Greater Vampire

While all vampires are graced with the power of undeath, most are content to take the gifts that death has given them and rely primarily upon the training and power they enjoyed in life. This is, to an extent, understandable – even the most evil and monstrous of vampires is not likely to enjoy constant reminders of their death, nor of the fragility of their current existence. But some vampires can taste greater power at the edges of their being, a promise that whispers itself in the aftertaste of hot blood and in the silent moments beneath the sickle moon. Even then, many of these leave such power alone. But those that choose to embrace death become something more than the vampires they were. These beings are known, out of both respect and fear, as greater vampires. Greater vampires come from all walks of life, though generally only successful vampires manage to survive long enough to follow this path. In particular, vampires that favor subtlety of action stand to benefit most from the powers afforded to them by reaching deeper into their deathly nature. Greater vampires come from all walks of life, though generally only successful vampires manage to survive long enough to follow this path. In particular, vampires that favor subtlety of action stand to benefit most from the powers afforded to them by reaching deeper into their deathly nature.

Alignment: any.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To qualify to become a Greater Vampire, a character must fulfill all the following criteria

Skills: Knowledge (religion) 3 ranks

Feats: Positive Energy Resistance

Special: Base Attack Bonus +3, or able to cast 2nd level or higher spells, or able to initiate 2nd level or higher maneuvers, or able to manifest 2nd level or higher powers, or able to shape at least 3 veils per day.

Class Skills

The class skills for a greater Vampire is Knowledge (Religion) (Int)

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: Greater Vampire
Level BAB Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special Class Features
1st +0 +1 +0 +1 Deathly Speed
2nd +1 +1 +1 +1 Feast of Scraps +1 level of previous class
3rd +2 +2 +1 +2 Mist Form
4th +3 +2 +1 +2 Advanced Vampirism +1 level of previous class
5th +3 +3 +2 +3 Master Vampire

Class Features

The following are the class features of the Greater Vampire.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Greater Vampire gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Class Feature

At 2nd level, and again at 4th level, the Greater Vampire advances class features just as if she had gained a level in a class she belonged to previously. She does not, however, gain any other benefit that a member of that class might have gained (such as Hit Dice, base attack bonus increases, or skill points). This essentially means that she adds those levels of Greater Vampire to her levels of the previous class and determines her class features (such as power points, initiator level, and bonus feats) accordingly. If the Greater Vampire had more than one class before she became a Greater Vampire, she must choose one of them to augment with this benefit; once made, this choice cannot be changed.

Deathly Speed (Ex):

The greater vampire’s body reacts much faster than other vampires. At first level she increases her Dexterity by 2 and gains Lightning Reflexes as a bonus feat.

Feast of Scraps (Su):

Starting at 2nd level, the greater vampire learns incredible feats of parasitic regeneration. As a swift action, she may expend any number of temporary hit points and heal damage equal to ½ (rounded down) the temporary hit points expended this way. Any excess healing that would bring the greater vampire above her full maximum hit point total is lost.

Mist Form (Sp):

Starting at third level, the greater vampire may use gaseous form as a spell-like ability up to twice per day (with a caster level equal to her character level), except that its casting time is 1 swift action. At fifth level, she may use this ability at will.

Advanced Vampirism:

The greater vampire’s deathly power grows, pouring strength through her undead body. At 4th level, she may select an additional vampiric power (see the vampiric powers) and gain the benefits of that power, just as if she’d selected it when acquiring the vampire template. She may not select a vampiric power she already possesses. Vampiric Power:

  • Familiar Stranger (Sp): The vampire may cast disguise self as a spell-like ability up to three times per day, with a caster level equal to his character level. Starting at 6th level, the vampire may communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 ft. that has a language. At 10th level, the vampire benefits from a constant detect thoughts effect at a caster level equal to his character level.
  • Hypnotic (Sp): The vampire may cast charm person and charm animal as spell-like abilities up to twice per day, with a caster level equal to his character level. At 6th level, the vampire may also cast charm monster up to twice per day as a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to his character level.
  • Servitor Beast (Ex): The vampire gains an animal companion. His effective druid level is equal to his character level minus three, which might mean that the vampire does not attract a companion immediately. If the vampire would gain an animal companion from another source (such as druid levels), he instead possesses a single animal companion at his highest effective druid level, plus one.
  • Undying Ferocity (Ex): The vampire gains 2 claw attacks that deal 1d4 damage (or increases the base creature’s existing claw damage by 1 die step; damage given is for medium creatures) and gains temporary hit points equal to 1/2 the damage dealt with these claws (but does not slake his thirst). These temporary hit points are treated as though gained through the vampire’s vampire fangs ability for the purposes of stacking, and last for up to 1 hour.

Master Vampire (Sp):

At 5th level, the greater vampire reaches the pinnacle of her deathly power, enabling her to command the dead and living alike. She may use command undead as a spell-like ability at will (with a caster level equal to her character level). Additionally, the greater vampire may cast dominate person up to twice per day as a spell-like ability (with a caster level equal to her character level).

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Lords of the Night, © 2018, Dreamscarred Press, LLC; Author: Written by Anthony S. Altovilla and Patrick C., based on material by Owen K.C. Stephens

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