Homebrew Vampire Variant: Daywalker Species Details

A product of the unholy union of a pure vampire and a mortal humanoid creature, Daywalkers are an unusual but fearsome race. 

History

It is unknown when the first Daywalker was born. They are extremely rare and the ones that survive birth are nearly impossible to find as they can seamlessly blend with the living, harboring the descriptive traits of their mortal mother. Being the offspring of a vampire and a humanoid parent, Daywalkers are usually the children of a tragic romance... or something much more sinister. Even if the mother makes it through the birthing process, she has no chance of survival as the Daywalker drains her dry; a mocking reminder of the grave weakness of mortality. This causes many Daywalkers to search for the reason they were created or, in some cases, either join or hunt their immortal parent for answers.

Daywalkers can only be a product of a pure vampire father and a mortal humanoid mother. Female pureblood vampires cannot conceive a Daywalker child with a mortal humanoid male. However, Daywalkers can have natural-born children unlike their pure vampire father and, unlike their living parent, won't die from childbirth.

Society

Some small communities of Daywalkers exist but, thanks to their origins, they can be overlooked easily. 

Physical Appearance

While they seem more or less human, many Daywalkers have pale skin and dark hair. At birth they resemble stillborns, but they do have a very faint heartbeat. Most even possess sharpened teeth or claws-- reminders of their undead heritage. They may feed the same way as humans do but require the blood of mortal beings to unlock their true vampiric potential. Their looks are human, though they are described as being more graceful in appearance than humans. Daywalkers are not as powerful as true vampires but are instead granted the gift of not needing to shield themselves from the sun.

Daywalkers appear tall and sturdy while also having graceful features and a slender appearance that belies their unnatural strength.

 

Ability Score Increase. +1 to Strength; +1 to Constitution OR Dexterity (choose one).

Age. Daywalkers reach physical maturity at age 18 but can live to be eons old and cannot die of old age.

Alignment. A Daywalker's alignment is solely determined by the individual, though due to their unique heritage and the subsequent feelings of incompleteness and a lack of family life they easily fall to evil or neutral, and they also tend slightly toward chaotic alignments.

Size. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

Vampire Variant: Daywalker Traits

As a Daywalker you receive the following traits: Languages, Vampiric Lineage, Ability Score Increase, Darkvision, Bite, Supernatural Strength, Vampire Senses, Skilled, Truesight, and Vampiric Thirst.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common + 1 additional language of your choice. 

Vampiric Lineage

Your vampiric blood grants you Immunity to necrotic damage, but it also makes you Vulnerable to radiant damage.

Ability Score Increase

Your vampiric blood grants you +2 to Strength, and +1 to either Dexterity OR Constitution.

Darkvision

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.

Bite

Your fanged maw is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes as one full action. If you hit with it, your bite attack inflicts 1d6 piercing damage + 1d6 necrotic damage. In addition, you heal for the amount of damage done.

This attack may not be used as a bonus action. 

Supernatural Strength

You may grow your nails, at will, to make unarmed attacks that deal 1d4 slashing damage at level one. This damage increases to 1d6 at 4th level, 1d8 at 7th level, 1d10 at 11th level 1d12 at 17th level.

Vampire Senses

Your five senses are greatly enhanced, which enables you to see, hear, smell, feel, and taste things that are imperceptible to humans and most humanoids. The sound of others' heartbeats reveals their secrets and every deception, and you can sense creatures within 10 feet of you. 

Proficiency in Insight skill.

Skilled

Due to your long lifespan, you have gained extra knowledge. You have Proficiency in any 2 skills of your choice.

Truesight

Beginning at 6th level, you gain the ability to see within 60 feet of you in normal and magical darkness as if it were bright light. This ability may be used once per day.

At 8th level, you gain the ability to see invisible creatures and objects. This ability may be used once per day.

At 10th level, you gain the ability to automatically detect visual illusions and succeed on saving throws against them, including creatures whose appearance has been altered by magic. This ability may be used once per day.

All Truesight abilities, once unlocked, may be stacked (meaning each may be individually used once per day, not only one ability per day).

 

Vampiric Thirst

Your racial traits--Vampire Senses and Truesight--are available to you only if you have fed on the blood of any mortal being within a 24-hour time period. Additionally, as your vampiric thirst grows (if 7 or more days have passed), you will suffer the effects of Exhaustion over time. These effects can only be reduced or cured by feeding on the blood of any mortal being.