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I haven't done a lot with vampires in D&D in the past, but I'm currently writing an adventure that uses one as a trap and I'd love to get feedback from the community on the viability of this plot device:
I know that D&D vampires are not killed by a stake in the heart, but are effectively held paralyzed as long as it remains there, so I've set up a dungeon trap that, when triggered, mechanically retracts a wooden stake from the heart of a vampire elsewhere in the dungeon. (With the intention of releasing a powerful guardian.) My basic question is: what state would a D&D vampire be in if it was staked for several decades, waiting for a group of intruders to trigger this effect? Some specific points of concern:
- Would the vampire be able to quickly recover to a combat-ready state? Or would it be weakened? (I'm guessing it would be suffering the damage in hit points from the original impalement, until the damage healed.)
- Would the vampire be aware of the time that had passed? (For example, if it was conscious when it was staked, would it remain conscious but immobile for the intervening years?)
- What if the wooden stake deteriorated over the years, and rotted away? Would the vampire regain its mobility instantly, or gradually over a period of days/months/years?
I'm considering the use of this plot as a way of unleasing a major villain of the adventure, so any advice would be quite welcome.
Thanks!
According to the Libris Mortis, vampires have an inescapable craving for life force (their energy drain attack) and are diet-dependant on blood. The LM has some variant rules for this that you would find very handy.
Personally, I dislike the rules Libris Mortis set forth on undead "metabolism" for instances exactly like this. I just think it takes all the creativity out of the situation.
I would play it as the vampire effectively waking up from a sleep. It has been unconscious all this time, and is suddenly awake again. Other than the minor and rapidly healed damage of the stake itself, the vampire's only "weakness" is whatever mental fogginess may accompany its sudden revival. Oh, and he's hungry.
As for the state of the stake, I suppose it could deteriorate, but if this is part of a trap in a dungeon, I'd have to imagine the thing was well taken care of and prepared during its implementation. I just went to see the Chicago Field Museum's display of a large amount of King Tut's treasures this past summer, and most of them were wooden. Though around 3,000 years old, they looked as if they were made just yesterday. So, I wouldn't worry about the stake decaying if the creator of the trap took relatively minor pains to ensure that it would not.
Good luck with this, it sounds like a great campaign component!
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Thanks guys!
The adventure takes place in a sea cave, so deterioration of the wood could be an issue, but I think I'll just establish that the vault containing the vampire is sealed against the moisture.
The vampire will be a moderately high level ranger, so I'll also have to make some EL adjustments based on the lack of an animal companion upon waking (or give him some way of keeping his animal companion around as a guardian). That's partly why I ask if you think he would be conscious during his staked imprisonment; If he's aware of his surroundings, it's more feasible to think that he could retain his animal companion or find a new one. (It's not like he has anything better to do.) At the same time, I have to work it out in such a way that the animals he can contact can't remove the stake.
A dire wolf would make a nice animal companion to a vampire ranger, but I'd probably have to make it undead as well, if he is to keep it around.
The adventure will be set up in such a way that the vampire will almost certainly be released, but if the PCs are careful and approach their goal in an unconventional way, they could conceivably get what they seek without freeing him.
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The vampire will be a moderately high level ranger, so I'll also have to make some EL adjustments based on the lack of an animal companion upon waking (or give him some way of keeping his animal companion around as a guardian). That's partly why I ask if you think he would be conscious during his staked imprisonment; If he's aware of his surroundings, it's more feasible to think that he could retain his animal companion or find a new one. (It's not like he has anything better to do.) At the same time, I have to work it out in such a way that the animals he can contact can't remove the stake.
Maybe have his companion sealed OUTSIDE the chamber. Something sea cave-friendly like a giant turtle, shark (depending on how deep the water is in the area), or some other aquatic critter. Through the empathic link, it travels around, providing some mental imagery to keep the vampire from going completely insane.
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The vampire is/was a pirate captain, so an aquatic animal companion would work reasonably well. I wonder what the lifespan is on a shark, though? My intention is to have this vampire trapped for a good 30 years or so before the PCs come along.
Still, cool idea.
I might just put the bones of a dire wolf on the floor near the vampire, and let the PCs put two and two together. It might be interesting to introduce a moment of pity for the fiend, right before he materializes behind a PC and tries to sink his teeth in...
I salute your evilness...
- Would the vampire be able to quickly recover to a combat-ready state?
You could use the rules for a vampire reduced to 0 hp and returning to his coffin to regenerate (meanwhile the pc's find a room with a stake) or the vampire only heads out after he has regained all his hp.
- Would the vampire be aware of the time that had passed? (For example, if it was conscious when it was staked, would it remain conscious but immobile for the intervening years?)
I think that for the vampire no time has passed, he might ofcourse awaken in a different environment, which would clue him in pretty quickly.
- What if the wooden stake deteriorated over the years, and rotted away? Would the vampire regain its mobility instantly, or gradually over a period of days/months/years?
Gulthias tree anyone? But really, how much wood does it take to keep a vampire staked, I suspect only a sliver.
Gulthias tree anyone? But really, how much wood does it take to keep a vampire staked, I suspect only a sliver.
How much wood could a vampire stake if a vampire could stake wood?
Bad I know but I had it get it out of my head.
Jon
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The vampire is/was a pirate captain, so an aquatic animal companion would work reasonably well. I wonder what the lifespan is on a shark, though? My intention is to have this vampire trapped for a good 30 years or so before the PCs come along.
Sharks can live to be over 100 years old but rarely survive past 50 or 60. Turtles, on the other hand, typically live for 100 years or more. It's not unrealistic to simply say that the creature's tie to an undead creature slowed its aging a bit if you feel that its necessary.
Or just make the animal companion undead as well. The vampire was obviously in such a state before being staked, so there's no reason you can't pull some DM mojo and say that he had an undead animal companion to boot. If you feel compelled to do so, burn a feat slot or give him a magic item to justify it, at your option.
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Or just make the animal companion undead as well. The vampire was obviously in such a state before being staked, so there's no reason you can't pull some DM mojo and say that he had an undead animal companion to boot. If you feel compelled to do so, burn a feat slot or give him a magic item to justify it, at your option.
The Blighter PrC gets an undead animal companion, so there is indeed precedent for it. I second the feat slot idea.
Alternately, you could just call it a variant ranger that only undead creatures qualify for. I would remove most of the nature-oriented ranger abilities (especially spells) and replace them with a few divine spells with a more predatory feel. They get the undead animal companion but lose Trackless Step and Camoflage. In place of Trackless Step, I would give them fast movement (+10 spd.) and in place of Camoflage, I would give them an ability that enhances their Disguise check instead of their Hide check. Call it 'Deception' or something like that.
Hmmm, ranger turned vampire.. Ranger turns companion into vampire. Can we say Vampire Dire Wolf anyone? Granted the template says humanoids or monstoruous humanoids, but why could it not be added to an animal companion... I think it would be fun to say the least..
I would suggest that the vampire have a short period of weakness while he or she regained lost HP, perhaps having to return to another part of the dungeon or use a certain magical item. Alternativley you could have the vampire regain HP by claiming victims (perhaps the PCs or some friendly NPCs. As for the animal companion mabye itcould be on another plane (one with variable time)and be summoned somehow when the vampire awoke.
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Thanks for all of the suggestions, folks! You've been very helpful.
I'm hoping this will eventually see print in Dungeon (so I'm trying to write it up "by the book" as much as possible), and it's good to see how different people would handle it.
Here's a followup question: Are D&D vampires able to travel over seas? I know that they can't cross running water, but I'm unclear if ocean currents count. I was planning to give my vampire a new feat that would allow him to travel across salt water without penalty (and still be restricted by fresh water), but I don't know if that is even necessary. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks again!
Here's a followup question: Are D&D vampires able to travel over seas? I know that they can't cross running water, but I'm unclear if ocean currents count. I was planning to give my vampire a new feat that would allow him to travel across salt water without penalty (and still be restricted by fresh water), but I don't know if that is even necessary. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks again!
Rather than giving the vampire a feat, let it cleverly move around the drawback. Have the inside bottom of its ship lined with dirt from its homeland, with a whole bunch of barrels of the stuff. When the vampire takes over another ship, he sends his goons over with a couple of barrels of dirt. Then, the vampire himself is carried (in his coffin) over to the new ship. Cree-py.
While I hate vampires (they just give D&D a far more gothic feel than I like in my games) I think you've got a very cool idea for a trap, Mr West.
Or just make the animal companion undead as well. The vampire was obviously in such a state before being staked, so there's no reason you can't pull some DM mojo and say that he had an undead animal companion to boot. If you feel compelled to do so, burn a feat slot or give him a magic item to justify it, at your option.
In the Libris Mortis there is a feat called "Stitched-Flesh Familiar". It makes a familiar undead, but u could use the almighty power of the the DM and just change it a bit to make it an animal companion, maybe raise the prereqs for it a bit and take away all the familiar-ish things with in the feat.
Thought it help.
Ghostwalk has a monstrous vampire template, could be useful. Ultimately, as DM, anything you want goes, you just have to be internally consisten: if the NPCs can do it, the PCs can do it, and vice versa. In this case, it probably wont become an issue.
Oh, and technically, sharks are almost immortal. They just run out of teeth and die of starvation.