Prometheus
2007-07-16, 05:36 PM
Introduction:A player starting from 2nd level wanted to be a vampire (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/vampire.htm). Obviously, the +8 LA of vampires was way out of reach so I decided that she could be a modified vampire spawn (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/vampire.htm#vampireSpawn) as her race with the presumption that the advantages and disadvantages would roughy equal that of a regular race. The modifications, other than not having racial HD and the accompanying bonuses, are that the racial skill bonuses are halved, and the Dominate ability can only suceed on one person per day and grants a Will save at the begining of each day. She was being a sorcerer, so the lack of a Constitution score is hurting her HP (only made up by the DR and fast healing) and many of the special abilities (Gaseous Form, Spider Climb, Dominate) she will be able to obtain by magic anyway. I also ruled that since the concepts of night, day, and even time are less meaningful to a vampire who doesn't need to sleep, and since there should be an in-game incentive to drink blood, that she recieves her spells per day 10 minutes after sucking the blood of a victim (I don't tend to have too many encounters in one day, so it works out alright). Regardless of whether or not that was the best decision, it mostly seemed to balance out and where it didn't she preferred roleplaying to powergaming.
Now, at level 7, she wants to gain more vampiric abilities analogous to a full vampire- especially Create Spawn and Alternate Form. I told her that I would work out a vaguely balancing way to do that - a prestige class, or bloodline-ish system. The LA is still daunting, and anything that I have tried that gradually gives her the full benefits of being a vampire either makes her forsake any spellcasting ability altogether or takes too long to complete to be meaningful.
I know many resist the notion of any combination of "balanced" abilities being "balanced" in the greater sense, because part of what every character should put up with is the fact that not all of their abilities are as relevant or useful as they need be - somewhat like how specific weapons are cheaper than their equivlants in customizing magic weapon bonuses and on-use spell effects. However if it is to be used at all, I need to create/find a system of advancement that only uses the vampire characteristic she will find meaningful - purist or not.
Homebrew Requirements:
Vampire Spawn traits and weakness already built existant
Gains Create Spawn, Alternate Form, and possibly Children of The Night
Access to arcane spellcasting level at every other character level or at least a vampiric equivalent that is not redundant with arcane spellcasting
Occurs gradually over 8 to 12 levels
My Attempt:
Vampiric Ascendant Prestige Class
Requirements: Vampire Spawn as race, if there is anything else its met :P
HD:d4
Skills (2+Int): Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Spellcraft (Int)
{table=header]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Spellcasting level
1st|+0|+0|+0|+2|Creatures of the Night (lesser)|+1 arcane
2nd|+1|+0|+0|+3|Creatures of the Night|+0
3rd|+1|+1|+1|+3|Alternate Form (bat)|+1 arcane
4th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Create Spawn (minor)|+0
5th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Alternate Form (wolf)|+1 arcane
6th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Create Spawn (lesser)|+0
7th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Alternate Form (dire bat)|+1 arcane
8th|+4|+2|+2|+6|Create Spawn (basic)|+0
9th|+4|+3|+3|+6|Alternate Form (dire wolf)|+1 arcane
10th|+5|+3|+3|+7|Create Spawn|+0
[/table]
Creatures of the Night (lesser): As Creatures of the Night, except it instead summons 1d3 rat swarms, 1d3 bat swarms, or 2d4 wolves and involves two consecutive full round actions that require Concentration and provoke attacks of opportunity.
Create Spawn (minor): As Create Spawn, except that the limit is 1/2 HD, can only create spawn via blood drain, and this ability only enslaves vampire spawn- any vampires created in this way are free-willed.
Create Spawn (lesser): As Create Spawn, except that the limit is equal to HD and this ability only enslaves vampire spawn- any vampires created in this way are free-willed.
Create Spawn (basic): As Create Spawn, except that this ability only enslaves vampire spawn- any vampires created in this way are free-willed.
Please provide any commentary you find appropriate:
Is there a way to do this I haven't seen?
Are my Homebrew requirements even reasonable?
How balanced is my prestige class attempt?
What would you add/subtract from my prestige class?
Can anyone design a more preferable alternative?
Now, at level 7, she wants to gain more vampiric abilities analogous to a full vampire- especially Create Spawn and Alternate Form. I told her that I would work out a vaguely balancing way to do that - a prestige class, or bloodline-ish system. The LA is still daunting, and anything that I have tried that gradually gives her the full benefits of being a vampire either makes her forsake any spellcasting ability altogether or takes too long to complete to be meaningful.
I know many resist the notion of any combination of "balanced" abilities being "balanced" in the greater sense, because part of what every character should put up with is the fact that not all of their abilities are as relevant or useful as they need be - somewhat like how specific weapons are cheaper than their equivlants in customizing magic weapon bonuses and on-use spell effects. However if it is to be used at all, I need to create/find a system of advancement that only uses the vampire characteristic she will find meaningful - purist or not.
Homebrew Requirements:
Vampire Spawn traits and weakness already built existant
Gains Create Spawn, Alternate Form, and possibly Children of The Night
Access to arcane spellcasting level at every other character level or at least a vampiric equivalent that is not redundant with arcane spellcasting
Occurs gradually over 8 to 12 levels
My Attempt:
Vampiric Ascendant Prestige Class
Requirements: Vampire Spawn as race, if there is anything else its met :P
HD:d4
Skills (2+Int): Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Spellcraft (Int)
{table=header]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Spellcasting level
1st|+0|+0|+0|+2|Creatures of the Night (lesser)|+1 arcane
2nd|+1|+0|+0|+3|Creatures of the Night|+0
3rd|+1|+1|+1|+3|Alternate Form (bat)|+1 arcane
4th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Create Spawn (minor)|+0
5th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Alternate Form (wolf)|+1 arcane
6th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Create Spawn (lesser)|+0
7th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Alternate Form (dire bat)|+1 arcane
8th|+4|+2|+2|+6|Create Spawn (basic)|+0
9th|+4|+3|+3|+6|Alternate Form (dire wolf)|+1 arcane
10th|+5|+3|+3|+7|Create Spawn|+0
[/table]
Creatures of the Night (lesser): As Creatures of the Night, except it instead summons 1d3 rat swarms, 1d3 bat swarms, or 2d4 wolves and involves two consecutive full round actions that require Concentration and provoke attacks of opportunity.
Create Spawn (minor): As Create Spawn, except that the limit is 1/2 HD, can only create spawn via blood drain, and this ability only enslaves vampire spawn- any vampires created in this way are free-willed.
Create Spawn (lesser): As Create Spawn, except that the limit is equal to HD and this ability only enslaves vampire spawn- any vampires created in this way are free-willed.
Create Spawn (basic): As Create Spawn, except that this ability only enslaves vampire spawn- any vampires created in this way are free-willed.
Please provide any commentary you find appropriate:
Is there a way to do this I haven't seen?
Are my Homebrew requirements even reasonable?
How balanced is my prestige class attempt?
What would you add/subtract from my prestige class?
Can anyone design a more preferable alternative?