It's Halloween, so this week in the Epic Monsters column we have a bonus entry! We’re going to Wallachia (or Transylvania, take your pick) for the master of all vampires: Dracula!
Let’s be frank here: you can easily use a standard vampire for Dracula so that’s not what’s below. What follows is more of a pop culture pastiche of the Lord of the Night with a big dose of turbo for fielding against high-level parties of adventurers. This statblock is more appropriately thought of as a master vampire from the Underworld movies or Vampire Hunter D, or better yet the depiction given in Dracula Untold (a great gothic action movie from 2014).
Design Notes: In addition to his robust list of traits Dracula can summon many, many creatures. His high mobility (flight with legendary actions to move) should be used in conjunction with conjured creatures to keep a party occupied--that way he can isolate and negate the dangers of the healer and/or the most potent spellcaster, quietly compromising them before renewing his assault. Moreover however he is a vampire antagonist with staying power. Any GM that introduces Dracula as the Big Bad Evil Guy of the campaign shouldn’t fear his early death or destruction, instead indulging in excessive foreshadowing as the Lord of the Night teases and frustrates anyone that dares rise against him. Kidnap beloved family members. Turn confidants into vampire spawn. Be big. Be bold. Be Dracula.
Dracula
Medium undead (shapechanger), lawful evil
Armor Class 21 (natural armor)
Hit Points 437 (46d8+230)
Speed 45 ft., fly 60 ft.
Saving Throws Dex +14, Int +13, Wis +12, Cha +13
Skills Arcana +13, Deception +13, Insight +12, Intimidate +13, Perception +12, Persuasion +13, Stealth +14
Damage Resistances cold, fire, necrotic, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 22
Languages Aklo, English, French, German, Romanian, Russian, Turkish; telepathy 200 ft.
Challenge 23 (50,000 XP)
Innate Spellcasting. Dracula's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 21, +13 to hit with spell attacks). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Dracula fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Life Stealer (5/Day). By spending an action and bonus action, Dracula breathes inward, sucking away the life force of creatures within 40 feet of him. Creatures in the area of effect must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution save or take 21 (6d6) necrotic damage; half of this damage is granted to Dracula as temporary hit points. A successful saving throw reduces the necrotic damage by half. Damage dealt this way cannot be healed with the use of magic and is only restored when a creature takes a short or long rest. Creatures reduced to 0 hit points from this trait die and rise the next evening as a vampire spawn under Dracula’s control.
Master of Undeath. Dracula can use a bonus action to impose his will on an undead creature he can see. The creature succeeds on a DC 21 Charisma saving throw or falls under Dracula’s control (as dominate monster but does not require Dracula’s concentration).
Misty Escape. When he drops to 0 hit points outside his resting place, Dracula transforms into a cloud of mist (as in the Shapechanger trait) instead of falling unconscious, provided that he isn't in sunlight or running water. If Dracula can't transform, he is destroyed.
While he has 0 hit points in mist form, Dracula can't revert to his vampire form, and he must reach his resting place within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once in his resting place, he reverts to his vampire form. Dracula is then paralyzed until he regains at least 1 hit point. After spending 1 hour in his resting place with 0 hit points, Dracula regains 1 hit point.
Overshadow the Sun. By spending 10 minutes performing a secretive ritual, Dracula draws cataclysmic energies from the Shadow Plane to create darkness in a 1-mile radius for up to 5 hours. This effect is treated as a spell of 9th level.
Regeneration. Dracula regains 20 hit points at the start of his turn if he has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sunlight or running water. If Dracula takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn't function at the start of his next turn.
Shapechanger. If Dracula isn't in sunlight or running water, he can use his action to polymorph into a Tiny bat or a Medium cloud of mist, or back into his true form.
While in bat form, Dracula can't speak, his walking speed is 5 feet, and he has a flying speed of 30 feet. Dracula’s statistics, other than his size and speed, are unchanged. Anything he is wearing transforms with him, but nothing he is carrying does. Dracula reverts to his true form if he dies.
While in mist form, Dracula 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, the mist can do so without squeezing, and he can’t pass through water. Dracula has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and he is immune to all nonmagical damage, except the damage he takes from sunlight.
Spider Climb. Dracula can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Unholy Strength. Dracula can enter a domicile uninvited when he succeeds on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw. In addition, for the first minute of being staked, at the end of each round he makes a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, ignoring paralysis from the stake on a success.
Vampire Weaknesses. Dracula has the following flaws:
ACTIONS
Multiattack (Vampire Form Only). Dracula attacks once with his bite and three times with unarmed strikes.
Bite (Bat or Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature grappled by Dracula, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 13 (1d6+5) piercing damage plus 21 (6d6) necrotic damage. Necrotic damage dealt this way cannot be healed with the use of magic and is only restored when a creature takes a short or long rest, and Dracula regains hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt. Creatures reduced to 0 hit points from this effect die and rise the next evening as a vampire spawn under Dracula’s control.
Unarmed Strike (Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10+5) bludgeoning damage. Dracula can choose to grapple the target (escape DC 20) instead of dealing damage.
Charm. Dracula targets one humanoid he can see within 30 feet. If the target can see Dracula, the target must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by him. The charmed target regards Dracula as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn't under his control, it takes Dracula's requests or actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for his bite attack.
Each time Dracula 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 Dracula is destroyed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a bonus action to end the effect.
Children of Darkness (3/Day). Dracula summons 2d4 vampire spawn that appear after 1d4 rounds. These creatures disappear after 1 hour.
Children of the Night (3/Day). Dracula magically calls 2d4 swarms of bats or rats (swarm of bats, swarm of rats), provided that the sun isn't up. While outdoors, he can call 3d6 wolves or 2d4 dire wolves instead. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as allies of Dracula and obeying his spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour, until Dracula dies, or until he dismisses them as a bonus action.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Dracula can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. He regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.
REGIONAL EFFECTS
The areas around Dracula’s lair are corrupted by his primordial evil, generating one (or more) of these effects.
Let’s be frank here: you can easily use a standard vampire for Dracula so that’s not what’s below. What follows is more of a pop culture pastiche of the Lord of the Night with a big dose of turbo for fielding against high-level parties of adventurers. This statblock is more appropriately thought of as a master vampire from the Underworld movies or Vampire Hunter D, or better yet the depiction given in Dracula Untold (a great gothic action movie from 2014).
Design Notes: In addition to his robust list of traits Dracula can summon many, many creatures. His high mobility (flight with legendary actions to move) should be used in conjunction with conjured creatures to keep a party occupied--that way he can isolate and negate the dangers of the healer and/or the most potent spellcaster, quietly compromising them before renewing his assault. Moreover however he is a vampire antagonist with staying power. Any GM that introduces Dracula as the Big Bad Evil Guy of the campaign shouldn’t fear his early death or destruction, instead indulging in excessive foreshadowing as the Lord of the Night teases and frustrates anyone that dares rise against him. Kidnap beloved family members. Turn confidants into vampire spawn. Be big. Be bold. Be Dracula.
Dracula
Medium undead (shapechanger), lawful evil
Armor Class 21 (natural armor)
Hit Points 437 (46d8+230)
Speed 45 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
20 (+5) | 25 (+7) | 20 (+5) | 22 (+6) | 21 (+5) | 23 (+6) |
Saving Throws Dex +14, Int +13, Wis +12, Cha +13
Skills Arcana +13, Deception +13, Insight +12, Intimidate +13, Perception +12, Persuasion +13, Stealth +14
Damage Resistances cold, fire, necrotic, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 22
Languages Aklo, English, French, German, Romanian, Russian, Turkish; telepathy 200 ft.
Challenge 23 (50,000 XP)
Innate Spellcasting. Dracula's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 21, +13 to hit with spell attacks). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At Will: comprehend languages, fog cloud, mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost, sleep
- 5/day: animate dead, detect thoughts, fireball, gust of wind, mirror image, nondetection
- 3/day: blight, greater invisibility, polymorph
- 2/day: animate objects, scrying
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Dracula fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Life Stealer (5/Day). By spending an action and bonus action, Dracula breathes inward, sucking away the life force of creatures within 40 feet of him. Creatures in the area of effect must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution save or take 21 (6d6) necrotic damage; half of this damage is granted to Dracula as temporary hit points. A successful saving throw reduces the necrotic damage by half. Damage dealt this way cannot be healed with the use of magic and is only restored when a creature takes a short or long rest. Creatures reduced to 0 hit points from this trait die and rise the next evening as a vampire spawn under Dracula’s control.
Master of Undeath. Dracula can use a bonus action to impose his will on an undead creature he can see. The creature succeeds on a DC 21 Charisma saving throw or falls under Dracula’s control (as dominate monster but does not require Dracula’s concentration).
Misty Escape. When he drops to 0 hit points outside his resting place, Dracula transforms into a cloud of mist (as in the Shapechanger trait) instead of falling unconscious, provided that he isn't in sunlight or running water. If Dracula can't transform, he is destroyed.
While he has 0 hit points in mist form, Dracula can't revert to his vampire form, and he must reach his resting place within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once in his resting place, he reverts to his vampire form. Dracula is then paralyzed until he regains at least 1 hit point. After spending 1 hour in his resting place with 0 hit points, Dracula regains 1 hit point.
Overshadow the Sun. By spending 10 minutes performing a secretive ritual, Dracula draws cataclysmic energies from the Shadow Plane to create darkness in a 1-mile radius for up to 5 hours. This effect is treated as a spell of 9th level.
Regeneration. Dracula regains 20 hit points at the start of his turn if he has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sunlight or running water. If Dracula takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn't function at the start of his next turn.
Shapechanger. If Dracula isn't in sunlight or running water, he can use his action to polymorph into a Tiny bat or a Medium cloud of mist, or back into his true form.
While in bat form, Dracula can't speak, his walking speed is 5 feet, and he has a flying speed of 30 feet. Dracula’s statistics, other than his size and speed, are unchanged. Anything he is wearing transforms with him, but nothing he is carrying does. Dracula reverts to his true form if he dies.
While in mist form, Dracula 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, the mist can do so without squeezing, and he can’t pass through water. Dracula has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and he is immune to all nonmagical damage, except the damage he takes from sunlight.
Spider Climb. Dracula can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Unholy Strength. Dracula can enter a domicile uninvited when he succeeds on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw. In addition, for the first minute of being staked, at the end of each round he makes a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, ignoring paralysis from the stake on a success.
Vampire Weaknesses. Dracula has the following flaws:
- Forbiddance. Dracula can't enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.
- Harmed by Running Water. Dracula takes 10 acid damage if he ends his turn in running water.
- Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into Dracula's heart while he is incapacitated in his resting place, he is paralyzed until the stake is removed.
- Sunlight Hypersensitivity. Dracula takes 10 radiant damage when he starts his turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, he has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
ACTIONS
Multiattack (Vampire Form Only). Dracula attacks once with his bite and three times with unarmed strikes.
Bite (Bat or Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature grappled by Dracula, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 13 (1d6+5) piercing damage plus 21 (6d6) necrotic damage. Necrotic damage dealt this way cannot be healed with the use of magic and is only restored when a creature takes a short or long rest, and Dracula regains hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt. Creatures reduced to 0 hit points from this effect die and rise the next evening as a vampire spawn under Dracula’s control.
Unarmed Strike (Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10+5) bludgeoning damage. Dracula can choose to grapple the target (escape DC 20) instead of dealing damage.
Charm. Dracula targets one humanoid he can see within 30 feet. If the target can see Dracula, the target must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by him. The charmed target regards Dracula as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn't under his control, it takes Dracula's requests or actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for his bite attack.
Each time Dracula 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 Dracula is destroyed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a bonus action to end the effect.
Children of Darkness (3/Day). Dracula summons 2d4 vampire spawn that appear after 1d4 rounds. These creatures disappear after 1 hour.
Children of the Night (3/Day). Dracula magically calls 2d4 swarms of bats or rats (swarm of bats, swarm of rats), provided that the sun isn't up. While outdoors, he can call 3d6 wolves or 2d4 dire wolves instead. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as allies of Dracula and obeying his spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour, until Dracula dies, or until he dismisses them as a bonus action.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Dracula can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. He regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.
- Move. Dracula moves up to his speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
- Unarmed Strike. Dracula makes one unarmed strike.
- Bite (Costs 2 Actions). Dracula makes one bite attack.
REGIONAL EFFECTS
The areas around Dracula’s lair are corrupted by his primordial evil, generating one (or more) of these effects.
- Areas within 20 miles of Dracula’s lair are common with the whispers of spirits and the slinking of shadows, giving rise to tall tales of haunted manors, ghost ships, and unexplainable poltergeists.
- Fonts of blood appear in random locations throughout rivers and lakes in a 10-mile radius around Dracula’s lair.
- Illumination is subdued by the oppressive evil suffused in a 3-mile radius of Dracula’s lair, reducing the range of light sources by 5 feet (including torches, forever lanterns, the light cantrip, and similar effects).
- Maladies of the mind are more pervasive within 20 miles of Dracula’s lair, doubling the duration of all forms of madness.
- Wounds fester as the vile energy suffusing areas within 10 miles of Dracula’s lair, pulling at rent flesh, pressing on bruised muscles, and sucking at bleeding veins. When creatures within the area spend Hit Dice to heal, any dice that roll the highest possible number are treated as if a 1 was rolled instead (a barbarian spending Hit Dice treats a 12 as a 1, a fighter treats a 10 as a 1, and so on).
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