Medium undead (shapechanger), lawful evil
Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 144 (17d8+68)
Speed 30 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +5
Proficiency Bonus +7 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 (+4) | 18 (+4) | 18 (+4) | 17 (+3) | 15 (+2) | 18 (+4) |
Saving Throws Dex +9, Wis +7, Cha +9
Skills Perception +7, Stealth +9
Damage Resistance necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from fonmagical attacks
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages the languages it knew in life
Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)
Shapechanger. If the vampire isn’t in sun light or running water, it can use its action to polymorph into a Tiny bat or a Medium cloud of mist, or back into its true form. While in bat form, the vampire can’t speak, its walking speed is 5 feet, and it has a flying speed of 30 feet. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are unchanged. Anything it is wearing transforms with it, but nothing it is carrying does. It reverts to its true form if it dies. While in mist form, the vampire can’t take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. It is weightless, has a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, the mist can do so without squeezing, and it can’t pass through water. It has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and it is immune to all nonmagical damage, except the damage it takes from sunlight.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the vampire fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Misty Escape. When it drops to 0 hit points outside its resting place, the vampire transforms into a cloud of mist (as in the Shapechanger trait) instead of falling unconscious, provided that it isn’t in sunlight or running water. If it can’t transform, it is destroyed. While it has 0 hit points in mist form, it can’t revert to its vampire form, and it must reach its resting place within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once in its resting place, it reverts to its vampire form. It is then paralyzed until it regains at least 1 hit point. After spending 1 hour in its resting place with 0 hit points, it regains 1 hit point.
Regeneration. The vampire regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn’t in sunlight or running water. If the vampire takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the vampire’s next turn.
Spider Climb. The vampire can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
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.
ACTIONS
- Multiattack (Vampire Form Only). The vampire makes two attacks, only one of which can be a bite attack.
- Unarmed Strike (Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. Instead of dealing damage, the vampire can grapple the target (escape DC 18)
- Bite (Bat or Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by the vampire, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the vampire regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain in this way and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a vampire spawn under the vampire’s control
- Charm. The vampire targets one humanoid it can see within 30 ft. of it. If the target can see the vampire, the target must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by the vampire. The charmed target regards the vampire as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn’t under the vampire’s control, it takes the vampire’s requests or actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for the vampire’s bit attack. Each time the vampire or the vampire’s companions do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until the vampire is destroyed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a bonus action to end the effect.
- Children of the Night (1/Day). The vampire magically calls 2d4 swarms of bats or swarm of rats, provided that the sun isn’t up. While outdoors, the vampire can call 3d6 wolves instead. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as allies of the vampire and obeying its spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour, until the vampire dies, or until the vampire dismisses them as a bonus action.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Vampire can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Vampire regains spent legendary actions at the start of their turn.
- Move.The vampire moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
- Unarmed Strike.The vampire makes one unarmed strike.
- Bite (Costs 2 Actions).The vampire makes one bite attack.
5th Edition Advanced Mode
Limiting the power of a character and making the overall difficulty of the game harder, does not reduce the creativity, indeed it does quite the opposite.
The Game Master has the option to use any and all of the instances proposed in this guide, or just some of them according to their preference.
It is the lack of something that move and motivate characters, not the abundance of it
DESCRIPTION
A vampire is a terrifying undead creature that feeds on the blood of the living. It resembles the humanoid form it had in life, but its skin is pale and cold, its eyes are red and glowing, and its teeth are sharp and fanged. A vampire can change its shape into a bat or a mist, allowing it to escape danger or pursue its prey. A vampire is a master of charm and deception, and can bend the will of weaker minds to serve it. A vampire is immortal, unless it is destroyed by sunlight, running water, or a stake through its heart.
A vampire can easily pass among normal men without drawing attention to itself for, although its facial features are sharp and feral, they do not seem inhuman. In many cases, a vampire’s true nature is revealed only when it attacks. There are ways in which a vampire may be detected by the careful observer, however. Vampires cast no reflection in a glass, cast no shadows, and move in complete silence.
COMBAT
A vampire is a formidable opponent in combat, using its speed, strength, and cunning to overwhelm its enemies. It can strike with its claws or bite with its fangs, draining the blood and life force of its victims. A vampire can also use its innate magic to charm, dominate, or frighten its foes, or to summon swarms of bats or rats to aid it. A vampire is resistant to most forms of damage, except those that exploit its weaknesses. A vampire can regenerate quickly, unless it is harmed by radiant damage or holy water. A vampire can also use its shapechanging ability to evade attacks or surprise its enemies.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
A vampire usually dwells in a dark and secluded place, such as a castle, a crypt, or a cave. It often surrounds itself with loyal servants, either charmed or turned into lesser vampires called spawn. A vampire may also form alliances with other evil creatures, such as werewolves, hags, or cultists. A vampire is usually solitary, but sometimes it may join a group of other vampires called a coven. A coven may share a common goal, such as conquering a region or seeking an ancient artifact. A coven may also have a leader, usually the oldest or most powerful vampire among them.
Vampires live in areas of death and desolation where they will not be reminded of the lives they have left behind. Ruined castles or chapels and large cemeteries are popular lairs for them, as are sites of great tragedies or battles. Vampires often feel a strong attachment to specific areas with some morbid significance, like the grave of a suicide or the site of a murder.
When deciding on a course of action or planning a campaign, vampires move very slowly and meticulously. It is not uncommon for a vampire to undertake some scheme which may take decades or even centuries to reach its conclusion. Because of the curse of immortality that has fallen upon them, they feel that time is always on their side and will often defeat foes who might otherwise overcome them; the vampire can simply go into hiding for a few decades until the passing of the years brings down its enemies.
Vampires are normally solitary creatures. When they are found in the company of others of their kind, the group will certainly consist of a single vampire lord and a small group of vampires which it has created to do its bidding. In this way, the vampire can exert its power over a greater range without running the risk of exposing itself to attack by would-be heroes.
In general, vampires feel only contempt for the world and its inhabitants. Denied the pleasures of a true life, they have become dark and twisted creatures bent on revenge and terror. When a vampire creates another of its kind, it considers the new creature a mere tool. The minion will be sent on missions which the vampire feels may be too dangerous or unimportant for its personal attention. If the need arises, these pawns will gladly be sacrificed to protect or further the ends of their master.
ECOLOGY
A vampire is an unnatural creature that disrupts the balance of nature. It preys on the living, spreading fear and death wherever it goes. It also creates more of its kind by turning some of its victims into spawn or full-fledged vampires. A vampire has no natural predators, except for those who hunt it for justice or vengeance. A vampire may also have enemies among other undead, such as liches, ghosts, or revenants. A vampire has no need for food or drink, except for blood. A vampire does not age or reproduce naturally, but it can be killed by certain means.
Vampires sustain themselves by draining the life force from living creatures. Unless they have a specific need to create additional minions, however, they are careful to avoid killing those they attack. In cases where the death of a victim is desired, the vampire will take care to see that the body is destroyed and thus will not rise as an undead. The vampire has no place in the world of living creatures. It is a thing of darkness that exists only to bring about evil. Almost without exception, the vampire is feared and hated by those who dwell in the regions in which it chooses to make its home. The vampire’s unnatural presence is all-pervasive and will cause dogs and similar animals to raise a cry of alarm at the presence of the creature.