User:FiddleSticks96/Libris Vampiricus (3.5e Sourcebook)/Chapter 3

=Notice=

The Bloodlines section of this chapter is currently undergoing major revision. It is poorly presented as it is and needs to be changed to follow the Power Progression that has recently been implemented. I have left this section up so that it can still be used. Most of the bloodline abilities will be left as they are, but there are various abilities that WILL be adjusted, moved, added, or outright removed. You have been warned.

=Basic Changes=

The changes listed below are applied to all vampires regardless of Age, Generation, Category, Bloodline, or Character Level.

In order to prevent party breaking scenarios of one PC suddenly gaining lots of power all at once, I have divided the base powers of vampirism into 8 levels. This is NOT a monstrous class in which a creature takes levels in order to gain more power. Instead, a vampire gains its base powers based on its character level AFTER the base creature became a vampire. So, if a 5th level character became a vampire, they would gain all the adjustments listed under level 0 of the power progression table. When the character gains a new level, its vampiric power increases by a proportionate amount. This power progression replaces Level Adjustment (because we all know how annoying LA is).

Category A Vampires do not have a Power Progression table. They start at an epic level, so such a table would be pointless; furthermore, if one of your PCs is a Pureblood, you as the DM should retire that character immediately.

Size and Type: The base creature’s type changes to Undead. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.

HD: All current and future Hit Dice become d12s.

Attack: A vampire retains all the attacks of the base creature and also grows ivory like claws and extremely sharp teeth that it can use as natural weapons. If the base creature can use weapons, the vampire retains this ability. A creature with natural weapons retains those natural weapons. A vampire fighting without weapons uses either its claw attack, bite attack, or its primary natural weapon (if it has one); if it did not already have a primary natural weapon, its claw attack becomes its primary natural weapon. A vampire armed with a weapon uses its claw or weapon, as it desires

Full Attack: A vampire fighting without weapons can make two claw attacks and one bite attack as a Full Round action or it can use its other natural weapons (if it has any). If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack, along with a claw or other natural weapon as a natural secondary attack.

Damage: Vampires have claw attacks and a bite attack. If the base creature does not have these attack forms, use the appropriate damage value from the table below according to the vampire's size. Creatures that have other kinds of natural weapons retain their old damage values or use the appropriate value from the table below, whichever is higher.

How a vampire’s natural weapons are treated for the purpose of overcoming Damage Reduction varies, depending on the vampire’s Age and Category. Details are listed under the Damage Reduction ability for each Category. Further Details on Damage Reduction are listed under the Vampire Age Master Charts section (these charts can be found in Chapter 2 – Vampire Rules).

Special Attacks:

Charm Gaze (Su): A vampire may invoke a powerful charm on living creatures that make eye contact with them. This is similar to a Gaze Attack, except that the vampire must use a standard action, and those merely looking at it are not affected. Anyone the vampire targets with this ability must succeed a Will save or instantly fall under the vampire's influence as though by a Charm Person spell. This ability has a range of 30ft. When a Pureblood uses this ability, it produces the effects of a Charm Monster spell instead.

Vampiric Touch (Su): As a standard action, a vampire may make a melee touch attack that produces the effects of a Vampiric Touch spell.

Special Qualities:

Grave Dependency (Ex): Any vampire that does not have the Unbound Vitae Feat has Grave Dependency. A vampire with this ability must return to its grave by sunrise, and must remain at rest in its grave until sunset. If the vampire fails to do so, at sunset it suffers its HD in lethal damage and immediately loses 1d4+1 Vitae points, although it only loses 1 Vitae point for each consecutive failure beyond the first. The lethal damage cannot be healed by any means except by way of a Blood Drain attack on a living creature. Whenever the vampire sleeps outside of its grave, it is plagued by terrible nightmares, leaving it Fatigued and unable to regain lost spell slots.


 * Grave Deprivation (Ex): A vampire with Grave Dependency begins to suffer more severe effects after it has failed to rest in its grave for at least a week. Such a vampire is Sickened and must pay double the normal Vitae cost to use any of its abilities that cost Vitae. These penalties remain until it rests a full 12hrs in its grave.

Phasic Grave (Ex): As part of a normal move action, double move action, or Full-Round move action, a vampire may pass through any of its graves and up to 6ft + 1ft &times; its Age of soil as if it were a wall upon which the vampire had cast a permanent Phase Door spell. If a barrier is too thick for the vampire to pass through with one use of this ability, it cannot pass through that barrier at all (not even part of the way). The vampire pass through materials other than soil unless those materials are part of its own grave. When a vampire becomes an Aged vampire, it gains the ability to pass through wood, and when it becomes an Elder vampire, it gains the ability to pass through stone and minerals (but not metals, unless said metal is part of the grave) as well. Such vampires have been known to encase their graves in solid stone, making it harder to find and break into. The Phase Door effect only works for the vampire that the grave belongs to. No other creature or amount of magic can bypass this, although determined vampire hunters can simply break into a grave to get to a resting vampire.

Resist the Mundane (Ex): Physical damage from non-magical sources, such as an unenchanted weapon or unarmed strike, deal only half damage to a vampire. Damage may still appear to be inflicted, such as a spear used to impale the vampire, but the vampire’s undead flesh is simply hardly affected.

Scent (Ex): A vampire has the Scent extraordinary ability.

Sunlight Weakness (Ex): A vampire suffers damage per round, and is threatened by complete destruction, while exposed to sunlight. The amount of damage and the threat to the vampire varies depending on the level of exposure. See the Sunlight section in Chapter 2: Vampire Rules for details.

A vampire who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if they were actively looking for it.

A vampire does not suffer fall damage.

Immune to Mind-Affecting Effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) that are not harmless.

Low-Light Vision.

Advancement: By character class.

Category C Vampires
Category C Vampires gain the following changes regardless of Age, Generation, Bloodline, or Character Level. Although technically all changes that a vampire of Character Level 1 has should be listed here, some of them are not for organization’s sake.

Special Qualities:

Damage Reduction (Ex): The vampire starts with Damage Reduction 5/(+1, holy, or anti-vampire). As the vampire gains Age Category, its Damage Reduction increases. The vampire gains its Generation Value as a bonus to its Damage Reduction (or 5 + GV for its initial DR). The vampire’s natural weapons are initially treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Light Sensitivity (Ex): The vampire is Dazzled in areas of light as bright as sunlight (such as when exposed to natural sunlight or when within the radius of a Daylight spell).

Darkvision: The vampire has Darkvision out to 60ft.

Resistance: Unless otherwise stated, the vampire has Electricity and Cold Resistance 10.

Vulnerability: Unless otherwise stated, the vampire has Vulnerability to Fire.

Challenge Rating: +2

Category C Vampire Power Progression
Character Level: This column lists the number of character levels the vampire must gain before it gains the appropriate abilities. Only character levels gained AFTER the base creature became a vampire contribute to the Category C Power Progression table. Character Level 0 represents the immediate benefits of vampirism.


 * Example: If Mc J, a 6th level Fighter, became a vampire, he would only gain the benefits listed for Character Level 0 vampires. These benefits apply automatically to newborn vampires. Once Mc J is a 7th level Fighter, he gains the benefits listed for Character Level 1 vampires.

Ability Score Adjustments: This column lists the adjustments to the vampire’s ability scores as it gains levels. The bonuses under this column stack.

Skill Bonus: This column lists the racial bonus that the vampire gets for Bluff, Hide, Listen, Jump, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. The bonuses listed under the Skill Bonus column do not stack. The vampire’s racial bonus increases by 1 for each Character Level, until it maximizes at +8 at Character Level 8.

Hp: This column indicates the bonus to hit points a vampire gets. The values in this column do not stack; use the value for the vampire’s appropriate level.

Special: This column lists any other changes not handled by the other columns. Things such as Feats and Special Qualities are listed under this column.

Blood Scent (Ex): Can pick up the scent of blood with the Scent ability at 2&times; the normal range.

Energry Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a vampire’s claw attack, or any other natural weapon the vampire might possess, as well a Pureblood’s or Gelgoran vampire’s Malefic Touch attack, gain two negative levels. For each negative level bestowed, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. A vampire can use its energy drain ability once per round.

Spider Climb (Ex): A vampire can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell.

Speed Boost (Ex): The vampire’s base speed increases by 25% at character level 4. This bonus to speed increases to 50% at character level 8. This functions regardless of what form the vampire takes.

Turn Resistance (Ex): The vampire gains a +1 bonus to Turn Resistance for every 2 character levels, to a maximum of +4 at character level 8.

Category B Vampires
Category B Vampires gain the following changes regardless of Age, Generation, Bloodline, or Character Level. Although technically all changes that a vampire of Character Level 1 has should be listed here, some of them are not for organization’s sake.

Special Qualities:

Bonus Vitae Feats: Category B Vampires gain Alternate Form, Great Leaping, Mask of Mortality, and Swarm Shifter (Undead Bats) as bonus Vitae Feats.

Damage Reduction (Ex): The vampire starts with Damage Reduction 10/(+3, holy, or anti-vampire). As the vampire gains Age Category, its Damage Reduction increases. The vampire gains its Generation Value as a bonus to its Damage Reduction (or 10 + GV for its initial DR). The vampire’s natural weapons are initially treated as +3 magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Light Sensitivity (Ex): The vampire is Dazzled in areas of light as bright as sunlight (such as when exposed to natural sunlight or when within the radius of a Daylight spell). The penalty for Dazzled is -2, instead of -1.

Darkvision: The vampire has Darkvision out to 120ft.

Resistance: Unless otherwise stated, the vampire has Electricity and Cold Resistance 20.

Vulnerability: Unless otherwise stated, the vampire has Vulnerability to Fire.

Challenge Rating: +4

Category B Vampire Power Progression
Character Level: This column lists what character level the vampire must be before it gains the appropriate abilities. As Category B Vampire is an Inherent Template, all character levels of the vampire contribute to its power progression, since it would be impossible for it to gain levels before it became a vampire.

Ability Score Adjustments: This column lists the adjustments to the vampire’s ability scores as it gains levels. The bonuses under this column stack.

Skill Bonus: This column represents lists the racial bonus that the vampire gets for Bluff, Hide, Listen, Jump, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. The bonuses listed under the Skill Bonus column do not stack. The vampire’s racial bonus increases by 1 for each Character Level, until it maximizes at +8 at Character Level 8.

Hp: This column indicates the bonus to hit points a vampire gets. The values in this column do not stack; use the value for the vampire’s appropriate level.

Special: This column lists any other changes not handled by the other columns. Things such as Feats and Special Qualities are listed under this column.

Blood Scent (Ex): Can pick up the scent of blood with the Scent ability at 4x the normal range.

Bonus Vitae Feats: The vampire starts with Alternate Form, Great Leaping, Hypnotic Voice, Mask of Mortality, and Swarm Shifter (Undead Bats). In addition, the vampire automatically gains Passing Thought at 2nd level, Hidden Step at 3rd level, Flight at 4th level, Preternatural Speed at 5th level, Domination at 6th level, Dire Charm at 7th level, Unaided Flight at 8th level, and Mesmerize at 10th level.

Greater Scent (Ex): The range of the vampire’s Scent ability doubles. This also doubles the range of its Blood Scent ability (it can now detect blood at 8&times; the normal range).

Energry Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a vampire’s claw attack, or any other natural weapon the vampire might possess, as well a Pureblood’s or Gelgoran vampire’s Malefic Touch attack, gain two negative levels. For each negative level bestowed, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. A vampire can use its energy drain ability once per round.

Spider Climb (Ex): A vampire can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell.

Memory Blank (Su): By touching a living creature, the vampire may alter the victim’s memory. This ability works in the same manner as the Modify Memory spell, except the vampire may alter 5 + its "Age" + its GV in minutes, rather than just 5.

Speed Boost (Ex): The vampire’s base speed increases by 50% at character level 5. This bonus to speed increases to 100% at character level 10. This functions regardless of what form the vampire takes.

Turn Resistance (Ex): The vampire gains a +2 bonus to Turn Resistance for every 2 character levels, to a maximum of +10 at character level 10.

Category A Vampires
Purebloods do not have a power progression system. They gain all benefits at once. Even the youngest and weakest of awakened Purebloods are epic monsters capable of terrible destruction and powerful manipulation. Purebloods are not meant to be PCs. There is absolutely no way to have balanced gameplay when one of the PCs is more than 10 times as powerful as the rest of the party combined, and I will not attempt to make it possible.

Type: Purebloods have the Chaotic and Evil subtypes.

Hitpoints: Purebloods gain maximum hit points per HD. They also gain a +200 bonus to hit points.

Natural Armor: Purebloods have a Natural Armor bonus of +20.

Racial Traits: The base creature loses any and all racial traits for being a member of its base race. A Pureblood is a member of its base race in appearance only, albeit with a flawless appearance.

Special Attacks:

Apocalypse From the Sky (Su): Once per month as a full-round action, a Pureblood may cast the Corrupt spell Apocalypse From the Sky (See the Book of Vile Darkness for details) as a supernatural ability. The Pureblood does not suffer any ability damage for using this ability, nor does it suffer damage caused by the spell.

Evil Weather (Su): Once per month as a full-round action, a Pureblood may cast the Corrupt spell Evil Weather (See the Book of Vile Darkness for details) as a supernatural ability. The Pureblood does not suffer any ability damage for using this ability.

Liquid Woe (Su): Liquid Woe is a potent disease that a Pureblood can transmit with their fangs (either with a bite attack or blood drain). A Pureblood can choose not to infect the subject of their fangs. Liquid Woe ravages both the mind and the body. Victims of Liquid Woe become weak and sickly, but they often do nothing about it, as the disease addles their minds. The disease inevitably kills the victim, and those with weaker minds fall into a coma before they die. The disease is transmitted via injury. The victim is entitled to a DC 26 Fortitude save to resist infection, but they must make two saves to resist infection; a single failed save results in infection. The incubation period is 1 hour, after which the victim must make three consecutive successful DC 26 Fortitude saves every 6d4 hours or suffer 1d6 Constitution Damage and 1d6 Intelligence Damage. When the victim suffers 2 or more Intelligence Damage, they must make a successful DC 20 Will save or attempt to find shelter (usually the creature's home or an inn) and go to sleep for 2d4 hours. This sleep is induced by the disease, but is considered magical in nature, so the creature will not wake up naturally; magic is required to wake the creature. Creatures that die of this disease have their innards liquefied. This liquid rot oozes from openings in the creature (eye sockets, nose, mouth, open wounds, etc…), and gives off a horrid stench. Living creatures within 20ft of this rot must succeed on a DC 20 Fortitude save or be Nauseated for 2d6 minutes; a creature that succeeds its save is Sickened for 1d6 minutes instead. Creatures that succeed on their save are immune to this effect for 24hrs. This rot decomposes the remainder of the victim’s flesh and organs, but not bones, over the course of 1 week. After one week, the rot loses its potency, and the remains of the creature becomes so much decomposition.


 * Effect: Your body is in pain, you ache all over, and you have a terrible headache that just won’t go away. Something is wrong with you, but you thoughts are so clouded you can’t think straight. Maybe if you just went to sleep...
 * Curing: The victim may resist infection with three successful DC 26 Fortitude saves, but once infected, successful saves do not cure the affliction. Magic is required to remove the disease. Only a Greater Restoration, Miracle, or Wish spell can cure the disease.

Negative Energy Ray (Su): As a standard action, a Pureblood may fire a ray of negative energy with a range of 100ft. With a successful ranged touch attack, the ray deals 1d4 + Pureblood’s Age + the Pureblood’s Charisma Modifier in negative energy damage. This attack harms living creatures but heals undead.

Soul Blight (Su): Soul Blight is a horrid curse that twists and corrupts the victim’s animus. Only living creatures can be afflicted by this curse. A Pureblood may afflict a victim with this curse only with a natural weapon attack, and only if they succeed on an Energy Drain attack while their Vile Power is active with the attack. Soul Blight is the direct result of a Pureblood’s violent immune system coupled with the powerful necromantic and unholy energies they emit. A Pureblood can choose not to afflict a creature with this curse. The victim must succeed on a DC 30 Will save or become afflicted with this curse. Afflicted creatures are prone to violent outbursts. The incubation period is 1d2 days, after which the victim must succeed on a DC 30 Will save every 24hrs or suffer 1d6 Charisma Damage. If the victim suffers 2 or more Charisma Damage, they must succeed on a DC 26 Will save or 1 point becomes Charisma Drain. If a victim suffers a point of Charisma Drain from this disease, they fly into a rage and attack the nearest living creature for 2d4 rounds; if there is no available target, they will attack a random object in their vicinity (if they are restrained from doing either, they shout profanity). A victim whose Charisma Score is reduced to 0 by this supernatural curse immediately dies and rises as a free-willed Wraith in 1d4 rounds.


 * Effect: You can’t seem to stay calm. You’re angry, and you don’t know why. Sometimes you just want to kill the first person you see.
 * Curing: The victim may resist infection with a successful DC 30 Will save, but once infected, successful saves do not cure the affliction. Magic is required to remove the disease, but it can only be cured after the curse is broken. A remove curse spell (or similar effect) must be cast on the victim, but the caster must succeed on a DC 26 Spellcraft check or the spell will fail. After the curse is broken, the disease can be cured with a remove disease spell (or similar effect).
 * Special: Good-aligned creatures gain a +2 bonus on their Will saves made to resist the disease and the effects of the disease. Evil-aligned creatures suffer a -2 penalty on their Will saves made to resist the disease and the effects of the disease. Creatures that are neutral aligned on the good/evil axis receive neither a bonus nor a penalty.

Unholy Might (Su): At will, a Pureblood may shroud itself with an aura of unholy power with a 20ft radius. The ability manifests as a malevolent darkness that has the distinctive feel of evil. When activated, the Pureblood’s natural weapons gain the Unholy Power and Profane enchantments. The Pureblood emits an Unholy Aura as the spell at a caster level of 20. The aura is centered on, and moves with, the Pureblood. The Pureblood, and any creatures it is warding with the unholy aura, gain a +4 profane bonus (creatures with the Evil subtype, including the Pureblood, instead gain a +6 bonus) to attack rolls, damage rolls, armor class, and saving throws. The Pureblood may change which creatures are protected by the unholy aura as a free action once per round. All non-evil creatures within 20ft of the Pureblood suffer a -4 profane penalty (creatures with the Good subtype instead suffer a -6 penalty) to all attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws (this penalty does not stack with the Pureblood’s Necromantic Aura); this is a Necromantic (Evil) effect that does not allow a saving throw. Living creatures protected by the unholy aura are also protected against the Pureblood’s Necromantic Aura. Non-evil creatures protected by the unholy aura are also protected against the profane penalty for being within 20ft of the Pureblood while using Unholy Might. Evil spells that originate from, end within, or pass through the area gain a +4 profane bonus to the caster level and a +2 profane bonus to the DC to resist the spell. Good spells that originate from, end within, or pass through the area suffer a -4 profane penalty to the caster level and a -2 profane penalty to the DC to resist the spell; furthermore, Good spells are Impeded, and the caster must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + the Pureblood’s Age) when casting a Good spell that originates from, ends within, or passes through the area. If the caster fails the Spellcraft check, the spell automatically fails to function and the spell (or spell slot) is lost. A Pureblood may renew or suppress this ability at will.

Special Qualities:

Anathemic Turning (Ex): The powerful necromantic energies within a Pureblood are too potent to be turned by any creature, no matter how powerful. These extremely potent energies flow deep into a Pureblood’s soul, suffusing every fiber of its being with an undaunted purpose unwilling to be stopped or turned aside. Any creature attempting to turn a Pureblood will sense this power, even as they raise their holy symbol, as a foreboding sensation (90% of the time), or as a feeling of fighting against an overwhelming current (10% of the time). A Pureblood must first resist the turning attempt (as Resistance to Turning). If it successfully resists the turning attempt, it can then make an opposed Will check against the creature that tried to turn it. If the Pureblood wins the check, the energy released by the turning attempt is utterly corrupted and backfires, causing the creature’s holy symbol to twist and blacken, forever losing its potency as a holy symbol, becoming nothing more than a useless object with a faint evil aura. In addition, the creature suffers 3d8 points of damage (Will save for half). If the Pureblood rolls a natural 20 on the check, the backlash of necromancy causes the creature’s holy symbol to shatter, causing the creature to suffer 8d8 points of damage and stunning it for 2d4 rounds (Will save for half damage and duration). The creature also loses 2d4 + the Pureblood’s Age of its remaining turning attempts for the day.


 * Anathemic Walk (Ex): This ability stems from the Anathemic Turning ability. The Pureblood’s inability to be turned is the consequence of a much deeper and more sinister aspect of a Pureblood’s existence. A Pureblood is an unholy monster whose very presence is utterly incompatible with wholesomeness and goodness, even if the Pureblood is Good-aligned and has a moral code on par with the most righteous of deities, a cosmic conundrum that makes the existence of these same Good aligned Purebloods impossible to explain. There are two parts to this ability. The first is the Passive side, which is always active. The second is the Active side, which the Pureblood must activate to use.


 * Passive: If a Pureblood comes into physical contact with a good-aligned holy symbol, the symbol will immediately burst into flames and then twist and blacken, forever losing its potency, over the course of one round, although the symbol still harms the Pureblood during this round. Mundane water within a 1ft radius of a Pureblood is immediately corrupted as the Curse Water spell; this is normally taken to a much more extreme effect with the Holiness Profaned Vitae Feat, but unlike the feat in question, this Passive ability cannot be suppressed. Infrequently, living creatures may have violent nightmares of blood, death, and decay after spending even a few moments in a Pureblood’s presence, causing the creature to suffer as though by a Nightmare spell. These nightmares are an echo of a Pureblood’s presence that serve as a warning to stay away from said Pureblood, although these nightmares do not have any indication of this to help the creature understand where the nightmare came from, or even that it was supernatural in nature. These Passive effects cannot be suppressed.


 * A Pureblood’s long-term presence has a chance to cause the effects of A Lasting Evil (as described in the Book of Vile Darkness) within the area where it was physically present. This chance is equal to 10% x (2 + the Pureblood’s Age), which means the long term-presence of an Antediluvian Pureblood will always create the effects of A Lasting Evil, although once a Pureblood reaches the Ancestor Age Category, there is a 10% chance (20% chance for Antediluvian Purebloods) that their presence creates the effects of a Great and Powerful Malevolence instead. If the long-term presence of the Pureblood fails to create A Lasting Evil (or a Lasting Evil/Great and Powerful Malevolence in the case of Ancestor and Antediluvian Purebloods), it will create the effects of A Bad Feeling. What is deemed as long-term presence is subject to the DM. As a consequence of this ability, a Pureblood’s lair, no matter how elegant and beautiful, is always a dark and unnatural place devoid of plant life. Animals are rarely ever found in large numbers near a Pureblood’s lair, although flies, maggots, and other vermin are commonly found and even thrive in these areas (this is a natural consequence of one of the Pureblood’s Tell-Tale Signs as described in the Garlythi Bloodline).


 * Active: A Pureblood may use this ability to bypass holy symbols that are either being presented to them or are otherwise hindering them in some way. In addition, a Pureblood may enter Holy Ground and observe good aligned religious phenomena without penalty, though doing so actively disrupts said phenomena within a 100ft radius of the Pureblood (praises sound like bitter lamentable cries, stained glass depicting religious events or rites cracks, holy texts catch fire unless magically protected, sacrificial foods spoil and rot, offerings tarnish and rust, creatures become unable to pray to good aligned deities or speak their names or titles or recite holy texts (the words simply not coming to them), etc…). If a creature attempts to turn the Pureblood while this ability is active, they immediately suffer as though they had failed the opposed Will check made during the Pureblood’s Anathemic Turning ability (a d20 should still be rolled to see if the Pureblood rolls a natural 20). Using this ability requires a standard action to activate and a swift action every round it is maintained beyond the first. A Pureblood may maintain this ability for a total number of rounds equal to 10 + 2 x (its Charisma Modifier + Age) per day without cost. It need not spend all the rounds at once; it may spread them out over multiple uses. A Pureblood may use this ability beyond that number of rounds in a day, but doing so requires the expenditure of 3 Vitae each round to maintain. Bypassing holy symbols, even those built as a statue, in this manner causes said symbols to twist and blacken (nonmalleable materials, such as stone, simply crumble), forever losing their potency. This usually alerts all within visual range of the holy symbol(s) that great evil is nearby. Once a Pureblood reaches the age Ancient, this ability becomes Passive as well, though it no longer costs the Pureblood Vitae or actions to maintain, effectively making the Pureblood immune to the effects of holy ground and religious phenomena. An Ancient or older Pureblood may suppress this ability the same way that younger Purebloods can maintain it (i.e. activate as a standard action, maintain as a swift action, the number of rounds per day without cost followed by a cost of 3 Vitae per round to continue to suppress).


 * Anathemic Might (Su): As was stated in the Anathemic Walk ability, Purebloods are so thoroughly and completely suffused with unholy energies that their mere presence affects their surroundings, and grants them an unwholesomeness that could rival an Elder Evil. This same unwholesomeness also empowers Purebloods in its own way.


 * Passive: Spells with the Evil descriptor have no effect on a Pureblood unless the Pureblood willingly allows itself to be affected or if the spell was cast by a creature with the Evil Subtype; creature’s without the Evil Subtype simply lack the necessary unholy power to subdue an evil much greater than their own. A Pureblood does not pay any Corrupt cost for casting Corrupt spells (see the Book of Vile Darkness for details). Purebloods are innately fluent in Dark Speech. Purebloods are not harmed by use of Dark Speech, and Dark Speech users cannot harm a Pureblood with the Dark Speech. A Pureblood has access to all abilities that use of the Dark Speech would grant, including feats that use the Dark Speech; Purebloods came into existence because of the direct meddling of the vilest of cosmic forces, and the true depth of the evil of the forces that comprise a Pureblood’s being is best left unknown. As a supernatural ability, a Pureblood can detect the presence of Evil Nodes (as described in Forgotten Realms – Champions of Ruin). This effect acts exactly as a Locate Node spell except as noted here. The effect is constant, is not blocked by lead (although it is still blocked by a Node Lock effect, and it cannot detect the Evil Node of another Pureblood (see below)), and can only detect Evil Nodes.


 * The unholy energies that radiate from a Pureblood is so strong that Purebloods act as mobile Evil Nodes, although the Class of the Evil Node depends on the Pureblood’s Age Category. Neonate and Young Purebloods act as a Class 1 Evil Node, Mature and Aged Purebloods act as a Class 2 Evil Node, Elder and Ancient Purebloods act as a Class 3 Evil Node, Ancestor Purebloods act as a Class 4 Evil Node, and Antediluvian Purebloods act as a Class 5 Evil Node. What spells are tied to the node are specific to each Pureblood (common themes include corruption, death, and domination. More spells are added as the node increases in class). A Pureblood may change which spells are tied to its node; however, it cannot change the theme of spells tied to its node (example: if the theme of a Pureblood’s node is Death, it could tie Death Knell to its node, but not Silence). A Pureblood must have knowledge of the spell it wishes to tie to its node, although it does not necessarily have to know how to cast it (or even be capable of casting it). A Pureblood cannot exceed the spell level limit or the limit of the number of spells tied to its node (so if a new spell is being tied to its node, another spell must be removed). It takes a full year for a Pureblood to change which spells are tied to its node. The Evil Node acts exactly as, and has the same dimensions as, a node of its class except as noted here. Each layer of the node has maximum length, giving the node itself maximum diameter. The node never dissipates or weakens over time; in fact, it grows stronger over time (as described above). The node cannot be detected by a Locate Node spell (or similar effects), nor can it be Node Locked by anyone but the Pureblood. A Pureblood is always attuned to its node, and this connection can never be severed. A Pureblood may use its own node as part of a Node Door spell, although, for obvious reasons, it cannot teleport to its own node. A Pureblood automatically receives the bonus to its caster level without any effort at all, although it may choose to forgo the bonus. A Pureblood may cast any spell tied to its node as a supernatural ability at will. A Pureblood may automatically imprison or expel a creature within its node without any effort at all (this is considered a supernatural ability), although it may not bypass the HD restriction. A Pureblood cannot be imprisoned within its own node. A Pureblood can deny any creature access to the powers and abilities its node can grant; if such is the case, the evil energies simply refuse to cooperate with the creature in question. The Pureblood may deny as many creatures as it wants, even going as far as to deny all creatures (essentially making it Node Locked, although typically a Pureblood will designate certain favored retainers the ability to access its node powers).


 * A Pureblood can purposely create an Evil Node on its own. To do so, it must meditate for 24hrs and focus all of the unholy power within itself into a single point, then expel that power into a location that it touches. During the round it expels this energy, its flesh and eyes turn a sickly colorless pallor, its veins bulge and become visible, and a tiny sphere of pitch-black energy forms at the tip of its finger. This ability otherwise functions exactly as the Node Genesis spell, except the Pureblood does not pay any XP cost and it can only be used to create an Evil Node. Creating an Evil Node in this manner severely weakens the Pureblood, as it has expelled nearly all of its essential unholy energies, for a number of days equal to 10 – its Age. During this time, its own Evil Node deteriorates into nothing (having siphoned off all its unholy power, it also loses access to all abilities it gained from its own Evil Node, including the spells tied to it) and it cannot use any of its Vitae Feats, although Vitae Feats that are always active (such as Sense or Nightwalker) still function. At the end of this duration, the Pureblood’s own Evil Node returns to full strength and it can again use its Vitae Feats as normal. The Pureblood cannot create another Evil Node in this manner during this time of weakness and for 1 month afterwards.

Biological Supremacy* (Ex): A Pureblood’s immune system is extremely advanced. Purebloods are utterly immune to poison and disease. Even magical and supernatural poisons or diseases (such as mummy rot) do not affect them. Even poisons and diseases, even if they are magical, that explicitly state they affect undead have utterly no effect on Purebloods. Foreign objects are ejected from the body (such as a pole); the Pureblood’s body tissue has a Strength Score of 18 + the Pureblood’s Age for the purposes of determining how much force it can exert to remove foreign objects (if a creature is forcing the object back into the Pureblood’s body, the creature must make a Strength Check vs the Strength Score indicated above each round, failure results in the object being forced out of the Pureblood’s body and the creature must make a Reflex save (DC equal to the Strength Score indicated above) or drop the object). Any foreign substance that enters a Pureblood’s body is virtually instantly eradicated, leaving behind no trace. Harmless magic potions may still be used, but harmful magic potions have no effect on Purebloods when consumed. A Pureblood can prevent foreign objects from being pushed out of their body, or by being damaged by their Dissolving Ichor ability (see below), by making a DC 15 Concentration check each round it is suppressed; however, they cannot suppress their own immunity to being harmed by poisons and diseases.


 * Dissolving Ichor (Ex): Dissolving Ichor is a highly acidic substance that can be found inside the body of a Pureblood. It is actually a part of the immune system, used to fight off invasion; however, due to the unnatural aggressiveness of a Pureblood’s immune system, this substance is actually used as a weapon by the body. When a Pureblood’s body is physically damaged, its body floods the damaged location with this ichor. Once the ichor arrives, it begins to rapidly dissolve the offending matter. This ichor is made of antibodies, so the damage it does is not acid damage, but the damage is considered to be chaotic-aligned, evil-aligned, and epic for overcoming damage reduction. When a physical object deals physical damage to a Pureblood’s body, it is subject to this effect. An affected object suffers 1d6 damage every time it deals physical damage to a Pureblood’s body, or 2d6 damage each round it remains inside a Pureblood’s body (such as a spear being used to impale a Pureblood or when using a grinding weapon). This damage ignores hardness. This ability also harms creatures that deal slashing or piercing damage with their natural weapons or unarmed strikes to a Pureblood. A creature could possibly have its hand (or some other body part) completely dissolved, depending on the size of the creature and the amount of time the body part was inside the Pureblood. Physical attacks that fail to penetrate the Pureblood’s skin, such as bludgeoning damage, do not trigger this reaction, and thus, are immune to the effects. Objects with an epic-level enchantment, artifacts, arcklicite, and objects blessed with anti-vampire magic are immune to this effect.


 * Retributive Blood (Su): Another defense mechanism a Pureblood’s immune system is responsible for. A Pureblood’s immune system seeks to eliminate all threats, both internal and external. This ability is triggered when the body’s dissolving ichor is triggered and the offending creature is no more than 5ft away from the Pureblood. The Pureblood’s body utilizes the necromancy flowing through the Pureblood in order to force animated blood out the wound and launches it at the offending creature. The blood forms several whips of blade-like cords that attempt to pierce and slash the offending creature. The creature suffers 1d6 damage, half of which is piercing damage and the other half is slashing damage. The creature is entitled to a DC 14 Reflex save for half damage. After attacking the creature, the blood retreats back inside the Pureblood’s body. This damage is considered to be chaotic-aligned, evil-aligned, and epic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. A Pureblood may renew or suppress this ability at will.


 * Note: On Biological Supremacy, the Book of Exalted Deeds was unclear whether or not undead are affected by Ravages and Afflictions. The book states that “evil undead take an extra 1 point of damage”, which implies that they do, but they had to muck it up by putting an alignment in front of the word undead. If undead are immune to ravages and afflictions in your campaign, then so are Purebloods. If undead are not immune to ravages and afflictions in your campaign, then Purebloods are affected by them, but they suffer minimum effects. The same thing applies to Positoxins.

Blood Scent (Ex): Can pick up the scent of blood with the Scent ability at 10x the normal range.

Damage Reduction (Ex): Purebloods start with Damage Reduction 20/(+5 and good, holy, anti-vampiric). As the vampire gains Age Category, its Damage Reduction increases. The vampire gains its Generation Value as a bonus to its Damage Reduction (or 20 + GV for its initial DR). The vampire’s natural weapons are initially treated as chaotic and evil aligned +5 magic weapons the for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Darkvision: The vampire has Darkvision out to 1,000ft.

Enhanced Childer (Ex): Vampires and vampire spawn created by a Pureblood gain a +2 bonus to their Strength and Dexterity, 1 extra hit point per HD, 4 bonus Vitae Feats, and a +4 bonus to their Vitae Score. This effect does not go away even if the Pureblood is destroyed; this is because it is the strength of the Pureblood’s blood that is enhancing its childer, not because of a connection the child has with the Pureblood. A vampire that has this effect, but later becomes a Pureblood, loses this bonus.

Greater Scent (Ex): A Pureblood’s Scent ability has 5x the normal range. This also increases the range of its Blood Scent ability (allowing it to detect blood at 50x the normal range).

Ruler of the Undead (Ex): Purebloods are the undisputed masters of the undead. A Pureblood's power renders even a mighty lich (or demilich) inconsequential, so it comes as no surprise that Purebloods may, with nothing more than sheer force of will, command the undead to do their bidding. A Pureblood may attempt to command any undead with HD less than its own. This ability has a range of 25 miles, although the Pureblood must be able to perceive the undead in some fashion, such as when using its Eyes of the Lifeless ability or through use of a Detect Undead spell. Attempting to control an undead creature within range is a free action, and the Pureblood may make an unlimited number of such attempts per round. Targets are allowed a Will save to resist the effect, and a successful save renders the target immune to this ability for one round. An undead creature that makes five successful saves in a row is immune to this ability for 24hrs. Targets that fail their save fall under the Pureblood's control as though by a successful Rebuking attempt. Undead controlled in this manner do not count towards the maximum number HD of undead the Pureblood may control with its Rebuke Undead ability or with magic, such as Animate Dead. The maximum total HD of undead the Pureblood may control in this manner is equal to 30 x (its HD + its Age); if it gains control over an undead creature with this ability, and it would then exceed this HD limit, it must release undead until it no longer exceeds this HD limit of control. Undead already under the control of some other creature are immune to this ability. Purebloods are immune to this ability; such a creature cannot be controlled easily. Although they could if they wanted to, Purebloods do not use this ability to control lesser vampires, as they have other means to do so. The Pureblood immediately loses control of any undead that are under the control of this ability if the undead moves more than 25 miles away from the Pureblood. The Pureblood may release any or all undead under this control as a free action at will.


 * Aura of Domination (Ex): The Pureblood’s force of will is so strong that any free-willed mindless undead within 1,000ft of the Pureblood must immediately make a Will save against the Pureblood’s Ruler of the Undead ability or fall under the Pureblood’s control, assuming that this would not make the Pureblood exceed its HD limit of control, even if the Pureblood does not know they are there. This save must be made every round until the undead creature fails its save or moves more than 1,000ft away from the Pureblood, but once an undead falls under the Pureblood’s control in this manner, it remains so even if it moves more than 1,000ft away from the Pureblood. The Pureblood may renew or suppress this ability as a free action at will. If the Pureblood does not suppress this ability, it tends to collect mindless undead that are drawn to it due to its Encroaching Darkness ability.

Necromantic Aura (Su): Purebloods churn with extremely potent necromantic energies. These energies are so potent that they have a disruptive effect on living creatures. Affected creatures sense the effects of this aura as a feeling of weakness and/or tightening of the skin. Living creatures within 60ft of a Pureblood suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, ability checks, and skill checks. This aura also prevents natural healing (but the Pureblood is probably not around the creature long enough for this to be a problem). Living creatures with Fast Healing suffer a -5 penalty to their Fast Healing (to a minimum of 0. For example, a living creature with Fast Healing 8 that is within this aura has their Fast Healing ability reduced to Fast Healing 3), although Regeneration is unaffected. There is no saving throw for this ability, but creatures immune to Death effects are also immune to this ability, as are creatures protected by a death ward spell or similar effects. Any Necromancy spell originating from, ending within, or passing through this aura gains a +2 bonus to the caster level. Any Conjuration (Healing) spell originating from, ending within, or passing through this aura suffers a -2 penalty to the caster level. This applies to the spells cast by the Pureblood. This aura is suppressed while the Pureblood uses Mask of Mortality.

Overwhelm (Ex): Purebloods are so fierce and mighty in combat that their mere presence on the battlefield can overwhelm lesser foes. Only creatures with HD equal to or less than 10 + ½ the Pureblood’s HD are affected by this ability. When such creatures are engaged in combat with the Pureblood, those creatures suffer a -2 penalty to all attack rolls and damage rolls made against the Pureblood. If an affected creature is successfully attacked by the Pureblood, this penalty doubles for 1 round. Since Purebloods aren’t required to fight seriously all the time, they can renew or suppress this ability as a free action at will, and it is assumed that a Pureblood is fighting seriously when this ability is active.

Power of the Blood (Su): A Pureblood’s blood has many mystical properties, making it a strange yet powerful well of supernatural force. A Pureblood may evoke a Geas effect upon any creature that has ingested even a drop of its blood within the past 72hrs. A Pureblood may also evoke an Oath of Blood effect upon the creature if the Geas is successful, but only on a living mortal creature. The creature is not entitled to a saving throw to resist the Oath of Blood effect. The creature suffers a penalty to its saving throw equal to the Pureblood’s Age to resist the Geas effect. A creature that successfully resists this ability is immune to it for 72hrs. The Pureblood must be able to see the creature in order to evoke the Geas. The Pureblood need not see the creature with its own eyes. It could use a scrying effect, or similar ability, to see the creature.

Pureblood’s Call (Su): Once per day, a Pureblood may send out a “call” to Category B and lower vampires within a 25 mile radius of itself. This call viscerally compels lesser vampires to travel to the Pureblood’s location. Affected vampires will act immediately and try to get to the Pureblood’s location to the best of their abilities, but will not make suicidal attempts to do so and will do everything they can to stay “alive”. The location they travel to is the location the Pureblood was at the time of the call. The call can be ignored with a successful Will save. Category D Vampires receive a +4 bonus to their saving throw to resist this effect. Those who successfully resist this effect are still aware of the Pureblood’s location and that the Pureblood attempted to supernaturally compel them to travel to it. Once the subjects, if any, arrive at the Pureblood’s location, they are free of any obligation and/or attraction to the Pureblood and must be forced or persuaded to aid it.

Pureblood’s Chosen (Ex): A Pureblood may designate a single Category B or lower vampire of its choice as its Chosen (note: a vampire familiar not under the control of the Pureblood may not benefit from this ability). Doing so requires a 1hr ritual, during which the Chosen must consume a small portion of the Pureblood’s flesh. The Chosen gains a +10 enchantment bonus to its Strength and Dexterity scores, a +4 enchantment bonus to all saves and checks, a deflection bonus to its armor class equal to the Pureblood’s Age, and a +5 enchantment bonus to its regenerative ability. It also gains 3 extra hitpoints per HD. The Pureblood can remove this designation as a free action at will. If the Pureblood is destroyed, the vampire loses this bonus. This bonus overlaps, does not stack with, the Enhanced Childer ability.

Rejuvenation (Ex): Purebloods are well known for being exceedingly difficult to kill, but their reputation for immortality is well deserved. Virtually all forms of destruction, even complete physical annihilation, are only temporary for them. If a Pureblood’s hit points are ever reduced to 0 (even by sunlight), it immediately assumes one of its Death States and revives after the described amount of time; while in a Death State, the Pureblood is immune to harm of any kind, even by sunlight. Most people think that sunlight can kill any vampire, and while sunlight is extremely deadly to Purebloods, even that is not enough to permanently slay them.

There are three ways for a Pureblood to permanently die, forcing its soul to pass on to the next life. All other ways are temporary and ultimately futile. The first way is willing destruction. Sunlight CAN destroy a Pureblood if they willingly choose to die. Suicide is an all too common way for Purebloods to die, and fortunately for those Purebloods that have grown weary of their endless existence, the sun always returns in the morning; however, once a Pureblood becomes an Antediluvian, it cannot be destroyed in this manner. The second way is being diablerized by another Pureblood; however, this is the ultimate sin a Pureblood can commit in the eyes of its fellow Purebloods, so this has only happened a handful of times in the history of vampirism. The final way requires a complicated process that must be followed to the letter. This process is described below.

The only way to make sure that a Pureblood does not revive is to deal Anti-Vampire damage to it equal to no less than its total hit points. This renders the Pureblood unconscious and utterly helpless, and also prevents them from assuming a Death State for one week, although it immediately assumes a Death State after this week is up, at which point they regain consciousness and mobility, unless the process in completed. You must then cut its head from its body using a weapon made from arklicite. You must similarly destroy the heart, also with a weapon made from arklicite (this is typically done by using an arklicite mace to pound the heart into goo, but other arklicite weapons work just as well). At this point, the Pureblood’s healing powers have been all but quashed, and the duration before the Pureblood assumes a Death State increases to one month. You must then burn the body and the head separately using an anti-vampire spell (typically Flames of Purity), scatter the ashes from the body over a natural source of clean and uncorrupted running water, then mix the ashes from the head in holy water, and bury the head ashes in holy ground in an area that is subjected to a permanent Hallow effect. The ground it is buried in can’t ever have been subjected to a Desecrate or Unhallow effect, or the head can still revive.

If you do not dispose of the body ashes in the described way, the ashes will spontaneously animate in one month as an Aspect of the Pureblood it came from. Unlike other Pureblood Aspects, this Aspect does not dissipate after a certain amount of time. The animated Aspect has maximum hit points per HD, is unaffected by holy ground and objects, and is attuned to the exact location (even to the exact plane) that the head ashes are located. This Aspect will seek the head ashes out and attempt to revive them, killing with extreme prejudice any creature that attempts to interfere (although it is intelligent, and knows when to flee for the sake of its mission, and it is similarly capable of accepting aid from others, though it remains extremely suspicious); it does not take into consideration the Pureblood’s relationships or desires (it does not even have memory of such things), its sole drive is to revive the Pureblood it came from, and it will never stop trying until it is destroyed. If the Aspect is destroyed, it will automatically revive in 1d4 days unless it is burned into ashes and disposed of in the same manner that the Pureblood’s body ashes were supposed to be disposed of. Those incautious enough to fail to properly dispose of a Pureblood’s body will soon learn that the Aspect of a Pureblood is single-minded in its mission, and absolutely will not, and will never, stop trying to revive the Pureblood.

If you do not bury the head ashes in the described way, you will fail to fully suppress the powerful unholy and necromantic energies that still charge the Pureblood’s head ashes, and the surrounding 100ft area will be corrupted with blight and decay (reducing to dust whatever container it might be in and turning the holy water it is mixed in into unholy water) as the Pureblood’s power reasserts itself with a vengeance over the course of one month, before finally assuming a Death State. If the head ashes are ever unearthed and somehow separated from the holy water, dried thoroughly, subjected to an Unhallow spell, and then placed inside one of the Pureblood’s Graves, the Pureblood assumes a Death State in half a year; however, if a Cleric with a caster level of at least 21st cater level casts the Wrath of Arkay spell directly upon the head ashes after the ashes have been mixed with holy water and buried appropriately, the Pureblood cannot revive by any means short of divine intervention for a number of centuries equal to the caster level of the Cleric at the time of casting the spell, although the epic spell Superb Dispelling can revert this effect if cast by an evil-aligned caster or a caster with the Evil Subtype. This long-term setback will not dissuade the Aspect from unearthing the head ashes, storing them in a safe location, and finding a creature that it can attempt to force to cast Superb Dispelling and/or Unhallow on the ashes.

Resist Detection (Ex): Purebloods are always under the effects of a Mind Blank and Nondetection spell. The nondetection effect is treated as though the Pureblood had cast it on itself for the purposes of determining the DC to overcome it. The Mind Blank is effective against both spells and powers. This effect cannot be dispelled and functions even when in an Anti-Magic field. A Pureblood may choose to lower this defense.

Sense Vampirism (Su): A Pureblood notices and locates vampires and dhampirs within 200ft + 100ft x its Age of itself. It also senses their Vampire Category, Age Category, Bloodline, and Generation with perfect accuracy. A Pureblood is also able to detect Vampire Thralls, but at only ½ the normal range. It learns nothing more about the thrall, but it does learn about the thrall’s master as though said master were in range of this ability. Finally, it can sense whether or not the vampire in question was sired by a Pureblood. Nondetection is ineffective against this ability, but a Mind Blank can block it. The Mask of Mortality Vitae Feat and Healthy Appearance Perfection do not fool this ability.

Speed Boost (Ex): A Pureblood’s base speed increases by 400% (or x5). This functions regardless of what form the vampire takes.

Turn Resistance (Ex): Purebloods have a +16 racial bonus to their turn resistance.

Unnatural Presence (Ex): An unnatural aura of death and necromancy surrounds the vampire. This aura strikes unease into living creatures within 50ft of the vampire, but it is not debilitating. Animals suffer a different effect. Animals, whether wild or domesticated, can sense the unnatural presence of the vampire at a distance of 100 feet. They will not willingly approach nearer than that and panic if forced to do so unless the animal’s handler succeeds a DC 40 Handle Animal or Wild Empathy check. Animals will raise a cry of alarm while they remain within 120ft of the vampire. Vermin, bats, insects, and animals under the vampire’s control are immune to this effect. While the vampire is using Mask of Mortality, non-animals do not feel unease in the vampire’s presence; however, animals still flee the vampire’s presence and still raise a cry of alarm.

Vile Power (Su): All of a Pureblood’s attacks, spell-like, psi-like, and supernatural abilities deal extra vile damage equal to ½ its HD (max +20), but only if they deal damage.

Wish (Sp): Once per month, a Pureblood may grant a Wish as the spell, even for themselves.

A Pureblood is always under the effects of a Tongues and True Seeing effect. These are supernatural abilities and cannot be dispelled or suppressed.

Immunities: Purebloods are immune to polymorphing, petrification, and other form-altering attacks.

Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: +30 Str, +20 Dex, +15 Int, +15 Wis, +25 Cha.

Feats: Purebloods gain the following feats: Bonus Domain (Hunger), Bonus Domain (Deathbound), Bonus Domain (Undeath), Boost Psi-Like Ability (x2), Boost Spell-Like Ability (x2), Boost Supernatural Ability (x2), Corrupt Psi-Like Ability (x2), Corrupt Spell-Like Ability (x2), Corrupt Supernatural Ability (x2), Empower Psi-Like Ability (x2), Empower Spell-Like Ability (x2), Empower Supernatural Ability (x2), Flyby Attack, Hover, Irresistible Gaze, Improved Flyby Attack, Metanode Spell, Node Defense, Node Sensitive, Node Spellcasting (Evil), Pervasive Gaze, Piercing Gaze, Quicken Psi-Like Ability (x2), Quicken Spell-Like Ability (x2), Quicken Supernatural Ability (x2), Spectral Strike, Violate Spell-Like Ability (x2), Violate Supernatural Ability (x2), Violate Psi-Like Ability (x2), Wingover.

Skills: Purebloods have a + 20 racial bonus to Bluff, Hide, Listen, Jump, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks.

Challenge Rating: +20

=Bloodlines=

Undergoing major revision

=Dhampirs=

Sometimes called Half-Vampires, Dhampirs are the result of the union of a living being and a vampire who is less than 60% vampiric. Dhampirs are 1-29% vampiric but they are not true vampires. If a pregnant Humanoid or Monstrous Humanoid is turned into a vampire, the unborn child will be born a Dhampir. Their features have a hint of feralness, their canines are overdeveloped (but not nearly as much as a vampire’s), their nails are long and like ivory, and their skin is pale or ashen in color. Dhampirs are often physically attractive.

Dhampirs are failed vampires; living flesh that was exposed to too little of the necromancy that animates vampires, but enough that it was drastically altered. If a Dhampir ever becomes a vampire, it immediately loses the Dhampir template, although it retains any Vitae Feats it might have.

Traits Shared by all Bloodlines
The Dhampir template is an inherent template only. They are not undead, they are not affected by spells that affect undead, but are still affected by spells that specifically affect vampires (anti-vampire magic); however, they suffer only half damage regardless of rolls (if an anti-vampire spell allows a save for half damage, cut the damage in half again (1/4 damage) on a successful save).

Size and Type: The base creature gains the Vampire Subtype.

Feats: The base creature gains the Alertness, Lightning Reflexes, and Improved Initiative feats even if it does not meet the prerequisites.

Skills: A Dhampir gains a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, and Spot checks.

Attack: The base creature gains a claw attack if it did not have one already. If the base creature can use weapons, it retains this ability. It retains any other natural weapons it has, if any. A Dhampir fighting without weapons uses either its claw attack or its primary natural weapon (if it has one). If the base creature does not have a primary natural weapon, the claw attack becomes its primary natural weapon. A Dhampir armed with a weapon uses its claw or weapon, as it desires.

Full Attack: A Dhampir fighting without weapons can make two claw attacks as a full-round action or it can use its other natural weapons (if it has any). If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack, along with a claw or other natural weapon as a natural secondary attack.

Damage: Dhampirs have claw attacks. If the base creature does not have this attack form, use the appropriate damage value from the table below according to the Dhampir's size. Creatures that have other kinds of natural weapons retain their old damage values or use the appropriate value from the table below, whichever is higher.

Special Attacks: A Dhampir has all the special qualities of the base creature in addition to the following.

Charm Gaze (Su): Starting from the first time it feeds off of blood, a Dhampir can use Charm Person as a Gaze Attack as a standard action at will.

Blood Drain (Ex): A Dhampir can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it automatically drains blood, dealing Constitution damage each round the pin is maintained. For each point of Constitution damage dealt, the vampire heals 5 hitpoints regardless of the source of the damage (even if its anti-vampire damage). Excess hitpoints become temporary hitpoints that last for 1hr. A vampire may choose not to use this ability. A vampire cannot make an attack in the same round they use this ability. The amount of damage dealt is dependent on the vampires size (see section Vampire Subtype in Chapter 2 – Vampire Rules). For Medium sized Dhampirs, the damage dealt is 1d4 Constitution damage.

Special Qualities: A Dhampir has all the special qualities of the base creature in addition to the following.

Advanced Immune System (Ex): A Dhampir is immune to non-magical diseases and poisons. A Dhampir gains a +4 racial bonus on saving throws made against magical diseases and poisons. A Dhampir heals twice as much ability damage per day; this applies only to its physical ability scores. The Dhampir does not receive this bonus to physical ability healing rate for damaged caused by it failing to feed on blood when required.

Cold and Electricity Resistance: The base creature gains Resistance to Cold 5 and Resistance to Electricity 5.

Darkvision: The base creature gains Darkvision out to a range of 30ft. If the base creature already has Darkvision, use its own Darkvision or its new Darkvision, whichever is higher.

Enhanced Longevity (Ex): A Dhampir’s lifespan is the same as its base race x5. Dhampirs do not suffer penalties from aging but still gain the bonuses.

Enhanced Speed (Ex): The base creature’s base speed for all movement rates increases by 10ft.

Fast Healing 5 (Ex): A Dhampir heals 5 hitpoint per round so long as it has at least 1 hitpoint.

Lowlight Vision: The base creature gains Lowlight Vision if it didn’t have it already.

Resistance to Vampires (Ex): As they are technically already a vampire, Dhampirs cannot become a vampire except by the aid of a Pureblood or extremely powerful magicks, such as a Wish. Dhampirs have a +4 racial bonus on saving throws made against special abilities derived from the vampire template (such as a Raelu vampire’s Command ability) and Vitae Feats (such as Hypnotic Voice), but not from class features or abilities not gained by the vampire template (such as a Rouge’s Sneak Attack or a Sorcerer’s Fireball).

Hunger: Once a month, the Dhampir must use its blood drain to feed on at least a number of Constitution points worth of living blood equal to the full amount of Constitution damage it can deal with its unmodified Blood Drain attack (4 for medium sized Dhampirs). During this day, the Dhampir is burned and penalized by sunlight just as if it were a vampire, although it is not harmed by true sunlight based spells, such as Sunburst. A Dhampir suffers only half damage and penalties from sunlight and it is not instantly slain after a certain amount of time. See the subsection Sunlight in Chapter 2 – Vampire Rules for more details. This weakness to sunlight persists the entire day, even if the Dhampir satiates itself with blood.

The Dhampir can ignore its feeding requirement; however, if they have not fed by the end of the 24hr period, they suffer 1d6 Constitution Damage (this cannot be healed by any means except naturally overtime, although this can be aided by a Heal check) and their Fast Healing ceases to function until this Constitution Damage has healed. Each day thereafter, the Dhampir must make a DC 15 Fortitude save upon waking or become Fatigued for the rest of the day. The Dhampir suffers a cumulative +2 points of Constitution Damage (on top of the 1d6) for each month beyond the first that they ignore their feeding. Heal checks made to speed the recovery suffer a cumulative -2 penalty for each month beyond the first that the feeding is ignored. On the second consecutive month, and each subsequent month beyond that, they ignore their feeding they suffer 1d6 Strength and 1d6 Dexterity Damage (this also can only heal naturally and can also be aided by a Heal check), in addition, the Fatigue effect changes to Exhaustion and the DC increases to 17. This continues until the Dhampir feeds or the cumulative Constitution Damage kills them. Feeding immediately restores all ability damage dealt for lack of feeding and removes the Fatigue effect.

Dhampiric Vitae: Dhampirs produce Vitae of their own. They have a Vitae Score equal to their Constitution Modifier (temporary bonuses to Constitution, such as a Bear’s Endurance spell, do not count). It can raise its Vitae Score by 1 by spending an ability score point, selecting the Vitae Well Vitae Feat, or by increasing its Constitution Modifier. It does not lose Vitae Points over time like a vampire does, but it cannot regain lost Vitae Points except by drinking blood. A Dhampir gains 3 Vitae Feats the first time it feeds on blood. Every 3 levels thereafter, a Dhampir learns a new Vitae Feat (or more, if its Generation is low enough). A Dhampir may also select a Vitae Feat in place of a regular Feat. A Dhampir counts as a Category D Neonate Vampire of the same bloodline as its vampire parent for the purposes of meeting prerequisites and determining the power of Vitae Feats, as well as the power of its Vitae. A Dhampir has a Generation just like a vampire (see subsection Generation in Chapter 2 – Vampire Rules for details on Generation). Use its Generation when determining the Dhampir’s potential for Vitae Feats and the strength of its Vitae. A Dhampir does not gain age categories, it remains a Neonate for the rest of its life unless it becomes a full-fledged vampire.

Frenzy: Just like vampires, Dhampirs are susceptible to Frenzy. Fortunately for them, the Beast within them is not nearly as strong, though it is as equally ferocious as the Beast of any vampire. Dhampirs never make Frenzy Checks vs Hunger. A Dhampir does not suffer any penalty to Frenzy checks, and even gains a +2 bonus to all Frenzy checks. Invernus Dhampirs do not gain this +2 bonus.

Because the Dhampir template does not grant any form of Damage Reduction, when a Dhampir frenzies, it gains Damage Reduction 5/magic, instead of boosting a nonexistent Damage Reduction.

Abilities: Str +4, Dex +4, Con +4, Cha +2

Alignment: Any, but there is a tendencies towards neutrality on the good/evil axis.

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +4

Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +4

Bloodline Traits
Below is a list of adjustments that are bloodline specific for Dhampirs. Unless otherwise stated, all bonuses are racial bonuses. Tendencies of specific Dhampir bloodlines are also included.

Anthotis:

+2 bonus to Intelligence. Telepathy out to a range of 30ft as a Language-Dependent Psi-Like ability. Aundae:

+2 bonus to Intelligence. +2 bonus to Spellcraft checks. 25% of being born with a Moderate Madness that cannot be cured. If the Dhampir is not born with a Moderate Madness, it is instead born with a Minor Madness. In either case, this madness never interferes with the Dhampir’s ability to learn and cast arcane spells.

Berne:

+2 bonus to Dexterity. +2 bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks.

Bonsamu:

+2 bonus to saves vs Illusions and Enchantments. May use Invisibility as a spell-like ability once per day; however, the Dhampir may only cast it on itself.

Egnana:

+2 bonus to Constitution. May use Rusting Grasp as a spell-like ability once per day. 50% of Egnana Dhampirs are born with ash grey hair and all Egnana Dhampirs have skin that is tightly bound to their flesh, giving them a gaunt austere appearance.

Fekkir:

Fire Resistance 10 The Dhampir’s natural body temperature is 10% higher than is normal for base race. This is about 9 or 10 degrees Fharenheit for human based Dhampirs.

Garlythi:

+2 bonus to Wisdom. May case Animate Dead as a spell-like ability once per day.

Gelgoran:

As bizarre as it seems, it is possible for Gelgoran vampires to sexually reproduce, but it must be done on the Ethereal Plane.

May see into the Ethereal Plane as though by a True Seeing effect. This does not grant the Dhampir any other ability granted by True Seeing, such as defeating illusions. The Dhampir’s Natural Weapons and any weapon it wields are treated as having the Ghost Touch enchantment.

Haarvenu:

Haarvenu Dhampirs are typically very attractive individuals.

+2 bonus to Charisma. +2 bonus to Perform checks.

Invernus:

+2 bonus to Strength. +2 bonus to Bluff checks. -2 penalty to all Frenzy checks.

Keerilth:

+2 bonus to Strength. May use Gaseous Form as a once per day as a Spell-Like ability.

Khulari:

+1 bonus to Intelligence and Wisdom. +2 bonus to Diplomacy checks when dealing with outsiders of any-evil alignment.

Lyrezi:

+2 to Intelligence. May see perfectly in any darkness, even magical darkness (such as a Deeper Darkness spell). 50% of Lyrezi Dhampirs are born with pitch black hair.

Montalion:

+1 bonus to Dexterity and Wisdom +2 bonus to Hide checks May use Dimension Door once per day as a spell-like ability; however, the Dhampir may only use it on itself.

Quarra:

+2 bonus to Strength. +2 bonus to melee attack rolls.

Raelu:

+2 bonus to Charisma. +2 bonus to Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks.

Selenu:

+1 bonus to Str and Wis. Spell Resistance 15. This spell resistance is effective only against arcane spells. Selenu Dhampirs typically find moonlight to be uncomfortable, but they are otherwise unaffected by it.

Telboth:

+1 bonus to Str and Dex. +2 bonus to Disguise checks. +2 bonus to Spot checks vs Disguise checks.

Thrafey (broken):

Varseth:

+2 bonus to Cha. +4 bonus to Vitae Score.

Volkihar:

Cold Resistance 10 (instead of 5). The Dhampir’s natural body temperature is 10% lower than is normal for base race. This is about 9 or 10 degrees Fharenheit for human based Dhampirs. 50% of Volkihar Dhampirs are born with snow white hair.

Whet-Fang:

+2 bonus to Dex. +2 bonus to Natural Armor Class. Whet-Fang Dhampirs have leathery skin.

Yekef:

+2 bonus to Str. +2 bonus to melee damage rolls. Yekef Dhampirs are always born with some kind of hideous physical deformity.