OK, I finally made a half-vampire tamplate for PC's for dragonstar campaigns. This is a bit inspired by Blade obviously. I put it at ECL +3 which is the same as a half-dragon, a common dragonstar template. I would like comments on balance, suggested changes, and if my ECL seems accurate. Thanks a lot:
---------------
Half-Vampire
Half-vampires are very rare. They are usually created when a pregnant woman is drained by a vampire, but the child is somehow saved. However, there are rumors of strange necromantic rituals that may be able to turn an adult into one.
Half-vampires are at constant risk of turning into a full vampire, and as such there are no evil half-vampires … they all give in to the dark side all too freely. Besides the rarity of their creation, most half-vampires, not just the evil ones, succumb to their bloodlust early on and become full vampires. The few that do survive are quite special indeed, though they must fight a constant battle against their darker natures. They are much faster and stronger than others of their race (STR, CON, and DEX bonuses), however they are quite reckless (WIS minus) and their very nature makes them anti-social (CHA minus).
Creating a Half-Vampire
“Half-vampire” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature. The creature’s type does not change. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
AC: Natural armor improves by +2
Damage: Half-vampires gain a slam attack if they don’t already have one. This does the same damage a vampire slam attack based on size (see MM pg. 221).
Special Attacks: Half-vampires retain all of the special attacks of the base creature plus the following:
Blood Drain (Ex): A half-vampire can suck blood from a living creature by making a successful grapple attack. If it pins a foe it drains blood, inflicting 1 point of temp CON drain each round the pin is maintained. This also heals 2 HP of damage for the half-vampire each round. However, a half-vampire must continually fight the urge to drain a victim’s blood as this brings it closer to becoming a true vampire. Anytime a half-vampire drains someone’s blood in front of allies he suffers 2 points of temp CHA drain which can’t be magically healed. This represents the half-vampire’s self-disgust at his actions. These return at the normal rate of one point a day, although they can be regained faster by certain acts of atonement (DM’s discretion). Also, every round he drains blood he must make a will save to avoid the pull of his vampire half, DC 10 + 1 per point of CON drained during that day. Every failed will save causes 2 points of temp WIS drain, which again can’t be healed by magic. If a half-vampire’s wisdom ever reaches 0 he turns into a full vampire.
Special Qualities: A half-vampire retains all the special qualities of the base creature, plus the following:
Resistance: A half-vampire has cold and electricity resistance 5.
Fast Healing: A half-vampire heals 1 HP per 10 minutes. His wounds close fast, and so he doesn’t bleed when he less than 0 HP.
Unholiness: Due to their connection to the dark forces, divine healing magic only heals half as many HP on half-vampires. Likewise, cause wound spells only do half damage to them. Half-vampires generally dislike religions of all sorts, are disturbed by the smell of garlic, and seriously itch if splashed with holy water.
Undead Connection: Half-vampires can detect undead at will and always recognize a vampire on sight. Undead with 5 HD or less, or any unintelligent undead, must make an opposed will save to attack a half-vampire, though they can add turn resistance and INT modifier to this role. If the half-vampire attacks them though they are completely free to attack back.
Darkvision: Half-vampires half darkvision 60.
Quickness: Half-vampires gain the Improved Initiative feat for free.
Weaknesses: Half-vampires dislike bright lights, especially sunlight and strong UV sources. They have trouble seeing in bright light conditions, getting -2 to all visual skills, which increases to -4 in direction sunlight. These penalties can be countered by special dark glasses (must be masterwork quality). In sunlight or bright UV sources they get -1 to all attacks, damage, and saving throws. Half-vampires have some serious psychological issues. They tend to be very lonely, having trouble making friends because of their dark natures and self-hatred. If they do manage to make a friend who understands their condition they tend to be fiercely loyal, doing anything to protect them. However, this makes their shame all the greater if this friend sees them giving in and drinking blood. Half-vampires are afraid of water, especially running water and will usual refuse to go near, let alone cross any. If force to they must make a will save (DC set by the DM). They also don’t like crowds except seedy dark bars.
Bloodlust: Half-vampires are at constant risk of falling into an uncontrollable bloodlust. If they go a day without eating the urge to feed starts to grow strong. Every day after that they must make a will saved DC 10 +1 per day without food, or attack the first living creature they see. They may continue to make a will save every round they are in a blood frenzy to try and break out of it. They also get +4 to avoid attacking allies, and +6 vs. very close comrades, but they get -2 vs. people they dislike, and -4 if they actively hate the person. Half-vampires can also go into a bloodlust if they take too much damage while fighting a “drinkable” opponent. Every time they take at 10% of their total HP in damage in one attack they must make a will save DC 10 + 1 for every 10% of max HP lost. Reaching 0 HP causes automatic bloodlust, although in both these cases it is only directed at the foe attacking him, and is only caused if the foe is “drinkable” (i.e. undead and constructs won’t trigger it). When in a bloodlust, the half-vampire will drop whatever it is holding and do anything to grapple and suck blood from it’s target (see Blood Drain above). A successful turn undead check against a half-vampire will bring them out of a blood lust immediately. Also, certain cleric spells involved in atonement rather than healing may reverse any WIS an CHA drain (DM’s discretion).
Death: When a half-vampire dies it has a 10% chance of coming back as a vampire in 1d20 hours from the time of death. A successful turn undead check will delay this by 1d4 hours, and anointing the body with holy water will delay it another hour. Note however, he will not rise as a vampire in daylight or other lethal conditions. Other factors may delay the rising at the DM’s discretion. In all cases, a dead half-vampire will rise as a full vampire if properly buried after 48 hours unless special precautions are taken. Raising or resurrection the half-vampire in time will prevent any of this from occurring.
Saves: Same as base creature.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: STR +4, DEX +2, CON +2, INT +0, WIS -2, CHA -2
Skills: Half-vampires gain 5 ranks in Knowledge (Vampires), they also gain +2 to sense motive, hide, move silently, and climb.
Feats: Half-vampires gain the Improved Initiative, Alertness, and Lightning Reflexes feats for free.
ECL: +3
---------------
Half-Vampire
Half-vampires are very rare. They are usually created when a pregnant woman is drained by a vampire, but the child is somehow saved. However, there are rumors of strange necromantic rituals that may be able to turn an adult into one.
Half-vampires are at constant risk of turning into a full vampire, and as such there are no evil half-vampires … they all give in to the dark side all too freely. Besides the rarity of their creation, most half-vampires, not just the evil ones, succumb to their bloodlust early on and become full vampires. The few that do survive are quite special indeed, though they must fight a constant battle against their darker natures. They are much faster and stronger than others of their race (STR, CON, and DEX bonuses), however they are quite reckless (WIS minus) and their very nature makes them anti-social (CHA minus).
Creating a Half-Vampire
“Half-vampire” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature. The creature’s type does not change. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
AC: Natural armor improves by +2
Damage: Half-vampires gain a slam attack if they don’t already have one. This does the same damage a vampire slam attack based on size (see MM pg. 221).
Special Attacks: Half-vampires retain all of the special attacks of the base creature plus the following:
Blood Drain (Ex): A half-vampire can suck blood from a living creature by making a successful grapple attack. If it pins a foe it drains blood, inflicting 1 point of temp CON drain each round the pin is maintained. This also heals 2 HP of damage for the half-vampire each round. However, a half-vampire must continually fight the urge to drain a victim’s blood as this brings it closer to becoming a true vampire. Anytime a half-vampire drains someone’s blood in front of allies he suffers 2 points of temp CHA drain which can’t be magically healed. This represents the half-vampire’s self-disgust at his actions. These return at the normal rate of one point a day, although they can be regained faster by certain acts of atonement (DM’s discretion). Also, every round he drains blood he must make a will save to avoid the pull of his vampire half, DC 10 + 1 per point of CON drained during that day. Every failed will save causes 2 points of temp WIS drain, which again can’t be healed by magic. If a half-vampire’s wisdom ever reaches 0 he turns into a full vampire.
Special Qualities: A half-vampire retains all the special qualities of the base creature, plus the following:
Resistance: A half-vampire has cold and electricity resistance 5.
Fast Healing: A half-vampire heals 1 HP per 10 minutes. His wounds close fast, and so he doesn’t bleed when he less than 0 HP.
Unholiness: Due to their connection to the dark forces, divine healing magic only heals half as many HP on half-vampires. Likewise, cause wound spells only do half damage to them. Half-vampires generally dislike religions of all sorts, are disturbed by the smell of garlic, and seriously itch if splashed with holy water.
Undead Connection: Half-vampires can detect undead at will and always recognize a vampire on sight. Undead with 5 HD or less, or any unintelligent undead, must make an opposed will save to attack a half-vampire, though they can add turn resistance and INT modifier to this role. If the half-vampire attacks them though they are completely free to attack back.
Darkvision: Half-vampires half darkvision 60.
Quickness: Half-vampires gain the Improved Initiative feat for free.
Weaknesses: Half-vampires dislike bright lights, especially sunlight and strong UV sources. They have trouble seeing in bright light conditions, getting -2 to all visual skills, which increases to -4 in direction sunlight. These penalties can be countered by special dark glasses (must be masterwork quality). In sunlight or bright UV sources they get -1 to all attacks, damage, and saving throws. Half-vampires have some serious psychological issues. They tend to be very lonely, having trouble making friends because of their dark natures and self-hatred. If they do manage to make a friend who understands their condition they tend to be fiercely loyal, doing anything to protect them. However, this makes their shame all the greater if this friend sees them giving in and drinking blood. Half-vampires are afraid of water, especially running water and will usual refuse to go near, let alone cross any. If force to they must make a will save (DC set by the DM). They also don’t like crowds except seedy dark bars.
Bloodlust: Half-vampires are at constant risk of falling into an uncontrollable bloodlust. If they go a day without eating the urge to feed starts to grow strong. Every day after that they must make a will saved DC 10 +1 per day without food, or attack the first living creature they see. They may continue to make a will save every round they are in a blood frenzy to try and break out of it. They also get +4 to avoid attacking allies, and +6 vs. very close comrades, but they get -2 vs. people they dislike, and -4 if they actively hate the person. Half-vampires can also go into a bloodlust if they take too much damage while fighting a “drinkable” opponent. Every time they take at 10% of their total HP in damage in one attack they must make a will save DC 10 + 1 for every 10% of max HP lost. Reaching 0 HP causes automatic bloodlust, although in both these cases it is only directed at the foe attacking him, and is only caused if the foe is “drinkable” (i.e. undead and constructs won’t trigger it). When in a bloodlust, the half-vampire will drop whatever it is holding and do anything to grapple and suck blood from it’s target (see Blood Drain above). A successful turn undead check against a half-vampire will bring them out of a blood lust immediately. Also, certain cleric spells involved in atonement rather than healing may reverse any WIS an CHA drain (DM’s discretion).
Death: When a half-vampire dies it has a 10% chance of coming back as a vampire in 1d20 hours from the time of death. A successful turn undead check will delay this by 1d4 hours, and anointing the body with holy water will delay it another hour. Note however, he will not rise as a vampire in daylight or other lethal conditions. Other factors may delay the rising at the DM’s discretion. In all cases, a dead half-vampire will rise as a full vampire if properly buried after 48 hours unless special precautions are taken. Raising or resurrection the half-vampire in time will prevent any of this from occurring.
Saves: Same as base creature.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: STR +4, DEX +2, CON +2, INT +0, WIS -2, CHA -2
Skills: Half-vampires gain 5 ranks in Knowledge (Vampires), they also gain +2 to sense motive, hide, move silently, and climb.
Feats: Half-vampires gain the Improved Initiative, Alertness, and Lightning Reflexes feats for free.
ECL: +3
