Modern Vamps

[Azure Trance]

Vampires in the modern day seem pretty different then they were thought of in history. Pop culture flicks like Blade or the upcoming Underworld show them in a more sleek light. They aren't confined to coffins and can sleep anywhere. They are super strong, super fast, and nigh indestructible to conventional means (guns, knives). On the flip side, perhaps in order to make it more realistic they can't turn into a swarm of bats or an invisible gas.

I can't recall if they still retain a fear of symbols or objects - garlic, running water, holy symbols, etc. The only thing that seems to be universal is their fear of sunlight (or as in Blade, UV light).

How would D&D be affected if a less conventional medieval vampire stereotype was replaced by how we percieve them today? Aside from the feeding of blood, they'd be more akin to a quintessential nocturnal uber-human. Have any of the plethora of D&D products out there today taken such a stance on the modern vamps? It tickles me how you could flummox traditional-thinking PCs by unleashing something like this.

 

[SpuneDagr]

Looks like someone was way ahead of ya.

http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/monsters/fleshboundvampire.html

 

[Azure Trance]

Looks like someone was way ahead of ya.

http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/monsters/fleshboundvampire.html

Rock on, brother man.

 

[Emiricol]

SKR did that? That is the best damn vampire I've seen yet.

 

[Wombat]

I read a couple short stories by Charles de Lint of late regarding vampires. He had an interesting take on them. They don't age, they heal super fast, they don't sleep in coffins, don't fear the sunlight, have no fear of garlic or holy symbols.

Sounds great so far.

But each vampire has a particular problem. Whatever the vampire had loved the most during its mortal life it now fears, hates, and loaths. Since this story had to do with teens, one of them now hated feared everything about Easter (not in the religious context, but as in Easter Baskets, Easter Hats, Easter Eggs and all like that). Another one did fear the sun (she had been a Tanning Goddess). Another had a massive aversion to fuzzy animal slippers (go figure).

This is something that I like playing with -- bringing in an unusual problem for my players, something they don't fully expect. Yeah, they've heard all the tales and those vampire phobias, for example, might have worked at one point (very religious people, people who lived for their garlic fries, etc), but just because one vampire acts that way, not all of them have to.

Nice to shake things up -- Monster Manuals make players so complacent!

 

[randomling]

Fleshbound Vampire

As linked above. I did kinda like this. However, I would have liked to have seen a mechanic for "infecting" humanoids (as stated in the flavour text). Did I miss it?

The one thing that always seems to be missing for me in vampires is their need for blood. So, say your PC is "infected" by the fleshbound vampire. Does she:

a) Become a fleshbound vampire himself within 1d3 days?
b) Become some kind of "semi-undead" creature who retains her creature type and Con score but gains blood drain, and maybe light sensitivity and bloodlust?

I like b) better. How about....:

Potent blood
A fleshbound vampire's blood is different from ordinary blood. If a humanoid ingests vampiric blood, she must succeed at a Fortitude save or gain the vampiric template. The DC of the Fortitude save depends on the amount of blood ingested:
Drop: DC 15
Sip: DC 18
Cup (less than 1 pint): DC 22
Draught (1 pint or more): DC 25

Vampiric (template)
The vampiric template is applied to any humanoid who has failed a Fortitude save after ingesting vampiric blood. Vampiric characters are alive, but when slain rise as fleshbound vampires within 1d3 days. They may not be raised.
Special Attacks: Blood drain (as vampire).
Special Qualities: Bloodlust, light sensitivity.

Bloodlust
The creature craves the blood of humanoids and is unable to eat food. For each day the character goes without blood, she must make a Fortitude save (DC 15 + 1 for each day without blood) or take 1d6 points of subdual damage. Additionally, when engaged in combat with humanoids and hungry (has gone for 1 day or more without blood) the character must succeed at a Will save (DC 20) or attack the nearest humanoid with her blood drain attack until sated. A creature with bloodlust must drain the equivalent of 10 points of Consitution per hit die per day to be sated.

'm not entirely sure of the DCs. What do you think?

 

[apocalypstick]

heh. I thought this was a thread about the girl I met at Newport last night.