Echolocation. The vargheist can't use its blindsight while deafened.
Regeneration. The vargheist regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. If the vargheist takes radiant damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the vargheist's next turn.
Blood Frenzy. The vargheist has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn't have all its hit points.
Dive Attack. If the vargheist is flying and dives at least 30 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a melee weapon attack, that target must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and be stunned until the end of its next turn. If the target is prone and stunned, the vargheist can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Flyby. The vargheist doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy's reach .
Sunlight Sensitivity. The vargheist takes 20 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the vargheist's choice that is within 120 feet of the vargheist and aware of it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the ancient vargheist's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Multiattack. The vargheist makes three melee attacks, only one of which can be a bite attackk.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) slashing damage. Instead of dealing damage, the vargheist can grapple the target (escape DC 16).
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature that is grappled by the vargheist, incapacitated or restrained. Hit: 11 (1d10 + 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 vargheist 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.
Description
Vampire
Contrary to popular belief, monsters are not all alike. Like people, individual members of the same species can each have their own unique traits, preferences and weaknesses. A good example of this is the many species of vampires, some very different from the others, and only connected by their mandatory diet: fresh blood. Vampires are often referred as of the lower or higher variant. There seem to be some disagreement in the academic world as to what makes a vampire belong to either category. Most scholar qualifies a vampire of higher ascendancy when they show the ability to shapechange into a humanoid, but other base their assumption on their intelligence and capacity to use magical abilities. Other deny entirely the aforementioned classifications and state that higher vampires are an entirely different species, immortal and human looking.
Blood Addiction
When a vampire loses control of itself because of its Blood Addiction weakness the vampire enters a state called blood frenzy. In order to control itself near a source of blood, the vampire must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw, on a failed save it loses control and enters blood frenzy. The blood frenzy ends when the vampire use its bite attack successfully and inflicts necrotic damage to a target, unless noted otherwise in its individual description. If a vampire's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the vampire is immune to the blood frenzy for the next 24 hours. While under the blood frenzy the vampire gains the following:
- The vampire shapeshifts back to its vampire form and cannot use its shapechanger feature until the frenzy ends.
- The vampire has advantage on melee weapon attack rolls, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the frenzy ends.
- The vampire cannot use its Innate Spellcasting or Spellcasting feature until the frenzy ends.
- The vampire becomes immune to the charmed and frightened condition until the frenzy ends.
Vargheist
"The vargheist had attacked us in the night, striking simultaneously and silently from opposite sides of the campfire. Alexander had been off to one side, relieving himself, and was able to shout an alarm. Fortunately for us they flew off with their prize rather than press the attack, or I fear we might all have lost our lives before we beat them off." — Kastar Handlin, travelling merchant
Winged Legend
vargheists are the darkness within a vampire's soul made manifest. Spoken in dark legends as towering winged humanoid monstrosities, these horrific creatures are said to be once powerful vampires that have succumbed to the darker and more bestial side of their nature due to an overexposure to dark magic and madness. Though the vargheists once walked and talked as noble lords, these curse-born lesser vampires have devolved into ravening predators desperate for the taste of blood. They prowl in packs, ready to pounce upon the least sign of weakness, tearing down their prey with crimson claws and bloody fangs.
Dark Metamorphosis
The creation of a vargheist is a strange metamorphosis that takes place far from the eyes of mortal. Those who come off worse in the endless power struggles of the vampires often find themselves prematurely buried, locked away in chain-bound coffins and sculpted sarcophagi, nestle upside-down like cocoons. They are left at the mercy of their own relentless thirsts, for there can be no greater suffering for a vampire than to not die for aeons from the great thirst that wracks their body and destroy their former personality. Whilst the transformation from humanoid into monster takes hold, the muscular vargheist will crack open its stone prison with great efforts. Casting aside its chains, the creature unfolds its leathery wings and rears up into the darkness, letting loose a terrible scream of rage and betrayal.
Vicious Hunter
The vargheist first instinct is to hunt, after so many years deprived of blood it is desperate to rejuvenate and drink fresh blood. What was once a proud lord of the dead is forever cursed to an existence as a ravening beast. Vargheist are far from stupid, they are vicious hunters, picking weak and isolated prey, waiting for a member to stray away from the group to surprise him and take him into the night. More importantly, vargheist are pack hunters, working together to lure a quarry into a trap, maneuvering him toward its packmates, waiting in ambush.
Cursed Eternity
Though each vargheist emerges from its prison far stronger in body, it is invariably weaker in mind. After centuries of thirsty confinement, all they really want to do is feed. They dwell in ghastly domains, within the deepest, darkest forest or on the walls of extensive castles. These creatures are easily bound to a higher vampire's will as a result, and are sent to hunt down their ennemies, terrorise the local population or simply as dreadful watch dogs.
Ancient Vargheist
Over the centuries particularly old vargheist regain a measure of their abilities. These creatures often become pack leaders or instead turn into lonely hunter, their greed and thurst for blood driving them away from the pack.
Comments