There have been several 3PP on the subject, but as for PFRPG core there isn't anything to get it done. With the ARG there is the dhampir which with the racial archetypes and feats can push the flavor of one but you'll never get the whole suite of vampire abilities if that is what you are looking for.
The Blood of the Night Player's Companion is on its way if you can wait until October...
Half-Orc with the Toothy racial feature and any class that can cast Vampiric Touch. You can deliver touch spells through Natural Attacks, they just aren't touch attacks.
Dhampir has racial traits that give them a bite attack, and feats that give them blood drain which gives you temporary HP and bonus to con based rolls. Aside from that they also get the negative energy aspect of vampires without the die instantly in the sun part, which isn't bad.
Hello all, I was curious as to if anyone has a way to do a PC vampire without using the template. Mainly I'm curious about PRC's, base classes, feats or perhaps even a race made with the new ARG.
I would also be willing to work with community members to develop something for it if anyone wanted to, maybe even make some different variants.
All those cool abilities come with serious weaknesses, the other PCs would have to carry him/her/it around in a coffin/box/whatever during the day.
dhampir is closest I guess
due to weaknesses a simple sentient skeleton character can be more useful if you look for an undead concept, put it in a full plate and you have your black knight, and disguise also gets easy like that
A true/full vampire can't work with a party. No encounter that would challenge them would challenge the vamp. Either he'd walk right over it, or it would stop him cold.
A true/full vampire can't work with a party. No encounter that would challenge them would challenge the vamp. Either he'd walk right over it, or it would stop him cold.
At a certain level that isn't true.
Basically if it is spread out enough the template can work by granting abilities across the levels up to that point. It's been done a few times since 3.x in several 3PP as well as the race book from back then. Other 3PP just redesign vampires based on the various myths from regions around the world. Hell there is probably even a sparkley vampire out there someplace for the game...
A true/full vampire can't work with a party. No encounter that would challenge them would challenge the vamp. Either he'd walk right over it, or it would stop him cold.At a certain level that isn't true.
Basically if it is spread out enough the template can work by granting abilities across the levels up to that point. It's been done a few times since 3.x in several 3PP as well as the race book from back then. Other 3PP just redesign vampires based on the various myths from regions around the world. Hell there is probably even a sparkley vampire out there someplace for the game...
Sure if you're playing with half-vampire or not full vampires, but as I said A true/full vampire can't work with a party.
1) Sure if you're playing with half-vampire or not full vampires, but as I said A true/full vampire can't work with a party.A true/full vampire can't work with a party. No encounter that would challenge them would challenge the vamp. Either he'd walk right over it, or it would stop him cold.At a certain level that isn't true.
2) Basically if it is spread out enough the template can work by granting abilities across the levels up to that point. It's been done a few times since 3.x in several 3PP as well as the race book from back then. Other 3PP just redesign vampires based on the various myths from regions around the world. Hell there is probably even a sparkley vampire out there someplace for the game...
1) Unless either A) they all take Necromantic Affinity (which isn't exactly OGL (due to be setting specific)), or B) they all become undeads , or C) a mix of both.
2) Savage Species? (or something like that). It was made at a time of Level Adjustments.
Hmmm, click my portrait. I dare you.
1) Sure if you're playing with half-vampire or not full vampires, but as I said A true/full vampire can't work with a party.A true/full vampire can't work with a party. No encounter that would challenge them would challenge the vamp. Either he'd walk right over it, or it would stop him cold.At a certain level that isn't true.
2) Basically if it is spread out enough the template can work by granting abilities across the levels up to that point. It's been done a few times since 3.x in several 3PP as well as the race book from back then. Other 3PP just redesign vampires based on the various myths from regions around the world. Hell there is probably even a sparkley vampire out there someplace for the game...
1) Unless either A) they all take Necromantic Affinity (which isn't exactly OGL (due to be setting specific)), or B) they all become undeads , or C) a mix of both.
2) Savage Species? (or something like that). It was made at a time of Level Adjustments.
Pathfinder has stated backwards compatability, and even stated that the Drow, Noble (PFRPG bestiary) should have a level adjustment. ARG has a table for RP that is in essence a level adjustment (to judge CRs for high RP groups). Incidentally that table uses something akin to the level buyout as every level range the adjustment is reduced. Level adjustment hasn't been 'a thing of the past' for quite some time.
Savage species gave a level layout for most of the races in it, you could use that to play a vampire from first level on. Which is basically what a PrC would do over a level range anyways.
1) Sure if you're playing with half-vampire or not full vampires, but as I said A true/full vampire can't work with a party.A true/full vampire can't work with a party. No encounter that would challenge them would challenge the vamp. Either he'd walk right over it, or it would stop him cold.At a certain level that isn't true.
2) Basically if it is spread out enough the template can work by granting abilities across the levels up to that point. It's been done a few times since 3.x in several 3PP as well as the race book from back then. Other 3PP just redesign vampires based on the various myths from regions around the world. Hell there is probably even a sparkley vampire out there someplace for the game...
1) Unless either A) they all take Necromantic Affinity (which isn't exactly OGL (due to be setting specific)), or B) they all become undeads , or C) a mix of both.
2) Savage Species? (or something like that). It was made at a time of Level Adjustments.
Sure, but that LA part just made things worse. You had a EL 8 PC running around with 1 HD, a PC who was invulnerable to 90% of things- but that 10% could kill him with one hit.
LA or no La, if one plays a full true Vampire, even with a level equivilant party, A true/full vampire can't work with a party. No encounter that would challenge them would challenge the vamp. Either he'd walk right over it, or it would stop him cold.
We tried it.
Hello all, I was curious as to if anyone has a way to do a PC vampire without using the template. Mainly I'm curious about PRC's, base classes, feats or perhaps even a race made with the new ARG.
I would also be willing to work with community members to develop something for it if anyone wanted to, maybe even make some different variants.
Oyoy - I might just add my two cents... some of you might know I'm working on Blood of the Night right now (http://paizo.com/products/btpy8sdt?Pathfinder-Player-Companion-Blood-of-th e-Night)
This book will include ARG rules for each of the vampire types as races. I've not completed this yet and it may include some slight augmentations to the system to make this possible but it should help with this very issue.
In addition, for those who are looking to include the vampire templates as-is and run a slightly higher level campaign there are some options/feats/skills and some advice, for including vampires in play.
1) Sure if you're playing with half-vampire or not full vampires, but as I said A true/full vampire can't work with a party.A true/full vampire can't work with a party. No encounter that would challenge them would challenge the vamp. Either he'd walk right over it, or it would stop him cold.At a certain level that isn't true.
2) Basically if it is spread out enough the template can work by granting abilities across the levels up to that point. It's been done a few times since 3.x in several 3PP as well as the race book from back then. Other 3PP just redesign vampires based on the various myths from regions around the world. Hell there is probably even a sparkley vampire out there someplace for the game...
1) Unless either A) they all take Necromantic Affinity (which isn't exactly OGL (due to be setting specific)), or B) they all become undeads , or C) a mix of both.
2) Savage Species? (or something like that). It was made at a time of Level Adjustments.
Sure, but that LA part just made things worse. You had a EL 8 PC running around with 1 HD, a PC who was invulnerable to 90% of things- but that 10% could kill him with one hit.
LA or no La, if one plays a full true Vampire, even with a level equivilant party, A true/full vampire can't work with a party. No encounter that would challenge them would challenge the vamp. Either he'd walk right over it, or it would stop him cold.
We tried it.
As for this issue; if i may...
There are certainly vulnerability issues to playing a vampire but many of these can be overcome by canny use of spells or magic items. Certainly, these only really become practical options at higher levels but from about 5th level onwards players can have the cash, feats, and the skills to prevent too much in the way of bursting into flames too regularly. It just needs a little thought : exactly the sort of thought you would expect from a vampire PC who had decided to 'go see the world'.In terms of the power-level : this is up to the DM. They do have significant DR and resistances but within a campaign the players tend to quickly become notorious/famous, including some of their powers and abilities. There are a number of ways a DM can uncover a PC race for the benefit of his bad guys putting them at, if anything, an a advantage when facing a vampire. There will always be encounters in which the vampire will shine but there are always characters who have a particular specialty and punch WAY above their level in that field. As PCs level up alongside their vampire companion his abilities will start to pale ('scuse the pun) in comparison to the class abilities they all share.
Yes, there are complications. No, vampires are never really going to be a sensible race to play from 1st level. But YES there are ways to make them work extremely in a campaign, particularly from I would say about 5th level onwards.
just the undead template in itself can be fairly potent, to rp a vampire not much is needed, so I should ask what you want from a vampire to be able to play one ?
I'd consider a dhampir hungry ghost monk, with some selected feats to be quite an awesome and completely legal vampire look-alike, with the proper feats added.
I've looked over the dhampir and it wasn't entirely what I was thinking, that said I don't want all the powers of the template necessarily but something that might equate to a +2 or 3 level adjustment or so.
There are no true level adjustments in the game. What do you want from the vampire as such, you just want to be inherently more powerful than the rest of your party ?
Basically I will assume that you are not going to get more powerful than Joe the wizard and Bill the fighter, you will pay for your abilities by being worse at your specialty. So considering that, what makes a vampire a vampire for you ? If you can answer that we can see how we can accomplish that.
This is the main way I currently deal with games or players who want to play a Vampire in a game. It is done by a company called Necromancers of the Northwest and it is a FREE PDF.
It includes rules on how to play Vampires as an advancing class all their own of sorts. It is divided into Melee Themed, Arcane and I believe Divine.
And thanks for pointing out the upcoming product to be released in October. Definitely WANT!
As a side note, "I want to play (x) race/template" should be answered with a simple Yes or No, any nerfing discussion should be done after/as the player insists AND with the player (what you want removed might be what s/he wants the race/template for in the first place.)
I imagine this character would be played in a game where anyone could have a pc with improved powers. I guess I would want a vampire with increased speed (could be represented with actual speed a dex boost or some sort of SLA), blood drain, and increased strength. Maybe put some of the other abilities in as feats or a PrC etc.
Well a vampire's dex boost and gaining multiple dexterity related feats is supposed to represent their speed increase, most likely.
If anyone is interested, I'm currently looking for play testers and balancing advice for my Home-brew Vampire race over here:
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2pc6o?Homebrew-Vampire-Race-for-Homebrew-Settin g#2
Hopefully you guys can give it a try and tell me what you think!