Tick-based vampires

[Dalebert]

I had a creepy dream in which people some people had been turned into vampires, but these weren't the sexy Anne rice or Twilight vampires. They would drain people and their bodies would become bloated with blood like a tick. The blood seemed to pool in their lower bodies first and they'd get pear-shaped and gradually become morbidly obese with all the blood. They seemed to have basically no self-control either, always draining people completely and leaving just desiccated husks.

So anyway, I'm pretty much running with a horror theme in my game and I want the PCs to face these monsters. Any tips on adapting them to the game maybe using vampires or another monster as a basic template or starting point to work from? The PCs are level 7 right now but they seem pretty tough so I think they could maybe pull off challenges for a lvl 8 team. I kind of like the idea of them not being undead and not having the standard drawbacks of vampires like being vulnerable to sunlight or positive energy. Maybe something else instead. They're not immortal either. They're more like aberrations. They just feed on blood and are ravenous for it. I picture them doing maybe CON damage rather than draining levels.

There was a comical element to the dream in that they seemed unaware of how obviously bizarre and monstrous they looked. In the dream, their necks were really long and their heads kind of floated a foot or two in front of their chests. They tried to act nonchalant about it all and tried to pass themselves off as human. I'm thinking of kind of going with that. I'm probably going to leave out the long necked thing. That seemed like a weird dream thing that doesn't quite fit. But I like the idea of them trying to act very friendly and like normal humans and catch the PCs off guard.

[paperarmor]

use the Barghest's feed ability only give them a new size category for every nine HD absorbed.

[Dalebert]

I have a lot of ideas for their abilities and special attacks. I'm not sure how to figure out their CR.

[atemu1234]

What did you eat before bed to get that kind of nightmare?

[Fax Celestis]

Use the stats for a hybrid form halfling wereweasel, but flavor them as vampires.

[PraxisVetli]

use the Barghest's feed ability only give them a new size category for every nine HD absorbed.


Use the stats for a hybrid form halfling wereweasel, but flavor them as vampires.

Pretty solid advice here.

[Dalebert]

Pretty solid advice here.

Yeah, I think that's the way to go. Take an existing creature with comparable stats and powers and just adjust the fluff. I'll check those out.

[SVentura77]

I might attempt to model them after (or at least take some traits from the) Bloodhulk (MM4 pg 20).

Though you might not want them as mindless undead, it could be a cool end result of too much gorging that they end up as simple Bloodhulks (sans modifications). I kind of picture this happening after too much unrestrained gorging.

As far as what you're looking for... who knows. Maybe add some Con, but as they feed it reduces Dex? As they gorge they gain the "Fragile (ex)" ability of the Bloodhulks (taking extra damage due to being fat, bloated sacks of blood). Negatives to Cha as they feed, or perhaps permanently, due to the stretching of the skin from being overstuffed.

Since you're aiming for non-undead, drop the undead immunities, but flavor in some magical beast attributes. The plain traits of a magical beast seem to fit for a grotesque vampire (and the taste is right for me too): darkvision, proficiency with natural weapons, no armor proficiency, 10-sided hit die (for vampiric toughness - paired with Bloodhulk gaining max hit die +2 every level), good base attack, decent fort save (though I'd drop the reflex according to gorging-levels), they eat, sleep and breathe like any decent vampire should (maybe drop the breathing).

I've got to say, bloodhulk LOOKS like what you've already dreamed!

~S~

[Dalebert]

Thanks for the Bloodhulk tip but aside from fluff and appearance, I don't think the stats and abilities fit what I'm looking for.

I think what I'm aiming for here is a creature that is really tough--a high AC, maybe DR/piercing, and a lot of hit points that can go up with blood draining. Beyond that, any other abilities that I'm taking away, like undead traits, just complicates the CR calculation. The rest is just flavor and creepiness.

Can anything think of a generally tough creature that I can just add the draining to that would be close to a good challenge for level 7s?

EDIT: I think I might go with the basic stats of a giant ant lion, get rid of the weird trap ability and the massive bite damage and give them the drain ability of a dire weasel and DR 5 / piercing.

EDIT 2014/11/09: The tick people were a success! The party was really grossed out.