Shapechanger. If Strahd isn’t in sunlight or running water, he can use his action to polymorph into a Tiny bat or a Medium cloud of mist, or back into his true form.
While in bat form, Strahd can’t speak, his walking speed is 5 feet, and has a flying speed of 30 feet. His statistics, other than his size and speed, are unchanged. Anything Strahd is wearing transforms with him, but nothing he is carrying does. Strahd reverts to his true form if he dies.
While in mist form, Strahd 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 (4/Day). If Strahd fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Misty Escape. When Strahd drops to 0 hit points outside his resting place, his 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 he can’t transform, he is destroyed.
While Strahd has 0 hit points in mist form, he can’t revert to his vampire form, and he must reach his resting place within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once in his resting place, Strahd reverts to his vampire form. He is then paralyzed until he regains at least 1 hit point. After spending 1 hour in his resting place with 0 hit points, Strahd regains 1 hit point.
Regeneration. Strahd regains 25 hit points at the start of his turn if he has at least 1 hit point and isn’t in sunlight or running water. If Strahd takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn’t function at the start of Strahd’s next turn.
Spellcasting. Strahd is a 9th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost
1st level (4 slots): cause fear, fog cloud, sleep
2nd level (4 slots): gust of wind, hold person, mirror image
3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, counterspell, nondetection
4th level (3 slots): blight, hallucinatory terrain, polymorph
5th level (2 slots): cloudkill, seeming
Spider Climb. Strahd can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Vampire Weaknesses. Strahd has the following flaws:
Forbiddance. Strahd can’t enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.
Harmed by Running Water. Strahd takes 20 acid damage if he ends his turn in running water.
Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into the Strahd’s heart while he is incapacitated in his resting place, Strahd is paralyzed until the stake is removed.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. Strahd takes 20 radiant damage when he starts his turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, he has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
Multiattack. (Vampire Form Only). Strahd 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: 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. Instead of dealing damage, Strahd can grapple the target (escape DC 18).
Longsword (Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) force damage.
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: 7 (1d6 + 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 Strahd 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 Strahd’s control.
Charm. Strahd targets one humanoid it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see him, the target must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by Strahd. The charmed target regards Strahd as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn’t under Strahd’s control, it takes the his requests or actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for the Strahd’s bite attack.
Each time Strahd or his 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 Strahd 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). Strahd magically calls 2d4 swarms of bats or rats, provided that the sun isn’t up. While outdoors, Strahd can call 3d6 wolves instead. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as allies of Strahd and obeying his spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour, until Strahd dies, or until Strahd dismisses them as a bonus action.
Strahd 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. Strahd regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.
Move. Strahd moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Attack. Strahd makes one attack either with his longsword or an unarmed strike.
Bite (Costs 2 Actions). The vampire makes one bite attack.
Description
Strahd Von Zarovich is the Dark Lord of Barovia, the first Vampire, and a ruthless combatant. He fights with the seasoned mind of a war-mongering general, only attacking at the most advantageous time from the most advantageous position. He is terrifyingly intelligent and not an easy foe.
"I am the ancient. I am the land. I am Count Strahd von Zarovich. My beginnings are lost in the darkness of the past. Gaze upon me and tremble, foolish hunters. The walls of Castle Ravenloft are my domain, and here, I reign supreme. You wish to hunt me down? So be it. Now all of Barovia will suffer for your hubris. All will know that while each of you lives there will be... only... darkness. I am no mere vampire to be killed by your mortal magics. I am Strahd von Zarovich, Barovia is my kingdom - and here, I am god."
Lair and Lair Actions
Castle Ravenloft
While Strahd is in Castle Ravenloft, he can take lair actions as long as he isn't incapacitated. On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) Strahd can take one of the following lair actions or forgo using any of them until the following round:
Lair Actions
- Until initiative count 20 of the next round, Strahd can pass through solid walls, doors, ceilings, and floors as if they weren't there.
- Strahd can target any number of doors and windows that he can see, causing each one to either open or close as he sees fit. Closed doors can be magically locked (needing a DC 20 Strength check to force open) until Strahd chooses to end the effect, or until Strahd uses this lair action again.
- Strahd summons an angry spirit of one who has died in the castle. The apparition appears next to a hostile creature that Strahd can see, makes an attack against that creature, then disappears. The apparition has the statistics of a specter.
- Strahd targets one medium or smaller creature that casts a shadow. The target's shadow must be visible to Strahd and within 30 ft of him. If the target fails a DC 17 Charisma saving throw, its shadow detaches from it and becomes a shadow under Strahd's command, acting on initiative count 20. A greater restoration spell or remove curse that targets the creature restores its natural shadow, but only if the undead shadow has been destroyed.
Regional Effects
The region surrounding a vampire’s lair is warped by the creature’s unnatural presence, creating any of the following effects:
- There’s a noticeable increase in the populations of bats, rats, and wolves in the region.
- Plants within 500 feet of the lair wither, and their stems and branches become twisted and thorny.
- Shadows cast within 500 feet of the lair seem abnormally gaunt and sometimes move as though alive.
- A creeping fog clings to the ground within 500 feet of the vampire’s lair. The fog occasionally takes eerie forms, such as grasping claws and writhing serpents.
If the vampire is destroyed, these effects end after 2d6 days.
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