Homebrew Dhampir Species Details

No, I’m not a vampire. I’m something else.

- Blade

 

Born of horror and tragedy, the unnatural nature of dhampirs is scarcely understood. While some may claim they originate from the unholy union of a mortal person and a vampire, it is much more likely they are the result of a pregnant woman being bitten by a vampire or ingesting vampiric blood.

Half-Living Nature

Dhampirs have a strange relationship with death. Though, they are not truly undead and die just like any other living creature, they share an unnatural fortitude with their vampire progenitors. They can live a very long time if they are not hunted and killed for their dark ancestry.

Vile Origins

It is rarely the case that a dhampir is created by accident. In most cases, a powerful vampire will charm a pregnant woman and feed her their blood, to creature a powerful minion that can walk the day to further its dark schemes. The vampire will often come to sway the dhampir to evil in their formative years and set them on a path of fulfilling the vampire’s machinations.

However, not all dhampirs suffer this fate. Some of these cursed mothers are found before the vampire has them under full sway or the dhampir is born. In this case, a priest may perform a holy ritual during the infant’s birth and strengthen the child’s tie to life and good.

Dhampir Names

Lacking a culture and unified traditions, dhampirs follow the naming customs of their mortal parent. Many dhampirs take their mother’s surname, while others take the surname  of the towns or regions in which they were born, or use a surname derived from a significant event.

 

Dhampir Traits

Your dhampir character has the following racial traits.

Age

Dhampirs mature at the same rate as humans do and reach adulthood around the age of 20. However, they live much longer than humans often living centuries.

Alignment

Dhampirs might not have an innate tendency toward evil, but many end up there. They are typically neutral.

Size

Dhampirs are the same size and build as humans. Your size is medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Ability Score Increase

Your Charisma score increases by 2.

Darkvision

Thanks to your heritage, you have surgeries vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 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.

Vampiric Ancestry

You have advantage on saving throws against diseases and being Charmed.

Undead Resistance

You have resistance to necrotic damage.

Fangs

You have fangs like a vampire. They are a natural weapon which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Blood Drinker

As an action, you can make a special attack with your fangs. If the attack hits, you can deal necrotic damage instead of piercing damage, and you heal hit points (minimum of 1) equal to your Constitution modifier, and you can’t use this trait again until you finish a short or long rest.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and another language of your choice.