Vampire*

Vampires are undead monsters. Though they may look just a bit more pale than when they were alive, they do appear to live and even breathe as mortals do. A vampire has all the memories and abilities it had in life, and is effectively immortal. Living forever in the shadows often leads to vampires being decadent, while their hunger for blood makes them cruel.

Vampires cast no reflections in silvered mirrors or water, though despite conventional wisdom to the contrary they do reflect in shiny base metals; the innate purity of silver and water simply will not reflect them.

Special Abilities

Charm Gaze — A vampire can charm anyone who meets its gaze; a save vs. Spells is allowed to resist, but at a penalty of -2 due to the power of the charm. This charm is so powerful that the victim will not resist being bitten by the vampire.

Bite Attack — The bite inflicts 1d3 points of damage, then each round thereafter one energy level is drained from the victim. The vampire regenerates (i.e. is healed) for up to 1d6 hit points for each energy level drained. If the victim dies from the energy drain, they will arise as a vampire at the next sunset (but not less than 12 hours later) and thereafter will be under the complete control of the "parent" vampire (but is freed if that vampire is ever destroyed). If using the bite attack, the vampire suffers a penalty of -5 to Armor Class due to the vulnerable position it must assume. For this reason, the bite is rarely used in combat.

Great Strength — Vampires have great Strength, gaining a bonus of +3 to damage when using melee weapons, and thus a vampire will generally choose to use a melee weapon (or even its bare hands) in combat rather than attempting to bite.

Undead Immunities — Vampires are unharmed by non-magical weapons, and like all undead are immune to sleep, charm, and hold spells.

Regeneration — If reduced to 0 hit points in combat, the vampire is not destroyed, though it may appear to be. The vampire will begin to regenerate 1d8 hours later, recovering 1 hit point per turn, and resuming normal activity as soon as the first point is restored.

Command Creatures of the Night — Once per day a vampire can call forth 10d10 rats, 5d4 giant rats, 10d10 bats, 3d6 giant bats, or a pack of 3d6 wolves (assuming any such creatures are nearby). The creatures summoned arrive 2d6 rounds later and will obey the vampire for up to an hour before leaving.

Shapeshift — Vampires can also transform into the form of these creatures, assuming the shape of a giant bat (page 66), giant rat (page 135), or a dire wolf (page 158) at will. The transformation requires a single round during which the vampire cannot attack. The flying movement given above is for the giant bat form; the vampire can use the attack forms of the animal shape assumed, as given on the indicated pages. The vampire cannot activate any of its other powers while in animal form, but effects already active will remain so.

Weaknesses - Held at Bay — A vampire can be held at bay by several things, including the smell of garlic, a silver or silvered mirror, or a holy symbol presented by a believer (GM's discretion is advised here, but in general someone threatened by a vampire may be more devout than usual). In such a situation the vampire cannot approach within 5 feet of the repellent item or character, nor can it make any melee attacks or otherwise touch those within the warded area.

Weaknesses - Running Water — Running water (such as a stream or river) acts as a barrier to a vampire; one cannot cross over any such waterway, neither by bridge or by waterway or even by flying. It is possible for a vampire to be carried across while lying in its own coffin with the lid closed; the presence of the water flowing beneath the coffin will force the vampire to remain dormant.

Weaknesses - Uninvited Entry — A vampire may not enter any private dwelling without being invited by someone who resides there, and then only if invited while the resident is actually inside the structure. Public buildings of any sort do not present this problem; even inns are fully accessible to a vampire.

Destroying a Vampire — When reduced to zero hit points or less a vampire becomes incapacitated but is not slain. If exposed to direct sunlight, the vampire will be utterly destroyed in a single round if it cannot find a way to escape in that time. Being immersed in running water causes 3d8 points of damage each round, and if reduced to zero or fewer hit points in this way the vampire is destroyed. If the vampire is cremated in a funeral pyre while in any dormant state it will be destroyed. Driving a wooden stake through its heart will instantly reduce the vampire to zero hit points, and it will remain "dead" for so long as the stake is present. Removal of the stake, however, allows the vampire to begin regenerating as described above. It is not normally possible to drive a stake through a vampire's heart while it is actively resisting, but this can be done after reducing the monster to zero hit points in the usual way. Of course, after staking a vampire it is possible to use sunlight, running water, or a funeral pyre as described above to complete its destruction.

The vampire is one of the most feared of the undead. Being similar to other undead, they dwell simultaneously in the negative material and material planes. They share other undead's immunity to charm, hold, and sleep spells. Electricity and cold does only half damage, they are unaffected by normal weapons, and they regenerate 3 hit points per round. Vampires must take refuge in a coffin or other hide-away during daylight, and must slumber on soil from their own grave once in a while to maintain their powers.

Vampires are immensely strong (18.76), and deal great blows that inflict 1d6+4 hit points of damage. These blows further reduce the victim's life energy by two levels, which consequently reduces all other traits linked to a loss in levels (attack ability, hit dice, etc.).

Vampires create others of their kind by draining humans or humanoids of all life energy. The victim must be buried. After 1 day he or she will arise as a vampire. The victim will retain class abilities he or she had in life but will become a chaotic evil undead being. The new vampire is a slave to the vampire that created him or her, but becomes free willed if the master is killed.

Special Abilities

Undead Immunities — Immune to charm, hold, and sleep spells. Electricity and cold does only half damage. Unaffected by normal weapons.

Regeneration — Regenerate 3 hit points per round.

Strength — Immensely strong (18.76).

Energy Drain — Blows reduce the victim's life energy by two levels, which consequently reduces all other traits linked to a loss in levels (attack ability, hit dice, etc.).

Gaseous Form — May take gaseous form at will, and will be forced into this form if their hit points reach zero. They then attempt to reach their coffin to reform their bodies. If they do not reach the coffin within 12 turns and rest for 8 hours, they are unable to reform.

Shape Change — May shape change into a large bat at will, which grants them flying movement.

Summon Creatures — Can summon 1d10×10 bats or rats when underground or 3d6 wolves when above. These creatures will arrive in 2d6 rounds.

Charm Gaze — A vampire has a charm gaze (as the charm person spell), with a saving throw penalty of -2.

Repulsion — Vampires will draw back from a lawful good holy symbol, a mirror, or garlic if they are presented with confidence. Garlic causes a vampire to cringe for 1d4 rounds, and a holy symbol or mirror will cause a vampire to take a position in which the item does not impede his or her progress or attack. A lawful good holy symbol will affect a vampire no matter what its ethos was in life.

Holy Water — Holy water will inflict 1d6+1 points of damage per full vial which strikes.

Vulnerabilities — They take great damage from immersion in running water, and will be killed in 3 rounds (each round reduces 1/3 of the creature's hit points). If caught in sunlight a vampire becomes powerless and will die in 1 turn. Finally, a stake through the heart, coupled with decapitation, will destroy a vampire if holy sacraments (such as wafers) are placed in the mouth after the head is removed. If a vampire is staked he or she will appear to die, but unless also decapitated the vampire will revive when the stake is removed.

Create Vampire — Vampires create others of their kind by draining humans or humanoids of all life energy. The victim must be buried. After 1 day he or she will arise as a vampire. The victim will retain class abilities he or she had in life but will become a chaotic evil undead being. The new vampire is a slave to the vampire that created him or her, but becomes free willed if the master is killed.

Coffin Dependency — Vampires must take refuge in a coffin or other hide-away during daylight, and must slumber on soil from their own grave once in a while to maintain their powers.