I was bored.
Humor me
Vampire, Athasian
Athasian vampires appear just as they did in life, although their features seem rather parched and pale.
Athasian vampires appear as they did in life and so are able to move about the population. Despite their human appearance, Athasian vampires can be easily recognized, for they cast no shadows and throw no reflections in mirrors.
Athasian vampires speak any languages they knew in life.
Creating an Athasian Vampire
“Athasian vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
An Athasian vampire uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented humanoid or monstrous humanoid). Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. The creature gains the psionic subtype. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice: Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.
Speed: Same as the base creature.
Armor Class: The base creature’s natural armor bonus improves by +4.
Attack: An Athasian vampire retains all the attacks of the base creature and also gains a slam attack if it didn’t already have one. If the base creature can use weapons, the Athasian vampire retains this ability. A creature with natural weapons retains those natural weapons. An Athasian vampire fighting without weapons uses either its slam attack or its primary natural weapon (if it has any). An Athasian vampire armed with a weapon uses its slam or a weapon, as it desires.
Full Attack: An Athasian vampire fighting without weapons uses either its slam attack (see above) or its natural weapons (if it has any). If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack along with a slam or other natural weapon as a natural secondary attack.
Damage: Athasian vampires have slam attacks. If the base creature does not have this attack form, use the appropriate damage value from the table below according to the Athasian 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 better.
Size Damage
Fine 1
Diminutive 1d2
Tiny 1d3
Small 1d4
Medium 1d6
Large 1d8
Huge 2d6
Gargantuan 2d8
Colossal 4d6
Special Attacks: An Athasian vampire retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those described below. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 Athasian vampire’s HD + Athasian vampire’s Cha modifier unless noted otherwise.
Blood Drain (Ex): An Athasian vampire can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain each round the pin is maintained. On each such successful attack, the Athasian vampire gains 5 temporary hit points.
Special Qualities: An Athasian vampire retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those described below.
Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid slain by an Athasian vampire’s blood drain becomes a namech 1d4 days after death. Spawn are under the command of the Athasian vampire that created them and remain enslaved until death. At one time, an Athasian vampire can have namech spawn with HD totaling twice its own.
Damage Reduction (Su): An Athasian vampire has damage reduction 10/wood and psionic. An Athasian vampire’s natural weapons are treated as psionic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Gray Toughness 2 (Ex): An Athasian vampire has a strong tie to the Gray. It gains 2 bonus hit points per HD.
Fast Healing (Ex): An Athasian vampire heals 4 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points in combat, it automatically assumes gaseous form and attempts to escape. It must reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Any additional damage dealt to an Athasian vampire forced into gaseous form has no effect. Once at rest in its coffin, an Athasian vampire is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes healing at the rate of 4 hit points per round.
Gaseous Form (Su): As a standard action, an Athasian vampire can assume gaseous form at will as the spell (caster level 5th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability.
Psi-Like Abilities: An Athasian vampire possesses the following psi-like abilities. At will—bite of the wolf, claws of the beast*, detect moisture, metamorphosis (bat, dire bat, rasclinn, or dire rasclinn only), mindlink*; 3/day—burst, psionic dominate*, telempathic projection, thought shield*; 1/day—psionic modify memory, remote viewing, mass cloud mind, temporal acceleration. Manifester level is equal to the creature’s HD. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
*Power can be augmented.
Resistances (Ex): An Athasian vampire has resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10.
Turn Resistance (Ex): An Athasian vampire has +4 turn resistance.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Dex +4, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4. As an undead creature, an Athasian vampire has no Constitution score.
Skills: Athasian vampires have a +6 racial bonus on Bluff, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.
Feats: Athasian vampires gain Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, and Lightning Reflexes, assuming the base creature meets the prerequisites and doesn’t already have these feats.
Environment: Any, usually same as base creature.
Organization: Solitary or troupe (1 plus 2-4 namechs).
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +2.
Treasure: Double standard.
Alignment: Always evil (any).
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +6.
Athasian Vampire Weakness
For all their power, Athasian vampires have a number of weakness.
Blood Craving (Ex): At least once a day, the Athasian vampire must drink blood from the living. Each day it doesn’t feed, the Athasian vampire takes a cumulative -2 penalty to Strength. At 0 Strength, the Athasian vampire is destroyed. The Athasian vampire’s life force cannot be sustained on its own and needs the blood of living creatures. Starving these undead will kill them, but they usually have minions that bring them life-giving blood.
Slaying an Athasian Vampire: Reducing an Athasian vampire’s hit points to 0 or lower incapacitates it but doesn’t always destroy it (see the note on fast healing). However, certain attacks can slay Athasian vampires. Exposing any Athasian vampire to direct sunlight disorients it: It can take only a single move action or attack action and is utterly destroyed in the next round if it cannot escape. Driving an agafari stake through an Athasian vampire’s heart instantly slays the monster. However, it returns to life if the stake is removed, unless the body is destroyed.
I made an undead that has yet to appear in any book, official or otherwise, and that fills the niche of the vampire for Athas. Its totally unrelated to blood and the likes. Maybe one day the community will get to see it.
Er...hrrr, good try, but not unique enough.
Yeah, keep at it Brun01, I have faith. This is good but not quite there yet.
I so want to create a vampire-like being for Athas, but was going to connect it to the nature benders. Go ahead though, maybe you will inspire me.
I made an undead that has yet to appear in any book, official or otherwise, and that fills the niche of the vampire for Athas. Its totally unrelated to blood and the likes. Maybe one day the community will get to see it.
Oh stop teasing us you evil, evil man and post the dern thing.
For this, I command!
QUID,
PRO,
QUO!!
:evillaugh
Man I crack myself up!!
No really- I will check it out more later- I have a game on Friday and I am going for my first T.P.K.- wish me luck!!!
For the record- I made a unique undead that was like a vampire who ruled the Dead Lands- his name is Seeth'on. Using the rules in the DS MCII for unique undead traits and the TotDL stuff too. He does not feed off of blood, but fear and gold is like a deadly posion to him. I also used the Lord of the Dead PrC from the Dead Life Article and the Vampire Lord template. He is totally sick!!
He is totally sick!!
Does he make you fat?
Oh stop teasing us you evil, evil man and post the dern thing.
Bha, I still hope Kamelion will put it in a revision of TotDL (next to my other undead that's in there, cough/pride/cough ;) ). If not it could appear in this project of Seker and me that contains one such undead NPC. Something to spice up the project, if stating Farcluun and Nok were not enough...
a. The flavor;
b. The mechanics;
c. Too similar to the original;
d. Too different to the original;
e. It is not strong enough;
f. It is too strong;
g. It just plain sucks.
So you would say the problem(s) with the template is(are):
a. The flavor;
b. The mechanics;
c. Too similar to the original;
d. Too different to the original;
e. It is not strong enough;
f. It is too strong;
g. It just plain sucks.
Forgot option h. all of the above :D Just kidding.
let me read again and I will comment again.
So you would say the problem(s) with the template is(are):
a. The flavor;
b. The mechanics;
c. Too similar to the original;
d. Too different to the original;
e. It is not strong enough;
f. It is too strong;
g. It just plain sucks.
I'm going with a combination of a and c at this point.
Sysane is right that the Thrax is probably suppose to be the DS vampire, but I would like to see something more vampirish in DS than that.
So keep working at it man, and I'll try to help you out more if I can.
Needs a differnet name then vampire- name should be original.
Maybe instead of a slam attack, replace it with a constant effect of claws of the beast and remove said power from their psi list.
The Grey is pretty original in how it interacts with the world and dead. I would make its appearence change so that they take on a grey pallor and maybe remove gaseous form with the ability to create this dense fog that is actually mists from within the Grey that is like a strengthening aura for undead- say that iit can be up to 10' radius/HD. This would also dampen the suns effects for as long as it persisted- so smart adventures would have to come up with solutions to remove the mist- like gust of wind and other such spells. Maybe living creatures suffer a -1 penalty for a number of rounds equal to half the creatures HD.
Instead of wood- make it something more unique to DS- but not obsidian. Maybe crystaline weapons hurt them more- due to their psionic nature and how crystle reacts with psionics.
Here is something that may be cool or just plain dumb- have their draining attack be something like they need the minds and emotons of others to live. They drain Int/Wis/Cha by establishing a grapple and locking their hands upon their victums heads and begin to feed off of their mind, will, and personality.- People would last a bit longer if the rate of drain was equal to the blooddrain of a basic vampire.<=I really like this idea.
I hope some of this was helpful- I would e more them willing to give you a hand and working with this creature some more if you would like my help. :D
Needs a differnet name then vampire- name should be original.
Agreed. Pull a more original Athasian name out of your sandy quiver.
Maybe instead of a slam attack, replace it with a constant effect of claws of the beast and remove said power from their psi list.
Eh, I don't like that either. I would like to see something other than a slam attack though.
The Grey is pretty original in how it interacts with the world and dead. I would make its appearence change so that they take on a grey pallor and maybe remove gaseous form with the ability to create this dense fog that is actually mists from within the Grey that is like a strengthening aura for undead- say that iit can be up to 10' radius/HD. This would also dampen the suns effects for as long as it persisted- so smart adventures would have to come up with solutions to remove the mist- like gust of wind and other such spells. Maybe living creatures suffer a -1 penalty for a number of rounds equal to half the creatures HD.
Oooh, that's a good idea.
Instead of wood- make it something more unique to DS- but not obsidian. Maybe crystaline weapons hurt them more- due to their psionic nature and how crystle reacts with psionics.
Nah, keep the wood and psionic DR, I like that. Howeer, get rid of the typical ways of killing a vampire part. No wooden stake to the heart, etc., this should be a bit more original and closer to an Athasian feel. Maybe give it fire resistance instead of cold resistance.
Not sure what to do here yet, but give me enough time and maybe I can come up with something.
Here is something that may be cool or just plain dumb- have their draining attack be something like they need the minds and emotons of others to live. They drain Int/Wis/Cha by establishing a grapple and locking their hands upon their victums heads and begin to feed off of their mind, will, and personality.- People would last a bit longer if the rate of drain was equal to the blooddrain of a basic vampire.<=I really like this idea.
Not a bad idea actually.
Just some ideas I thought you could use.
I used a undead/vampire type called a Gam'tal in my campaign. It was more or less a straight up vampire from the monstrous compendium (this was 2e at the time) with some minor tweaks. Instead of turning into gaseous form it could turn into sand. Rather than resting in a coffin, it rested in a large urn while in its sand form, etc....
Just some ideas I thought you could use.
Hmmm, I think I like those.
Good stuff Sysane.
Nah, keep the wood and psionic DR, I like that. Howeer, get rid of the typical ways of killing a vampire part. No wooden stake to the heart, etc., this should be a bit more original and closer to an Athasian feel. I maybe give it fire resistance instead of cold resistance.
Not sure what to do here yet, but give me enough time and maybe I can come up with something.
But here is the issue- why wood? What properties does it posess that makes it an effective weapon against them- I have had this issue with the whole wooden stake idea with vampires.
The item that is able to deliver a telling blow to these monsters should be something unique to Athas- I would almost suggest that each 'vampire' be made with a different vulnerability- something tied to its past. This would further differentiate this type of undead and make each hunt slightly more different then another one. Maybe one was a thief and he came delighted in torturing his victims before to took their gold- soaking in their terror and stuff. Well, maybe gold would be a weapon against him, but another was an herbalist who used his lore to slowly kill his patients and took pleasure from this ability to play god with their lives- well maybe an elixir or paste from a special plant smeared on a weapon would kill him. It is more work but in the end it would make for a better encounter and role-playing experience.
The item that is able to deliver a telling blow to these monsters should be something unique to Athas- I would almost suggest that each 'vampire' be made with a different vulnerability- something tied to its past. This would further differentiate this type of undead and make each hunt slightly more different then another one. Maybe one was a thief and he came delighted in torturing his victims before to took their gold- soaking in their terror and stuff. Well, maybe gold would be a weapon against him, but another was an herbalist who used his lore to slowly kill his patients and took pleasure from this ability to play god with their lives- well maybe an elixir or paste from a special plant smeared on a weapon would kill him.
I think I'm starting to dig this idea. Keeps with the theme of Athasian undead from 2e and TotDL.
Good stuff.
I was just staying traditional with the wood. If you stick with wood, maybe make it DR ?/Agafari and psionic or something, and get rid of the stake through the heart bit and find some other way of destroying it. Though I do like the whole leaving in the agafari stake unless you want this thing to come back part.
But here is the issue- why wood? What properties does it posess that makes it an effective weapon against them- I have had this issue with the whole wooden stake idea with vampires.
I'd use a blessed shard of obsidian. Has more of a DS feel that way.
I'd use a blessed shard of obsidian. Has more of a DS feel that way.
Or blessed agafari wood.
If you keep the stake through the heart bit, maybe make it something a bit more exotic, like a wooden stake made from a tree of life. You take it out, the vamp comes back, leave it in, and eventually it spawns another tree of life on the vamp's corpse, mwuahahahahha!
Oooh, use a wooden stake from a tree of death as well, keeping it in spawns another tree of death, but only paralyzes the vamp for all time, torturing him and doesn't destroy it.
Damn I'm evil.
I'd use a blessed shard of obsidian. Has more of a DS feel that way.
But would a cleric of air bless a piece of stone? Would slit? The basic issue of 'blessing' things is that the elements are not 'holy' in the way that has been used in other settings. I totally see what you are saying but I have to disagree with the application of it.
Or blessed agafari wood.
if you keep the stake through the heart bit, maybe make it something a bit more exotic, like a wooden stake made from a tree of life. You take it out, the vamp comes back, leave it in, and eventually it spawns another tree of life on the vamp's corpse, mwuahahahahha!
Hello Sunken Citadel! Do you want a posion apple with that or a horde of small twiggy-men!
Hello Sunken Citadel! Do you want a posion apple with that or a horde of small twiggy-men!
Dammit! I knew that sounded familiar as that idea was running through my head, heh.The list included things ranging from a jhakar to a large scorpion.
For the Gam'tal I use in my game I had a list of creatures that it could turn into mimicking the vamp's ability to turn into a wolf. I never liked that all vamps had to be locked into turning into the same creature. I always felt each one should be able to transform into other types of animal instead of just a wolf.
The list included things ranging from a jhakar to a large scorpion.
Very cool and another items that hales back to the 2e undead of Athas- each one is unique.
Brun01- you taking notes? :D
It is not much but he is what I got
Needs a differnet name then vampire- name should be original.
Maybe instead of a slam attack, replace it with a constant effect of claws of the beast and remove said power from their psi list.
That or a bicycle kick-like attack.
The Grey is pretty original in how it interacts with the world and dead. I would make its appearence change so that they take on a grey pallor and maybe remove gaseous form with the ability to create this dense fog that is actually mists from within the Grey that is like a strengthening aura for undead- say that iit can be up to 10' radius/HD. This would also dampen the suns effects for as long as it persisted- so smart adventures would have to come up with solutions to remove the mist- like gust of wind and other such spells. Maybe living creatures suffer a -1 penalty for a number of rounds equal to half the creatures HD.
Excellent
Instead of wood- make it something more unique to DS- but not obsidian. Maybe crystaline weapons hurt them more- due to their psionic nature and how crystle reacts with psionics.
Go for the "unique vulnerability" idea...
Here is something that may be cool or just plain dumb- have their draining attack be something like they need the minds and emotons of others to live. They drain Int/Wis/Cha by establishing a grapple and locking their hands upon their victums heads and begin to feed off of their mind, will, and personality.- People would last a bit longer if the rate of drain was equal to the blooddrain of a basic vampire.<=I really like this idea.
My players would't survive long.
I hope some of this was helpful- I would e more them willing to give you a hand and working with this creature some more if you would like my help. :D
If he goes this route the name should be something that has to do with draining a creatures mind- psychic-vampire? mind-feeder (that is a weapon). I will comb through some old english and other dictonaries and come up with something.
Glad that some of you like the ideas that I am throwing out there- these are some of the things that I have done to the Seeth'on guy IMC- except for the ability drain, that was fresh brain juice today.
If he goes this route the name should be something that has to do with draining a creatures mind- psychic-vampire? mind-feeder (that is a weapon). I will comb through some old english and other dictonaries and come up with something.
Talking about brain juice, in the 2nd ed Ravenloft, there were vampires who drank spinal fluids; it was on the island of some crazy-Dr.-lord (don't remember the name of the domain or its lord) who had a sanatarium in the Bleak House adventure.
I could definitely see this for DS.
Its spinal cord could be its weakness (stake through the neck :P ). I could also imagine a grapple attack to attach itself to the victims spine. The tongue, shaped like a bloodworm could then suck out the fluids. Heck, if you want to make it gorier, he could eat the brain for dessert.
I will try to sit down this weekend and make a more interesting version....
About the name part, I used athasian vampire just so that people would recognize it out of the blue. I didn't plan to use it as a final name...
IMHO, these are the good ideas thus far:
- Kal's Gray mist thingny, a bit vague and confused but evocative, worth pursuing as an alternative state for the undead in addition to corporeality.
- Vulnerability to blessed elements. This is easy to implement since TotDL already allows for the particular weakness.
- Some kind of additional vulnerability to a material might be good (TotDL lists wood, stone, and obsidian as materials), although its easy here to make the undead too unique, too special, for example by making him vulnerable to a certain type of rock or wood. Undead abilities in Dark Sun seem to work in more broader ways than such specificity.
- The emotional drain ability. Libris Mortis offers a few alternative vampires near the end of the book which drain other stuff that blood.
What is to be avoided:
- Gray Toughness and Fast Healing both at the same time, also known as Mr. Unkillable. Its either Gray Toughness+Damage Reduction or Fast Healing.
- IIRC no undead in TotDL receives feats.
- A single way to kill the undead, like the vampire's stake through the heart. (Although, maybe you can if you say something like the emotions that are drained are stored in the undead's head and because of it decapitation can kill the undead, that way a coup de grace or vorpal weapon can do the trick.)
Other stuff to consider:
- The Craving undead weakness from TotDL already allows for the need to drink blood.
- The undead may have claw attacks that inflict bleeding damage, like that one fiend does in MM. The undead could have no bite attack, instead sucking blood from bleeding wounds after a grapple.
- The undead could instead have a weird tongue like a mhorg (MM undead) though which it drinks blood. But this sounds a lot like a morg's tongue attack.
The 'vampire' could act as kind of a small 'gate' so to speak, allowing the Mists of the Grey (which is a spell I have been working on), to seep into the world, kind of like a block of dry ice, but the source is the Grey and it will continue to come through as long as the 'vampire' exists.
I will do a complete write up of the spell and post it so Brun01 could use it as a spring board for the creature abilities.
- The undead may have claw attacks that inflict bleeding damage, like that one fiend does in MM. The undead could have no bite attack, instead sucking blood from bleeding wounds after a grapple.
Or maybe they drain blood by sticking their fingers in the creatures- playing off the Thrax idea. They grapple and inflict their drain each round by absorbing the blood with their fingers. Mid you, I like the draining of the Int/Wis/Cha stats due to it making them one step toward an original idea, but this is a good suggestion too.
As for a name, how does 'Gray Stalker' sound?
Like the creature template type thats been listed under the NPC stat block beneath my signature? :P
Vampire, Athasian
Athasian vampires appear just as they did in life, although their features seem rather parched and pale.
Athasian vampires appear as they did in life and so are able to move about the population. Despite their human appearance, Athasian vampires can be easily recognized, for they cast no shadows and throw no reflections in mirrors.
Athasian vampires speak any languages they knew in life.
Creating an Athasian Vampire
“Athasian vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
An Athasian vampire uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented humanoid or monstrous humanoid). Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. The creature gains the psionic subtype. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice: Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.
Speed: Same as the base creature.
Armor Class: The base creature’s natural armor bonus improves by +4.
Attack: An Athasian vampire retains all the attacks of the base creature and receives the following ability. As a free action, the Athasian vampire can transform its hands into razor-sharp claws and/or transform its canines into fangs. Athasian vampires gain a claw attack with each fist and a secondary bite attack. An Athasian vampire armed with a weapon uses its claws or a weapon, as it desires.
Full Attack: An Athasian vampire armed with a weapon usually uses the weapon as its primary attack along with a claw and bite as a natural secondary attack, provided it has a free hand.
Damage: If the base creature does not have a claw or bite attack, use the appropriate damage value from the table below according to its 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 better.
Size Bite Damage Claw Damage
Fine 1 -
Diminutive 1d2 1
Tiny 1d3 1d2
Small 1d4 1d3
Medium 1d6 1d4
Large 1d8 1d6
Huge 2d6 1d8
Gargantuan 2d8 2d6
Colossal 4d6 2d8
Special Attacks: An Athasian vampire retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those described below. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 Athasian vampire’s HD + Athasian vampire’s Cha modifier unless noted otherwise.
Blood Drain (Ex): An Athasian vampire sucks blood from a grappled opponent, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution damage each round it maintains the hold. An Athasian vampire continues to drain prey until it has drained 1 point of Constitution for every HD it has, at which point it withdraws from combat. On each such successful attack, the Athasian vampire gains 5 temporary hit points.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an Athasian vampire must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can drain blood.
Special Qualities: An Athasian vampire retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those described below.
Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid slain by an Athasian vampire’s blood drain becomes a namech 1d4 days after death. Spawn are under the command of the Athasian vampire that created them and remain enslaved until death. At one time, an Athasian vampire can have namech spawn with HD totaling twice its own.
Damage Reduction (Su): An Athasian vampire has damage reduction 10/wood and psionic. An Athasian vampire’s natural weapons are treated as psionic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Gray Toughness 2 (Ex): An Athasian vampire has a strong tie to the Gray. It gains 2 bonus hit points per HD.
Fast Healing (Ex): An Athasian vampire heals 2 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points in combat, it automatically uses gaseous form. Any additional damage dealt to an Athasian vampire while in gaseous form has no effect. Once at rest inside the earth (see below), an Athasian vampire is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes healing at the rate of 2 hit points per round.
Gaseous Form (Su): As a standard action, an Athasian vampire can assume gaseous form at will as the spell (caster level 5th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability.
Meld to Earth: As a full-round action, an Athasian vampire can meld its body and possessions into any natural ground. The area must be large enough to accommodate its body. While meld, the Athasian vampire can track the passage of time, and manifest powers on itself, but cannot hear, see or communicate through normal means.
This ability ends when the last ray of sun shines on the horizon or if the Athasian vampires wishes to do so, whichever happens first.
Psi-Like Abilities: An Athasian vampire possesses the following psi-like abilities. At will—detect life, metamorphosis (bat, dire bat, rasclinn, or dire rasclinn only), mindlink*; 3/day—burst, psionic dominate*, telempathic projection, thought shield*; 1/day—psionic modify memory, remote viewing, mass cloud mind, temporal acceleration. Manifester level is equal to the creature’s HD. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
*Power can be augmented.
Resistances (Ex): An Athasian vampire has resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10.
Turn Resistance (Ex): An Athasian vampire has +4 turn resistance.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Dex +4, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4. As an undead creature, an Athasian vampire has no Constitution score.
Skills: Athasian vampires have a +6 racial bonus on Bluff, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.
Feats: Athasian vampires gain Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, and Lightning Reflexes, assuming the base creature meets the prerequisites and doesn’t already have these feats.
Environment: Any, usually same as base creature.
Organization: Solitary or troupe (1 plus 2-4 namechs).
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +2.
Treasure: Double standard.
Alignment: Always evil (any).
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +6.
Athasian Vampire Weakness
For all their power, Athasian vampires have a number of weakness.
Blood Craving (Ex): At least once a day, the Athasian vampire must drink blood from the living. Each day it doesn’t feed, the Athasian vampire takes a cumulative -2 penalty to Strength. At 0 Strength, the Athasian vampire is destroyed. The Athasian vampire’s life force cannot be sustained on its own and needs the blood of living creatures. Starving these undead will kill them, but they usually have minions that bring them life-giving blood.
Slaying an Athasian Vampire: Reducing an Athasian vampire’s hit points to 0 or lower incapacitates it but doesn’t always destroy it (see the note on fast healing). However, certain attacks can slay Athasian vampires. Exposing any Athasian vampire to direct sunlight disorients it: It can take only a single move action or attack action and is utterly destroyed in the next round if it cannot escape. Driving an stake made from a tree of life through an Athasian vampire’s heart instantly slays the monster. However, it returns to life if the stake is removed, unless the body is destroyed.
Penn, there are monsters with fast healing and gray toughness. And bonus feats.
Kal, I'm waiting for you gray spell
I was thinking to name it Hemoling or something that would hint the vampiric nature...
I will work out the Mists of the Grey spell this weekend and I will post it on my item and spell thread.
One thing I did notice right away was this
Athasian vampires appear just as they did in life, although their features seem rather parched and pale.
Athasian vampires appear as they did in life and so are able to move about the population. Despite their human appearance, Athasian vampires can be easily recognized, for they cast no shadows and throw no reflections in mirrors.
Athasian vampires speak any languages they knew in life.
This should rally be changed- repeat sentances.
Sorry I could not be more positive with the feedback this time my friend- I just did not see enough of a difference between this version and the first to offer much else.
I was thinking to name it Hemoling or something that would hint the vampiric nature...
How about a hemogoblin ;)
Penn, there are monsters with fast healing and gray toughness. And bonus feats.
Yeah, Dune Runner has Improved Initiative. The MM's vampire's bonus feats are very numerous though, and if you look at the morg, t'liz, and kaisharga you'll see they are the most powerful templates yet offer no feats.
Does this comment have value? Just as a guideline. Maybe this undead's strength is its bonus feats.
Fast healing, gray toughness, and damage reduction looked to me to be overkill, why I mentionned that. But a search of TotDL reveals the morg has all three. Lucky critter, he'll go far.
Pretty much agree with Kal, still too MMish. You need to get away fromthe blood drain altogether me thinks and come up with a drain that is unique, or at least have it drain something other than Con.
The stake is a nice touch and I thank you for using my idea.
I really don't like the meld to earth thing and don't think it's really appropriate.
Sorry.
Keep hammering away at it man.
Psychic Vampire
Psychometabolism
Level: Egoist 4, psychic warrior 4
Display: Mental
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Power Resistance: Yes
Power Points: 7
This power shrouds your hand or a natural weapon you possess with darkness that you can use to drain an opponent’s power.
If you manifest this power to affect your hand, the next successful melee touch attack you make (if the victim fails its Fortitude save) drains 2 power points from your foe for every manifester level you have. The drained points simply dissipate. Your touch attack, charged with psionic power, is treated as an armed attack.
If you manifest this power to affect a natural weapon you possess, you must make a successful melee attack with the weapon to gain the power’s benefit.
Against a psionic being that has no power points or a nonpsionic foe, your attack instead deals 2 points of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma damage (your choice).
You could alter it to deal more power point damage and that it saves for half or something along those lines. I'd even make it that ability or the power point damage is permanent.
Eat Thoughts (Su): A thought eater can drain psionic power points with a successful melee touch attack. Each touch drains 6 power points from the opponent (or fewer, if the opponent has fewer than 6 points remaining). Against a nonpsionic creature or a psionic creature that currently has no power points, this touch attack instead deals 1 point of Intelligence damage, which provides nourishment equivalent to 6 power points.
A thought eater requires 12 power points per day to survive but will gorge itself on weak prey.
Yes, I was considering the psychic vampire thing, but I thought it would make it very similar to the Gaj or the Thought Eater:
Eat Thoughts (Su): A thought eater can drain psionic power points with a successful melee touch attack. Each touch drains 6 power points from the opponent (or fewer, if the opponent has fewer than 6 points remaining). Against a nonpsionic creature or a psionic creature that currently has no power points, this touch attack instead deals 1 point of Intelligence damage, which provides nourishment equivalent to 6 power points.
A thought eater requires 12 power points per day to survive but will gorge itself on weak prey.
Interesting- but can draining PSPs kill you? Would it be permenant? If no on either one of these then why would PC's really fear them.
Interesting- but can draining PSPs kill you? Would it be permenant? If no on either one of these then why would PC's really fear them.
I think there should be a second save like level drain which would determine if it was permenant or not.
I think there should be a second save like level drain which would determine if it was permenant or not.
How about if the PSP drain was 2 pts each hit and if the save fails is is permenant- like a level drain. They could establish a grapple and then inflict the PSP drain automatically each round but it would be more concentrated (as they have two hands on you focusing their will draw out your Will (like the play on words?). So that would be like 6 PSP's per round.
Question brun01- how would you treat wild talents? Would it remove uses per day or make those hit unable to manifest their wild talent for X amount of time?
how would you treat wild talents? Would it remove uses per day or make those hit unable to manifest their wild talent for X amount of time?
Wild talents (and hidden talents, too) have a pp reserve, so draining the pps would make them unable to manifest powers as well.
Don't you mean psi-like abilities?
Instead of the creature's gaseous form bolstering undead what if it caused those in the clouds effect to be drained power points? Sort of along the lines of crimson death.
Why not, instead of being able to assume gaseous form, the Athasian Vampire is stuck in it's gaseous form. It can only become solid after it manages to get some blood. It can't even pierce the skin, so it needs a cut or a scrape, to eke out the tiniest amount of power.
So they lurk in dark places - caves, underground ruins, and the like - waiting, always waiting. They stretch out their lives by feeding off the vermin and insects, but what they are waiting for is stronger fare.
What they are waiting for is you.
They lurk, dispersed through a large area, preferrably around a trap, or perhaps some dormant undead, hoping for someone to come by. If you get wounded, all you would feel is an unusual swirl of wind around you, making the blood on your skin chill momentarily. Hardly worth noticing.
But then, things start to go wrong. Doors slam shut, closing you in. Strange noises distract you. Insects swarm around you. Small things at first, but getting more and more noticable. Creatures just seem to find you, wherever you are, however careful. Long-dormant corpses rise to attack you. Rockfalls trap you. Your companions are picked off, one by one.
Then, just when it seems you are completely doomed, thing start to go your way - you find your way out into the outside! Free at last - free to get back to civilisation!
You travel only at night. Well, isn't it only sensible? And you really, really, want to get to a city. As soon as possible. You want to be surrounded by people, to feel the beating pulse of the city.
And somehow, since you escaped that ruin, you've never really felt alone...
To make it more vampire-like, thematically, just say the undead can only get inside a blooded creature, i.e. oozes and a few other critters don't work. The undead would consume, by its very presence, the blood of the creature it inhabits, eventually turning the creature into an emaciated corpse, and be forced to leave the host before he dies.
I'm liking this idea very much. The uhndead would be - thematically-speaking - a true vampire. The gaseous undead could travel to and reach anywhere, anyone, and possess it. It would be a kind of nefarious bodysnatching.
EDIT: If the idea isn't taken for this undead, I'll make an undead out of it. A kind of invisible gas that traps its victim by becoming like a mixture of fog cloud, solid fog, and mind fog. After a failed Will save the entire fog cloud penetrates the victim and dominates it for months until she dies.
It will, Kal, it will. I'm just a little swamped at college (final semester) and work.
I was not trying to sound pushy or anything brun01- I was just getting a bit confused with all of the ideas being kicked around.
Schoo, work, and family ALWAYS comes first in my book. I remember my last semester like it was only a year and a half ago :D - 18 credits with 9 of those being the 500 level advanced acounting classes I needed for my degree- I was swamped all the time too.
Like the creature template type thats been listed under the NPC stat block beneath my signature? :P
Quick, somebody get a tree of life stake, we have one of those monsters here!
Sysane, I would have never tought it is you...
Quick, somebody get a tree of life stake, we have one of those monsters here!
Sysane, I would have never tought it is you...
:D
Its actually a skeletal warrior like undead servant created by a Sorcerer King in my campaign.
:D
Its actually a skeletal warrior like undead servant created by a Sorcerer King in my campaign.
Maybe we should stake you anyway- just to be sure :D
Maybe we should stake you anyway- just to be sure :D
A mere stake will not harm The Terror of Urik.
A mere stake will not harm The Terror of Urik.
Ah yes- I forgot you are the Demonic Tutor
Ah yes- I forgot you are the Demonic Tutor
I know, I need to update my avatar with the actual picture of my name sake instead of a CCG image.
I know, I need to update my avatar with the actual picture of my name sake instead of a CCG image.
Why- the Demonic Tutor card was sweet. I thought about changing mine, but I could not find anything else that I liked and it just looked strange when I wnt to look for my posts- Like when Lyric changed his to the one like Bengeldorn has.
Why- the Demonic Tutor card was sweet. I thought about changing mine, but I could not find anything else that I liked and it just looked strange when I wnt to look for my posts- Like when Lyric changed his to the one like Bengeldorn has.
Agreed. As much as I hate to admit it, I still play magic the addiction . I even run the magic tournys at the gaming store I work part time at.
Even still, I really need to use the picture that I based the NPC "Sysane" on. He's actually based on an old Brom DS pen and ink drawing. I'll see if I can find the actual pic.
I was not trying to sound pushy or anything brun01- I was just getting a bit confused with all of the ideas being kicked around.
Schoo, work, and family ALWAYS comes first in my book. I remember my last semester like it was only a year and a half ago :D - 18 credits with 9 of those being the 500 level advanced acounting classes I needed for my degree- I was swamped all the time too.
I was just giving you a hard time, Kalthandrix. :D
(oh, so sweet, sweet revenge)
Er...hrrr, good try, but not unique enough.
I made an undead that has yet to appear in any book, official or otherwise, and that fills the niche of the vampire for Athas. Its totally unrelated to blood and the likes. Maybe one day the community will get to see it.
Cough it up, Penn! I need more undead for my next foray into the Dead Lands!
How about a hemogoblin ;)
Just catchin up on some readin ........ and that just made me fall about laughin.
Nice one Sys :D :D :D
What you need it the morterran asp - check it out and make your players cry like little girls!!!
heh, you can't even spell your own creatures correctly!
(that's for spelling my language wrong)
:P
heh, you can't even spell your own creatures correctly!
(that's for spelling my language wrong)
:P
Well since I made the name and the creature, I can spell it how ever I want :P :P ;)
Here is the link to check it out- see what you think and let us know your thoughts! http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=654898