Homebrew Help?

[BrentWoody]

TLDR
Can't find a balanced Vampire Homebrew, so I need to make one.

So, I was going to DM a small game with my roommate and partner. My roommate found a homebrew vampire, and I said he could play it.

We then found a volunteer to run the game, and has involved the vampire aspect heavily into the beginning plot.

My friend switched to a Barbarian...

So, I'm playing the Vampire not to ruin our chances of playing next Sunday(our start date). And so that the DM doesn't have to rewrite the story.

The homebrew Class I found was quite bad...
The Monster Manual suggestion of just giving a PC the vampire attacks and traits is way too much.

My current idea at level 1 begin with all the weaknesses, inability to spend hit die to heal, inability to attune to magic items, , Regen equal to level, cha mod damage on bite (which the player will heal), Claws and Bite at d6s.

After that just give out the traits and abilities of the monster.

Have "Bloodlines" for the archetypes. Lord, Monster, and Beast.

Lords focused on humanoid Charming

Monsters taking damage and doing increased damage because of it.

Beasts having more influence with children of the night...


I've been recommended several races, but that only gets so far into being a "vampire."

I know about the Zendikar race, and the reskinned Drow.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I wouldn't start out with "all the weaknesses, none of the strengths"-- that's not really fun for anyone. The simplest thing, I think, would be:

Start with a Zendikar Vampire
Add the Revenant subrace from the Gothic Heroes UA, reducing the Vampire's Cha bonus by 1-- that fits with the Human and Dragonborn guidelines in the UA.
Take levels of Warlock, and fluff the magic as the result of being a vampire, not as having made a deal with a demon/fey/abomination. Archfey and Chain Pact seem like the most fitting for the classic vampire, letting you beguile the minds of men and be served by the beasts of the world. You might ask about getting Conjure Animals and other animal-focused spells on the list.
You could also go Druid, now that I think about it-- vampires changing shape is well-established, and controlling the weather is I think a thing too.

That gets you an undead monster who can drink blood, rise from the grave, turn into mist, speak with beasts, and control minds-- pretty classic vampire, I think.

[BrentWoody]

Yeah, I was considering the Warlock. I think that'll work.

Never considered druid.

Haven't seen the Gothic heroes UA definately looking into that. Appreciated