Homebrew Dhampir Species Details

Dhampires are elegant looking humans, with grace and confidence oozing from every step they take. They are often good looking humanoids, with sleek, black hair and cold, piercing eyes. They look nearly human, except they tend to be slightly thinner and taller than humans on average. Dhampires can almost pass for human but in small communities, the subtle differences could eventually tip off the townsfolk. In a large urban sprawl, a Dhampir can much more easily blend in with the crowd, especially since there are often much more visually striking oddities roaming around, catching everyone's attention. 

As a result of being orphaned, ignored, shunned, or hated; Dhampires tend to be loners. They struggle making friends, or really any meaningful connections with others. They are quiet, preferring to keep to themselves to avoid trouble. A loud, boisterous Dhampire is asking to be put in an early grave by holy folk or fearful serfs.

On the flipside, Dhampires consider those who do accept them as diamonds in the rough--that is-- rare cronies that don't want to see them burned alive. These friends of a Dhampire, either do not succumb to their feelings of dread, or do not apparently suffer from these feelings at all. Once a Dhampir makes a friend, unless some unfortunate occurence drives them apart, they tend to be friends for life, and a Dhampir will do whatever they can to keep them healthy and happy. 

Often left for dead, the lucky few Dhampires that do get saved from the elements eventually form an uneasy bond with their caregivers. As a Dhampir reaches maturity, their caregivers see them more and more as monsters. Their vampiric origins become apparent, and while they were once offered a loving home, it is overwhelmingly common for Dhampires to be driven out of such homes-- sometimes with weapons pointed at them, threatening their life. So these rejects of society are forced to roam the world, tirelessly looking for a place to belong.

Contrary to popular opinion, Dhampires are not necessarily evil. Though many do succumb to their darker nature, or are driven there by how society treats them, many grow to abhor the very creatures responsible for creating them, and seek to destroy them in any way they can. Their motivations may be primarily vengeance, but such Dhampires often do so because they want to rid the world of evil, and destroying vampires is a logical place to start since they already have a personal vendetta with one.

Other good dhampires may simply just want to fit in and live a normal life. They are driven by an insatiable need for normalcy, even monotony in their lives. Dhampires may not be driven to destroy evil or protect others, but rather to just subsist and interact with others without having to flee from town to town or having to worry about plots being devised to destroy them. 

 

Dhampir Traits

Your dhampir character has a variety of supernatural abilities, the result of their vampiric ancestry.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

Age

Dhampirs mature at the same rate that humans do, however, they can live indefinitely as far as anyone knows.

Increased Darkvision

Cursed by your vampire heritage, you can easily see through darkness. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Alignment

Most dhampirs succumb to the evil within their blood. They are unnatural creatures, and the foul influence of their undead heritage makes an evil outlook difficult to overcome. Those who struggle against their wicked natures rarely progress beyond a neutral outlook.

Size

Dhampir have the same range of height and weight as humans

Sunlight Sensitivity

You do not burn in sunlight like vampires, but the sun still agitates you. You have disadvantage on and Wisdom (Perception) checks while you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.

Vampiric Resistance

You have resistance to Necrotic damage.

Vampiric Magic

You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the charm person spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the misty step spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Spider Climb

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

Vampiric Charm

You have proficiency in one of the following skills: Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language  

Hard to Kill

You are inured against death so that it will not claim you so easily. You have advantage on death saving throws.

Bite

 You can drain blood and life energy from a willing creature, or one that is grappled by you, incapacitated, or restrained. Make a melee attack against the target. If you hit, you deal 1 piercing damage and 1d6 necrotic damage. The target's hit point maximum is reduced an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and you regain hit points equal to that amount x lvl. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0