounds. The area of this breath attack remains highly infectious for a few days afterward.

How's this?

Infections Breath (Su): Once per X, a greater vampire can breath a 30-foot cone of noxious vapor. Creatures within the area must succeed on a DC X Fortitude save or be inflicted with X and be nauseaed for 1d4 rounds. The breath weapon lingers for 24 hours thereafter, and any creature entering its area must make a Fortitude save. A creature who successfully saves is immune to the effects of this greater vampire's for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Once per round a greater vampire can: cause sleep as a spell (5 times per night), knock as the spell, hold portal as spell (which will remain held for as long as the vampire stays within 6" and for 2-5 rounds afterwards; such held portals can still be broken down or dispelled as normal).

SLAs: At will--knock; 5/day--sleep (or deep slumber?).

The hold portal might need to be a unique SLA.

 

[freyar]

I think I'd make the insanity bit a gaze attack that only affects humanoids of no more than 1HD. Do you want to model it on the insanity spell and/or add a save?

Infectious breath looks good. Do you want to use some unusual disease like mindfire or something more potent like demon fever? Or make something up?

I say deep slumber. I think hold portal as a normal SLA will work as long as the CL is high enough. After all, the hold as described here is not any stronger than the spell, esp if we make it at will.

 

[Shade]

I'm wondering if the insanity bit might be better worded like the form of madness ability of obyriths rather than a gaze attack.

Something like...

Madenning Countenance (Su): A humanoid within 60 feet with 1 Hit Die or less that views a greater vampire's true form must attempt a DC X Will save. Failure indicates the creature's mind is shattered, leaving it permanently insane (as the insanity spell). A creature that makes the save is immune to that particular greater vampire's maddening countenance for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting ability. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Infectious breath looks good. Do you want to use some unusual disease like mindfire or something more potent like demon fever? Or make something up?

We could use mindfire as the default, and state that some greater vampires spread different diseases.

 

[Shade]

I'm wondering if the insanity bit might be better worded like the form of madness ability of obyriths rather than a gaze attack.

Something like...

Madenning Countenance (Su): A humanoid within 60 feet with 1 Hit Die or less that views a greater vampire's true form must attempt a DC X Will save. Failure indicates the creature's mind is shattered, leaving it permanently insane (as the insanity spell). A creature that makes the save is immune to that particular greater vampire's maddening countenance for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting ability. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Infectious breath looks good. Do you want to use some unusual disease like mindfire or something more potent like demon fever? Or make something up?

We could use mindfire as the default, and state that some greater vampires spread different diseases...

Infections Breath (Su): Once per minute(?), a greater vampire can breath a 30-foot cone of noxious vapor. Creatures within the area must succeed on a DC X Fortitude save or be inflicted with mindfire (or another disease of the DM's choice) and be nauseaed for 1d4 rounds. The breath weapon lingers for 24 hours thereafter, and any creature entering its area must make a Fortitude save. A creature who successfully saves is immune to the effects of this greater vampire's infectious breath for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

 

[freyar]

Those both look good! I also agree with once per minute.

In any form it has the abiltiy to "see" the life-form of creatures up to a distance of 12". Even 'elemental' lifeforces can be detected, as can the absence of life generated by other undead. Only animated (eg golems) and magicallly protected creatures cannot be so "seen"; thus the various forms of invisibility are useless unless combined with such powers as an amulet of proof vs. detection and location.

In addition, greater vampires also possess supernatural sense of smell as well as an excellent sense of hearing (treat as equivalent to an owl). From scent alone the vampire can recognize race, sex, etc, plus the presence of armor and other such factors. Even the presence of magic and its type can be picked up, and if provided with a fairly recent scent of a creature the vampire may even know alignment.

Want to go with blindsight/sense 15 ft or something more unusual to detect "lifeforce"?

Definitely needs scent (maybe even some kind of enhanced scent) and a big racial Listen bonus. +8 like an owl or giant owl?

 

[Shade]

Want to go with blindsight/sense 15 ft or something more unusual to detect "lifeforce"?

We can modify this:

Lifesense (Su): An illithocyte continually detects the presence of living creatures within 30 feet. This functions similarly to a detect undead spell, except that it detects living creatures instead of undead, and the illithocyte is never stunned if a living creature has more than twice its Hit Dice. Lifesense is always active.

Definitely needs scent (maybe even some kind of enhanced scent) and a big racial Listen bonus. +8 like an owl or giant owl?

Well, the vampire template already grants +8 Listen. Do we want to go higher for the greater vampire?