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In today's preview on WotC they announced that in the upcoming Heroes of the Shadow book that they will be including the vampire as a class. Part of me likes this idea since a vampire should be able to be of any race. Part of me does not like this because vampires should be villains in my mind, period. Also I feel that it limits the character since it make sit so that you cannot have vampire rogues, vampire clerics, or vampire fighters.
None to fond of the idea myself. Would not be a class I'd allow in my game except under very unusual circumstances. Not that this is much of an issue with me, I already ban a number of races in my homebrew - starting with elves.
My biggest complaint is the character builder does not give me any way to customize it to implement this sort of thing - though the inability to add my own deities or even (as a stop gap measure) just allow clerics to pick what divine aspects they are associated with. If it allowed that I could create my own deities and the players could just pick the appropriate divine aspects.
In reality as we get ever deeper into an edition this sort of thing becomes increasingly inevitable. We are essentially seeing ever more specific and focused products since the basic fantasy tropes have now been done. I'd love to see a steam punk book for example even if half of what was presented would not work in my personal campaign. In general there comes a point where even a permissive DM probably has to start drawing lines - Dark Sun is truly amazing but its designed for a specifically themed world and armour made out of over sized bugs does not work in most worlds nor are mantis characters necessarily appropriate.
Vampires as a Class seems kind of silly to me. That is if I can even get past all the 13 year old Lestat wannabes. I do not doubt there is a market for it. But a Class? I agree, a template seems more appropriate.
Vampires have become so cliché, you might as well lump them in with the ale swiggin' Dwarf with a bad Scottish accent.
Ever since I stopped playing the blue box, and moved on, I could never accept a race as a class anymore. But this is probably a proof of concept to see how players will accept it, and try to get more of that old school feel back. I don't see it working, but I stopped buying any new material from the essentials line.
Bram Stoker will be so relieved.
Next up, Werewolves as a player class. When thats out we can play 4e Twilight.
That is if I can even get past all the 13 year old Lestat wannabes.
Don't you mean Twilight wannabes? 13 year old Lestat wannabes are 29 now.
I don't really see a problem with race as class. It works for Gamma World. It worked for Savage Species in 3.X. I do agree that a theme might have been a better choice though.
Vampires as a Class seems kind of silly to me. That is if I can even get past all the 13 year old Lestat wannabes. I do not doubt there is a market for it. But a Class? I agree, a template seems more appropriate.
Vampires have become so cliché, you might as well lump them in with the ale swiggin' Dwarf with a bad Scottish accent.
Er now ewe wee mutt, Mr. Fishy has a dwarf. He dar now a erf wizard.
13 year old Lestat wannabes are 29 now.
Ayep.
Er now ewe wee mutt, Mr. Fishy has a dwarf. He dar now a erf wizard.
Thanks for proving my point. :)
I am actually like the concept of a vampire as a class. There are a bunch of little abilities that vampires have had attributed to them that would be difficult to fit if they were stated as a race. I am vexed by a lack of vampire fighters or wizards, but I think the existing multi-classing rules would (I imagine) work for making vampires with class (*buh-dum-chish* And I possibly have played too much Munchkin).
While I think that vampires have too many abilities to fit as a race, I'm not sure though if a 30 level class can really be filled with vampire options without repeating the same sort of power over the progression.
As for being appropriate PC options, I might be tempted to agree, but I feel like that boat has long since past with players being able to use drow, minotaur, and such as racial options for their characters. Right now, with other conversations on my mind, I have to say that, even if I don't want vampire PCs in one of my games, I like having the option available for others (and myself when I run a more appropriate campaign for the vampire).
While I think that vampires have too many abilities to fit as a race, I'm not sure though if a 30 level class can really be filled with vampire options without repeating the same sort of power over the progression.I would not be surprised if part of the reason to make them a race is to use a more 'Essentials' style format where they don't have as many powers in some areas, but instead get actual class features and benefits to enhance them.
Yeah, that would certainly make sense. But even then, I don't think that any of the Essentials classes cut out any part of the typical Utility power progression. If they are still going to give two or three options at of those points, I am not sure if they could fill the utility powers without some repetition.
Just going through a few of the vampire abilities that pop into my head. Blood drain, flight, mind control, gaseous form, wolf/bat/other animal form, ability to call wolves/bats/other animals, ability to create spawn, super speed, super strength, blood frenzy, resistance to non-silvered weapons, avoid death by returning to coffin, and going through that list I think that I may have been a bit off. I am pretty confident that I left off a few abilities attributed to our blood sucking chums and with that I can imagine an Essentials-like (Fighter/Rogue as opposed to Wizard/Cleric) with at least a somewhat solid list of abilities to pick from (even if some of the abilities I threw out would be non-utility powers).
I've got mixed feelings about this honestly. Since there are already vampiric-options out there such as the Heritage feats for vampires and even the Blood Knight paragon path. I don't see how a 30th level Vampire progressing class will work well.
But on the other hand, sometimes I've seen vampires that really don't transfer well into another base class or PrC such as vampires that are very aristocratic or embrace the whole Nobility aspect.
Besides, if it's a class like others we've seen (Essentials or Not), there's always the Multiclass options.
Drow ought to be villains. Now they're all good rangers who worship unicorns.
This thread's been necro'd from 2011; I'm not entirely sure it's even talking about 5e.
Heroes of Shadow was a 4e Suppliment, so Hitdice, you are correct. Not for 5e.
Heroes of Shadow was a 4e Suppliment, so Hitdice, you are correct. Not for 5e.
. . . And everyone else involved in the conversation knew what they were talking about, when I stormed in and embarrassed myself in the style of a late-to-the-party, loud jackass? That certainly sounds like something I'd do.
I hope to get some vampiric options for D&D Next.
The MM already has rules for PC vamps those are enough
The MM already has rules for PC vamps those are enough
A feat and perhaps a non-class related Sub-Path would be nice IMO.