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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8164151" data-attributes="member: 6915329">I like! I convert a lot of monsters for fun, and monsters are my favorite part of any game, so I'm looking forward to seeing how you guys are doing it.CR: Yes, a lot of 5e monsters are badly CR'd, mostly because the CR rules mostly just take AC/resistances and damage output into consideration and ignore most inflicted conditions (other than grappled/restrained). Even real killers like poisoned or incapacitated--or charmed--don't modify the CR. I hope LU is going to take those into consideration.Onto the monster itself:Challenge: 10 (level 25)? Now what does this mean? Did I miss something? CR 10 for the monster, yes, but... 25 levels of character needed to destroy the vampire? If so, I guess that's useful for your mob of pitchfork-wielding commoners. If each commoner is CR 1/8, then you need 200 commoners to tear apart one vampire. Add a decent adventuring party in there, and it drops down to thirty or forty commoners instead.Armor: My actual preference would be to go back to something more akin to 3x: Armor: 18 (+4 Dex, +2 thick hide,  +2 psychic shield) or AC 14 (+2 leather armor, +2 shield).Abilities: Do we really need the actual stats anymore, or can we get by on just the bonus/penalty?Proficiency Bonus: Thanks! This will be really helpful. Seriously--having to math the CR for a high-level monster based on its various saves or to hit mods isn't hard, but it's an extra step.Skills: Any reason why this vampire can't flex its muscles and do Strength (Persuasion) instead?Damage Resistances: Thanks for the simplicity of "nonmagical, nonsilvered" weapons. So much easier and sensible than "damage from bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silver." Just make sure that it's known that unarmed attacks are still considered weapons, because we don't want to punch a vampire to death.Speaking of! PLEASE bring back "cold iron." Or something akin to it: meteoric iron or even OOTS-style "skymetal." Fey and demons need some extra weaknesses too!Terrain: So as I said, I convert tons of monsters, and I included my own Climate/Terrain section. I'm amused to see that you also included ruins, sewers, and tombs in terrain.Treasure: Maybe bring back treasure types? Or instead of saying "necklace of fireballs"--an odd choice for a vampire--say "a wearable magic item from Table Whatever.Animal Form: So vampires are no longer shapechangers? I approve that choice, but it makes me wonder if this is a vampire thing or if you're redoing how shapechanging works altogether.I suggest that you rephrase "the vampire and its gear" to "the vampire and any objects it is wearing or carrying," just to avoid a munchkin vampire who insists that this cannon is part of its gear.Can the vampire transform into any beast or swarm of appropriate CR, or only into a select number of forms? I'd go with the latter myself. (Edit: I have a sudden desire to create a little old lady vampire that transforms into a swarm of cats.)Vampire Weaknesses: As a fan of the Van Richten series, I applaud the possibility of non-standard vampire weaknesses. However, you might want to say "vampires have X number of weaknesses. The most common are sunlight and running water, but there's a sidebar thataway that has a list of other possible weaknesses." And maybe say it doesn't take radiant damage in the trait, but in the sidebar: 1. Sunlight: 20 radiant. 2. Immersed in running water: 20 radiant (or acid). 3. The scent of garlic within 5 feet of the vampire: the vampire is poisoned for 1 minute, can make DC 15 save at end of each turn; can end with Legendary Recovery. Small objects thrown on the floor: can take no actions but pick up the items for 1d4 rounds; can end with Legendary Recovery.Legendary Recovery: Is this an always thing, or a X/day thing, or a recharge thing?Grab: This is a problem I have with grapple attacks in general: if you have something grappled, do you need to make a new attack to inflict damage? It seems like once you have a creature in your grasp, the damage should be automatic.Bite: "Before the target first rises as a vampire spawn, a cleric can spend ten minutes blessing the body in order to prevent this transformation." No gentle repose spell?Reactions: I love them both! So flavorful!Legendary Actions: Only two actions. Interesting. Are you reducing the number of Legendaries in general, or making the number more varied?One Last Thing: Alignment: While I can see a vampire exuding an evil alignment, a lawful one? We get the image of the noble vampire with lands and the law from things like Dracula and Strahd, or even from clan-holding vampires in VtM, but I'm having a hard time seeing a D&D vampire in general being so lawful as to exude an aura. Unless you're saying that vampires are so whatever they make the populace cower in line?</blockquote>

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