Homebrew Dhampir Species Details

"Aye, I've heard of those sin spawn that put even those red bellied tieflings to shame. It's one thing to make a deal with the devil, a whole other thing to do so with the living dead. Can't think of anything more disgusting or vile. Ye can't trust them, they be a tricky lot, using their beauty and charm to convince good folk to do all manner of things. Ye'd be making a mistake inviting them into your home and breaking bread with them. Cause ye'd be inviting all sorts of misfortune with the same breath."

— Ansel Cain Beasts and Men

Vampiric Legacy

The half-living children of vampires birthed by human females, dhampirs are progenies of both horror and tragedy. The circumstances of a dhampir’s conception are often called into question but scarcely understood, as few mortal mothers survive the childbirth. Those who do often abandon their monstrous children and refuse to speak of the matter. While some speculate that dhampirs result when mortal women couple with vampires, others claim that they form when a pregnant woman suffers a vampire bite. Some particularly zealous scholars even contest dhampirs’ status as a unique race, instead viewing them as humans suffering from an unholy affliction. Indeed, this hypothesis is strengthened by dhampirs’ seeming inability to reproduce, their offspring inevitably humans (usually sorcerers with the undead bloodline).

Due to this dhampirs have no culture of their own, nor do they have any known lands or even communities. Often born in secret and abandoned at orphanages or left to die on the outskirts of town, they tend to live solitary lives as exiles and outcasts. Individuals acquire the cultural beliefs and teachings of the regions in which they grew up, and adopt additional philosophies over the course of their complex lives. This ability to adapt to a varity of circumstances provides dhampirs with a social camouflage that hides them from both predators and prey. In rare instances, dhampirs might gather to form small groups or cabals dedicated to resolving their joint issues. Even so, the philosophies of such groups reflect the interests of the individuals involved, not any common dhampir culture.

Spurned by the World

Dhampirs live and die just like any other mortal creatures, despite possessing a supernatural longevity akin to that of elves. Hardship and suffering fill a dhampir’s formative years. Most grow up as orphans, and despite their exquisite features and innate charm, they face a lifetime of prejudice, mistrust, fear, and persecution. Humans who witness the seemingly sinister nature of a dhampir child’s supernatural powers or sensitivity to daylight display an array of reactions ranging from awe to terror to outright hatred. Eventually, a dhampir must learn to cope with these difficulties in order to find their place in the world. While most dhampirs succumb to the innate evil of their undead heritage and devolve into the monstrous fiends depicted by society, a few reject their unholy conceptions, instead vowing to avenge their mothers by hunting the very creatures that sired them. Dhampirs keep few, if any, close companions. Ultimately, the majority of evil dhampirs regard their allies as little more than tools or fodder. Those whom they deem useful are judged by their merits as individuals, not by their race. However, even with those they feel attached to, most dhampirs are sullen and reserved. Some fear the persecution heaped upon them may be transferred to their companions, whereas others worry their own bloodlust will one day overwhelm them and they’ll inadvertently turn upon their friends. In any case, an alliance with a dhampir almost always leads to an ill-fated conclusion.

Vagrants

Most dhampir live in caves, abandoned houses and all manner of nooks and crevices unseen by most common folk. The lucky ones that manage to hide their origins live in human settlements coexisting with them or at the very least being tolerated by them. The most successful ones have their own manor to maintain privacy and distance from those that would persecute them. 

Uncanny Beauty

Tall and slender and with well-defined musculature, dhampirs look like statuesque humans of unearthly beauty. Their hair, eye, and skin colors resemble unnerving versions of their mothers’; many possess a ghastly pallor, particularly in the sunlight, while those with dark complexions often possess skin the color of a bruise.

While many dhampirs can pass as humans in ideal conditions, their features are inevitably more pronounced and they move with an unnaturally fluid grace. All dhampirs have elongated incisors. While not true fangs, these teeth are sharp enough to draw blood, and many suffer a reprehensible desire to indulge in sanguinary delights, despite the fact that the act provides most no physical benefit.

 

Children of the Night

The life of an adventurer comes naturally to most dhampirs, since constant persecution condemns many to spend their days wandering. Evil dhampirs keep moving to maintain their secrecy and evade lynch mobs, while those who follow the path of vengeance venture forth in search of their despised fathers. Regardless of their reasons, most dhampirs simply feel more at home on the road than in a settlement. Having little formal training, a great many of these journeyers become fighters and rogues.

Almost universally, those inclined toward magic pursue the field of necromancy, though dhampir alchemists have been known to obsess over transforming their own bodies. Those who feel the call of the hunt often become inquisitors.

Dhampir Names

Lacking a culture and unified traditions, dhampirs share hymans' predilection for a diversity of names, and most keep their human birth names. 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.

Male Names: Wolfram, Octavian, Balthazar, Virgil, Byron, Jorin, Alexander, Darrien, Alucard, Dracula.

Female Names: Tabitha, Elenor, Thessalia, Valaine, Lilith, Opal, Amelie, Wren, Abigail, Kafara.

The Cursed Blood

As dhampirs are scions of evil, few races view them favorably. They share an affinity for those half-breeds whose sinister ancestry also sets them apart from human society, particularly tieflings and half-orcs. Humans view them with a combination of fear and pity, though such feelings often devolve into hatred and violence. Other humanoid races, such as dwarves, elves, and halflings, simply shun them. Similarly, dhampirs bear a deep-seeded loathing for living creatures, their hatred planted by jealousy and fed by frustration.

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.

 

Dhampir Traits

Your dhampir character has a variety of natural abilities as a result of their otherworldly origins.

Ability Score Increase

You are fast and seductive, but your racial bond to the undead impedes your mortal vigor. Your Charisma score increases by 2, but your Constitution score decreases by 2.

Physical Enhancement

A mortal's transformation into a vampire offers a host of physical enhancements, like strength, speed, and agility, and you have inherited some of this enhancement from your undead parent. Your choice of score from either Strength or Dexterity by 2.

Size

Dhampirs are of similar height and build to humans. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Age

Dhampirs mature at roughly the same rate as humans but do not age further after reaching maturity, and they do not die of old age.

Alignment

As with humans, a dhampir's alignment is solely determined by the individual, though due to their unique heritage and the subsequent treatment by most of the world they easily fall to evil, and they also tend slightly toward chaotic alignments.

Languages

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

Manipulative

You have proficiency in the Perception and Deception skills.

Vampiric Ancestry

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.

Superior Darkvision

Accustomed to the night like your progenitors, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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.

Sunlight Sensitivity

You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.

When you are in direct sunlight for more than 8 consecutive hours you gain levels of exhaustion. You can spend 8 hours in a dark or shaded area to recover from a level of exhaustion. You may also use the Vampire's Bite feature to recover 1 level of exhaustion. Wearing clothing that covers you completely from the sun (hat, gloves, scarf) allows you to spend an additional 4 hours in direct sunlight. 

Undead Nature

You have resistance to necrotic damage but vulnerability to radiant damage.

Vampire's Bite

Your fangs are a natural weapon which you can use to make unarmed strikes. Your fangs count as a finesse weapon, and as such if you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier. You may also choose to gain temporary hit points equal to the amount of damage dealt with this attack. You may gain temporary hit points from this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. Any expended uses of this feature are restored after a long rest. This feature does not work on undead and only works on creatures that have blood.

The first time you are brought below half health you must make a Constitution saving throw to maintain your concentration. The DC equals 10 or half the damage you take, whichever number is higher. On a fail, you must attack the nearest creature with this attack feature on your next turn. If there are no creatures nearby to attack, you must use your movement to get to the nearest creature then attack it. You may repeat this saving throw at the end of each of your turns. On a success, the effect ends and you are immune to succumbing to it for the next 24 hours.

The damage die increases by an additional die at levels 5, 11, 17.