Andrew D. Gable
First Post
Template: Théan Vampire
Although written for Swashbuckling Adventures, this should be usable in any d20 game. As you can see, I tried to go back to some of the folkloric vampire types rather than the level-drainer of DnD fame.
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THÉAN VAMPIRE
Called atemdieb by the inhabitants of Eisen, the vampires of Théah are not truly undead. Rather, they are a near-immaterial race of shadow demons released by the repeated use of certain sorcerous techniques. Vampires, as they are known in other languages, roam the countryside and take up residence in any available corpse they find. Once installed in a corpse, the vampire pursues goals known only to itself, abandoning bodies seemingly at random.
Vampires were first encountered, not surprisingly, by Die Kreuzritter knights, who often utilize Nacht sorcery. The phenomenon called "shadowburn" which assaults knights within the Paths, is thought to be related to, or even caused by, the vampires. Since vampires were first released centuries ago, their depredations have spread to other lands.
Creating a Théan Vampire
"Théan Vampire" is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the "base character"). The character becomes a vampire after his or her corpse is inhabited by the demon for a day. The creature’s type changes to "outsider". It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice: Same as the base character or increase to d8, whichever is higher.
Speed: Same as the base character
AC: Same as the base character
Attacks: A vampire retains all the attacks of the base creature and also gains a slam attack if it didn’t already have one.
Damage: A vampire gains 2 claw attacks, which deal damage as per the table below.
Size--Damage
Small--1d4
Medium-size--1d6
Large--1d8
Huge--2d6
Special Attacks: A vampire retains all the special attacks of the base creature and also gains those listed below.
Breathsteal (Su): As a full-round action, a vampire can attempt to suck the life from the lungs of an immobilized being. A Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ vampire’s Hit Dice + vampire’s Charisma modifier) may be made to resist this attack. The target takes 1d6 points of Constitution damage. The vampire regenerates 5 hit points per point of Constitution drained, and the drain continues until the victim is again mobilized, or the victim dies at 0 Constitution.
Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid slain by a vampire’s breathsteal attack rises as a vampire in its own right a day after burial.
Paralyzing Touch (Ex): A vampire’s cold touch may paralyze a victim. Make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ vampire’s Hit Dice + vampire’s Charisma modifier) or be rendered completely immobile for 1d6+2 minutes.
The Dark Paths (Su): A vampire may enter the Dark Paths whenever they are touching or partially in a shadow. The Dark Paths are the shadow of the world. Within the paths, a vampire may move as if it possessed a Cloak of Shadows (non-Théan campaigns may treat this power as a teleport without error spell cast by a sorcerer of a level equal to the vampire’s Hit Dice).
Special Qualities: A vampire retains all the special qualities of the base creature and those listed below, and also gains the outsider type.
Damage Reduction (Su): A vampire’s corpse-body is tough, giving the creature damage reduction 15/-.
Discorporation (Ex): When immobilized, the vampire may expel all manner of vermin from the host body. Each of these vermin hold the essence of the vampire-demon, and will crawl in search of a new corpse to infest. The demon remembers its previous incarnation, and will "overwrite" the new hosts’ identity with that of its previous host (it gains the class and level, skills, feats, and all other relevant statistics of the previous host).
Spider Climb (Ex): A vampire can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell.
Weaknesses (Ex): Powerful as they are, vampires possess several weaknesses and limitations. They are wholly unable to cross any body of running water (though they are able to do so by ship). They also cast no shadow, and can be detected in this way. Bringing a vampire to 0 hit points or less immobilizes it, but does not destroy it. Only dissolution of the body (as by cremation) destroys it.
Saves: Same as the base character
Abilities: Increase from the base character as follows: Str +6, Dex +4, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4.
Skills: Same as the base character
Feats: Same as the base character
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary or troop (1-6)
Challenge Rating: Same as the base character +3
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class
Although written for Swashbuckling Adventures, this should be usable in any d20 game. As you can see, I tried to go back to some of the folkloric vampire types rather than the level-drainer of DnD fame.
-----------------
THÉAN VAMPIRE
Called atemdieb by the inhabitants of Eisen, the vampires of Théah are not truly undead. Rather, they are a near-immaterial race of shadow demons released by the repeated use of certain sorcerous techniques. Vampires, as they are known in other languages, roam the countryside and take up residence in any available corpse they find. Once installed in a corpse, the vampire pursues goals known only to itself, abandoning bodies seemingly at random.
Vampires were first encountered, not surprisingly, by Die Kreuzritter knights, who often utilize Nacht sorcery. The phenomenon called "shadowburn" which assaults knights within the Paths, is thought to be related to, or even caused by, the vampires. Since vampires were first released centuries ago, their depredations have spread to other lands.
Creating a Théan Vampire
"Théan Vampire" is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the "base character"). The character becomes a vampire after his or her corpse is inhabited by the demon for a day. The creature’s type changes to "outsider". It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice: Same as the base character or increase to d8, whichever is higher.
Speed: Same as the base character
AC: Same as the base character
Attacks: A vampire retains all the attacks of the base creature and also gains a slam attack if it didn’t already have one.
Damage: A vampire gains 2 claw attacks, which deal damage as per the table below.
Size--Damage
Small--1d4
Medium-size--1d6
Large--1d8
Huge--2d6
Special Attacks: A vampire retains all the special attacks of the base creature and also gains those listed below.
Breathsteal (Su): As a full-round action, a vampire can attempt to suck the life from the lungs of an immobilized being. A Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ vampire’s Hit Dice + vampire’s Charisma modifier) may be made to resist this attack. The target takes 1d6 points of Constitution damage. The vampire regenerates 5 hit points per point of Constitution drained, and the drain continues until the victim is again mobilized, or the victim dies at 0 Constitution.
Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid slain by a vampire’s breathsteal attack rises as a vampire in its own right a day after burial.
Paralyzing Touch (Ex): A vampire’s cold touch may paralyze a victim. Make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ vampire’s Hit Dice + vampire’s Charisma modifier) or be rendered completely immobile for 1d6+2 minutes.
The Dark Paths (Su): A vampire may enter the Dark Paths whenever they are touching or partially in a shadow. The Dark Paths are the shadow of the world. Within the paths, a vampire may move as if it possessed a Cloak of Shadows (non-Théan campaigns may treat this power as a teleport without error spell cast by a sorcerer of a level equal to the vampire’s Hit Dice).
Special Qualities: A vampire retains all the special qualities of the base creature and those listed below, and also gains the outsider type.
Damage Reduction (Su): A vampire’s corpse-body is tough, giving the creature damage reduction 15/-.
Discorporation (Ex): When immobilized, the vampire may expel all manner of vermin from the host body. Each of these vermin hold the essence of the vampire-demon, and will crawl in search of a new corpse to infest. The demon remembers its previous incarnation, and will "overwrite" the new hosts’ identity with that of its previous host (it gains the class and level, skills, feats, and all other relevant statistics of the previous host).
Spider Climb (Ex): A vampire can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell.
Weaknesses (Ex): Powerful as they are, vampires possess several weaknesses and limitations. They are wholly unable to cross any body of running water (though they are able to do so by ship). They also cast no shadow, and can be detected in this way. Bringing a vampire to 0 hit points or less immobilizes it, but does not destroy it. Only dissolution of the body (as by cremation) destroys it.
Saves: Same as the base character
Abilities: Increase from the base character as follows: Str +6, Dex +4, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4.
Skills: Same as the base character
Feats: Same as the base character
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary or troop (1-6)
Challenge Rating: Same as the base character +3
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class
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