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Hi,
I'm preparing our groups annual x-mas one-shot and for this I have to make up a NPC, that is a vampire hunter.
Sure, I could just use a cleric and give him useful feats like Improved Turning and a crossbow, but I'd like to have something a bit more special.
And so my question is, if any of you know of a vampire hunter PrC or something similar.
I looked into Libris Mortis and Heroes of Horror, but there's nothing in there, that suits my needs.
I'm toying with the idea to modify one of the slayer PrCs, but maybe there's something out there, that is more use- and flavourful.
Hopefully someone can post a helpful advice. Thanks in advance!
The only thing that jumps to mind is the Hunter of the Dead(Complete Warrior) but that class is geared towards undead in general. If its an NPC you can probably up the power(or even give him a few new ones) on each of the abilities a bit if you make them vampire specific.
Ranger with undead as a favored enemy...
Possibly with cleric levels and the Sun domain. Libris Mortis has a sun-themed PrC, if you want to emphasize that aspect.
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I looked into Libris Mortis and Heroes of Horror, but there's nothing in there, that suits my needs.
Sorry that Heroes of Horror didn't help but maybe these will;
skullclan hunter ~ Miniatures Handbook page 20 The skullclan hunter is the acclaimed foe of unlife.
deadgrim ~ Magic of Eberron page 57 The deadgrim are an elite faction with in the Red Watchers, a new organization of undead hunters within Karrnath.
Lightbringer ~ Ravensloft (the basic book was released by WoTC) page 204 The Lightbringers are an expansive guild of undead hunters that readily hands out charter memberships to anyone who wants to stamp out undead.
In fact just about anything from the ravensloft line would be good not to mention check out Dragon Magazine it has several different takes on hunter types.
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Thanks for all the quick replies!
You all are really, really helpful!
Right now I think I'll use the Sacred Purifier PrC from Libris Mortis as the base for the Vampire Hunter.
The hunter has to be 13th level, so I think I'll give him 8 levels of cleric and the whole PrC.
I really like the Greater Turning ability and will keep it, because the NPC worships a god which doesn't grant the sun domain.
I'm thinking about replacing the Positive Energy Burst with True Death from the mentioned Hunter Of The Dead PrC.
Besides this I'll give him the Vampire Hunter feat from Libris Mortis which allows him to detect vampires and makes him immune to their dominating gaze.
He'll also get the Sacred Vengeance feat (also from Libris Mortis), which is similar to the Sacred Strike ability of the Purifier, but a bit more powerful.
In exchange for a turn attempt it deals 2d6 additional points of damage with each successful attack for one round instead of with just one attack as Sacred Strike.
So, now I'll only have to figure out, what ability he'll get on the 3rd level of the PrC.
...or you could tell them,
'Alright, you see a short, blonde individual with a stake in one hand.'
...no, I know, we'd rather die than try that...
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...or you could tell them,
'Alright, you see a short, blonde individual with a stake in one hand.'
...no, I know, we'd rather die than try that...
This will be a traditional gory x-mas tour de force, that'll make Logues Hook Mountain Massacre look like a scene out of Bambi! :D
Teenage vampire hunting girls wouldn't last long enough to even recognize them! :)No, there's need for a really tough vampire hunter...
So, in regards to this aspect, what would you recommend for the 3rd level ability?
Something that features the classic stake would be damn cool!
...or you could tell them,
'Alright, you see a short, blonde individual with a stake in one hand.'
...no, I know, we'd rather die than try that...This will be a traditional gory x-mas tour de force, that'll make Logues Hook Mountain Massacre look like a scene out of Bambi! :D
Teenage vampire hunting girls wouldn't last long enough to even recognize them! :)No, there's need for a really tough vampire hunter...
So, in regards to this aspect, what would you recommend for the 3rd level ability?
Something that features the classic stake would be damn cool!
Actually, I was eferring to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. but that works too.
Maybe improved grapple when it comes to staking? Ranged increment on stakes? Discount on stakes at the local Shoppe?
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4
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Maybe improved grapple when it comes to staking? Ranged increment on stakes? Discount on stakes at the local Shoppe?
Ohhh! Stake discount!
Oh, all they've got left are 'mediums'. I'm an XL.
One option, of course, if you want to go crazy (and I'm talking CRAZY-kinda crazy) would be to adapt the (Illithid) Slayer class from Expanded Psionics:
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/slayer.htm
There's your 'slayer-sense' right there, at first level!
Swap out "Know:Dungeoneering" for "Know:Religion" to make it undead-appropriate, (or, of course, use "Know:Arcana" or "Know:History" or even "Heal" to give yourself a more 'Dr. Van Helsing' kinda Slayer), and then go to town.
Build using Ranger (for Track) & Wilder, and you've got Buffy Summers meets Jean Grey.
Build using Psion, and you've got Giles meets Professor Xavier.
Build using Soulblade (not sure how the "+1 level of existing manifesting class" would work, but whatev) and you've got, I guess, Faith meets Psylocke.
Build using Psychic Warrior, and I suppose you have Blade.
Heehee. This is FUN!
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RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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Build using Soulblade (not sure how the "+1 level of existing manifesting class" would work, but whatev) and you've got, I guess, Faith meets Psylocke.
Mm... Psylocke...
For the +1 manifesting part, it really wouldn't adjust anything for the Soulblade (especially since the Soulblade doesn't have a power point reserve, which is a prereq for Slayer).
Then again, since you're adjusting the class for vampires instead of illithids, it shouldn't be an issue. Heck, you could probably even get rid of the caster aspect and give the character an extra ability, a hit dice increase, or more skill points to adjust.
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4
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Mm... Psylocke...
My feelings exactly.
*grin*
For the +1 manifesting part, it really wouldn't adjust anything for the Soulblade (especially since the Soulblade doesn't have a power point reserve, which is a prereq for Slayer).
Then again, since you're adjusting the class for vampires instead of illithids, it shouldn't be an issue. Heck, you could probably even get rid of the caster aspect and give the character an extra ability, a hit dice increase, or more skill points to adjust.
Well, all Soulknives start play with the Feat: "Wild Talent", so they DO have a very teeny-tiny power-point reserve, and you only need 1 pp to get into Slayer . . .
But you point is well taken - they don't actually SPEND the damn things, so the bonuses to "effective manifester level" woudn't exactly do much for a character.
I figure that a good DM would probably come up with something that 'clicked' for the PC, something exactly like what you suggested.
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The idea to include psionics is tempting, because I really like the psi rules. But I guess I'll stick to the divine theme.
The more I think about this, the more I wonder that there's no "official" vampire hunter PrC.
What I'm thinking about right now is how to include the classic stake into the rules.
It is mentioned, that a vampire can be killed with a stake through its heart, but there's no explanation, how to do it in terms of mechanics.
I guess one may have the vampire grappled and pinned and then performing a coup-de-grace, but this won't work, because it could switch into gaseous form in an instant.
I'm thinking of treating the stake as a punching dagger and give him proficiency with it on 1st lvl.
Maybe it would be cool, to rule that you'd have to perform a successful crit to drive the stake through the vampires heart. I know that undead aren't subject to critical hits, but this could be used only for the stake and crossbows.
Or does any of you think of a better way to make this work?
Maybe I'll give the hunter 'Improved Critical' with the stake only as the ability for 3rd lvl.
Questions, questions...
I'd appreciate any comments on this matter.
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4
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The idea to include psionics is tempting, because I really like the psi rules.
I was mostly being silly, because it looked like you had a good grasp on what you wanted to do, but I'm glad to know that I wasn't TOTALLY out in left field.
*grin*
I, for one, LOVE the psionic rules - mostly because you can "pick up and play" a high-level psi-wielder with greater ease and cooler effect than you can almost any caster.
As I mentioned in another thread, I once ran a three-night, 16th-level d20-Modern/Expanded Psionics game that actually had a "Character Select Screen": I wrote up a stack of sheets, each of the players grabbed one, and all of the others became mini-bosses; with the Corrupted template stuck on & swarms of shot-gun toting minions swarming around them, of course.
Fun, fun, FUN!
What I'm thinking about right now is how to include the classic stake into the rules.
It is mentioned, that a vampire can be killed with a stake through its heart, but there's no explanation, how to do it in terms of mechanics.
I guess one may have the vampire grappled and pinned and then performing a coup-de-grace, but this won't work, because it could switch into gaseous form in an instant.
I'd appreciate any comments on this matter.
Having fought a few vampires in my day (but, admittedly, never RUN one), I can say this: I have never, ever seen someone stake a vampire during D&D combat.
I've always assumed that they can only be staked while asleep in their coffins.
???
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RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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What I'm thinking about right now is how to include the classic stake into the rules.
It is mentioned, that a vampire can be killed with a stake through its heart, but there's no explanation, how to do it in terms of mechanics.
I guess one may have the vampire grappled and pinned and then performing a coup-de-grace, but this won't work, because it could switch into gaseous form in an instant.
I'd appreciate any comments on this matter.Having fought a few vampires in my day (but, admittedly, never RUN one), I can say this: I have never, ever seen someone stake a vampire during D&D combat.
I've always assumed that they can only be staked while asleep in their coffins.
???
One time, I staked a vampire using telekinesis during combat. Granted, it was in Vampire: The Masquerade...
Yeah, I don't know how that would work either. Maybe a special rule that says if you roll a crit while using a stake on a vampire, you pierce the heart...? Then they would need to make a fortitude save versus the damage you do plus ten or something...
And yes, I know you can't crit undead.
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Well, I think there should be rules for the stake thingie...
The stake-wielding vampire hunter is an archtype of horror-movies and literature and I think this should be done somehow.
Sure, the safest way would be to stake him while he's inside his coffin, but why shouldn't this work in combat?
I can't think of a reason why it shouldn't.
Sure, it seems suicidal to try and face a creature like this with a stake in the hand, but this is what the class-ability should take care of; that there's a chance to succeed...
Sect, you're right. The vampire should get a saving throw, propably based on reflex because as undead the vampire doesn't have to make fortitude saves...
Hmm, I have to think about figuring out a decent DC. Any ideas?
Yes, they can make fortitude saves, the only difference is that they are immune to most things(undead) and use their CHA modifier instead of their CON modifier on the fortitude save.
I'm going to think about this, if we make this a 10 lvl PRC we can up the ability later to make it truly nasty against vampires.
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Hey Absinth check out the Ravenloft Players handbook 3.5 from white wolf it has a Monster Hunter specialty class and a more specific Specialty Hunter class that can be used to hunt vampires. Gives you Smite enemy and improved crot as well as big bonus' to kill em off. Problem is that you have to take at least 3 levels of the hunter to get any levels of the specialty class. Might be a good book to skim ideas from though if you can get a copy.
HEY! Quit stealing my steaks! Those are for dinner!