Homebrew Dark Elf (Drow) Dhampir Species Details

Poised between the worlds of the living and the dead, dhampirs retain their grip on life yet are endlessly tested by vicious hungers. Their ties to the undead grant dhampirs a taste of a vampire’s deathless prowess in the form of increased speed, darkvision, and a life-draining bite.

With unique insights into the nature of the undead, many dhampirs become adventurers and monster hunters. Their reasons are often deeply personal. Some seek danger, imagining monsters as personifications of their own hungers. Others pursue revenge against whatever turned them into a dhampir. And still others embrace the solitude of the hunt, striving to distance themselves from those who’d tempt their hunger.

This variant of Dhampir takes roots with the Dark Elves, Drows that have been turned or are vampirespawn.

Descended from an earlier subrace of dark-skinned elves, the drow were banished from the surface world for turning down the path to evil and corruption. Now they have built their own civilization in the depths of the Underdark. Also called dark elves. The drow have black skin that resembles polished obsidian and stark white or pale yellow hair. They commonly have very pale eyes (so pale as to be mistaken for white) in shades of lilac, silver, pink, red, and blue. They lend to be smaller and thinner than most elves.

Every dhampir knows a thirst slaked only by the living. This desire is a whisper in the mind, a tinge to the sight, a reflex constantly needing to be suppressed. Those who overindulge their thirst risk losing control and forever viewing others as prey. Those who resist might find exceptional ways of controlling their urges or suppress it through constant, molar-grinding restraint. In any case, temptation haunts dhampirs, and circumstances conspire to give them endless reasons to indulge.

 

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Drow Dhampir Traits

Creature Type: Humanoid
Size: Medium (about 5–6 feet tall)
Speed: 35 feet

Dark Elf (Drow) Dhampir Traits

As an Drow Dhampir, you have these special traits.

Spider Climb

• Spider Climb. You have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. In addition, at 3rd level, you can move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving your hands free.

Vampiric Bite

• Vampiric Bite. Your fanged bite is a natural weapon, which counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are proficient. You add your Constitution modifier, instead of your Strength modifier, to the attack and damage rolls when you attack with this bite. It deals 1d4 piercing damage on a hit. While you are missing half or more of your hit points, you have advantage on attack rolls you make with this bite.
  • When you attack with this bite and hit a creature that isn’t a Construct or an Undead, you can empower yourself in one of the following ways of your choice:
    • You regain hit points equal to the piercing damage dealt by the bite.
    • You gain a bonus to the next ability check or attack roll you make; the bonus equals the piercing damage dealt by the bite.
  • You can empower yourself with this bite a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Darkvision

You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.

Fey Ancestry

You have Advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Charmed condition.

Keen Senses

You have proficiency in the Insight, Perception, or Survival skill.

Trance

You don’t need to sleep, and magic can’t put you to sleep. You can finish a Long Rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness.

Deathless Nature

• Deathless Nature. You don't need to breathe.