Vampire energy drain and LA question

[Darklone]

Reading the vampires energy drain ability, it looks like he can use it now several times per round... given appropriate numbers of attacks. Is that true and how many PCs did you kill yet with vampire monks ?

Second question: A PC turned NPC and vampire is a CR +2 but LA +8? I mean, I can safely send a level 9 vampire against a level 11 group, right?

 

[mikebr99]

Reading the vampires energy drain ability, it looks like he can use it now several times per round... given appropriate numbers of attacks. Is that true and how many PCs did you kill yet with vampire monks ?

Second question: A PC turned NPC and vampire is a CR +2 but LA +8? I mean, I can safely send a level 9 vampire against a level 11 group, right?

Right... a 9th level monk vampire is a CR11 encounter. He just not going up any time soon.


Mike

 

[mikebr99]

And see p.252 of the MM for energy drain... it can only be used once per round.


Mike

 

[Darklone]

And see p.252 of the MM for energy drain... it can only be used once per round.

Ah thanks

That's what I was looking for!

 

[Hypersmurf]

Reading the vampires energy drain ability, it looks like he can use it now several times per round... given appropriate numbers of attacks.

Notice that even apart from the "once per round" limitation, it only works with natural weapons, not unarmed strikes...

-Hyp.

 

[Li Shenron]

Notice that even apart from the "once per round" limitation, it only works with natural weapons, not unarmed strikes...

-Hyp.

Sounds like it drains only if it hits with its claws, but not with a punch However, this and the one/round limit are vampire-specific right? Not a general rule I hope... otherwise I am sure I did some mistake in the past :\

Also I'd like to toss in my opinion that +2 CR is very low, a well-played vampire is much stronger than that!

 

[Darklone]

Yeah, I only saw this once per round limitation so far (thanks to mikes help) at the vampire desc... perhaps some other monsters list it as well, but I didn't find it in the general descriptions.

CR +2 is horribly low. A well played vampire level 5 (minimum) or even a vampire spawn could easily defeat an average CR 8 group of a friend with wise choices of Dominate Person and other fun. Hit and Run tactics thanks to Fast Healing and the spiderclimb stuff work nice as well.

I can see vampires being much less of a threat for high level characters, but below level 8-10 the characters saving throws and abilities to counter the special attacks are rather weak.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I guess the "Dominate trick" is more a problem with the spell in general. (Summon Monster of your level combined with a "daze/hold" monster spell in one)

 

[Hypersmurf]

Sounds like it drains only if it hits with its claws, but not with a punch

Well, it can drain with a slam, since vampires gain a Slam attack (as a natural attack).

A monk doesn't use a Slam, though, he uses an unarmed strike. They're quite different, even though from a cinematic point of view they both look like a punch.

-Hyp.

 

[Darklone]

Hmm, so we need a spectre barbarian/EK with Whirling Frenzy and Haste ?