Homebrew Barovian Vampire Species Details

"Leave Barovia? You'll need either my permission, or my life. The former shall never be given, the latter shall never be taken." -Strahd von Zarovich

There is said to be a silver tongue placed in the mouth of all those deemed Children of the Night. These beautiful and charming beings are known to relish in all that is power, and are generally only found when seeking it.

Ghastly Visage

The haunting image of a vampire can be planted firmly into the head of any person. These charming, yet dangerous creatures, all tend to stick with a similar look. Their skin is a ghastly white with pink undertones, and the irises within their eyes are anywhere from white, to traces of yellow, with very few having pinkish red, like that of an albino creature. These beings are usually well toned, with very few venturing into obese, and they have long, protruding fangs in place of the canines of a normal human.

A vampire’s personality is writ large on his or her appearance. Those that use their charm versus their innate stealth are usually seen wearing the clothes of noble people, and bare a more domesticated look, while those that prefer to sulk in the shadows, will typically be seen wearing long, hooded robes.

Hunger-Fueled

A well known fact about vampires is that they need to feed on the blood of a humanoid in order to maintain control and not “go savage”, as they say. This is to say, that feeding for a vampire, is a deep rooted necessity in order to maintain their composure. For vampires, feeding is a problem of logistics, for feeding is why they fight, and feeding is why they’re feared.

If a vampire goes too long without consuming the blood of a mortal humanoid, they’re said to go savage. A savage vampire is completely different from that of a civilized vampire. These mongrels, while more powerful due to their urge to feed, are looked down upon by other vampires, as they’re seen as immature and said to be setting a bad example for a vampire. In the minds of the civilized vampire, a savage vampire is no more than a beast.

Barovian Vampire Traits

Your vampire character has certain characteristics in common with most other vampires.

Undead

Vampires are considered Undead, and not humanoid. This means that spells that affect humanoids don’t affect them, and that they don’t need to eat, sleep or breathe to continue existing. Necrotic damage and poison damage don’t affect you, however radiant damage is doubled against you.

Vampiric Resistance

You have immunity to Necrotic damage.

You have immunity to Poison damage.

Vampire Weaknesses

Forbiddance. You can't enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.

Harmed by Running Water. You take 1d8 + (your level) acid damage when your turn ends in running water.

Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into your heart while resting, you are paralyzed until the stake is removed.

Sunlight Hypersensitivity. You take 1d8 + (your level) radiant damage when you start your turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, you have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

Weakness to Fire damage.

Unholy Presence

Like most undead, vampires are not welcomed in many towns, and aren’t accepted into almost all places of holy beings. Vampires are also unable to enter homes and other places of residence until someone gives them permission to enter.

A Stake To the Heart

If stabbed by a weapon with pierce made completely out of wood, the vampire is paralyzed, and will be unable to move until the stake is removed.

Change Form

Three times per day, a vampire is able to turn into either a single bat, or a cloud of black mist. To be able to activate this trait, the vampire mustn’t be in the sun. You are able to maintain these forms for 24 hours before having to turn back into your normal vampire form.

Bat: As a bat, you have 10ft movement speed and 30ft flying speed. You are able to attack via bite, which is 1d4+your proficiency bonus+your dexterity modifier. Your size is small, and any melee attacks against you have disadvantage.

Black Mist: As the black mist, you have 0ft movement speed and 25ft flying speed via hover. You are not able to attack, nor be attacked by non magical weapons. You are not able to lift or move objects without reverting form, however you are able to seep through gaps that allow the passage of air.

Movement while Climbing

Character gains the ability to move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving its hands free. The target also gains a climbing speed equal to its walking speed.

Feed

Once per every three days, the vampire must feed on the blood of a humanoid. If they don’t, they suffer 1 level of exhaustion, and the damage from radiant magic is tripled instead of doubled.

To feed, the vampire must make a successful grapple and initiate feed, the target must be accepting of the vampires feeding, or the blood must come from a recent kill.

You may bite one willing creature or a creature that is grappled by you, incapacitated, or restrained. If you bite the creature, they take 2d6 necrotic damage in addition to the normal piercing damage. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken and the vampire regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction last until the creature finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.

Ability Score Increase

Your Charisma score increases by 3, your Dexterity score by 1, and Strength by 2.

Regeneration

Due to your Vampiric nature, you have an unnatural ability to heal wounds and injuries quickly. On your turn, you may use your action to expend a number of hit die equal to your Constitution modifier without taking a short rest. Once you use this ability you cannot use it again before taking a long rest.

Alignment

They tend to keep the alignment they had during life. Unless something happens to change that.

Size

You’re the size you were when you changed into a vampire.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Attuned to life in dark, unforgiving places, you have superior 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.

Enthrall Person

The vampire Targets one Humanoid it can see within 30 ft. of it. If the target can see the vampire, the target must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be Charmed by the vampire. The Charmed target regards the vampire as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. The target accepts the vampire's requests or Actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for the vampire's Feed.
Each time the vampire or the vampire's 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 24 hours or until the vampire is destroyed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a Bonus Action to end the Effect. This ability resets after a long rest.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Infernal, as well as one other language you knew in life.

Barovian Vampire Traits

It’s hard to make generalizations about Barovians let alone Barovian Vampires, but your vampire character has these traits.

Darkvision

Accustomed as a creature of the night, you have superior 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.

Action

Using your elongated nails gained after your transformation as a vampire, you may make unarmed strikes with them. You deal 1d6 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus slashing damage. Instead of dealing damage, you can grapple the target. The DC for this saving throw if you elect to grapple the target is 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus.

Resistances and Immunities

Death has it's perks.

You have immunity to Necrotic damage and to Poison damage.

Weaknesses

Vampire Weaknesses

Forbiddance. You can't enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.

Harmed by Running Water. You take 1d8 acid damage when your turn ends in running water.

Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into your heart while resting, you are paralyzed until the stake is removed.

Sunlight Hypersensitivity. You take 1d8 radiant damage when you start your turn in sunlight.

Regeneration

Vampiric Regeneration

Proficiency

Bump in the Night

You have proficiency in the Stealth skill.

Change Form

Enthrall Person

Ability Score Increase

Your Charisma score increases by 3, your Dexterity score by 1, and strength by 2.

Age

Vampires mature at an incredibly slow rate. By the age 100, they’re they equivalent of a five year old, and don’t mature until they’re about 1200 years old. They age indefinitely however their appearance never changes past full adult.

Size

You have the same size that you were before you were changed into a vampire.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

As a bat, you have 10ft movement speed and 30ft flying speed. You are able to attack via bite, which is 1d4+your proficiency bonus+your dexterity modifier. Your size is small, and any melee attacks against you have disadvantage.

As the black mist, you have 0ft movement speed and 25ft flying speed via hover. You are not able to attack, nor be attacked by non magical weapons. You are not able to lift or move objects without reverting form, however you are able to seep through gaps that allow the passage of air.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Infernal, as well as one other language you knew in life.

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