Homebrew Dhampir Species Details

Physical Description:

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. 

Society:

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 verity 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.

Relations:

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.

Alignment and Religion:

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.

Adventurers:

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 Paladins.

Dhampir Traits

Your Dhampir will have a few abilities, results of the curse inflicted upon you from birth.

Unnatural Charm

As an action, you can target one humanoid you can see within 30 ft. If the target can see you, the target must succeed a Wisdom saving throw. The Wisdom Save DC = 8 + your Charisma modifier + Proficiency. The charmed target regards you as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn't under your control, it takes your requests or actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for your Bite feature. Each time you or your companions do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 1 hour or until you are destroyed, are on a different plane of existence than the target, or take a bonus action to end the effect. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Vampire Eloquence

You have proficiency in the Persuasion skill. 

Vampiric Resistance

You are resistant to Necrotic Damage

Bite

Your set of fangs is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to ld4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. In addition, you may choose to spend one of your hit dice to drain blood from the creature. Add the hit dice + your Constitution modifier as additional necrotic damage to your Bite. You then recover hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt. Once you spend a hit dice with this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest. 

Sunlight Sensitivity

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

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution increases by 2 and your Dexterity increases by 1

Age

Dhampirs are long lived thanks to their vampire heritage. They reach adulthood at the same rate as a human, but can live for several hundred years. 

Alignment

Elves love freedom, variety, and self-expression, so they lean strongly toward the gentler aspects of chaos. They value and protect others’ freedom as well as their own, and they are more often good than not. The drow are an exception; their exile into the Underdark has made them vicious and dangerous. Drow are more often evil than not.

Size

Elves range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Cursed by your vampire heritage, you can easily see through darkness. 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.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and one language of your choosing. Dhampir are natural wanderers due to the fear they cause and as such often pick up the language of another race while on the road.