Vampire Lord

Shapechanger. If the vampire isn’t in direct sunlight, it can use its action or bonus action to polymorph into a beast that has a challenge rating no higher than its own, into a vampiric mist, or back into its true form. The vampire can polymorph from one form to another without having to revert to its true form.

While in an alternate form, the vampire retains its statistics except as otherwise noted. The vampire's size is replaced by that of the new form, and the vampire gains the AC, ability scores, proficiencies, movement modes and speeds, special senses, damage resistances and immunities, condition immunities, actions, and other beneficial traits, features, and capabilities (except for class features, legendary resistances, legendary actions, and lair actions) of the new form, in addition to retaining its own, using the better of the two in case of conflict or redundancy. In vampiric mist form, the vampire also has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and is immune to all nonmagical damage.

The vampire chooses whether its equipment falls to the ground in its space, merges into its new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the form’s shape and size. The vampire's equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until the vampire leaves the form.

Empowered Saves. Whenever the vampire must make a saving throw, it gains a bonus to the saving throw equal to its Charisma modifier (with a minimum bonus of +1).

Innate Spellcasting. The vampire's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 19, +11 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: control weather, fog cloud (cast at any level), telekinesis

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the vampire fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Misty Escape. When it drops to 0 hit points outside its resting place, the vampire transforms into a vampiric mist (as in the Shapechanger trait) instead of falling unconscious, provided that it isn’t in direct sunlight. If it can’t transform, it appears to be destroyed, but in fact lies unconscious until it is able to transform, and transforms as soon as it is able.

While it has 0 hit points in mist form, it can’t attack, cast spells, revert to its true form, or polymorph into another form, and it must reach one of its resting places within 24 hours or dissipate and fall unconscious. Once in one of its resting places, it reverts to its true form. It is then paralyzed until it regains at least 1 hit point. After spending 1 hour in one of its resting places with 0 hit points, it regains 1 hit point. The vampire can have multiple resting places prepared.

If the vampire fails to reach one of its resting places within 24 hours while at 0 hit points in its mist form, the vampire fully transforms into a vampiric mist, replacing all of its statistics with the mist's, and losing all but the faintest vestiges of its intelligence, personality, and memories. Each night of the full moon, if the mist is unconscious and at 0 hit points, it reconstitutes itself, regaining consciousness and regaining 1 hit point. The mist cannot die through normal means; if it is reduced to 0 hit points or suffers from an effect that would otherwise kill it, it falls unconscious and dissipates, until it again reconstitutes at the next night of the full moon.

If reduced to a vampiric mist, the vampire can only return to its true form and regain its intelligence, personality, and powers if it is brought to one of its resting places, is fed blood until its colour is deep scarlet, and has a greater restoration spell or similar magic cast on it. It is then paralyzed as it slowly regenerates its true form over the course of a week, during which it must be fed blood each night or the process halts. After the process is complete, the vampire reverts to its true form and regains 1 hit point.

Regeneration. The vampire regains 30 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn’t in direct sunlight. If the vampire takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the vampire’s next turn.

Spider Climb. The vampire can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Telepathic Bond. The vampire ignores the range restriction on its telepathy when communicating with vampires or vampire spawn created by it, any beasts called by its Children of the Night ability, any creatures charmed by it, and any other creatures controlled by it. The vampire and the creatures in question don’t even need to be on the same plane of existence.

Turn Resistance. The vampire has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.

Vampire Weaknesses. The vampire has the following flaws:

Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into the vampire’s heart while the vampire is incapacitated in its resting place, the vampire most succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed until the stake is removed. The vampire can repeat this saving throw once every 24 hours, causing the stake to burst into flames and release the vampire on a success.

Sunlight Sensitivity. While in direct sunlight, the vampire has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Multiattack. The vampire makes three attacks, only one of which can be a bite attack.

Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage. Instead of dealing damage, the vampire can grapple the target (escape DC 21).

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by the vampire, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic damage. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the vampire 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 under the vampire’s control. The DM may decide that a non-humanoid slain in this way and then buried in the ground also rises the following night as a vampiric mockery of its former self under the vampire’s control.

Charm. The vampire targets one creature within 30 feet of it. If the target can see or hear the vampire, the target must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by the vampire. The charmed target regards the vampire as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn’t under the vampire’s control, it takes the vampire’s requests or actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for the vampire’s bite attack.

Every 24 hours and each time the vampire or the vampire’s companions do anything harmful to the target, the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts until the vampire is destroyed or takes a bonus action to end the effect.

Children of the Night (1/Day). The vampire magically calls 2d4 swarms of bats or rats, provided that the sun isn’t up. While outdoors, the vampire can call 3d6 wolves instead. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as allies of the vampire and obeying its spoken commands. The beasts remain until the vampire is destroyed or dismisses them as a bonus action.

The vampire 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. The vampire regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Move. The vampire moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Unarmed Strike. The vampire makes one unarmed strike.

Bite (Costs 2 Actions). The vampire makes one bite attack.