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J-H
2016-09-23, 07:45 PM
An autocorrect-inflicted typo by one of my players got me thinking.

The base Vampire template says that it can only be applied to humanoids or monstrous humanoids. Is there an official template that can be applied to other creatures, such as animals or aberrations?

If there's not, then D&D lacks an official way to simulate vampire bats, which would be a strange omission.
MaxiDuRaritry
2016-09-23, 07:52 PM
An autocorrect-inflicted typo by one of my players got me thinking.

The base Vampire template says that it can only be applied to humanoids or monstrous humanoids. Is there an official template that can be applied to other creatures, such as animals or aberrations?

If there's not, then D&D lacks an official way to simulate vampire bats, which would be a strange omission.Take the Human-Blooded feat, from Dragon Magazine, or possibly Human Heritage, from Races of Destiny. Now you are humanoid (human), so you qualify for the vampire template.

As for bats, there's always the anthropomorphic bat from Savage Species or werebat using the MM lycanthrope template.
Bohandas
2016-09-23, 07:59 PM
IIRC I believe Draconomicon has a vampire dragon template.

Also, illithid vampires were a thing in 2e. I forget if they were ever updated though.
DrMotives
2016-09-23, 08:05 PM
Also, illithid vampires were a thing in 2e. I forget if they were ever updated though.

In Lords of Madness, I believe. Also, there was a Dragon Magazine issue with 3 vampire variant templates, one of which, the savage vampire, can be applied to giants.
KillianHawkeye
2016-09-23, 08:24 PM
Vampire bats aren't literally vampires and even if they were, vampires can turn into bats.
Zaydos
2016-09-23, 08:27 PM
In Lords of Madness, I believe. Also, there was a Dragon Magazine issue with 3 vampire variant templates, one of which, the savage vampire, can be applied to giants.

And Fey. So you can have Dragon, Fey, Giant, Humanoid, and Monstrous Humanoid Vampires to my knowledge.

Illithid vampires don't count imho as they're closer to wights than vampires.
Thurbane
2016-09-23, 08:27 PM
Simplest and most straightforward option is the Monstrous Vampire template (Ghostwalk, p. 166). It works pretty much 100% as normal Vampire template, but can be applied to aberrations, animals, dragons, fey, giants, magical beasts, monstrous humanoids* and vermin.

*Ironically, the sample Monstrous Vampire is a Yuan-ti Abomination. Monstrous Humanoids can take the standard Vampire template anyway. :smalltongue:
J-H
2016-09-23, 08:49 PM
Simplest and most straightforward option is the Monstrous Vampire template (Ghostwalk, p. 166). It works pretty much 100% as normal Vampire template, but can be applied to aberrations, animals, dragons, fey, giants, magical beasts, monstrous humanoids* and vermin.

*Ironically, the sample Monstrous Vampire is a Yuan-ti Abomination. Monstrous Humanoids can take the standard Vampire template anyway. :smalltongue:

I saw this and thought "Great! Perfect!"

Then I reread the entry twice and couldn't find any stats for the template. It looks like they just slapped all of the standard vampire abilities on. So a vampire bat can turn into a swarm of bats?

Looks like I'm better off taking the standard vampire template and just knocking off the abilities that don't make sense.
Thurbane
2016-09-23, 08:53 PM
I saw this and thought "Great! Perfect!"

Then I reread the entry twice and couldn't find any stats for the template. It looks like they just slapped all of the standard vampire abilities on. So a vampire bat can turn into a swarm of bats?

Looks like I'm better off taking the standard vampire template and just knocking off the abilities that don't make sense.

Yeah, they pretty much say "use normal vampire template, modify anything that doesn't fit". And make mention that coffins may not be in use...
Bohandas
2016-09-24, 01:22 AM
Fiend Folio had the Blood Fiends, which were fiendish vampires made from fiends
ShurikVch
2016-09-24, 05:24 AM
If there's not, then D&D lacks an official way to simulate vampire bats, which would be a strange omission.Actually, Vampire Bat was an option for Familiar in Dragon #341; but it was "100% fluff, no crunch" - no Blood Drain or something

Also, not a templates, but game have:
Vampiric Ixitxachitl (Monster Manual II)
Vampire Rose Bush (Dungeon #84)
Vampire Dire Wolf (D&D Miniatures: Unhallowed set)
Vampire Cactus (Dangerous Denizens: The Monsters of Tellene)
Star Vampire (Call of Cthulhu D20)
Fire Vampire (Call of Cthulhu D20)