So, About Vampires....

My first real post on this blog, almost a year after I made it... And just in time for Halloween.

 

I love vampires, but I'm not a fan of the vampire as it's presented in Dungeons & Dragons.   It's a fairly decent representation of a specific sort of a vampire, specifically Bram Stoker's Dracula (and likely, even more specifically Bela Lugosi's portrayal).  While that's an iconic vision, vampires have evolved past that interruption;  we now have the literary works like those Anne Rice, other role-playing games like Vampire: the Masquerade, and even in Japanese media like Vampire Hunter D and Castlevania. 

Then there's the infamous mechanic of energy drain. I don't like it.  At all.  For one, it doesn't feel something all that vampiric. I suppose if you think hard enough, you could make the argument that it's the act of a vampire draining their victims blood but it still feels sort of wrong.

I also feel that it's largely an unfair mechanic.  I understand it's purpose.  You're not supposed to want to fight a vampire head on since they are dangerous foes but personally I'd prefer having to make a save versus death or flat out die that lose levels.  As long as I been into Dungeons & Dragons (in that strange time between twilight years of 2e AD&D and the dawn of 3e D&D), I felt it was less something that challenged the players and more something that punished them.

So between all the issues I have with vampires in this game... Well, I decided to create my own take on it, that I call the Vampire Aristocrat.   It takes a little of everything for other forms of vampires I loved the years and turns it into something OSR compatible, created specifically for Old School Essentials in mind.   Complete with dice rolls to determine powers randomly!

NOTE: This was originally created for my homebrew setting in mind; I tried to remove most of the fluff I original wrote it with, to make it a lot more "neutral" but if some of the ideas seem strange, I've included a few notes on how you could present the different powers.  

~ The Vampire Aristocrat ~

 Vampire Aristocrat

Armour Class: 2 [17]
Hit Dice: 7 to 9** (31/36/40hp)
Attacks: 1 × bite (1d8 + blood drain) or 1 × weapon (1d6 or by weapon) or 1 x gaze
THAC0: 13 [+6]/12 [+7]/12 [+7]
Movement: 120’ (40’)
Saving Throws: D8 W9 P10 B10 S12
Morale: 11
Alignment: Chaotic

Vampire aristocrats otherwise have the same strengths and weakness of a normal vampire, although you might consider the following additional changes.

Mundane damage immunity: Can only be harmed by magical attacks or silver weapons.   The later, especially is true if you're running a more low-magic setting.

Stake through the heart:  It doesn't destroy the vampire, but pins it in place.  You'll need sunlight or a blade capable of decapitating the vampire to finish the job.

Uninvited: A vampire cannot enter a building they are not invited into.  While they are not barred from entry of public places, such as a church (which they likely don't want to go into) or a tavern, they'd need to find a way to enter someone's house.

 ~ Vampire Linage ~

Roll 1d6 to determine the specific the "base" powers of the vampire aristocrat.

1:  Blood Priest: The vampire can cast spells as if they were a Chaotic-aligned cleric of their hit dice.

2: Plague Bringer:   If the vampire hits with their bite attack, targets must make a save versus death or contract a disease similar to that of a mummy.

3: Blood Knight: The vampire can make two attacks per round, although they must be different,  A vampire could attack a single foe with a bite and weapon attack, or attack the party fighter with their weapon while targeting the magic-user with their gaze, but they could not use their gaze attack twice.

4: Night Terror: The vampire can use change form to turn into a gargoyle. If it does so, it gains the following statistical changes; 2 × claw (1d3), 1 × bite (1d6), 1 × horn (1d4),  90’ (30’) / 150’ (50’) flying.  AC, HD, morale, saves as vampire.

5: Blood Sorcerer: The vampire can cast spells as if they were a magic-user of their hit dice.

6: Shadow Master:  The vampire can use summon beast to call forth 1d6+1 shadows.  

 Ideas for Roleplaying: Blood priests were likely pious in life and might continue certain religious practices, like self-flagellation or might perform perverse inverted religious rites under the light of the full moon.  Plague bringers could be hated even by all other vampires, even hunted in fear of drawing attention.  Blood knights were likely soldiers in life and revel in combat.  Night terrors could be similar to blood knights, or alternatively depraved beings that see themselves as the apex predator.  Blood sorcerers could be approach undeath from a very scholarly perspective, seeking to know the limits of their powers.  Shadow masters could have such an affinity for darkness, they curse light of any sort, including torches and lanterns.

~ Gaze Attacks~

Roll 1d4 to determine the effects of the vampire aristocrat's gaze attack. 

1: Frightful gaze. Save versus spell, at -2, or be frozen in terror for one turn. The vampire's first bite attack against the victim of their gaze attack automatically hits, but on the following rounds, the victim flees from the vampire and will cower if they are unable to run,

2: Nocturnal gaze. Save versus spell or fall asleep. A vampire's bite attack will automatically hit and will not wake the target of their gaze. If a sleeping victim survives a vampire's feeding, it must make another save versus spell at -2, or forget ever seeing the vampire.

3: Charming gaze. As default vampire.

4: Burning gaze. The target of the gaze attack takes 3d6 damage. A successful save versus death reduces this damage by half. Damage dealt this way can only be recovered naturally. This gaze attack functions against any creature with blood, including other vampires.

Ideas for Roleplaying:  Vampires with the frightful gaze ability could revel in causing fear and enjoy the thrill of the hunt and they might be seen as potential risks by other vampires.  Vampires with nocturnal gaze would be the typical seductive vampire or even a vampire that doesn't want to be noticed.  Charming gaze vampires might consider themselves princes among vampires as are likely to have many servants.  Vampires with the burning gaze might feel the same way, as they can even harm their own kind if they so wish.

~ Minor Powers ~ 

Roll 1d8 to determine the minor power of a vampire aristocrat.   Roll twice for a vampire arisocrat with nine hit dice.   If you get the same result twice, they only have a single minor power.   Note that some of the powers are more powerful than others.  This is by design.

1: +1 AC.  Maybe the vampire is wearing armor, or perhaps they have strange magics to defend themselves.   Think what Meier Link does with his cape in Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust.

2: +1 to hit and damage.  The vampire likely possesses supernatural strength or was peerless warrior in life.

3: Cannot be destroyed if turned.  Maybe the vampire still believes in whatever god the cleric does, or maybe their evil is so great no mortal man's faith could destroy it.

4: Takes 3d6 damage in sunlight, rather than being destroyed on a failed saving throw. A vampire aristocrat with this ability is likely ancient, even by vampire standards.

5:  The vampire can freely climb any wall or ceiling and their standard movement speed.   This absolutely should be unsettling, especially the first time someone sees it. 

6:  The vampire can freely enter any location, even if they are not freely invited.  Re-roll this, if you don't want to use that rule.  If you roll it again, the vampire will not gain a minor power.

7:  Characters with less that 4 hit dice must make a save versus spells to even approach the vampire and take an additional -2 penalty to all saving throws they make against the vampire's abilities.  This includes any potential spells they might be able to cast.

8:  The vampire doesn't actually possess a minor power.

~ The End ~

 

Next week,  assuming I don't forget about this for another year, I'll post the rules I use in my personal homebrew campaign for fear and stress.   Halloween is late, but the focus of this blog will largely be OSR gothic horror/fantasy role-playing.