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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sir Brennen" data-source="post: 2903732" data-attributes="member: 553">I dunno, I think it's pretty managable. By receiving double feeding points from a victim of the same race, an 8th level Aristocrat vampire only needs to drain 4 CON points a day - not enough to kill the victim. A vampire will probably have a couple of victims charmed to feed off of regularly, and by dropping in on a random villager, he can supplement while his regulars heal. The village would appear to have some disease which leaves many enemic, and with strange, open sores on their necks, but only the occasional death. This fits in with the older myths of vampires being bringers of pestilence.A cleric vampire, even of low level, could keep himself even less conspicuous, casting Lesser Restoration on his charmed victims, so he could feed on the same person every night.However, I could see a vampire needing to drink less as he ages. After 10 years, he only needs his quota once a week; after a hundred, once a month. This is why there are so few vampires - the young ones are too agressive in their feeding and often get caught.As for the exact mechanic of the blood lust, I'd make it even more Anne Rice-y, in that it represents a struggle for some vampires. Make it a Will Save vs a DC of [12 + Vamp's Str Mod]. This is always based on the vampire's normal, unmodified Strength score, ignoring magical increases or ability damage. (Strength is the probably the best representation of what the vampire is trying to feed, and is also something which usually scales with size, per Nifft's suggestion. It also allows the vampire to try to keep from feeding everyday, if he needs to stay hidden or is having a crisis of consciousness.)For each day since the vampire's last feeding, the DC increases by 1. If the vampire has fed, but less than half his normal requirement, a check is still required, but the DC is reduced 2. Reduce it by 4 if he has drained half or more but still less than his full requirement. The check occurs at exactly noon each day, when the sun is at its highest.A failed save does 1d4 ability damage Strength or Dexterity (alternate between the two on each failed save) and 1 point of ability damage to Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma (alternate between the three on each failed save, or roll randomly.) I suggest this version of damage because lowering all stats equally will render the vampire incompetent to hunt long before he goes dormant, and will probably be destroyed. Also, using the Rice model, a starving vampire still retains his reason to some degree even when his physical attributes have dwindled to almost nothing.Another suggestion: Draining blood from animals or other non-sentient beings. The CON of these creatures only counts 1/2 for the vampire's requirements. Also, subtract the target's size modifier from the total amount drained for any victim. So, a rat (Tiny, CON 10) would only provide 3 CON points to a vampire: 10 CON/2 minus +2 size mod. A light horse (Large, CON 15) could provide 8 points in a feeding: 15 CON/2 minus -1 size mod. So a vamp could get by feeding off of animals, but it would be difficult.One last idea: Drinking after the heart stops. If a vampire drains a victim past 0 CON, he must make a Will Save vs a DC of (10 + Total CON drained from victim). Add +2 to the DC for each time this is done in the same night. A failed save causes the vampire to become sickened until he rests in his coffin for 24 hours.</blockquote>

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