Base Class: Sorcerer
Your innate magic comes from your vampiric bloodline or ancestry. Many vampires have been given the power against their will as they were once cattle. Other rare cases involve lineages or ancestry dating back to royal vampires or a dhampir lineage. Regardless, you are cursed to your very soul. You must acknowledge the fact that you are doomed to never die naturally, and for the rest of your life, you will be feared, hated and spited by any and all folks. The Sanguine Curse will set in, and you will begin to feel very different from the common folks of this world. But as the bloodthirst sets in, you will begin to feel superior to the common folks of this world - no matter your alignment, you will always have that urge inside of you to consume and destroy. For it's in your nature, Vampire. Will you deny this calling, or fall prey to your own instincts? Will you become a hero, or a villain, Vampire?
Vampires are hunted and killed in almost any setting, and by choosing this subclass, you acknowledge these risks. The Vampire in this subclass is bloodthirsty, powerful, and a monster on the battlefield - even when you have no spells. Regeneration of the flesh, siphoning your foes and simply winning a war of attrition through sheer tankiness is the goal of this subclass.
The Sanguine Curse harms you as much as it benefits you, if not more so. What little remains of your humanity is buried deep within you, and you know it. Due to the Sanguine Curse, you will have certain traits that define your Vampire, and they will be what is noticed if someone suspects you of being a Vampire. You may choose one or more of these quirks by choosing, or rolling on the table below - and you are not limited to just this table, create your own!
Vampiric Bloodline Traits and Quirks
| D6 | QUIRK |
|---|---|
| 1 | You sometimes forget that cattle and humans are to be treated separately. |
| 2 | When you are asleep, you lay still and don't move. Like, at all. It's called Rigor Mortis people, look it up. |
| 3 | Your canine teeth are visibly sharp and can alarm people. |
| 4 | You don't have any bodily fluids, it is all replaced with blood. All of it. Yes, even your sweat. |
| 5 | Your fingernails are exceptionally sharp and you sometimes cut yourself when trying to hide them. |
| 6 | You flinch whenever the blasted sun is even mentioned in conversation. |
Sanguine Curse
At 1st level, your blood has been cursed by Vampirism. You gain the following benefits and flaws:
- You are an undead creature. You are unaffected by anything that affects only living creatures. You don’t age, require food or water, or suffer the effects of exhaustion unless it is the result of one of your class features.
- Your Arcane Focus can now be your very own Lifeforce - your blood.
- You have advantage on death saving throws.
- You have darkvision up to 120ft.
- You gain resistance to poison and necrotic damage, and you are immune to the poisoned/diseased conditions.
- You gain vulnerability to radiant damage.
- 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.
- You'll take acid damage equal to your level if you end your turn in running water (such as running river or the shower, not something like rain, however).
- If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into your heart while incapacitated or unconscious, you become Paralyzed until the stake is removed.
Bloodthirst
As Vampirism grabs hold of you, the bloodthirsty side begins to arise. At 1st level, you gain the following traits and effects:
- Your hit point maximum increases by 1 and increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.
- You can make a bite attack. The bite attack uses your Proficiency and Charisma modifier for the attack roll, and the damage is 1d4 + Charisma modifier necrotic damage. You'll heal for half the damage dealt - if any blood can be drained from your foe.
- You can make a claw attack. The claw attack uses your Proficiency and Charisma modifier for the attack roll, and the damage is 1d8 + Charisma modifier necrotic damage. If your off-hand is free, you are able to use this as a bonus action as well.
If you do not use your bite attack on a creature or drink a small vial of blood (any creature's) once every 2 days, you will begin to starve. On the 3rd day and every day thereafter - until you feast on blood, you will gain a level of Exhaustion, you can only reach up to level 5 Exhaustion this way. All Exhaustion levels gained through lack of blood intake will be removed the moment your bloodthirst is satiated (setting the Exhaustion and Bloodthirst back to 0).
Your vampiric traits are not visible to onlookers unless they investigate very, very closely, or you make it obvious. Magic/disguises are not necessary yet, but consider them as an option to hide your vampiric bloodline. If you make a claw attack or a bite attack, people will more than likely assume you're at the least - a feral creature - and at worst, a vampire.
Vampiric Transformation
Starting at 6th level, you may use a bonus action to use Vampiric Transformation. You gain the following traits when you transform:
- You gain extra attack.
- You gain resistance to all piercing, bludgeoning and slashing damage (when unsilvered).
- You will regain hit points equal to half your level (rounded down) at the beginning of your turn as long you've not been harmed by radiant damage, a stake, running water or have been in direct sunlight since the last round. This will also only activate if you're under half your hit point maximum (rounded down) and not Incapacitated.
- When you are transformed and not wearing any armor, you may add your Con Modifier to your AC.
Your transformation lasts for 10 minutes. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious. The duration of your transformation refreshes if you kill a creature. You can also end your transformation on your turn as a bonus action. You can’t transform while wearing armor unless the armor is made to accommodate this new form. Clothing not made to accommodate your vampiric form might be destroyed when you transform. You may use this feature once between long rests. At 14th level, this feature refreshes on short rests and long rests. At 18th level, you are no longer limited at all.
Your vampiric traits are also visible to an astute observer as of now. Magic/disguises should definitely be considered to hide your vampiric bloodline as of now. During your transformation, people will also definitely know that you are a vampire.
Vampire Lord Rising
At 14th level, you gain more benefits for your Vampiric Transformation as you slowly become a Vampire Lord. You gain the following traits:
- You also summon a pair of Vampiric Wings, gaining a flying speed equal to your current walking speed.
- Whenever you make a Charisma check when interacting with undead creatures, your proficiency bonus is doubled if it applies to the check.
Additionally, your Vampiric Transformation now refreshes on short and long rests.
Your vampiric traits are also now blatantly obvious to even the most casual of onlookers. Magic/disguises will be necessary to hide your vampiric bloodline as of now. During your transformation, people will also definitely know that you are a powerful vampire.
The Ultimate Lifeform
Beginning at 18th level, Vampiric Transformation is no longer limited by short or long rests. It has unlimited uses. It is now a permanent effect (not limited to 10 minutes). You can not be forced out of your Vampiric form (even when unconscious) unless it is of your own volition as a bonus action.
Your vampiric traits are obvious to any creature who can see you. Magic is the best way to disguise yourself now - if you deem it necessary, as a disguise won't cut it anymore. During your transformation, people will bear witness to The Ultimate Lifeform, the vampire lord.
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