Shapechanger. If the vampire isn't in sunlight or running water, it can use its action to polymorph into a Tiny bat or a Medium cloud of mist, or back into its true form.
While in bat form, the vampire can't speak, its walking speed is 5 feet, and it has a flying speed of 30 feet. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are unchanged. Anything it is wearing transforms with it, but nothing it is carrying does. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
While in mist form, the vampire 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 (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 cloud of mist (as in the Shapechanger trait) instead of falling unconscious, provided that it isn't in sunlight or running water. If it can't transform, it is destroyed.
While it has 0 hit points in mist form, it can't revert to its vampire form, and it must reach its resting place within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once in its resting place, it reverts to its vampire form. It is then paralyzed until it regains at least 1 hit point. After spending 1 hour in its resting place with 0 hit points, it regains 1 hit point.
Regeneration. The vampire regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sunlight or running water. 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.
Vampire Weaknesses. The vampire has the following flaws:
Forbiddance. The vampire can't enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.
Harmed by Running Water. The vampire takes 20 acid damage if it ends its turn in running water.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The vampire takes 20 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
Spellcasting. The Vampire Elder Priest is a 13-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is wisdom (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). The Vampire Elder Priest has following cleric spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): Toll the dead, Sacred flame, thaumaturgy
1st level (4 slots): Inflict wounds, Command, Shield of Faith
2nd level (3 slots): Hold person, Darkness
3rd level (3 slots): Bestow Curse, Protection from Energy (+Radiant), Spirit Gaurdians
4th level (3 slots): Blight, Death ward
5th level (2 slots): Geas, Insect plaque
6th level (1 slots): Harm
7th level (1 slots): Fire storm
Multiattack. (Vampire Form Only). The vampire 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, the vampire can grapple the target (escape DC 18).
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 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 spawn under the vampire's control.
Charm. The Vampire Elder Priest targets one humanoid it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see the Vampire Elder Priest, the target must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by the Vampire Elder Priest. The charmed target regards the Vampire Elder Priest as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn't under the Vampire Elder Priest's control, it takes the Vampire Elder Priest's requests or actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for the Vampire Elder Priest's bite attack.
Each time the Vampire Elder Priest or the Vampire Elder Priest's 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 the Vampire Elder Priest is destroyed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a bonus action to end the effect.
Children of Undeath (1/Day). The Vampire Elder Priest magically calls 2d4 zombies, 2d4 skeletons, 1d4 Grave guards or a vampire elder priest spawn, provided that the sun isn't up.
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.
Cantrip. The Vampire Elder Priest casts a cantrip.
Bite.(Costs 2 Actions). The vampire makes one bite attack.
Cast a spell.(Costs 2 Actions). The Vampire Elder Priest casts a spell.
Lair and Lair Actions
A Vampire’s Lair
A vampire chooses a grand yet defensible location for its lair, such as a castle, fortified manor, or walled abbey. It hides its coffin in an underground crypt or vault guarded by vampire spawn or other loyal creatures of the night.
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.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Vampire Elder Priest can take a lair action to cause one of the following magical effects; the Vampire Elder Priest can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- The Vampire Elder Priest rolls a d8 and regains a spell slot of that level or lower. If it has no spent spell slots of that level or lower, nothing happens.
- The Vampire Elder Priest targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. A crackling cord of negative energy tethers the Vampire Elder Priest to the target. Whenever the Vampire Elder Priest takes damage, the target must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the Vampire Elder Priest takes half the damage (rounded down), and the target takes the remaining damage. This tether lasts until initiative count 20 on the next round or until the Vampire Elder Priest or the target is no longer in the Vampire Elder Priest’s lair.
- The Vampire Elder Priest calls forth the spirits of creatures that died in its lair. These apparitions materialize and attack one creature that the Vampire Elder Priest can see within 60 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw, taking 52 (15d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success. The apparitions then disappear.
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