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There are vampires in pop culture, like Bram Stokers and Castlevanias Dracula.
The vampires ofDungeons & Dragonstake inspiration from them.
Vampirism is classified as a curse on the carefully-created Wizards of the Coast world.
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft Cover Art, by Anna Podedworna
It is a tricky curse, where your character trades their humanity for immenseyet costlypower.
How Vampirism Works
To become a vampire, your character has to die when they get bitten.
If you’replaying a D&D campaign based onFifth Edition rules, you will encounter them.
Curse of Strahd Cover Art, by Ben Oliver
Max hit point isreduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken.
Under special conditions, a Vampire Spawn whose creator gives it its blood becomes a full-fledged vampire.
Basic Vampire Abilities & Weaknesses
You should note thatthere are some drawbacks to becoming a vampire.
Curse of Strahd Cover Art, by Ben Oliver
Vampire enemies are powerful, but limited in their abilities.
Here are some basic skills they possess:
Attacks
Definition
Multiattack(Vampire Form)
Vampires aregranted two attacks.
Bite attacks can be done only once per day.
Via Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual
Unarmed Strike(Vampire Form)
Treated as amelee attack (+9 to hit, five ft. reach).
Bite(Bat or Vampire Form)
Melee attack (+9 to hit, five ft. reach).
The target must be willing, grappled, incapacitated, or restrained.
Hit points are reduced equal to the necrotic damage taken.
Charm
The vampire can control one humanoid within 30 ft. of it, as long as they can see.
The target can also bemarked for a Bite attackthis way.
Vampires via Wizards of the Coast
A bonus action can also end it.
It can also call3d6 wolves while outdoors.
It takes1d4 rounds for the creatures to arrive, immediately acting as allies of the vampire.
Mordenkainen via Wizards of the Coast
These beasts areavailable for one houruntil the vampire dies.
The vampire can also dismiss them through a bonus action.
Running Water
Vampires take acid damage if they end their turn in water.
Via Dungeons & Dragons Curse of Strahd
Wooden Stake
Stakes to the heart are deathly lethal to vampire players.
Sunlight
Aside from disorientation, you’re able to die from being burned alive by the sun.
Some Dungeons & Dragons skills are important to be proficient in for a beginner.
Dungeon Masters cancraft rich storylines with characters who arehaving a hard time balancing their urges.
The characters lingering humanity can strike a contrast with their new-found, rapidly-developing predatory instincts.
What Is A Dhampir?
In D&D, these charactersstill haveall the vampire’s strengths and slight weaknesses.
The difference lies in what you feed on.Dhampirs have a greater selection of food choicesthat can affect their roleplay.
The gameplay is that the dhampir lives on blood partially.
It makes for better challenges and unique events in gameplay.
Flesh/Raw Meat
Blood can be present in the flesh or raw meat.
While taming a target can be challenging, struggling prey is more dangerous.
Brain/Spinal Fluid
This can also present interesting mutations or storytelling elements for the dhampir.
Psychic Energy
One way an energy vampire could feed.
Dreams
This is another interesting way to have your character feed on an incapacitated or struggling target.
Having the target take 1d4 psychic damage while you are feeding is one way to go about it.
Life Force
Another way an energy vampire can feed.
Targets could also take 1d4 necrotic damage upon touch or attack.
Like movie vampirism, however, it usually involves a lot of daring.
In D&D, however,vampires were created to be villains.
Their alignment of lawful evil is proof of this.
In the right setting, they canbecome crucial partners to complete quests.
They can also become the Achilles heel of many players, especially low-level adventurers.
