Vampire Born (3.5e Class)

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Vampire Born

Vampires are well known as powerful undead night hunters, beings who wield the power of the supernatural while in the guise of mortality. However, even among vampires there exists those who stand out. Very rarely an individual is BORN with vampirism. While appearing weak and sickly at first, their vampiric powers soon surpass those of their infected peers.

Making a Vampire Born

Races: Any

Abilities: Strength, dexterity, and charisma are all important stats for the vampire born. Strength allows them to deal more damaging attacks, as well as fueling their supernatural feats of strength. Dexterity helps them to avoid attacks, and Charisma fuels their special abilities.

Alignment: Any

Starting Gold: As Rogue

Special: Whether through magical or other special means, the character must be born as a vampire. Vampire borns are unable to multiclass, and this class cannot be multiclassed into. An individual born as a vampire retains the racial ability of their "mortal" race. Note that being a vampire born removes all normal vampire traits, (besides being undead). The vampire's abilities are gained as they level up and progress through their development stages (see Vampiric Development).

Table: The Vampire Born

Hit Die: d12

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+0	+2	+0	Fledgling Stage, Vampiric Development, Vampire Weaknesses.
2nd	+2	+0	+3	+0	-
3rd	+3	+1	+3	+1	-
4th	+4	+1	+4	+1	Risen Stage
5th	+5	+1	+4	+1	-
6th	+6/+1	+2	+5	+2	-
7th	+7/+2	+2	+5	+2	-
8th	+8/+3	+2	+6	+2	Master Stage
9th	+9/+4	+3	+6	+3	-
10th	+10/+5	+3	+7	+3	-
11th	+11/+6/+1	+3	+7	+3	-
12th	+12/+7/+2	+4	+8	+4	Progenitor Stage
13th	+13/+8/+3	+4	+8	+4	-
14th	+14/+9/+4	+4	+9	+4	-
15th	+15/+10/+5	+5	+9	+5	-
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+5	+10	+5	Sire Stage
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	-
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+6	-
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6	-
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6	Blacksoul Stage
Class Skills 8 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) As Rogue

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Vampire Born.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A vampire born is proficient with simple weapons only, and no armor.

Vampiric Development

As the Vampire Born ages and gains experience, it gains new powers and progresses across several stages of vampirism. Once a Vampire Born reaches the required level to progress stages, they start to feel the transformation starting. This usually manifests in the form of a pounding headache and a strong desire for sleep. The Vampire Born must sleep in its coffin for 24 hours to trigger the metamorphosis. For every day that the vampire ignores the change, it takes 5 points of damage to all of its ability scores. Once any of its scores reach zero, it immediately falls unconscious and undergoes the transformation for twice as long.

Blood and Thirst- A vampire must feed on the blood of mortals in order to survive. Each stage can go a certain amount of days without feeding before they suffer a penalty. After going their allotted days without feeding, a vampire then takes 2d4 WIS damage per day that they fast (DC 15 will save negates). Upon reaching 0 wisdom, the vampire goes insane and attacks any nearby target until it becomes satiated. This wisdom damage cannot be healed by any normal means, but is healed immediately upon feeding again. The amount that a vampire must feed in order to become satiated again is determined by the DM.

Vampire weaknesses- A vampire has the following weaknesses:

Repelling a Vampire Vampires cannot tolerate the strong odor of garlic and will not enter an area laced with it. Similarly, they recoil from a mirror or a strongly presented holy symbol. These things don’t harm the vampire—they merely keep it at bay. A recoiling vampire must stay at least 5 feet away from a creature holding the mirror or holy symbol and cannot touch or make melee attacks against the creature holding the item for the rest of the encounter. Holding a vampire at bay takes a standard action. They are utterly unable to enter a home or other building unless invited in by someone with the authority to do so. They may freely enter public places, since these are by definition open to all.

Slaying a Vampire Reducing a vampire’s hit points to 0 or lower incapacitates it but doesn’t always destroy it (see the note on fast healing). However, certain attacks can slay vampires. Exposing any vampire to direct sunlight disorients it: It can take only a single move action or attack action and is destroyed utterly in the next round if it cannot escape. Similarly, immersing a vampire in running water robs it of one-third of its hit points each round until it is destroyed at the end of the third round of immersion, (Note that this weakness is negated if the base creature had a swim speed). Driving a wooden stake through a vampire’s heart instantly slays the monster. However, it returns to life if the stake is removed, unless the body is destroyed. A popular tactic is to cut off the creature’s head and fill its mouth with holy wafers (or their equivalent).

Fledgling Stage

A vampire born in fledgling stage is significantly weaker than a regular vampire, struggling even to properly feed itself. A fledgling desperately needs blood in its early stages and cannot go a single day without feeding.

Undead visage: In its natural state, a vampire's features are even sharper and more angled then those of an elf. They have sharp, pointed teeth and their red eyes let off an eerie glow. A vampire can suppress these features at will to appear with more natural features, albeit with still pale skin and red (non glowing) eyes. A character who has seen a vampire's true form can recognize that same disguised vampire with a spot check. DC is equal to 3 times the vampire's character level.

Vampiric Claws: A vampire begins to grow claws early in its transformation. These usually manifest in the form of darkened fingernails that harden and extend into needle like points. As a fledgling, these claws deal 1d6 damage + the vampire's strength mod and threaten a critical on a roll of 19-20. These claws count as natural weapons.

Blood Drain: A vampire fledgling can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. Upon success, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution damage each round. On each such successful drain attack, the vampire spawn gains 5 temporary hit points. However, at this stage, the fledgling's fangs are still undeveloped, making it impossible to stay latched on for long. They cannot drain blood in consecutive rounds during the same grapple.

Spider Climb: A vampire can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell.

Suggestion: A vampire fledgling can influence the actions of its prey through a gaze. A target caught directly in its gaze must make a will save with a DC of 10 + 1/2 the fledgling's character level + the fledgling's Cha modifier. Those who fail are subject to the spell suggestion (caster level is the fledgling's character level.) This ability can be used a number of times equal to the fledgling's Cha modifier.

Energy Drain: Living creatures hit by a vampire fledgling’s natural attacks gain one negative level. The DC is 10 + 1/2 the fledgling's character level + the fledgling's Cha modifier for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. These negative levels cannot reduce a victim's HD to zero. For each such negative level bestowed, the vampire fledgling gains 3 temporary hit points. Can only be used once per round. Temporary hit points wear off at the end of an encounter.

Gaseous Form: As a standard action, a vampire fledgling can assume gaseous form at will as the spell (caster level 6th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability.

Thick Skin: A vampire fledgling has skin that is tougher than a mortal's. They gain a +3 natural armor bonus.

Skills: Vampire fledglings have a +4 racial bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks.

Fangs: A vampire's fangs allow them to deliver a bite that does the same damage as a claw attack. This is a secondary natural weapon.

Risen Stage

Once a Vampire Born reaches risen state, they start to gain the full power of a vampire, however some special traits begin to reveal themselves as well. A risen vampire can go two days without feeding.

Feeding Sedative: Most vampires will feed off of live victims, and this process is usually not very comfortable for those victims. However, some vampires are still able to feed discretely by injecting a toxin into the victims they bite. This toxin creates a calming, almost euphoric sensation once it enters the bloodstream, and is used by vampires who feed in public places such as inns, to keep their prey from screaming or crying out in pain once they are bitten. A vampire cannot utilize this toxin in combat or high stress situations, since it requires the vampire to be relaxed to use it. The effects of the toxin wear off immediately if the victim is exposed to danger, (such as if they are attacked) since the adrenaline serves to clear the victim's senses. The toxin does not allow a saving throw, and lasts for about a minute once it is administered. Targets that are immune to poison are unaffected by this toxin.

Vampiric Claws: Damage increases to 1d8.

Blood Drain: Now deals 1d4 constitution drain, and the vampire can stay latched for as long as it can maintain the grapple.

Create Spawn: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. In either case, the new vampire or spawn is under the command of the vampire that created it and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. At any given time a vampire may have enslaved spawn totaling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn it creates that would exceed this limit are created as free-willed vampires or vampire spawn. A vampire that is enslaved cannot create its own spawn.

Alternate Form: A vampire can assume the shape of a bat, wolf, or as a standard action. While in its alternate form, the vampire loses its dominate ability, but it gains the natural weapons and extraordinary special attacks of its new form. It can remain in that form until it assumes another. (If the base creature is not terrestrial, this power might allow other forms.)

Turn Resistance: A vampire has +4 turn resistance.

Abilities: Gain Str +4, Dex +2, Cha +2.

Skills: Increase bonus to +6 racial bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks.

Jaw lock: A vampire that hits with a bite attack can immediately start a grapple without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Unholy Might (lesser): A vampire is supernaturally stronger and faster than its mortal peers. A vampire can add half its character level to strength or dexterity based checks made to perform extraordinary physical feats. (i.e. Slamming someone on a wall or other solid surface, throwing a person off of a tall building, catching a falling object, punching through solid surfaces like doors, walls, or even other people). The bonus cannot be used on attack/damage rolls or skill checks. This ability can be used a number of times equal to the vampire's charisma modifier.

Master stage

A master vampire has surpassed the caliber of normal vampires. Monsters of this category terrorize whole towns and attract the attention of mighty heroes. A master vampire can go up to three days without feeding.

Undead Evolution: Upon reaching master stage, the vampire born must make the choice of its evolution path. The abilities it gains from this stage on are dictated by the choice of its stage. Evolution choice is final, and cannot be changed. Duskwalkers further advance their melee prowess, at the cost of versatility. Soulbenders sacrifice melee abilities for spellcasting.

General Master Abilities

The following abilities are learned regardless of evolution choice.

Energy Drain: Now deals two negative levels, and the vampire heals 5 hp per negative level. Can only be used once per round.

Abilities: Score bonuses increase to: Str +6, Dex +4, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4

Skills: Increase bonuses to +8.

Bat Wings (lesser): A master vampire starts to develop the lesser use of bat like wings that it can summon from its back. These wings allow the vampire to duplicate the effects of a fly, swift spell with a caster level equal to its character level. A vampire can use this ability a number of times equal to its charisma modifier.

Unholy Might: A vampire can now apply its full level to strength checks. However, it still has a limit to how many times (see lesser Unholy Might).

Fast Healing: A vampire fledgling heals 2 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. However, at such an early stage, this healing requires energy to maintain. The vampire's fast healing is only operated at full effectiveness while it is in combat. While outside of combat, the vampire's fast healing applies its by-round healing once every five minutes. This healing is disabled while in a hostile environment (i.e. a dungeon or battleground). If the vampire wishes to utilize its fast healing, it must either enter combat to receive its full effectiveness or leave the hostile area to receive its reduced effectiveness. If reduced to 0 hit points in combat, it automatically assumes incorporeal form and attempts to escape. It must reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Once at rest in its coffin, it is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes healing at the rate of 2 hit points per round.

Master Stage Duskwalker Abilities

The following abilities are only gained by vampires who chose the Duskwalker evolution.

Vampiric Claws: Damage increased to 1d10.

Deadly Sadism: A vampire takes great joy in threatening his opponents in combat. He gains his charisma bonus as a bonus to attack rolls.

Supernatural Speed: A vampire can move 10 extra feet per round when unencumbered.

Jaw Wrench: If a vampire begins its turn while latched onto a target, it can sacrifice draining blood to try and rip the target's neck instead. The vampire must first roll to maintain the grapple, then it can make a strength check opposed by the target's fortitude save. If it succeeds, then it wrenches its head and rips out a large chunk of the target's neck, dealing damage as if it scored a critical with its bite attack, and ending the grapple.

Thick skin: Increase to +6 natural armor bonus.

Master Stage Soulbender Abilities

The following abilities are only gained by vampires who choose the Soulbender evolution. Upon choosing the Soulbender evolution, a vampire born is treated as a sorcerer of equal level for the purposes of determining the level of spells, and spells per day it can cast. A Soulbender can cast any blood magic or soul magic spell that fits within those constraints.

Blood Magic: A blood magic spell is an emulation of a single evocation spell from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. The spell must also have a projectile or energy that can be logically converted into blood (i.e. Magic Missile becomes Blood Missile, Cone of Cold becomes Cone of Blood, Scorching Ray could become Blood Beam). A blood magic spell costs 5 hp to cast and returns temporary hp to the caster equal to half the damage done (rounded down). Otherwise, the spell functions exactly as its regular counterpart. These spells are identical to their original counterparts, except they only have somatic components and do not provoke attacks of opportunity. These somatic components are unable to be read by spellcraft users.

Soul Magic: Soul magic allows the vampire to emulate other types of spells. These spells are identical to their original counterparts, except they only have somatic components and do not provoke attacks of opportunity. These somatic components are unable to be read by spellcraft users. Add these spells to the vampire's spells known once they attain the appropriate level to cast them. 1st level- Mage Armor, Charm Person. 2nd level- Shatter, Fog Cloud, Alter Self, Darkness, Mirror Image. 3rd level- Ray of Exhaustion, Mage Armor (greater), Mage Armor (Mass). 4th level- Fear, Evard's Black Tentacles, Illusory Wall, Enervation, Phantasmal Killer. 5th level- Spiritwall, Wall of Blood (identical to Wall of Ooze), Telekinesis. 6th level- Disintegrate. 7th level- Avasculate, Finger of Death. 8th level- Unholy Aura. 9th level- Energy Drain, Horrid Wilting.

Domination: A vampire can attempt to dominate one target per day by making eye contact. The target must make a will save with the standard DC calculated for the vampire born's other abilities (see above) or be affected by dominate person of a caster level equal to the vampire's level.

Vitality Crush: A Soulbender vampire gains the ability to drain the life of its foes from a distance. The vampire first makes a ranged touch attack, followed by opposed grapple checks between the vampire and its target. If it succeeds, it grips the target in the air and deal its constitution drain each round the victim is gripped. The vampire can maintain the hold for as long as it can keep the victim grappled. The victim can break free with a successful grapple or escape artist check, and the grip can be resisted by spell resistance. This ability has a 40 yard range.

Progenitor stage

A champion among monsters, a vampire progenitor is frequently seen leading other undead in its dark crusades. A vampire progenitor can go up to four days without feeding.

Progenitor Stage Duskwalker Abilities

The following abilities are only gained by vampires who chose the Duskwalker evolution.

Blur: A progenitor vampire has learned to move at almost unperceivable speeds. A vampire can move up to their full speed as a swift action. This movement does not provoke any attacks of opportunity. This ability can be used a number of times equal to half the vampire's charisma modifier per day. In addition, a readied blur can be used to dodge either one melee attack or one visible projectile. Readying a blur is a move action.

Vampiric Claws: Damage increased to 2d6.

Bat Wings (complete): A master vampire has complete control over its wings. It can summon and dismiss them at will, and they let it fly at a speed of 90ft. with average maneuverability.

Soulbender Abilities

The following abilities are only gained by vampires who choose the Soulbender evolution.

Levitation: Instead of wings, a Soulbender vampire can fly by floating in the air. This allows them to move as the same speed as a Duskwalker's wings (90ft.) but the maneuverability improves to good.

Domination: A vampire can now attempt to dominate an individual with its gaze a number of times equal to half its charisma modifier.

Sire stage

Sire vampires are legendary creatures of darkness, rulers of evil. Only a small handful of these vampires were even rumored to exist. A sire vampire can go up to five days without feeding.

General Sire Abilities

The following abilities are learned regardless of evolution choice.

Blood Drain: Now deals 1d6 constitution drain.

Life Siphon: When the vampire drains blood from an opponent for more than one consecutive round, it can add the result of its previous constitution drain roll to the result of the roll made next round to do more constitution drain. This only works when the vampire drains constitution for multiple consecutive rounds, and the affects do not stack.

Abilities: Score bonus increases to Str +8, Dex +6, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +6

Unholy Might (greater): A progenitor vampire is now considered to have Unholy Might active at all times.

Fast Healing: Increases to 5 hp per round.

Sire Stage Duskwalker Abilities

The following abilities are only gained by vampires who chose the Duskwalker evolution.

Vampiric Claws: Damage increased to 2d8.

Greater Jaw Wrench: A vampire's jaw wrench ability now deals double critical damage (roll two critical hits).

Snap Reflexes: A vampire can blur away from harm as a immediate action a number of times per day equal to half its charisma modifier. This still has the normal restrictions of using blur to dodge.

Thick skin: increase bonus to +9.

Sire Stage Soulbender Abilities

The following abilities are only gained by vampires who choose the Soulbender evolution.

Blur: A Soulbender vampire gains blur at sire stage, however they may NOT utilize snap reflexes. Otherwise, this ability functions the same as the progenitor Duskwalker ability of the same name.

Domination: A vampire can now attempt to dominate an individual with its gaze a number of times equal to its full charisma modifier. In adition, this ability is now cosidered a true gaze attack, however secondary targets who fail their save suffer a lesser penalty. These secondary targets are instead persuaded to fight for the vampire's cause for 3 rounds. This is a mind altering, magical, and evil aligned effect.

Blacksoul Stage

These creatures, quite simply do not exist. They are mere fairy tales, for no creature could ascend to such a state, be it living or dead. A vampire blacksoul can go six days without feeding.

General Blacksoul Abilities

The following abilities are learned regardless of evolution choice.

Blood Drain: Now deals 1d8 constitution drain.

Encompassing Dark: Any ability of the vampire's that previously had a saving throw DC of (10+1/2 vampire's class level+the vampire's charisma modifier) now has a DC of (10+the vampire's FULL class level+the vampire's charisma modifier).

True Form: The greatest ability any vampire can master. Once per week and only at night, the vampire can assume the shape of a large bat-like demon. While in this state, the vampire has wings that allow it to fly at a speed of 120ft. with good maneuverability, and is considered a large creature. Its claw and bite damage values increase to 4d8, and its poison does 2d6 ability damage. The vampire is also hasted while in this form, while retaining access to all its normal abilities. Upon transformation, the vampire gains a 50% increase to strength, dexterity, and hit points. While in this form, the vampire takes half damage from all non-holy sources, however holy damage (such as the fire from a flame strike spell) still deals the normal amount of damage. Divinities and other extraordinary circumstances can negate this reduction, at the DM's discretion.

Blacksoul Stage Duskwalker Abilities

The following abilities are only gained by vampires who chose the Duskwalker evolution.

Vampiric Claws: Damage increases to 2d10

Cold Vice: A vampire is an expert at holding down prey so it may feed. It can add half its character level to grapple checks. It can only grapple creatures within two size categories of itself.

On The Subject Of Undead Biology

The term "vampire born" seems at first to be incredibly oxymoronic. After all, a vampire is an undead creature, one that does not age, its body forever preserved against the ravages of time. So how would it be possible for anyone to be born a vampire? The process that creates a vampire born actually involves the subject being born a living member of its race. However, through whatever means that were used, the subject also had a small bit of vampire blood within its body. The effects of this blood are minor, since it consists of about 1% of the subject's total blood amount. The subject then ages through childhood and adolescence normally, until it reaches its race's point of physical maturity. Once that happens, the dormant vampire blood takes over in a violent transformation that ends with the death of the subject, who then rises as an undead on the next harvest moon. At this point, the vampire is considered a fledgling, and may begin the leveling process as normal.

However, the fact is undeniable that being a vampire born is quite unnatural, and was never meant to happen. As a result, some strange things can happen to the child in question. They sometimes will inherit an imbalanced amount of traits from their parents. A half breed may be born a full breed of just its mother or father's race. In some extreme cases, the child may even be born as a member of a different race entirely! Physical mutations are also common, with discoloration of skin, eyes, or hair being the main ones. In addition, the transformation process doesn't always work predictably. Some subjects never rise again after the blood kills them, for some the transformation occurs extremely early in their life, far before physical maturity, and for others the transformation occurs either later or not at all. These combined circumstances make vampire borns extremely rare, and the ones that do survive quite unique.

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