Did you notice? (Vampire Spawn vs. Vampire)

[Altamont Ravenard]

A Vampire Spawn receives Darkvision, while a Vampire does not?

Seems a little weird, and I hadn't noticed until today...

AR

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

While I don't have my MM in front of me, the SRD lists Vampire as a template, and Vampire Spawn as a creature. Both are undead, and all undead have 60' darkvision. If the example vampire (no example in the d20 SRD, just the template) doesn't have it, they may have just decided to wrap it up into "Undead traits" to save space because vampires get so many other abilities.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Augmented Subtype: A creature receives this subtype whenever something happens to change its original type. Some creatures (those with an inherited template) are born with this subtype; others acquire it when they take on an acquired template. The augmented subtype is always paired with the creature’s original type. A creature with the augmented subtype usually has the traits of its current type, but the features of its original type.

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Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented humanoid or monstrous humanoid).

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Undead Type: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.

Traits: An undead creature possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).

Darkvision out to 60 feet.

-Hyp.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

I see...

Well chalk this one up to me being an idiot.

AR

 

[Brasswatchman]

I see...

Well chalk this one up to me being an idiot.

AR

Meh. Didn't seem clear to me either, now that you mention it.

 

[lukelightning]

It would be funny if vampires couldn't see in the dark; perhaps that's where the term "things that go bump in the night" comes from:

There you are, alone in bed, and you hear the fluttering of bat wings...whack, the bat flies into the wall..whack... it flies into another wall. Poof, it turns into a vampire. Bump *ouch!* he bumps into a chair. Thump, he bangs his head on the night stand. Then you hear a *crunch...suck suck suck* and turn on the light to see the vampire attempting to suck blood out of your mattress.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Well chalk this one up to me being an idiot.

Not at all. It's not a simple connection to make, as evidenced by the multiple locations Hyp had to search. The key, however, is to note that Vampire is a template and Vampire Spawn is not. You must be careful to add in all the relevant abilities for templates.

Edit: Luke, funny!

 

[The Souljourner]

Luke, that's hilarious Bump in the night indeed!

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

You must be careful to add in all the relevant abilities for templates.

It's simpler than that. All undead have darkvision. It's just a feature of their creature type. Same goes for outsiders. If I make up a new monster, and make it an outsider, it has darkvision automatically. I know this because in the Monster Manual it lists the common traits of all outsiders in the glossary, along with the common traits of all creature types. Now, it might not be clear that when you apply the Vampire template you change the creature type to Undead, except that it's a freaking vampire, and vampires are generally known to be undead.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

It is 3AM.

I have just gotten in from a night of League bowling, drinking and dinner.

Luke- you made me laugh out loud (TWICE)! I woke the dog and now she wants to go outside.

YOU (magnificent) BASTARD!