Vampire Part 2: Stats and Placement

Stats: Blood and Shadow

Even before reaching the vampire, its a challenge. See, everything around its stronghold is affected by the monster’s presence. These effects are:

  • Bats, rats, and wolves have an increased population
  • Plants within 500 ft of the lair wither, becoming twisted and thorny
  • Shadows cast within 500 ft of the lair seem abnormally gaunt and move as though they are alive
  • Fog clings to the ground within 500ft of the lair, sometimes taking odd forms, like claws or serpents

Once the vampire is slain, those effects will end within 2d6 days. But, uh… good luck with that.

Vampires are not enemies to be fucked with lightly. Their AC and HP are both fairly high, bolstered even further by its resistances to necrotic and all non-magical melee damage. Oh, and it has Legendary Resistance, which means it can simply choose to succeed three saving throws each day.

It’s also got the Shapechanger ability. This allows it to turn either into a bat or a cloud of mist. Both of these have their unique benefits and drawbacks. Should the vampire die outside of its resting place, its Misty Escape ability activates, permanently changing the creature’s shape as it makes its escape.

If that weren’t bad enough, it also has Regeneration. At the start of every turn, it regains a solid 20 HP. Though this doesn’t activate if it takes radiant damage, gets splashed by holy water, or is exposed to sunlight.

Oh, and it has Spider Climb. We are officially fighting Spider-Man 2099.

Strong as a vampire is, they do have a set list of weaknesses. These are:

  • Forbiddance: cannot enter a residence without an invitation
  • Harmed by Running Water: takes 20 acid damage if standing in running water
  • Stake to the Heart: piercing weapons made of wood can paralyze the vampire, if stabbed while recovering in its resting place
  • Sunlight Hypersensitivity: vampire takes 20 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight, and has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks

In terms of attacks, the vampire is surprisingly limited. While in its true form, it can make a melee attack for a small amount of damage. In bat form, it can make bite attacks, which deals necrotic damage and restores the vampires HP; should this kill the victim, it turns them into a vampire spawn.

Charm does just about what you’d expect. This is a dangerous power which can turn the players against one another. Just as dangerous as the Children of the Night ability, which it can use once a day; with this, the vampire can summon bats or wolves to aid it in battle.

Finally, we have the Legendary Actions. These are:

  • Move: move its full movement speed without provoking opportunity attacks
  • Unarmed Strike: make a melee attack
  • Bite (costs 2): makes a bite attack

Is… is that it? Not particularly legendary, is it?

The vampire spawn shares many of the same traits as its master. Regeneration, Spider Climb, and the same weaknesses. Its also got claws and it can bite. Pretty basic.

But there are variations. You could swap the claws out for a greatsword and give it some armor. Or you could give it a list of spells! Spells such as:

  • Cantrips (at will): mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost
  • 1st level (4 slots): comprehend languages, fog cloud, sleep
  • 2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, gust of wind, mirror image
  • 3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, bestow curse, nondetection
  • 4th level (3 slots): blight, greater invisibility
  • 5th level (1 slot): dominate person

Well, at least we ended on a high note.

In all honesty, I’m kind of disappointed with this one. The vampire has a lot of unique abilities that make it interesting! It certainly poses a unique challenge! But it doesn’t strike me as particularly menacing when compared to some other beasties we’ve seen. The variants of the spawn are more interesting! It’s not as bad as a basic slugfest, but it could have done with a bit more.

Placement

This is a strong entry all around. Not as exceptional as I had hoped, but good! The lore is phenomenal, the design is interesting, and the stats, while not menacing, make for a unique fight. It’s an interesting one, make no mistake.

With all that in mind, the vampire and its spawn are going to #25 on the Best of the Bestiary!

  1. Beholder
  2. Death Tyrant
  3. Mind Flayer
  4. Dragon Turtle
  5. Tarrasque
  6. Mummy/Mummy Lord
  7. Nagas (all three of ’em)
  8. Green Dragons
  9. Red Dragons
  10. Blue Dragons
  11. Black Dragons
  12. White Dragons
  13. Silver Dragons
  14. Couatl
  15. Behir
  16. Aboleth
  17. Sea Hag
  18. Slaadi (all six of ’em)
  19. Lamia
  20. Bronze Dragons
  21. Brass Dragons
  22. Copper Dragons
  23. Gold Dragons
  24. Chuul
  25. Vampire/Vampire Spawn <—————-
  26. Kuo-Toa
  27. Gibbering Mouther
  28. Kraken
  29. Intellect Devourer
  30. Thri-Kreen
  31. Shadow
  32. Chimera
  33. Sphinxes
  34. Death Knight
  35. Fomorian
  36. Bone Devil
  37. Dracolich
  38. Faerie Dragon
  39. Gelatinous Cube
  40. Lich
  41. Treant
  42. Peryton
  43. Troglodyte
  44. Remorhaz
  45. Unicorn
  46. Orcs (all four of ’em)
  47. Magmin
  48. Shield Guardian
  49. Kobold
  50. Kenku
  51. Hobgoblins
  52. Night Hag
  53. Green Hag
  54. Black Pudding
  55. Ankheg
  56. Hook Horror
  57. Succubus/Incubus
  58. Oni
  59. Purple Worm
  60. Storm Giant
  61. Hill Giant
  62. Empyrean
  63. Efreeti
  64. Grimlock
  65. Umber Hulk
  66. Minotaur
  67. Dao
  68. Cloud Giant
  69. Manticore
  70. Scarecrow
  71. Drow (all four of ’em)
  72. Shadow Demon
  73. Modrons (all five of ’em)
  74. Marilith
  75. Drider
  76. Aarackockra
  77. Azer
  78. Demilich
  79. Spectator
  80. Gray Ooze
  81. Ochre Jelly
  82. Hydra
  83. Rakshasa
  84. Marid
  85. Salamander
  86. Harpy
  87. Werejackal
  88. Otyugh
  89. Satyr
  90. Half-Dragon
  91. Cambion
  92. Fire Giant
  93. Nothic
  94. Pixie
  95. Animated Armor
  96. Roper
  97. Banshee
  98. Basilisk
  99. Yochlol
  100. Bulette
  101. Cloaker
  102. Darkmantle
  103. Doppelganger
  104. Revenant
  105. Ghoul and Ghast
  106. Sahuagin (all three)
  107. Ettin
  108. Sprite
  109. Medusa
  110. Pit Fiend
  111. Erinyes
  112. Chain Devil
  113. Bearded Devil
  114. Barbed Devil
  115. Spined Devil
  116. Ice Devil
  117. Mimic
  118. Djinni
  119. Troll
  120. Merrow
  121. Nalfeshnee
  122. Glabrezu
  123. Chasme
  124. Grell
  125. Barlgura
  126. Horned Devil
  127. Balor
  128. Skeletons
  129. Shadow Dragon
  130. Myconids (all four of ’em)
  131. Piercer
  132. Werebear
  133. Lizardfolk
  134. Vrock
  135. Dretch
  136. Pseudodragon
  137. Gnolls (all three)
  138. Goristro
  139. Hezrou
  140. Manes
  141. Quaggoth
  142. Frost Giant
  143. Weretiger
  144. Werewolf
  145. Duergar
  146. Quasit
  147. Dryad
  148. Shambling Mound
  149. Flumph
  150. Goblin
  151. Nightmare
  152. Rust Monster
  153. Wereboar
  154. Wererat
  155. Githyanki
  156. Owlbear
  157. Planetar
  158. Imp
  159. Ogres/Half-ogres
  160. Roc
  161. Clay Golem
  162. Flameskull
  163. Displacer Beast
  164. Carrion Crawler
  165. Githzerai
  166. Grick
  167. Invisible Stalker
  168. Rug of Smothering
  169. Bugbear Chief
  170. Bugbear
  171. Flesh Golem
  172. Vine Blight
  173. Twig Blight
  174. Needle Blight
  175. Mephits (all six of ’em)
  176. Bullywug
  177. Hellhound
  178. Ettercap
  179. Gas Spore
  180. Cockatrice
  181. Lemure
  182. Homonculus
  183. Merfolk
  184. Solar
  185. Deva
  186. Gorgon
  187. Hippogriff
  188. Griffon
  189. Cyclops
  190. Centaur
  191. Ghost
  192. Pegasus
  193. Fire Elemental
  194. Water Elemental
  195. Air Elemental
  196. Stone Giant
  197. Deep Gnome
  198. Dinosaurs (All six of them)
  199. Stirge
  200. Specter
  201. Iron Golem
  202. Stone Golem
  203. Earth Elemental
  204. Galeb Duhr
  205. Helmed Horror
  206. Flying Sword
  207. Crawling Claw
  208. Violet Fungus
  209. Shrieker
  210. Gargoyle
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