ArcturusV
2013-09-22, 03:55 AM
Preface:
Due to another topic, someone was asking how to make an effective Vampire Character. A lot of talk was about how the LA was borked, and to lower the amount of LA from 8, to even 2 or maybe 1. But I took a different approach, and decided to revamp the Vampire Spawn Monster Class from Liber Mortis.
As follows is what I came up with. And I hope to get some interest and play testing done for it. At the very least, it'll be up here if someone ever gets an itch to play a Vampire of a different ilk.
Design Goals:
I wanted a Vampire Class that was good to go "Right out of the Box". I wanted it to feel familiar to people as a Vampire and not just "Necropolitan with some vampire references" or the like.
As well I wanted to do something different with it. I wanted the Vampire on a sliding scale of turning. Meaning that when you take level 1 of a Vampire Class, it's fully effective in some ways. You don't have very many of the Powers, but you also have none of the crippling vampire weaknesses. As you gain in levels in the Vampire Class, you open up more powers, but you also start gaining more advanced weaknesses. The idea was, hopefully, that unlike the Liber Mortis Monster classes it would be worth going part way through. It wasn't meant for just a one level dip, or hoping for a full ride to eventually pay off, but that a player could choose various cut off points to suit his flavor of Vampiric Character Design.
Nuts and Bolt:
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Vampire's Might I, Vampire's Mantle I, Vampire's Blood I, Vampire's Frailty I
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3| Vampire's Mantle II, Vampire's Resilience I, Vampire's Frailty II
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+3| Vampire's Might II, Vampire's Blood II, Vampire's Frailty III
4th|
+2|
+1|
+4|
+4| Vampire's Mantle III, Vampire's Resilience II, Vampire's Frailty IV
5th|
+2|
+1|
+4|
+4| Vampire's Might III, Vampire's Blood III, Vampire's Frailty V
6th|
+3|
+2|
+5|
+5| Vampire's Mantle IV, Vampire's Resilience III, Vampire's Frailty VI
7th|
+3|
+2|
+5|
+5| Vampire's Might IV, Vampire's Blood IV, Vampire's Frailty VII
8th|
+4|
+2|
+6|
+6| Vampire's Mantle V, Vampire's Resilience IV, Vampire's Frailty VIII[/table]
Vampire Monster Class:
You may take this class at level 1, or at any point afterwards that you have been turned by another Vampire (Involving killing you, losing your last gained level, and granting you level 1 of this class). Upon taking your first level of this class, your creature type changes to Undead, gaining the traits common to that type, your Constitution score becoming --. You hit dice all change to d12s, both future and past, regardless of Class. You use your Charisma modifier instead of Constitution for related checks (Fort Saving throws, Concentration checks, number of rounds you can Rage, rolling for Hit Points per level, etc). When you take your first level of the Vampire Class, you keep your original Race Traits (Stat Adjustments, Racial Feats, Skill bonuses, bonus languages, etc), and may still consider yourself a member of that race for prerequisites. You do not have to finish the Vampire Monster class once you take it, but may multiclass out freely. If you ever are restored to a non-undead state, you lose all effects of your Vampire class levels with no compensation.
Vampires are built to feed and operate in civilization. No one can just "Tell" you are a vampire by looking at you. Deception is important, as older, more powerful vampires have crippling weaknesses mortals may prey upon if they guess the nature of the creature.
Class Skills:
Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Disguise, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Religion), Knowledge (History). Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Spot.
Skill points per level 4 + Int Mod (4 + Int x 4 at first level).
Hit Dice: d12 per level plus Charisma Modifier
Proficiencies: Vampires are proficient with all Simple weapons. Vampires are proficient with Light Armor, but no type of shield.
Class Features:
Vampire's Might:
Starting at 1st level you gain a natural bite attack, inflicting 1d4 damage + your strength modifier.
At level 3 you gain two claw attacks, dealing 1d6 + half your strength modifier damage, you may use the claw attacks in addition to your bite at -5 to attack. Your Bite now deals Constitution damage to Animal, Humanoid, Monstrous Humanoid targets, instead of lethal damage (Still does lethal damage to other targets).
At level 5 each point of constitution damage you inflict with your bite grants you 2 Temporary HP, Temporary HP do not stack, if you already have Temporary HP when you use this ability, you gain the higher of the two totals (Current Temp HP or the Temp HP from the attack). Temporary HP lasts for up to 10 minutes per level of Vampire you have, after which they disappear. When you successfully deal constitution damage with your bite attack you gain 1 Blood Point, regardless of the damage dealt.
At level 7 if you should drain a target to 0 Constitution with your Bite attack, it dies. 1d4 days later, if the body is still intact and has not been blessed/buried in consecrated ground, it raises as a Ghoul under your control. If it is buried or otherwise placed in a desecrated area, it is raised as a Vampire Spawn instead (Either apply the Vampire Spawn Template, or give them 1 level, replacing their highest level, of the Vampire Monster Class here).
Vampire's Mantle:
At level 1 you gain +1 Natural AC for every level of Vampire you have. You gain a +2 Racial bonus to Balance, Climb, Move Silently, and Hide. This bonus explicitly stacks with any racial bonus that your original race may have had.
At level 2 your Racial Bonus to Balance, Climb, Move Silently, and Hide increases to +4.
At level 4, when you are undetected by a target you deal double damage on your first attack against the target (Target must be unaware of you and flatfooted in relation to you. Being invisible would not count by itself, invisible and hiding would. Having a target balancing, but aware of you, would not count).
At level 6 you are considered to have the effects of the Spider Climb spell active at all times. Additionally you may use Run and Charge actions while under the effects of Spider Climb's movement.
At level 8 you may spend a Blood Point to Fly (As per the spell, with Caster Level equal to your Vampire Level plus any Arcane Caster Levels) as an swift action.
Vampire's Blood:
At level 1 you may feast upon any humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or animal that has been killed in the last 10 minutes. If you do so, you gain a blood point.
You may spend a Blood Point to take 10 on a check even if threatened, gain a +2 bonus to a single roll (Attack, damage, skill checks, etc), spending up to 3 times your Vampire Level in Blood Points on a single roll.
Each Sunset you lose a number of Blood Points equal to 2 times your Vampire Class Levels. This loss cannot reduce your blood points to less than zero.
At level 3 you may spend a Blood Point to make a target attacking you, making an opposed skill check, or making a saving throw against an effect you caused reroll after seeing their result. The target is forced to use the worst of the two results.
At level 5 you may spend Blood Points to spontaneously cast a Necromancy, Illusion, or Enchantment spell off the Sorcerer/Wizard list (You do not suffer Arcane Spell Failure from Armor/Shields while using this ability). You must spend blood points equal to the minimum caster level needed to cast the spell. You cannot spend more Blood Points on this ability than you have Vampire Levels. You cannot apply metamagic to spells cast this way. You may use Blood Point spells to fulfill magical crafting requirements. Your Caster Level is considered equal to your Vampire Class levels for the purpose of taking item creation feats and creating magical items (Stacks with any Arcane caster levels you may already have).
At level 7 you may spend Blood Points on spells equal to twice your Vampire Level, rather than equal to. You may still only cast spells that a wizard/sorcerer of levels equal to your Vampire Level may cast (e.g.: You may cast a level 5 spell as if you had a caster level of 14). This may be used to reach higher caster level requirements on item crafting.
Vampiric Resilience:
At level 2, you gain +2 in either Charisma, Dexterity, or Strength, and a +2 in either Wisdom or Intelligence.
At level 4, you get another +2 in Charisma, Dexterity, or Strength, and +2 in Wisdom or Intelligence.
At level 6, you gain DR 5/Silver or Holy.
At level 8, you gain DR 10/Silver and Holy.
Vampiric Frailty:
At level 1, you ignore the Vampire Weaknesses, they do not apply to you other than the following: If you are reduced to zero HP, you turn to mist to return to a coffin/grave. If you cannot return to one in 2 hours, you die. If you do, you are comatose and helpless until the next sunset (Must be at least 6 hours), at which time you rise with full HP and no Blood Points. During the time you are comatose you may be killed by anyone either using a wooden stake through your heart or using a coup de grace action on you.
At level 2, if you are ever without Blood Points, you lose the effects of Vampiric Resilience and Vampiric Mantle.
At level 3, while you are exposed to Sunlight for more than 1 hour straight, you are Fatigued. If you are Fatigued and remain in the sun for more than 1 additional hour, you are Exhausted, effects that protect vampires from Sunlight also ward off this effect.
At level 4 you may be Turned/Rebuked by Clerics, though are given +8 Turn Resistance. Before level 4 you are not able to be Turned/Rebuked.
At level 5 someone who is aware of your existence as a Vampire may ward you off with a Holy Symbol if they are a true believer and it is a true symbol of faith (No impromptu/accidental symbols, if the person does not truly follow the faith of the icon it has no effect). To Ward you off, someone must present the symbol boldly and openly (Thus cannot be used if Shaken, Sickened, Dazed, etc) and spend a Standard Action to do so. Vampires who are warded off in such a manner cannot approach their target, make attacks, cast spells, or use spell like abilities against the the Warder.
At level 6 exposure to Sunlight inflicts 2d4 damage to you per hour that cannot be prevented by any means. You may heal this damage normally, and effects that prevent a vampire from suffering ill effects from sunlight will prolong the countdown until the next burst of damage. This damage is in addition to the effects of level 3 Vampiric Frailty.
At level 7 any Fire spell/SLA or spell/SLA that inflicts Holy/Sanctified/Divine damage to you is effectively Empowered (As per the Metamagic) for free (No level adjustment or casting time adjustment) (Does not effect already empowered spells, only effects the damage you, personally, take in the case of more than one target).
At level 8 You may be Commanded/Destroyed by Clerics, and your Turn Resistance is lowered to +4. True Believers presenting a Holy Symbol not only wards you off but inflicts 6d6 Holy Damage per round. Sunlight will destroy you if you are exposed to it for more than 1 hour. You may spend 10 blood points to ignore one hour of exposure to sunlight, in addition to other means that Vampires may use to avoid sunlight exposure.
Well there you go. Vampire Monster Class. I hope to have a game where I can try it out (Or con a player into trying it out) fairly soonish. If someone want to critique, or heaven forbid, help playtest and tell me the results, I welcome it with open arms.
I do ask that any comments are at least mildly constructive. I know someone made a Vampire Class out there already but I think this has a different feel, not being as front loaded and designed around a sliding scale where you embrace more of your Vampiric Nature, and it's gifts, but become weaker as a result.
Anyway, quite interested to see what this ends up like around the table. Here's hoping.
Due to another topic, someone was asking how to make an effective Vampire Character. A lot of talk was about how the LA was borked, and to lower the amount of LA from 8, to even 2 or maybe 1. But I took a different approach, and decided to revamp the Vampire Spawn Monster Class from Liber Mortis.
As follows is what I came up with. And I hope to get some interest and play testing done for it. At the very least, it'll be up here if someone ever gets an itch to play a Vampire of a different ilk.
Design Goals:
I wanted a Vampire Class that was good to go "Right out of the Box". I wanted it to feel familiar to people as a Vampire and not just "Necropolitan with some vampire references" or the like.
As well I wanted to do something different with it. I wanted the Vampire on a sliding scale of turning. Meaning that when you take level 1 of a Vampire Class, it's fully effective in some ways. You don't have very many of the Powers, but you also have none of the crippling vampire weaknesses. As you gain in levels in the Vampire Class, you open up more powers, but you also start gaining more advanced weaknesses. The idea was, hopefully, that unlike the Liber Mortis Monster classes it would be worth going part way through. It wasn't meant for just a one level dip, or hoping for a full ride to eventually pay off, but that a player could choose various cut off points to suit his flavor of Vampiric Character Design.
Nuts and Bolt:
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Vampire's Might I, Vampire's Mantle I, Vampire's Blood I, Vampire's Frailty I
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3| Vampire's Mantle II, Vampire's Resilience I, Vampire's Frailty II
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+3| Vampire's Might II, Vampire's Blood II, Vampire's Frailty III
4th|
+2|
+1|
+4|
+4| Vampire's Mantle III, Vampire's Resilience II, Vampire's Frailty IV
5th|
+2|
+1|
+4|
+4| Vampire's Might III, Vampire's Blood III, Vampire's Frailty V
6th|
+3|
+2|
+5|
+5| Vampire's Mantle IV, Vampire's Resilience III, Vampire's Frailty VI
7th|
+3|
+2|
+5|
+5| Vampire's Might IV, Vampire's Blood IV, Vampire's Frailty VII
8th|
+4|
+2|
+6|
+6| Vampire's Mantle V, Vampire's Resilience IV, Vampire's Frailty VIII[/table]
Vampire Monster Class:
You may take this class at level 1, or at any point afterwards that you have been turned by another Vampire (Involving killing you, losing your last gained level, and granting you level 1 of this class). Upon taking your first level of this class, your creature type changes to Undead, gaining the traits common to that type, your Constitution score becoming --. You hit dice all change to d12s, both future and past, regardless of Class. You use your Charisma modifier instead of Constitution for related checks (Fort Saving throws, Concentration checks, number of rounds you can Rage, rolling for Hit Points per level, etc). When you take your first level of the Vampire Class, you keep your original Race Traits (Stat Adjustments, Racial Feats, Skill bonuses, bonus languages, etc), and may still consider yourself a member of that race for prerequisites. You do not have to finish the Vampire Monster class once you take it, but may multiclass out freely. If you ever are restored to a non-undead state, you lose all effects of your Vampire class levels with no compensation.
Vampires are built to feed and operate in civilization. No one can just "Tell" you are a vampire by looking at you. Deception is important, as older, more powerful vampires have crippling weaknesses mortals may prey upon if they guess the nature of the creature.
Class Skills:
Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Disguise, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Religion), Knowledge (History). Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Spot.
Skill points per level 4 + Int Mod (4 + Int x 4 at first level).
Hit Dice: d12 per level plus Charisma Modifier
Proficiencies: Vampires are proficient with all Simple weapons. Vampires are proficient with Light Armor, but no type of shield.
Class Features:
Vampire's Might:
Starting at 1st level you gain a natural bite attack, inflicting 1d4 damage + your strength modifier.
At level 3 you gain two claw attacks, dealing 1d6 + half your strength modifier damage, you may use the claw attacks in addition to your bite at -5 to attack. Your Bite now deals Constitution damage to Animal, Humanoid, Monstrous Humanoid targets, instead of lethal damage (Still does lethal damage to other targets).
At level 5 each point of constitution damage you inflict with your bite grants you 2 Temporary HP, Temporary HP do not stack, if you already have Temporary HP when you use this ability, you gain the higher of the two totals (Current Temp HP or the Temp HP from the attack). Temporary HP lasts for up to 10 minutes per level of Vampire you have, after which they disappear. When you successfully deal constitution damage with your bite attack you gain 1 Blood Point, regardless of the damage dealt.
At level 7 if you should drain a target to 0 Constitution with your Bite attack, it dies. 1d4 days later, if the body is still intact and has not been blessed/buried in consecrated ground, it raises as a Ghoul under your control. If it is buried or otherwise placed in a desecrated area, it is raised as a Vampire Spawn instead (Either apply the Vampire Spawn Template, or give them 1 level, replacing their highest level, of the Vampire Monster Class here).
Vampire's Mantle:
At level 1 you gain +1 Natural AC for every level of Vampire you have. You gain a +2 Racial bonus to Balance, Climb, Move Silently, and Hide. This bonus explicitly stacks with any racial bonus that your original race may have had.
At level 2 your Racial Bonus to Balance, Climb, Move Silently, and Hide increases to +4.
At level 4, when you are undetected by a target you deal double damage on your first attack against the target (Target must be unaware of you and flatfooted in relation to you. Being invisible would not count by itself, invisible and hiding would. Having a target balancing, but aware of you, would not count).
At level 6 you are considered to have the effects of the Spider Climb spell active at all times. Additionally you may use Run and Charge actions while under the effects of Spider Climb's movement.
At level 8 you may spend a Blood Point to Fly (As per the spell, with Caster Level equal to your Vampire Level plus any Arcane Caster Levels) as an swift action.
Vampire's Blood:
At level 1 you may feast upon any humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or animal that has been killed in the last 10 minutes. If you do so, you gain a blood point.
You may spend a Blood Point to take 10 on a check even if threatened, gain a +2 bonus to a single roll (Attack, damage, skill checks, etc), spending up to 3 times your Vampire Level in Blood Points on a single roll.
Each Sunset you lose a number of Blood Points equal to 2 times your Vampire Class Levels. This loss cannot reduce your blood points to less than zero.
At level 3 you may spend a Blood Point to make a target attacking you, making an opposed skill check, or making a saving throw against an effect you caused reroll after seeing their result. The target is forced to use the worst of the two results.
At level 5 you may spend Blood Points to spontaneously cast a Necromancy, Illusion, or Enchantment spell off the Sorcerer/Wizard list (You do not suffer Arcane Spell Failure from Armor/Shields while using this ability). You must spend blood points equal to the minimum caster level needed to cast the spell. You cannot spend more Blood Points on this ability than you have Vampire Levels. You cannot apply metamagic to spells cast this way. You may use Blood Point spells to fulfill magical crafting requirements. Your Caster Level is considered equal to your Vampire Class levels for the purpose of taking item creation feats and creating magical items (Stacks with any Arcane caster levels you may already have).
At level 7 you may spend Blood Points on spells equal to twice your Vampire Level, rather than equal to. You may still only cast spells that a wizard/sorcerer of levels equal to your Vampire Level may cast (e.g.: You may cast a level 5 spell as if you had a caster level of 14). This may be used to reach higher caster level requirements on item crafting.
Vampiric Resilience:
At level 2, you gain +2 in either Charisma, Dexterity, or Strength, and a +2 in either Wisdom or Intelligence.
At level 4, you get another +2 in Charisma, Dexterity, or Strength, and +2 in Wisdom or Intelligence.
At level 6, you gain DR 5/Silver or Holy.
At level 8, you gain DR 10/Silver and Holy.
Vampiric Frailty:
At level 1, you ignore the Vampire Weaknesses, they do not apply to you other than the following: If you are reduced to zero HP, you turn to mist to return to a coffin/grave. If you cannot return to one in 2 hours, you die. If you do, you are comatose and helpless until the next sunset (Must be at least 6 hours), at which time you rise with full HP and no Blood Points. During the time you are comatose you may be killed by anyone either using a wooden stake through your heart or using a coup de grace action on you.
At level 2, if you are ever without Blood Points, you lose the effects of Vampiric Resilience and Vampiric Mantle.
At level 3, while you are exposed to Sunlight for more than 1 hour straight, you are Fatigued. If you are Fatigued and remain in the sun for more than 1 additional hour, you are Exhausted, effects that protect vampires from Sunlight also ward off this effect.
At level 4 you may be Turned/Rebuked by Clerics, though are given +8 Turn Resistance. Before level 4 you are not able to be Turned/Rebuked.
At level 5 someone who is aware of your existence as a Vampire may ward you off with a Holy Symbol if they are a true believer and it is a true symbol of faith (No impromptu/accidental symbols, if the person does not truly follow the faith of the icon it has no effect). To Ward you off, someone must present the symbol boldly and openly (Thus cannot be used if Shaken, Sickened, Dazed, etc) and spend a Standard Action to do so. Vampires who are warded off in such a manner cannot approach their target, make attacks, cast spells, or use spell like abilities against the the Warder.
At level 6 exposure to Sunlight inflicts 2d4 damage to you per hour that cannot be prevented by any means. You may heal this damage normally, and effects that prevent a vampire from suffering ill effects from sunlight will prolong the countdown until the next burst of damage. This damage is in addition to the effects of level 3 Vampiric Frailty.
At level 7 any Fire spell/SLA or spell/SLA that inflicts Holy/Sanctified/Divine damage to you is effectively Empowered (As per the Metamagic) for free (No level adjustment or casting time adjustment) (Does not effect already empowered spells, only effects the damage you, personally, take in the case of more than one target).
At level 8 You may be Commanded/Destroyed by Clerics, and your Turn Resistance is lowered to +4. True Believers presenting a Holy Symbol not only wards you off but inflicts 6d6 Holy Damage per round. Sunlight will destroy you if you are exposed to it for more than 1 hour. You may spend 10 blood points to ignore one hour of exposure to sunlight, in addition to other means that Vampires may use to avoid sunlight exposure.
Well there you go. Vampire Monster Class. I hope to have a game where I can try it out (Or con a player into trying it out) fairly soonish. If someone want to critique, or heaven forbid, help playtest and tell me the results, I welcome it with open arms.
I do ask that any comments are at least mildly constructive. I know someone made a Vampire Class out there already but I think this has a different feel, not being as front loaded and designed around a sliding scale where you embrace more of your Vampiric Nature, and it's gifts, but become weaker as a result.
Anyway, quite interested to see what this ends up like around the table. Here's hoping.