Vampires And Water

[Michel]

I'm currently playing in an Evil Campaign as a Vampire and we're going on a Jungle excursion so I had some questions about their water weakness.

- How immersed do I have to be before it's damaging?
- Can a Vampire safely ford a Swamp or other stable body of water?
- Is Rain a problem?
- Would Waterproofing my Cloths help with any of this?
- Finally Wilderness Stink is a thing can a Vamp Bath?

[Malphegor]

It specifically comes from the vampire myth that vampires cannot cross running water. Outside of D&D rules, this is specifically from really old myths that have water is a purifying force. Something evil entering a flowing stream of something that's almost but maybe not as potent as truely blessed holy water is going to get massive damage fast.

From the SRD:
Vampires are also unable to cross running water, although they can be carried over it while resting in their coffins or aboard a ship.

So, like... a canoe works. Anything that keeps you from touching the water ought to work.

Stagnant water is probably ok since it's not runny.

[denthor]

In a jungle environment with triple canopy should be dark enough to walk around. Vampires need a coffin with dirt from where they were created. You must regenerate in that. Minions needed.

[Michel]

In a jungle environment with triple canopy should be dark enough to walk around. Vampires need a coffin with dirt from where they were created. You must regenerate in that. Minions needed.

Great, but got the Endure Sunlight Feat and protective clothing, so I wasn't overly worried about sunlight. We got a big ol enclosed wagon with his coffin on board (w/dirt) and he use to be a Wood Elf so his Minions are more in the vein of Fluffy pets.

[Telonius]

As for bathing: vampires don't sweat, so neither the sweat nor the bacteria that usually feed on it are going to be an issue. He might smell like the jungle he's just been in, but that's what Prestidigitation (or even perfume) is for.

Depnding on how the DM rules it, going to Gaseous Form then back again might get rid of any grime that's on his clothes. (Maybe that's why they're always dressed stylishly, and never seem to have bloodstains on their fancy white ruffled shirts).

I do think that taking a bath ought to be fine. Showers might be more of a problem. Plumbing might count as "running water."

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by denthor
In a jungle environment with triple canopy should be dark enough to walk around.

Not really—I’ve worked in these environments and it’s never “dark” during the day, just shaded. There are always forest gaps where sunlight shines through, and of course any time you come to a stream, river, igarape, etc. there’s a break in the canopy cover.


Originally Posted by Telonius
Showers might be more of a problem.

How about tropical downpours? Definitely running water, just straight down.

[Michel]

How about tropical downpours? Definitely running water, just straight down.

Hence my questions. Rather a lot of D&D's Vampire stuff is a mishmash of mythology, literature and media with little cohesion or even coherence.

[GrayDeath]

Indeed.

We did it thusly:

Running water in form of streams and rivers is both a border of earth to water and a mythological one. Combined with the purifyinjg power of running water, it is really really bad for a vampire that gets into it.

Running water in a "created sort (say a shower, a bathtub filled via pipes etc) has at most the effect of making the Vampire a bit queasy. Yes, it moves, but it has no mystic significane at all.

Rain is jsut that, rain. No effect, unless its during the day, when the sun purifies the coulds before they rain off (but then again, no non Vampire Lord should willingly walk around during day without sun protection^^).

[Michel]

What's a Vampire Lord? do they have a class skill that makes them immune to normal Vap weaknesses?

[GrayDeath]

Vampire Lord is a Template that requires one to be a Vampire (and jump through some other hoops too^^) to take it.

Sadly as it has no listed LA its not meant for players, but its CR increase is fitting its powers (among other things at will control weather, Flight, being only permanently killable in a very specific way, and indeed ignoring/overcoming most Vampire Weaknesses).

I used it in oone round of the VC on this site.

Have a Link: http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20021018a

[Michel]

Thanks, Vampire Lord looks ridiculous... I think there's already one in the campaign.