D&D 5E Vampires in 5e

[Eric V]

Just a question on how Vampires work in this edition.

So, if it is reduced to 0 hp in running water or sunlight, it's destroyed. Fine.

Let's say it is reduced to 0 on land at night...it goes into Misty Form. Said form is immune to all nonmagical damage except sunlight. The vampire does not regen in misty form either (if it assumes misty form as a result of damage)

What happens when my wizard fire bolts the vampire in said form? It's already at 0...

 

[Zaran]

Nothing. The best thing to do is to follow the mist back to the coffin and stake the vampire while it regenerates.

 

[Azurewraith]

Pretty much what Zaran said except don't stake it. Staking a vamp merely paralyzes them not kill them just lob a fireball at the coffin

 

[Mephista]

Stake them, cut off the head, burn the body to ash, and bury the ashes at a crossroad or in running water. Its the only way to be sure.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Just a question on how Vampires work in this edition.

So, if it is reduced to 0 hp in running water or sunlight, it's destroyed. Fine.

Let's say it is reduced to 0 on land at night...it goes into Misty Form. Said form is immune to all nonmagical damage except sunlight. The vampire does not regen in misty form either (if it assumes misty form as a result of damage)

What happens when my wizard fire bolts the vampire in said form? It's already at 0...

I would think that it dies. Misty form is a last gasp, not a cloud of invulnerability.

 

[steeldragons]

I would expect your firebolt goes flying through the cloud of mist and does damage to whatever it first strikes beyond it...or fizzles out at the end of its range.

The mist cloud will carry on its merry way to its coffin. Regenerate back to full health (unless you've somehow followed/tracked/found its coffin) and begin terrorizing the surrounding country again...seeking out wizards. Specifically, asking each before they meet a gruesome death or unlife of servitude, "Do you know/use the incantation to firebolt?" in search of the impudent churl who sought to slay them with a cantrip!

 

[steeldragons]

I would think that it dies. Misty form is a last gasp, not a cloud of invulnerability.

Invulnerable?...No.

InTANGible? ....Oh my yes.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Invulnerable?...No.

InTANGible? ....Oh my yes.

Sure, hence the invulnerability to non-magical damage. I'd let a magic longsword or arrow do the trick as well.

 

[steeldragons]

Dif'rent strokes n' all that.

 

[Eric V]

I would expect your firebolt goes flying through the cloud of mist and does damage to whatever it first strikes beyond it...or fizzles out at the end of its range.

The mist cloud will carry on its merry way to its coffin. Regenerate back to full health (unless you've somehow followed/tracked/found its coffin) and begin terrorizing the surrounding country again...seeking out wizards. Specifically, asking each before they meet a gruesome death or unlife of servitude, "Do you know/use the incantation to firebolt?" in search of the impudent churl who sought to slay them with a cantrip!

See, I remember that's how it worked in previous editions, but looking at the ruleset for vampires in 5e, I don't see how that interpretation is legit (standard disclaimer of DMs and their own tables, etc. etc.)

The mist form specifically is immune to nonmagical damage, but firebolt is most assuredly magical damage.

So, going specifically by the 5e rules for vampires, what happens? Does it count as a failed death saving throw? That seems the most logical to me, going by what's available.