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View Full Version : DM Help Cursed Vampire: A modified drow race - Is this balanced



AmbientRaven
2015-04-30, 11:35 PM
Hi folks,

In my game a player may soon be replacing their character (either their character dies, or leaves the party depending on what happens next session).

They have come up with the idea of playing a cursed vampire. In the campaign a Vampiric Bloodline is at war with a Lich. They had the idea to play a favoured "daughter" of the bloodline who was cursed by the lich, removing most of her vampiric abilities.
I loved this idea as it plays into some of the ongoing back story of the region the game is in.
Edit: My take on vampires is more the traditional style as opposed to the D&D take. They aren't innately good, nor evil. They focus primarily on their own needs desires and plans. They are charming, and, alluring.

So I decided modifying Drow would work best for this, and, this is what I have come up with trying to fit the theme (She canw alk in sunlight btw)

Cursed Vampire
Ability Score Increase: Your Charisma score increases by 2. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: Accustomed to the night, you cans see light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light.
Keen Senses: You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Vampiric Will: You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
Trance: You don’t need to sleep often. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. Accustomed to being a night creature, you don’t require much sleep. During the 4 hour trance you often see flashback of memories of your days before being turned, and during your time as a full blooded vampire. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.
Sunlight Sensitivity: You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Vampiric Magic: You know the Chill Touch cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Command spell once per day. When you reach 5th level, you can also cast the (Enthrall or Suggestion: undecided on what suits thematically) spell once per day. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Ancient Blood: You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.


Thanks for your input!

ImSAMazing
2015-05-01, 01:14 AM
Hi folks,

In my game a player may soon be replacing their character (either their character dies, or leaves the party depending on what happens next session).

They have come up with the idea of playing a cursed vampire. In the campaign a Vampiric Bloodline is at war with a Lich. They had the idea to play a favoured "daughter" of the bloodline who was cursed by the lich, removing most of her vampiric abilities.
I loved this idea as it plays into some of the ongoing back story of the region the game is in.
Edit: My take on vampires is more the traditional style as opposed to the D&D take. They aren't innately good, nor evil. They focus primarily on their own needs desires and plans. They are charming, and, alluring.

So I decided modifying Drow would work best for this, and, this is what I have come up with trying to fit the theme (She canw alk in sunlight btw)

Cursed Vampire
Ability Score Increase: Your Charisma score increases by 2. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: Accustomed to the night, you cans see light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light.
Keen Senses: You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Vampiric Will: You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
Trance: You don’t need to sleep often. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. Accustomed to being a night creature, you don’t require much sleep. During the 4 hour trance you often see flashback of memories of your days before being turned, and during your time as a full blooded vampire. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.
Sunlight Sensitivity: You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Vampiric Magic: You know the Chill Touch cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Command spell once per day. When you reach 5th level, you can also cast the (Enthrall or Suggestion: undecided on what suits thematically) spell once per day. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Ancient Blood: You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.


Thanks for your input!

I don't think that keen senses is logical, because for me a vampire doesn't have that good pair of eyes(there is a reason for sunlight sensetivity). Also, ancient blood AND Vampiric will is too much I think. Maybe make 2 subraces, 1 gives ancient blood, the other one vampiric will. With this point of view: There are multiple curses right? So multiple things can get removed.

Angelmaker
2015-05-01, 02:56 AM
Actually i think it is balanced. The sunlight sensitivity really is a bummer. I havent looked at cantrips yet. If some cantrips hit automatically or are not an attack roll then it would be slightly op. So if you find a way around sunlight sensitivity then it is too strong.

However, it means you are literally useless in combat at day. That means you will always try to be aftive at night. That could lead to one player being "dissynchronized" from the regular party activities, like traveling and stuff.

Not sure how this will play out.

@iamsamazing: sunlight sensitivity and keen senses make perfect sense. If your eyes are good at catching the slightest amount of photons, a full overload of them on your retina will hurt you quite badly. Think of nightvision goggles and flashbangs. :smallcool:

Summary: strong advantages, strong disadvantages. If you find your way around disadvantages, like going to bed late, then it might be op.

Tenmujiin
2015-05-01, 02:56 AM
This seems fine, nothing in particular stands out as overpowered though there are a lot of abilities so you might want to trim them down. I'd drop the perception proficiency and call it a day personally.

AmbientRaven
2015-05-01, 06:40 AM
Thanks for the feedback.

I'll drop the poison resistance i think, but leave the rest as is.
It's based on the drow, so i just changed some of the abilities to something similar for the most part

XmonkTad
2015-05-01, 11:43 AM
I feel like the Trance is more for flavor than provides an actual mechanical advantage in the case of regular elves, perhaps you could have something more tailored for your vampire. A coffin is hard to lug on your adventure with you, but perhaps instead of sitting there legs crossed you lie down in a death-like state? Nothing like freaking out the member of your party who tries to check your pulse without a religion check first.