Undead Specification

Vampires

Vampire

Corporeal Undead

Undead Level ("UL"):

If created: Base Level of victim +5 (The Base Level of a Target body is its Level when it died.  If Undead with souls (such as Vampires) are created from the bodies of multi-class adventurers, their Base Level is the square root of the sum of the squares of all their Levels that count towards Saving Level.)

If encountered, typically 6 to 15

Typical Number Encountered: 1

Alignment: E/L, E/N, E/C

Description: Newly-created vampires appear as a live person, but with fangs and pallid skin.  Gradually vampires become more wizened and corpse-like, though this process is delayed if they feed sufficiently.

Habitat: anywhere, but prefer towns and cities, where they dwell in dark and underground places.  Will not go out in LI >2, as direct sunlight causes them to combust.

Language: as per the person from whom created

Chars: as per the person from whom created, modified as follows:

Physical Senses Mental
St: +4 Sg: +2 (& Infravision) In: -1
Dx(Ph): +2 Hr: +3 Dx(M): +1
Hd:  Tc: -1 Mr: +1
Co: +3 Sm: -3 Wp: +5
Sz:  Ts: -6 Ft: +4 (in SOROK)
Bd:    Nt -6
Bt:     
  Karmic  
  At: reduced to 0  

Movement: as per the person from whom created

Fighter Abilities:

UL/3, FRU AMR    D = 25 + (5UL) %    RD = 5 + (5UL) %    5UL HP

Attack Modes:

Weapons / Unarmed Combat as a Ft of FtL = UL

May use Shields

Bite @ A = 8UL %, DAM = d6: if penetrates ADS (does >= 1 DAM), target is drained 1 At.  Each 1 At drained restores 5HP DAM taken by the Vampire (it cannot increase beyond its original HP).  The At drain to the target is permanent (but may be restored by a Clerical Restoration Spell), and gives -1 to Co and -1 to Wp per 1 At lost.  A target drained to 0 At becomes a Vampire only if he drinks the Vampire's blood as well.

HitLoc Table: as per the person from whom created

ADS: 0 all over, but may wear Armour

Invulnerability 3: invulnerable to non-magical and silver attacks, vulnerable to magical attacks, other beings with Invulnerability 3 are vulnerable to it.  For further details see the Notes to the Elementalist Invulnerability Spell.

A wooden stake through the heart (>1 DAM from a sharp piece of wood to the 35 on a Sz 10 vampire) vaporises the Vampire instantly, as an exception to Invulnerability 3.

Effects of Damage: as per the person from whom created, but does not make Co checks (where one applies the Vampire is deemed to have made it)

Regenerate @ 1HP/mr, starting in mr after first take Damage.  Only Fire, Acid or Disintegration will prevent Regeneration.  The body Regenerates from the largest surviving piece.

Thievish Abilities: as a Th of ThL = UL

SMs:

HIDE +3
MtoM +2
OBS +1
DIS +1
DEV 0
CLIMB +4

Other Abilities / Powers / Notes:

  1. Vampires have innate Ft and Th abilities, irrespective of whether the person from whom they were created did so.  They also retain any other adventurer abilities of the person from whom they were created (at their full original Levels), and may learn new ones.  They gain Experience as normal, but do not earn FtL or ThL Experience (UL applies instead).  Th pluses may be earned.  If Cls, they were SOROK Cls prior to His death.  After his death, they may be Cls of any Evil God.
  2. See the General Notes on the Undead.
  3. Vampires retain the Senses (and NVR) of their bodies, modified as above.  They have Detect Life as an innate ability (so Thievish hiding is useless against them).
  4. Undead hunger after life, and will attack living things, preferring those closest to their own species before being made Undead, and those with the highest At.
  5. Vampires are unaffected by Light (even of LI >2).  However direct sunlight causes them to spontaneously combust, taking d6 fire damage (no st) / sec until extinguished out of the sun.  They can move about during the day if appropriately covered, but a cover that is part of their personal possessions (e.g. a cloak, shield or parasol) only halves the damage (FRU).
  6. Can Shapechange to Animals to bat, rat or wolf, once each per Cd, as per the Druidic Power.  (Causes Vampire to drop all weapons, clothes and possessions.)
  7. Can assume incorporeal Gaseous Form, up to 3 times per Cd.  (Causes Vampire to drop all weapons, clothes and possessions.)
  8. Can Summon Bats / Rats / Wolves by ultrasonic whistle once each per Cd, as per the Druidic Summon Mammals Spell, with T = 4 * UL.
  9. Can Enter the Nightwing World / Rat Kingdom / Moonlit Kingdom when in bat / rat / wolf form respectively, and must remain in that form whilst doing so.
  10. Can Charm Person / Animal by initiating eye contact within 60 ft (BTS 6UL% (Wp)), then entering Willpower Battle at the difference in the Vampire's and target's Willpowers.  If the Vampire Dominates the target, it gains a limited control over him, being able to make him do passive things (e.g. invite the Vampire into his home, discard holy symbols, approach the Vampire, expose his neck to allow the Vampire to feed on his blood, etc.), but not to do active things (e.g. fight for the Vampire or Cast Spells).
  11. Vampires are repelled by garlic, which is poisonous to them (as PL5).
  12. Vampires cannot advance upon holy symbols of Gods of Good or of KOROS, God of Life, when presented to them.
  13. Vampires cannot cross running or tidal water of their own volition (does not apply to sewers, unless they culvert a river or stream).
  14. Vampires cannot enter a person's home unless invited in (which may be procured though trickery / magic).  Once invited in by any inhabitant, the invitation remains open permanently in respect of that home.
  15. Notes 6 to 14 above do not necessarily all apply to certain Vampires.
  16. Vampires have no reflection, but do cast shadows.  They are unable to use a Hall of Mirrors (or be caught in a Mirror of Life Trapping).
  17. Contrary to popular belief (and earlier versions of this spec.), Vampires do not need to rest in a coffin lined with soil from their grave, though some derive a certain comfort from doing so.

Back to Undead index

Back to Encounters index