A shadow vampire bugbear

[Jyokage]

Hello all. I was wondering what the hitpoints of a Shadow vampire bugbear would be. Would it just have the 3d8 from being a bugbear? Also I have no clue how to figure out the Wealth of this thing for equipment. (It's an enemy, not a pc). Any help would be appreciated.


Shadow Vampire (a hybrid of a Vampire and a Shadow) (DR348 p43)
Pale form that seems to flow out of the darkness.
Acquired Template that can be applied to Humanoid or Monstrous Humanoid.
Becomes an Undead (augmented).
Always Evil.

Lvl adjustment +10 /CR +2

[Eurus]

Hello all. I was wondering what the hitpoints of a Shadow vampire bugbear would be. Would it just have the 3d8 from being a bugbear? Also I have no clue how to figure out the Wealth of this thing for equipment. (It's an enemy, not a pc). Any help would be appreciated.


Shadow Vampire (a hybrid of a Vampire and a Shadow) (DR348 p43)
Pale form that seems to flow out of the darkness.
Acquired Template that can be applied to Humanoid or Monstrous Humanoid.
Becomes an Undead (augmented).
Always Evil.

Lvl adjustment +10 /CR +2

The fact that something would increase CR by only 2, but LA by 10 is truly sad. Yeah, it would probably only have 3d8 hit points unless you give it class levels.

[Jyokage]

Thank you. I wanted it to be tough though, because it's going to be a returning enemy. So do you think adding Class levels to it would be too much? I mean the thing has got 27 Ac with only a mithral chain shirt at cr 4. AC 23 with no armor.

Second to that, what would this thing have for wealth by the rules? :smallconfused:

[KillianHawkeye]

Second to that, what would this thing have for wealth by the rules? :smallconfused:

I'm pretty sure there's a wealth table for NPCs in the DMG somewhere. Or you can just give it whatever you think it should have.

[Jyokage]

Copy that. DMG you say? I do not know why that didn't occur to me.

[Flickerdart]

Actually, as an Undead creature, it should have 3d12 HP - usually, Undead templates change all HD to d12s.

[herrhauptmann]

Not sure how the 'shadow vampire' works but I'd swear there was an entry stating that the vampire template can't be applied to a creature with fewer than 6 HD. 5 or less means you actually have a vampire spawn.

Mind you, it's still possible to do it as you want. But as a warning, I took an old 4th level character of mine, threw on the vampire template, and used him as the final boss in the module "A dark and stormy knight."
Some of hte feats he was to have gained as a vampire, he already had, but I chose not to replace them, even with something as weak as toughness.
The party consisted of level 3 characters, aasimar favored soul, human monk1/sorc 2 (VoP), human VoP druid (primary spell was produce flame), goblin thief, elan psion (fire blasting).
In two rounds he was nearly killed by the druid and psion (3 hp left), then the melee characters got up to him. He destroyed 1 with a single crit on AOO, and beat the other 2 into negatives.
A tough fight, but he was a total glass cannon. The extra CR on him as an enemy was similar to putting half dragon on a first level PC.

[Flickerdart]

5 3rd level characters VS a CR7 enemy? Yeah, they weren't gonna make it, Vampire or no.

[Jyokage]

Hmm, Well I don't want this dude to be a spawn, so he would need at least two levels in a class huh? Maybe fighter, (I'm going for glass cannon here). :smallamused:

[KillianHawkeye]

Hmm, Well I don't want this dude to be a spawn, so he would need at least two levels in a class huh? Maybe fighter, (I'm going for glass cannon here). :smallamused:

That's for the standard vampire. Whether it also applies to the shadow vampire might be different. I don't have Dragon Magazine, though, so you're going to have to verify that yourself.

[Os1ris09]

5 3rd level characters VS a CR7 enemy? Yeah, they weren't gonna make it, Vampire or no.

I once beat a lvl 12 wizard NPC with my LVL 5 human ranger. No joke either I am being totally serious. :smallbiggrin:

Gotta love mage slayer and corners. :smallbiggrin:

[herrhauptmann]

5 3rd level characters VS a CR7 enemy? Yeah, they weren't gonna make it, Vampire or no.

CR 6 (level 4 human)by the numbers. He should've been a difficult fight, not an overpowering one.
And he was technically short 3 feats. When he was my character he got Combat Reflexes, Imp Init, and dodge (needed for a prereq, but DM wouldn't allow Desert Wind Dodge).
So by all that, he was weaker than he should've been.
Don't forget what I said about the elan and druid. Both of them, their primary attacks were fire based

[Escheton]

I first though of a half-vampire (LibrisMortis) shadow(Lords of Madness) bigbear there. Which I actually recommend you use. Because it's nifty, not because I know nothing of the shadow vampire you are using.
Also bugbear monks are always fun.

[Jyokage]

Actually I've just about finished the character, so I thought I might present this nasty dude to the playground. Any and all feedback is welcome.

Voughtwell
CE Shadow Vampire Bugbear (CR9)
Bugbear3/Dungeon Crasher Fighter 2
HP: 46
STR:25
DEX:18
INT:17
WIS:12
CHA:18

AC: 27/T 14/F 23 Init: 8
SAVES: FORT: 4 REF: 9 WILL: 2

Auto Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Init., Dodge, Lightning Reflexes

Abilities:
Strength: Damage on Natural and Slam attacks 1 STR dmg/gains 5 hp
Slam: 1d6 dmg
Blood Drain: for 1d4 constitution dmg/gains 5 temp hp
Dominate Person: Standard/RNG 30/ DC 16 will save or be affected by Dominate person ECL 12
Summon Shadows: 1x per day/Summons 1d4+1 Shadows that arrive in 2d6 rnds. Lasts for 1 hour
Shadow Jump: Can travel up to 1oo ft per day by traveling through shadows as if by Dimension Door. Can be broken up anyway you want.
Darkness: Can be cast CHA mod times per day, CL equals HD.
Shadow Form: Standard, can turn into an Animate Shadow/ gains +4 Escape artis/hide/move silent and gains concealment.
Special Qualities:
Fast Healing: 2/5 in shadowy illum or darker.
DR: 10 silver/magic
Turn Resistance +4
Cold/ Electric Resistance: 10
Light Weakness: Same as vampire plus sickened by magical light (like the daylight spell) takes a -2 to saves against spells with the light descriptor.
Or Alchemical items like Light Pellets.
Can Create Spawn same as a vampire. :-P
Turns into a shadow that is immune to damage at 0 hp, must return to coffin.

So this big guy is amazingly strong and I think coupling him with the dungeon crasher abilities for bullrushes and such will make him an enemy who can bust through walls and make witty remarks while doing it. :-) Now unfortunately I still need three feats. Improved NA maybe? Or up his special abilities? Make him a reach weapon lockdown guy? the options are there but with only three feats I'm slightly stumped. Any ideas?

[herrhauptmann]

Actually I've just about finished the character, so I thought I might present this nasty dude to the playground. Any and all feedback is welcome.

Voughtwell
CE Shadow Vampire Bugbear (CR9)
Bugbear3/Dungeon Crasher Fighter 2
HP: 46
STR:25
DEX:18
INT:17
WIS:12
CHA:18

AC: 27/T 14/F 23 Init: 8
SAVES: FORT: 4 REF: 9 WILL: 2

Auto Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Init., Dodge, Lightning Reflexes

So this big guy is amazingly strong and I think coupling him with the dungeon crasher abilities for bullrushes and such will make him an enemy who can bust through walls and make witty remarks while doing it. :-) Now unfortunately I still need three feats. Improved NA maybe? Or up his special abilities? Make him a reach weapon lockdown guy? the options are there but with only three feats I'm slightly stumped. Any ideas?

Spiked chain is always useful for a high dex character. Especially with combat reflexes. So typical lockdown or disarming build.
Exotic Weapon: Chain, Combat Expertise, Trip/Disarm. Perhaps a kusari gama (sp?) instead of spiked chain.
Bypass the exotic weapon and take a reach polearm for tripping, and strength draining anyone who gets adjacent.
BoVD and LoM both have feats for increasing your reach. LoM has willing deformity.