PDA

View Full Version : Tiered Vampires (3.5)



NoobForHire
2012-03-05, 09:28 PM
With a few pointers from my brother, I put together a new style of vampire that advances in tiers, and also doesn't have that pesky energy drain that I'm not a fan of. I've been running a campaign based around these guys, and they seem to work as advertised. I'm not quite sure how to handle advancement, since these guys can get levels, too.

Anyway, here's a spoilered copypaste from my hefty word document. Critique away, please.
Tier One Vampire
Medium Undead (is small if the living creature was)
HP: 3d12 +3 (21)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 15 (+2 dex, +3 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+7
Attack: Slam +3 (1d6+2)
Full Attack: Slam +3 (1d6+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Blood Drain
Special Abilities: Vulnerability to fire, DR 1/silver, fast healing 2, +4 grapple bonus, vampire penalties.
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +4
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 14, Con -, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: Spot +6, Hide +8, Move Silently +8 Climb +10
Feats: Improved Initiative, Toughness

Vulnerability to fire: If a tier one vampire takes fire damage, it ignites. The vampire then takes 1d4 points of fire damage per round until the fire is extinguished. This fire can only be extinguished by magic or by spending a full round, uninterrupted, putting them out. This action provokes attacks of opportunity.

Vampire Penalties:
-A tier one vampire cannot cross running water. It can, however, be carried over. If immersed in running water, it takes 2d6 points of damage per round of immersion.
-A tier one vampire cannot enter buildings unless invited by someone who has that authority. They may freely enter public places, since these are by definition open to all.
-A tier one vampire, if exposed to natural sunlight, may make no actions other than move actions, and is compelled to do so. If the vampire cannot escape, it is utterly destroyed on the round after exposure.
-If a tier one vampire comes in contact with a holy symbol (such as by means of a touch attack), it takes 1d4 points of fire damage. If that holy symbol was silver, it takes 1d6 points instead.
-If a tier one vampire comes within 30 feet of a notable amount of garlic (such as a clove), it takes -2 on all checks until it or the garlic leaves the area.
-If a tier one vampire is pinned and staked in the heart, it is instantly destroyed.


Tier Two Vampire
Medium Undead (50% chance to be small if the living creature was)
HP: 5d12 +3 (33)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 16 (+2 dex, +4 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+8
Attack: Slam +4 (1d6+2)
Full Attack: Slam +4 (1d6+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Blood Drain
Special Abilities: Vulnerability to fire, DR 2/silver, fast healing 3, +4 grapple bonus, vampire penalties.
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +6
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con -, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 12
Skills: Spot +8, Hide +10, Move Silently +10 Climb +10
Feats: Improved Initiative, Toughness

Vulnerability to fire: If a tier two vampire takes fire damage, it ignites. The vampire then takes 1d3 points of fire damage per round until the fire is extinguished. This fire can only be extinguished by magic or by spending a full round, uninterrupted, putting them out. This action provokes attacks of opportunity.

Vampire Penalties:
-A tier two vampire cannot cross running water. It can, however, be carried over. If immersed in running water, it takes 2d4 points of damage per round of immersion.
-A tier two vampire cannot enter buildings unless invited by someone who has that authority. They may freely enter public places, since these are by definition open to all.
-A tier two vampire, if exposed to natural sunlight, may make no actions other than move actions, and is compelled to do so. If the vampire cannot escape, it takes 4d6 points of damage per round.
-If a tier two vampire comes in contact with a holy symbol (such as by means of a touch attack), it takes 1d4 points of fire damage. If that holy symbol was silver, it takes 1d6 points instead.
-If a tier two vampire comes within 20 feet of a notable amount of garlic (such as a clove), it takes -2 on all checks until it or the garlic leaves the area.
-If a tier two vampire is pinned and staked in the heart, it is instantly destroyed.

Tier Three Vampire
Medium Undead (20% chance to be small if the living creature was)
HP: 7d12 +3 (45)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 18 (+3 dex, +5 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+10
Attack: Slam +6 (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Slam +6 (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Blood Drain
Special Abilities: Vulnerability to fire, DR 3/silver, fast healing 5, +4 grapple bonus, vampire penalties, discorporate.
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +7
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 16, Con -, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 13
Skills: Spot +10, Hide +13, Move Silently +13 Climb +11
Feats: Improved Initiative, Toughness, Great Fortitude

Discorporate: As a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, a tier three vampire can leave all their equipment behind and turn into a swarm of flies, bats, rats, or spiders. This swarm has the same amount of hitpoints that the vampire had before it discorporated (minimum 1). If the vampire takes damage while trying to discorporate, the action fails. If a vampire hits 0 hitpoints (while not discorporated), it discorporates as a free action, provoking no attack of opportunity. The vampire can return to its normal form as a standard action.

Vulnerability to fire: If a tier three vampire takes fire damage, it ignites. The vampire then takes 1d2 points of fire damage per round until the fire is extinguished. This fire can only be extinguished by magic or by spending a full round, uninterrupted, putting them out. This action provokes attacks of opportunity.

Vampire Penalties:
-A tier three vampire cannot cross running water. It can, however, be carried over. If immersed in running water, it takes 1d6 points of damage per round of immersion.
-A tier three vampire cannot enter buildings unless invited by someone who has that authority. They may freely enter public places, since these are by definition open to all.
-A tier three vampire, if exposed to natural sunlight, may make no actions other than move actions, and is compelled to do so. If the vampire cannot escape, it takes 2d6 points of damage per round.
-If a tier three vampire comes in contact with a holy symbol (such as by means of a touch attack), it takes 1d4 points of fire damage. If that holy symbol was silver, it takes 1d6 points instead.
-If a tier three vampire comes within 20 feet of a notable amount of garlic (such as a clove), it takes -1 on all checks until it or the garlic leaves the area.
-If a tier three vampire is pinned and staked in the heart, it is paralyzed. If the stake is removed, the vampire falls to 0 hitpoints and discorporates.


Tier Four Vampire
Medium Undead
HP: 9d12 +3 (57)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 19 (+3 dex, +6 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+11
Attack: Slam +7 (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Slam +7 (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Blood Drain
Special Abilities: Vulnerability to fire, DR 5/silver, fast healing 5, +4 grapple bonus, vampire penalties, discorporate, spell-like abilities
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +9
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 17, Con -, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 14
Skills: Spot +12, Hide +15, Move Silently +15 Climb +11
Feats: Improved Initiative, Toughness, Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes

Discorporate: As a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, a tier four vampire can leave all their equipment behind and turn into a swarm of flies, bats, rats, or spiders. This swarm has the same amount of hitpoints that the vampire had before it discorporated (minimum 1). If the vampire takes damage while trying to discorporate, the action fails. If a vampire hits 0 hitpoints (while not discorporated), it discorporates as a free action, provoking no attack of opportunity. The vampire can return to its normal form as a standard action.

Vulnerability to fire: If a tier four vampire takes fire damage, it ignites. The vampire then takes 1 point of fire damage per round until the fire is extinguished. This fire can only be extinguished by magic or by spending a full round, uninterrupted, putting them out. This action provokes attacks of opportunity.

Vampire Penalties:
-A tier four vampire cannot cross running water. It can, however, be carried over. If immersed in running water, it takes 1d3 points of damage per round of immersion.
-A tier four vampire cannot enter buildings unless invited by someone who has that authority. They may freely enter public places, since these are by definition open to all.
-A tier four vampire, if exposed to natural sunlight, may make no actions other than move actions, and is compelled to do so. If the vampire cannot escape, it takes 1d6 points of damage per round.
-If a tier four vampire comes in contact with a holy symbol (such as by means of a touch attack), it takes 1d4 points of fire damage. If that holy symbol was silver, it takes 1d6 points instead.
-If a tier four vampire comes within 10 feet of a notable amount of garlic (such as a clove), it takes -1 on all checks until it or the garlic leaves the area.
-If a tier four vampire is pinned and staked in the heart, it is paralyzed. If the stake is
removed, the vampire falls to 0 hitpoints and discorporates.

Spell-like abilities: A tier four vampire can cast some spells as a 9th level sorcerer
5/day: Inflict Light Wounds, Command, Obscuring Mist, Feather Fall
3/day: Web, See Invisibility, Summon Swarm, Spider Climb, Hold Person, Charm Person
1/day: Inflict Serious Wounds, Haste, Bestow Curse, Charm Monster


Tier Five Vampire
Medium Undead
HP: 11d12 +3 (69)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 22 (+4 dex, +8 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+13
Attack: Slam +9 (1d6+4)
Full Attack: Slam +9 (1d6+4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Blood Drain
Special Abilities: Vulnerability to fire, DR 7/silver, fast healing 7, +4 grapple bonus, vampire penalties, discorporate, spell-like abilities
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +10
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 18, Con -, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 15
Skills: Spot +14, Hide +17, Move Silently +17 Climb +12
Feats: Improved Initiative, Toughness, Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes

Discorporate: As a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, a tier five vampire can turn into a gaseous shape (as the spell, but without for an unlimited duration). If the vampire takes damage while trying to discorporate, the action fails. If a vampire hits 0 hitpoints (while not discorporated), it discorporates as a free action, provoking no attack of opportunity. The vampire can return to its normal form as a standard action.

Vulnerability to fire: If a tier five vampire takes fire damage, it ignites. The vampire then takes 1 point of fire damage per round until the fire is extinguished. This fire can only be extinguished by magic or by spending a full round, uninterrupted, putting them out. This action provokes attacks of opportunity.

Vampire Penalties:
-A tier five vampire cannot cross running water. It can, however, be carried over.
-A tier five vampire cannot enter buildings unless invited by someone who has that authority. They may freely enter public places, since these are by definition open to all.
-A tier five vampire, if exposed to natural sunlight, may make no actions other than move actions, and is compelled to do so. It is also dazzled for as long as it remains in the sunlight.
-If a tier five vampire comes in contact with a holy symbol (such as by means of a touch attack), it takes 1d4 points of fire damage. If that holy symbol was silver, it takes 1d6 points instead.
-If a tier five vampire comes within 5 feet of a notable amount of garlic (such as a clove), it takes -1 on all checks until it or the garlic leaves the area.
-If a tier five vampire is pinned and staked in the heart, it is paralyzed. If the stake is
removed, the vampire falls to 0 hitpoints and discorporates.

Spell-like abilities: A tier five vampire can cast some spells as a 11th level sorcerer
7/day: Inflict Light Wounds, Command, Obscuring Mist, Feather Fall
5/day: Web, See Invisibility, Summon Swarm, Spider Climb, Hold Person, Charm Person
3/day: Inflict Serious Wounds, Haste, Bestow Curse, Charm Monster, Hold Monster
1/day: Dominate Person, Teleport


Tier Six Vampire
Medium Undead
HP: 13d12 +3 (81)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 24 (+4 dex, +10 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+14
Attack: Slam +10 (1d6+4)
Full Attack: Slam +10 (1d6+4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Blood Drain
Special Abilities: DR 10/silver, fast healing 10, +4 grapple bonus, vampire penalties, discorporate, spell-like abilities
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +11, Will +14
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 19, Con -, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 16
Skills: Spot +17, Hide +19, Move Silently +19 Climb +12
Feats: Improved Initiative, Toughness, Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Iron Will

Discorporate: As a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, a tier six vampire can turn into a gaseous shape (as the spell, but without for an unlimited duration). If the vampire takes damage while trying to discorporate, the action fails. If a vampire hits 0 hitpoints (while not discorporated), it discorporates as a free action, provoking no attack of opportunity. The vampire can return to its normal form as a standard action.

Vampire Penalties:
-A tier six vampire cannot cross running water. It can, however, be carried over.
-A tier six vampire cannot enter buildings unless invited by someone who has that authority. They may freely enter public places, since these are by definition open to all.
-A tier six vampire, if exposed to natural sunlight, becomes dazzled for as long as it remains in sunlight
-If a tier six vampire comes in contact with a holy symbol (such as by means of a touch attack), it takes 1d4 points of fire damage. If that holy symbol was silver, it takes 1d6 points instead.
-Tier six vampires are unaffected by garlic.
-If a tier six vampire is pinned and staked in the heart, it is paralyzed. If the stake is
removed, the vampire falls to 0 hitpoints and discorporates.

Spell-like abilities: A tier six vampire can cast some spells as a 13th level sorcerer. If a tier six vampire continues to gain hit dice, this level increases by the same amount.
9/day: Inflict Light Wounds, Command, Obscuring Mist, Feather Fall
7/day: Web, See Invisibility, Summon Swarm, Spider Climb, Hold Person, Charm Person
5/day: Inflict Serious Wounds, Haste, Bestow Curse, Charm Monster, Hold Monster
3/day: Dominate Person, Teleport, Dispel Magic
1/day: Antimagic Field, True Seeing


Abilities
Blood Drain: If a vampire pins an opponent, or if the opponent is asleep or helpless, the vampire can then begin to drain blood from that opponent. It drains 1d4 points of Con per round that the pin is maintained, and gains 5 hitpoints for each point of Con drained this way. If a humanoid is drained to 0 Con by a vampire, it might rise as a vampire (see Creating a Vampire).

Skills: A vampire gets a +8 bonus to Climb checks, and can take 10 at any time.

Creating a Vampire: If a vampire kills a Medium or Small humanoid through use of its blood drain attack, and then feeds that creature some of the vampire’s blood, that creature will rise as a tier one vampire at midnight of the following night. Vampires will defer to a vampire of a higher tier, and often take orders from them. Vampires may make a will save to resist being given orders (DC 10+difference in HDx2)

Advancing Tiers: A vampire gains experience for vampire HD only from draining victims. When it would advance enough hit dice to advance a tier, it must go spend a full night in self-contemplation. When this is complete, the vampire advances a tier.

“Pets”: A vampire can feed a creature its blood without draining it. If it feeds an animal, magical beast, humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or dragon that has lower HD than the vampire, the creature becomes one of the vampire’s pets. A vampire’s pets gain +4 Str, Dex, and Con, and will carry out that vampire’s spoken orders unquestioningly. The creature will refuse to take any action that it deems harmful to its master. Otherwise, the creature remains normal. A vampire can have a number of pets less than or equal to its hit dice. If a vampire is killed, its pets return to normal over the next four days, losing one point of bonus Str, Dex, and Con on each of those days.

Undead Anomalies: A vampire has all undead traits except for the immunity to critical hits. A vampire can take critical hits and sneak attacks just like any normal creature. (not sure if I want to keep this, probably won’t)

The Mentalist
2012-03-06, 02:11 AM
1. Vampire tends to be a template (and is wonderful that way in my personal opinion.)
2. You may want to put each tier in it's own spoiler if we're going to salvage this idea.
3. I fail to see why small creatures advance to medium size when they get afflicted. Do they swell with blood or something?
4. Why only small or medium humanoids for the affliction? No more gnoll vampires? Or Ogre Vamps? (Though ogre vampires would suffer quite a bit in the early tiers)
5. What happens to their class levels? Do they gain the racial HD on top of them or do they lose them? (Although I suppose this is unimportant if you're taking this from being a template.
6. Why do the highest tier Vampires seem like mid level mobs? Should Vampire Lords not be some of the most frightening things you will ever face? (Alucard from Hellsing, Dracula from Castlevania, Akasha from Anne Rice)
7. Easy exploit for tier 1-2 vamps is to use even a little bit of fire on them and watch them burn, a full-round action whenever you take fire damage (The most common energy type in the game) seems like a bit of a shot in the foot.

That's enough for now. I will be back with more.

(Note: I have nothing against a vampire aging or generation mechanic, this just doesn't seem like it yet)

Grimsage Matt
2012-03-06, 07:39 AM
Just add the Darkminded and unliving subtypes, and make a distienction between these ones and the nones in the MM, like their seprerate strains of vampire.

NoobForHire
2012-03-06, 03:47 PM
1. Vampire tends to be a template (and is wonderful that way in my personal opinion.)
2. You may want to put each tier in it's own spoiler if we're going to salvage this idea.
3. I fail to see why small creatures advance to medium size when they get afflicted. Do they swell with blood or something?
4. Why only small or medium humanoids for the affliction? No more gnoll vampires? Or Ogre Vamps? (Though ogre vampires would suffer quite a bit in the early tiers)
5. What happens to their class levels? Do they gain the racial HD on top of them or do they lose them? (Although I suppose this is unimportant if you're taking this from being a template.
6. Why do the highest tier Vampires seem like mid level mobs? Should Vampire Lords not be some of the most frightening things you will ever face? (Alucard from Hellsing, Dracula from Castlevania, Akasha from Anne Rice)
7. Easy exploit for tier 1-2 vamps is to use even a little bit of fire on them and watch them burn, a full-round action whenever you take fire damage (The most common energy type in the game) seems like a bit of a shot in the foot.

That's enough for now. I will be back with more.

(Note: I have nothing against a vampire aging or generation mechanic, this just doesn't seem like it yet)

1. Yes, but I just didn't really like the way it worked, so I wanted to try something new.
2. Done.
3. Good point. Should I make them stay that size or all be medium?
4. Only humanoids can get it, so large creatures don't really matter.
5. They lose the class levels.
6. After tier six they can't get any new tiers, but they can still gain HD.
7. Of course, but they still have their fast healing and it's not a whole lot of damage anyway.

Thank you for your time.

Tanuki Tales
2012-03-06, 03:52 PM
Just as a suggestion, you might want to take a leaf out of Pathfinder's book and let anything living be a vampire. They mention how most vampires tend to be humanoids but it saves you the time and the hassle if, at some point down the line, you decide you want monster vampires and feel like you need to make a whole new template just for them (like several third party sources did for 3.5).