Help building a template for a party member.

[Metahuman1]

So, I have a player in my party that's been running a half-elf homebrewed LA 0 version of the Dhampir in our 3.5 game, and she wants to upgrade it to make it more Vampire like, I.E. with more of the Iconic powers. She's willing to swallow a couple of LA if needed to make it fairly potent. The DM Is open to home brew.

So, I need a balanced LA 1 or LA 2 version of the template that we can apply to her. And in case anyone wonders what Dhampir is, here's the Pathfinder version.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/featured-races/arg-dhampir



Of other relevant information, she's a Ranger who's big on stealth and archery and is using Hanks Energy Bow, and has an affiliation that is giving her bonuses and such to Knowledge checks on creatures so that she can make good use of Knowledge devotion, and were 7th level. Up till now she's not been very into spell casting, but I've recently been showing her goodies in the spell compendium for Rangers and that has finally started to perk her interest in her spell casting.

And she has her heart set on Half-Elf cause Fluff and Dhampire Template cause Fluff. She just wants a bit of Pick me Up/I feel more Vampire-ish from the template, and is willing to now swallow some LA for it and Buy it off later. (Game started at level 1 so buying off LA wasn't an option at that time.)

And I REALLY need this worked out soon cause she's found a Dhampir on D&D Wiki and is convinced it's official, so I need an alternative to present that is not gonna overly gimp her or shatter the game cause it's D&D Wiki's usual quality.

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Dhampir_%283.5e_Template%29 The relevant problem template I'm trying to head off at the pass.

[sakuuya]

Do you have access to Libris Mortis? I'm AFB right now, but I believe the half-vampire template there has a +2 LA.

[Metahuman1]

I think one of the other players has it. I'm at work right now and can't check. But that sounds like a good place to start.

Just out of curiosity in case we don't have it, what do you think that Pathfinder version converted back to 3.5 would be assigned for a fair LA?

[sakuuya]

I'm wavering between 0 and 1. It's honestly not that powerful (since it's basically balanced with Pathfinder base races), but if you made it LA +0 with everything it has now, there'd be very little reason not to take it for any character who didn't need a high Con.

[Metahuman1]

Interesting. She has a few ability's that the DM gave her at the start that she might want to retain. An ability to turn into a mist which is basically a "Get out of getting slaughter a couple of times a day" card, a bit attack and a frenzy lite ability that kicks in when she's down below half health or so. I'm thinking with those, an argument could be made for making it an LA +1 Template.

[Extra Anchovies]

Maybe give her the option to take levels in the Vampire savage progression? As few as three levels gives her blood drain, cold and electricity resistance 10, continuous spider climb, Alertness, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, 25% fortification, the ability to heal by resting in a coffin, a 1/day dominating gaze, and a gaseous form.

[lynxd80]

Howdy! First post on "Giants" and all XD. anyways, I'm the Gm for this particular game that metahuman1's been asking advice on. I was just wondering if there is anywhere that I could physically see this Savage Species Class progression for Vampire or would I need to do the footwork myself? Might be a viable 3rd option I could present to her, but I'd like to look at it.

Lynx D.

[Metahuman1]

Hey! Yeah, I've got a copy of Savage Species I can show you if you want to look at that option.

[Extra Anchovies]

Howdy! First post on "Giants" and all XD. anyways, I'm the Gm for this particular game that metahuman1's been asking advice on. I was just wondering if there is anywhere that I could physically see this Savage Species Class progression for Vampire or would I need to do the footwork myself? Might be a viable 3rd option I could present to her, but I'd like to look at it.

Lynx D.

There's always the online savage progression for the vampire template (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030824a). It can be multiclassed out of at any time, so your player can stop taking levels in it as soon as she feels vampiric enough.

[lynxd80]

Thanks! That was GREATLY appreciated!

~Lynx D.

[Jeff the Green]

I would be remiss if I didn't jump in and offer this homebrew vampire class (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=8056982&postcount=173), which is much better balanced for PCs than the template.

[Smegskull]

It says 3.5 homebrew at the bottom of the page, pretty clear it isn't official.

Shadow creature template LoM is pretty epic stealth and +2 LA gets +50% speed, darkvision and access to fast healing 2 which makes it easy to reword as a vampire.