The Big Bad - A Vampire Dragon...

[RyanTorant]

Hello everyone, been a fan of the OOTS for a while, but first time posting here.

I was thinking the big bad for a campaign were are to start soon (I'm the DM), and came up with this idea that I'm really liking, but not sure how it interacts with 5e rules. While I'll just make it up, as I think it's a cool idea, I want your opinions, plus giving at least some consideration to the rules can help to maintain consistency.
This is the story


<Insert cool dragon name here> , a young <insert dragon type here> had always a keen interest for history and magic, and spent most of his time polymorphed as another race, learning magic and culture. As most dragons, he also liked hoarding, his interest focused on ancient and magical artifacts. One day, exploring the ruins of a lost city, recklessness gets the best of him and he's ambushed by vampires. While he manages to escape, it's too late. He has already been turned into a vampire.
Stricken by disgrace, he decides to shelter himself in a small town with a history of magic events, trying to find a cure for his condition, as he despises being bounded to drink blood, something he sees as barbaric and not fit for a true dragon.


So, that's the hook. With that said, how do you people think that vampirism would interact with a dragon? And gameplay-wise, what would be the stats? Also, what kind of dragon seems more fit for the scholar type? I'm thinking a Crystal Dragon for the last point.

So, thanks for reading this far!

[Unoriginal]

If you go by 5e lore, vampirism would not work with a dragon. And even if it did, vampirism isn't a condition one under it would want to cure: vampires are the corpses of dead people, inhabited by the twisted shadow of who the person was in life, all their positive traits gone or twisted into something horrible.

The cure is also as simple as the vampire dying and the original person being brought back by True Resurrection.

So my point is, you either have to change what vampires are compared to 5e's default lore, or you have to change how your Vampire Dragon is.


That being said, if you wanted a dragon vampire, in term of stats you simply take the dragon statblock, up all the physical stats of the dragon to 18 if they weren't there already, and give them the vampire's resistances/immunities/vulnerabilities and powers, and you'll have it.

For a bookish dragon, well, all dragons could be, but the stereotypical bookish dragon is the Copper one, unless I'm mistaken.

[Kadesh]

Out of interest, what is it that's not served by a refluffed Spellcasting Shadow Chromatic Dragon Template you wish to gain?

[RyanTorant]

If you go by 5e lore, vampirism would not work with a dragon. And even if it did, vampirism isn't a condition one under it would want to cure: vampires are the corpses of dead people, inhabited by the twisted shadow of who the person was in life, all their positive traits gone or twisted into something horrible.

The cure is also as simple as the vampire dying and the original person being brought back by True Resurrection.

So my point is, you either have to change what vampires are compared to 5e's default lore, or you have to change how your Vampire Dragon is.


That being said, if you wanted a dragon vampire, in term of stats you simply take the dragon statblock, up all the physical stats of the dragon to 18 if they weren't there already, and give them the vampire's resistances/immunities/vulnerabilities and powers, and you'll have it.

For a bookish dragon, well, all dragons could be, but the stereotypical bookish dragon is the Copper one, unless I'm mistaken.

Thanks, that makes sense!. I'm still getting the hang of DnD lore, guess I'll just tweak it to match the idea.
Another option that popped up in another group is having the dragon be possessed by the ghost of an ancient vampire, or the artifact he found was cursed and upon grabbing it, it applies a curse that makes the cursed have vampire attributes, but without being undead. Both options play nice with the overall idea.

[Unoriginal]

Also, just to say... I don't think a dragon would see drinking blood as barbaric.

I mean, they eat raw animals and even people. Even the Metallic ones do. Drinking blood is part of the main dish, in such a meal.



If you want a Dragon who got messed up while seeking magical knowledge, I'd advise you to check the Nothick and/or Aliph monsters. Possibly the Deathlock too.

[RyanTorant]

Out of interest, what is it that's not served by a refluffed Spellcasting Shadow Chromatic Dragon Template you wish to gain?
That's also a good point, to be honest I didn't knew the Shadow Dragon template existed. I'll consider it too

[RyanTorant]

Also, just to say... I don't think a dragon would see drinking blood as barbaric.

I mean, they eat raw animals and even people. Even the Metallic ones do. Drinking blood is part of the main dish, in such a meal.


Yeah, I see your point. Was thinking along the lines a dragon that likes to go along other creatures and learn their culture, plus being highly intelligent as most dragons are will probably try to distance himself from the others by eating more refined meals. Plus, I imagine that even to a dragon something properly cooked will be more tasty than raw meat.

[RyanTorant]

For a bookish dragon, well, all dragons could be, but the stereotypical bookish dragon is the Copper one, unless I'm mistaken.

Looking at the monster manual, I think I'll go for a silver dragon, seems to fit ("many silver dragons spend as much time in humanoid form as they do in draconic form", "Silver dragons love to possess relics of humanoid history") and having someone that's concerned with not harming others being forced to kill people to drink their blood seems to play great with the story.

[Xihirli]

This could work if along the quest the PCs were able to learn of the lore of an ancient form of vampirism that was different from the current ones and how your dragon tied into it.

[RyanTorant]

This could work if along the quest the PCs were able to learn of the lore of an ancient form of vampirism that was different from the current ones and how your dragon tied into it.
You know what, now they do :D
I mean, we are going to have the first session today so they are still far away from finding that, but the idea of it being some ancient form of vampirism sounds awesome

[SociopathFriend]

An interesting question you have to ask is whether you will assign only strengths or the weaknesses as well?


Vampire Weaknesses: The vampire has the following flaws:
Forbiddance. The vampire can't enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.
Harmed by Running Water. The vampire takes 20 acid damage if it ends its turn in running water.
Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into the vampire's heart while the vampire is Incapacitated in its Resting place, the vampire is Paralyzed until the stake is removed.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The vampire takes 20 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on Attack rolls and Ability Checks.


Not to mention needing the Resting Place as a weakness as well.

[Xihirli]

I’m glad you liked my suggestion.
If I were to get more specific, perhaps there was a vampire dragon that tried the die/get resurrected cure and it didn’t work. Depending on how early you want to introduce the Big Bad, that could have been the dragon that made it a vampire.

[Dr. Cliché]

The 3rd edition Draconomicon had a Vampiric Dragon template.

I believe it basically got the Vampire abilities (I don't think they could summon bats or such though) along with some of the weaknesses.

One notable difference was that the Vampiric Dragon, rather than being bound to a coffin, was bound to its treasure horde.