Introduction elentless agents of darkness and death, Vampires are among the most powerful Optional Ruleset creatures of undeath; immortal tyrants that A player character that has its maximum hit points reduced sustain their endless hunger on the blood of to 0 and dies due to a vampire's bite attack, their corpse is their innocent victems. The antagonist to immediately afflicted with the curse of vampirism. many a horror story, these sangiune slavers The cursed body must be destroyed with fire, or bend entire towns or cities to their dark will, R cleansed with a 3rd level Remove Curse spell. If not, the usurping noble keeps as their own dark lairs. player will reanimate in 24hrs with a level of Vampirism. "Most of a vampire’s victims become vampire If the cursed cursed body is brought back to life via spawn — ravenous creatures with a vampire’s Revivify or similar magics, the player will reanimate in hunger for blood, but under the control of the 24hrs with a level of Vampirism. A 3rd level Remove vampire that created them. Awakened to an Curse spell must be cast on the body before being endless night, vampires hunger for the life they brought back to life if the curse is to be avoided. have lost and sate that hunger by drinking the The ability and DC for accompanying player characters blood of the living. Vampires abhor sunlight, for to be aware of the vampiric curse is to be determined by its touch burns them. They never cast shadows the DM, however I would suggest a DC18 Arcana or or reflections, and any vampire wishing to move Religion check for players to be aware of such a curse. unnoticed among the living keeps to the darkness and far from reflective surfaces." In either case, a player character cursed with vampirism D&D 5th Edition, Basic Rules page 352 in this manner gains one level in Vampirism as outlied in the Vampire Class Table overleaf. This table is intended as an indication of the progression of the curse, which hinders a character from advancing further in the class they held before they died. Progression of the curse can be applied in "The game statistics of a player character one of the following ways: transformed into a vampire spawn and then a vampire don’t change, except that the (1) A player character gains 1 level in Vampirism on top character’s Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution of their original class levels .e.g. A 4th level fighter who scores become 18 if they aren’t higher. In becomes a vampire is now a 5th level character: Fighter- addition, the character gains the vampire’s 4 /Vampire-1 damage resistances, darkvision, traits, and Or actions. Attack and damage rolls for the vampire’s attacks are based on Strength. The (2) A player character replaces their most recent class save DC for Charm is 8 + the vampire’s level with 1 level in Vampirism .e.g. A 4th level fighter proficiency bonus + the vampire’s Charisma remains a 4th level character: Fighter-3 /Vampire-1 modifier. The character’s alignment becomes The affliction of the vampiric curse has a detrimental lawful evil, and the DM might take control of the effect on the alignment of the player character. character until the vampirism is reversed with a wish spell or the character is killed and brought The character's alignment is forcibly shifted 1 step from back to life." Good to Neutral, or Neutral to Evil, but retains their D&D 5th Edition, Monster Manual page 295 state in Lawful vs Chaotic. A cleric who succumbs to vampirism has their existing domain forcibly changed to the Death Domain A Paladin with the Oath of Conquest, or Oath of Many a player character has cross paths with a vampire in Conquest has the option to retain their Oath, however their eternal struggle against evil. While some were all others are forced to become an Oathbreaker. successful in vanquishing these noctural monsters, others would fall prey to their vicious fangs. 5th Edition rules have Finally, a character that has contracted vampirism are established concerning the future of a Player Character cannot progress to any new class levels. When such a that falls prey to the curse of vampirism (outlined above), character attains enough experimence to reach a new class however the loss of a character under such condistions can level, they gain a new level in Vampirism, representing the often bring great turmoil to a player and their party. acceleration of the curse. Therefore, I will set down a homebrewed set of optional rules on the progression of vampirism from an ordinary player character (or NPC), taking them through the stages of first affliction, through a vampire spawn to eventually becoming a fully fledged vampire. These are intened as a fun and flavourful alternative to the Rules as Written, desigSamplened to please both players and DMs in an applicable file game setting.

2 2. If a player character that was turned into a vampire Multiclassing Ruleset actively chose to sacrifice their former self for greater A very powerfully willed player character can attempt to power. This would involve ingame replacement of slow the progression of the curse by dedicating their mind previous class levels with vampirism levels, starting with and body to their original class path, or multiclass into a the most recent. For example, a lvl20 character Fighter- new path following the rules below, in addition to the 4 / Vampire-16, under the DM's guidance, could multiclassing preresquisites on page 163 of the Player's progress to a Fighter-3/ Vampire-17, then a Fighter-2 / Handbook. Vampire-18 and so on.

Vampire vs Vampire Spawn. This mechanic is designd mostly for the corruption over As previously lined out in the D&D 5th Edition, Monster time of important NPCs, but in theory can be applied to the Manual page 295, Vampire Spawn are "ravenous right player characters as well. creatures with a vampire’s hunger for blood, but under the control of the vampire that created them. If a true vampire Multiclass Options allows a spawn to draw blood from its own body, the spawn Class Prerequisite Subclasses transforms into a true vampire no longer under its master’s Artificer Intelligece 13 Alchemist, Armourer, control. Few vampires are willing to relinquish their control Artillerist, Battlesmith in this manner. Vampire spawn become free-willed when Barbarian Strength 13 Battlerager, Berserker, Storm their creator dies". This, therefore, imposes two ironclad Herald rules on the pregression of vampirism: Bard Charisma 13 Glamour, Lore, Swords, 1. A vampire spawn cannot become a true vampire Whispers without consuming the blood of its master, i.e., the Druid Wisdom 13 Circle of Spores*** Curse of Vampirism detailed herein cannot advance beyond level 12 without consuming the blood of a true Fighter Strength 13 or Batle Master, Cavalier, Dexterity 13 Champion, Eldritch Knight, vampire. A vampire spawn character that has survived Samurai to level 12 and wishes to advance to the next class level can only (a) gain the next level it its original class, (b) Monk Dexterity 13 Drunken Master, Kensei, Open advance to the second level of rogue, or (3) multiclass and Wisdom Hand, Shadow 13 into one of the class option to follow. 2. A Vampire Spawn is under the control of its master, Ranger Dexterity 13 Gloom Stalker, Hunter, and only gains free will upon transforming into a True and Wisdom Monster Slayer Vampire, or upon its master's death. Therefore, a 13 vampire spawn character cannot willingly enterin to the Rogue Dexterity 13 All service of another entity (such as a Cleric or Warlock) Sorcerer Charisma 13 Shadow Magic while it is under the control of a living master. (The exception to this is a cleric-turned vampire, who already Wizard Intelligece 13 All has levels in the Death Domain. They may gain further Death Domain levels). Ending the Curse Once stricken with the Curse of Vampirism, a newly born Cursed Undead vampire has no hope but to endure their malady eternally. The existence of Vampires and other undead are through Only a Wish Spell or the Intervention of a God can remove twisted necromantic practices that flaunt the laws of nature the curse from a turned vampire and restore them to and spit in the faces of many, if not all, Gods. This artificial mortality. Otherwise, a player character that became a unlife cannot whitstand the force of divine or natural magic vampire and was destroyed, can then be brought back to (as noted with their susceptibility to radiant damage). life with the True Resurrection spell, as long as the spell is Therefore, a Vampire Spawn character cannot begin to used to provide a new, non-vampiric body. take levels as a Cleric, Druid or Paladin. A character that A Player character that was turned into a vampire or was previously a Cleric, Druid or Paladin, and already vampire spawn, can be restored by one of these means. A retains some of these levels, however, may continue down character thus restored can replace all levels gained in the Death Domain or Oathbreaker path, respectively. If vampirism with half as many levels (rounded down) in the your DM consents to the Circle of Spores content from Rogue class. For example, a 5th level Wizard who becomes Guildmasters Guide to Ravnica, this may thematiclly fit a vampire, and increases in level to becomes a 16th level but generally I would not combine a druid and vampirism. character of Wizard-5, Vampire-11. That character then cured of vampirism becomes a 10th level character of Vampiric Progression Wizard-5, Rogue-5. The true power of the Vampire Lord, detailed at the end of Any successful multiclassing achieved while a vampire is this class description, can only be attained by those who retained by a character that is eventually cured. For give themselves over to the darkness completely, meaning example, a 5th level Wizard who becomes a vampire, and that they achieve Level 20 Vampirism. A player character increases in level to becomes a 16th level character of can only achieve this power in one of two ways: SampleWizard-5, Vampire-8, Figh ter-3. Tfilehat character then cured 1. If that player character began thew campaign as a of vampirism becomes a 12th level character of Wizard-5, vampire spawn at Level 1, then successfully became a Rogue-4, Fighter-3. true vampire, and then reached Level 20. Any Feats and Ability Score increases gained through vampirism are retained by the the Player Character upon being cured, but all other features granted through vampirism are lost.

3 Curse of Vampirism Level Proficiency Bonus Features 1st +2 Tooth and Nail, Minor Weaknesses, Undead Nature 2nd +2 Spider Climb 3rd +2 Shadow Skulker 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 5th +3 Multiattack 6th +3 Advanced Weaknesses 7th +3 Herald of the Night 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 9th +4 Undying Resolve (1) 10th +4 Ability Score Improvement 11th +4 Regenerate 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 13th +5 Childern of the Night, Undying Resolve (2) 14th +5 Unearthly Charms 15th +5 Misty Escape 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement, ShapeChanger 17th +6 Undying Resolve (3) 18th +6 Improved Regeneration 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 20th +6 Vampire Dread Lord

The first sign of your vampiric curse is your bloodlust, Class Features which you can feed with your new fangs. You gain a unique unarmed strike with your fangs that you can make against While afflicted with Vampirism, you gain the following one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by you, features incapacitated, or restrained. On a hit, your bite deals (1 + your Strength modifier) Hit Points piercing damage, and an equal amount of necrotic damage. Hit Dice: 1d8 per Vampirism level The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier equal to the necrotic damage, and you regain hit points Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target Constitution modifier per Vampirism level after 1st finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its Proficiencies hit point maximum to 0. Armor: Light Armour Second to your fangs are your vampiric claws. When you Weapons: Simple Weapons, Rapier, Shortsword make an unarmed attack with your claws, they deal (1d4 + Tools: None your Strength modifier) bludgeoning damage on a hit. Instead of dealing damage to a creature on a hit, you can Saving Throws: Dexterity, Wisdom choose to grapple the target instead. Skills: Perception, Stealth Equipment You start with the same equipment as was on your person Minor Weaknesses when you died. If you are reanimated without any weapons Cursed with vampiric undeath, your body is weakened or armour, it can be said that you were able to scavenge the against certain forces of Nature: following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted Chained to the Grave. Every vampire remains bound by your background: Sampleto its coffin, crypt, or g rave sifilete, where it must rest by (a) a rapier or (b) a shortsword day. If a vampire didn’t receive a formal burial, it must lie (a) a dungeoneer’s pack, or (b) an explorer’s pack beneath a foot of earth at the place of its transition to Leather armor, two daggers undeath. A vampire can move its place of burial by transporting its coffin or a significant amount of grave dirt to another location. Some vampires set up multiple Tooth and Nail resting places this way.

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