Heritage and Half-breeds: Dhampir
Born of horror and tragedy, the unnatural nature of dhampirs is scarcely understood. While some may claim they originate from the unholy union of a mortal woman an a vampire, it is much more likely they are the result of a pregnant woman being bitten by a vampire or ingesting vampire blood.
Half-living Nature
Dhampirs have a strange relationship with death. Though they are not truly undead and die just like any living creature, they share an unnatural fortitude with their vampire progenitors. They can live very long time if they are not hunted and killed for their dark ancestry.
Vile Origins
It is rarely the case that a dhampir is created by accident. In most cases, a powerful vampire will charm a pregnant woman and feed her their blood, to create a powerful minion that can walk the day to further its dark schemes. The vampire will often come to sway the dhampir to evil in their formative years and set them on a path of fulfilling the vampire's machinations.
However, not all dhampirs suffer this fate. Some of these cursed mothers are found before the vampire has them under full sway or the dhampir is born. In this case, a priest may perform a holy ritual during the infant's birth and strengthen the child's tie to life and good.
Dhampire Names
Lacking a culture and unified traditions, dhampirs follow the naming customs of their mortal parent. Many dhampirs take their mother’s surname, while others take the surname of the towns or regions in which they were born, or use a surname derived from a significant event.
Dhampir Traits
Dhampirs share certain racial traits due to their heritage.
Age. Dhampirs mature at the same rate as humans, but can live for centuries.
Alignment. Dhampirs might not have an innate tendency toward evil, but many end up there. They are typically neutral.
Size. Dhampirs are the same size and build as humans. Your size is medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2.
Darkvision. Thanks to your heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Vampiric Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against diseases and being Charmed.
Undead Resistance. You have resistance to necrotic damage.
Fangs. You have fangs like a vampire. They are a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Blood Drinker. As an action, you can make a special attack with your fangs. If the attack hits, you deal necrotic damage instead of piercing damage, and you heal hit points (minimum of 1) equal to your Constitution modifier, and you can’t use this trait again until you finish a short or long rest.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and another language of your choice.
Subrace. You have a subrace dependent on the conditions of your birth.
Dayborn Dhampir
These are the dhampirs born in the day under a priest's blessing. The holy ritual performed strengthens the dhampirs ties to life and light. Dayborn dhampirs are the most likely to be of a good alignment.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Vampiric Talents. You have proficiency in the Perception and Stealth skills.
Misty Escape. As a reaction to taking damage, you can create a 20-foot-radius sphere of fog centered on you. The sphere spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. It lasts for one minute or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it.
Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Nobleblood Dhampir
These dhampirs are born without the intervention of a good deity. Their ties to their vampire progenitor is strong, and their bond to life is weak. They are the most likely to have a relationship with their vampire sire, and are the most easily corrupted.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Superior Darkvision Your darkvision has a radius of 120 feet.
Sunlight Sensitivity You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Uncanny Climber. You have advantage on any Strength (Athletics) check made to climb difficult surfaces.
Dark Hospitality. You have proficiency in one of the following skills: Deception, Intimidation, Persuasion.
Vampiric Charm You can cast charm person with this trait, using Charisma as your spellcasting ability for it. Once you cast it, you can’t cast it again with this trait until you finish a short or long rest.
Beastwalker Dhampir
On rare occasions, a dhampir is born under the light of a full moon. Though still tied to the night, these dhampirs have an unlikely empathy for the vermin of twilight. Some of the few scholars that study dhampirs believe that these ones are blessed by Selûne. Their bond to their vampire progenitor is weak, but they have a strong bond with nature and beasts.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Superior Darkvision Your darkvision has a radius of 120 feet.
Sunlight Sensitivity You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Vermin Speech. You can cast animal friendship an unlimited number of times with this trait, but you can target only bats, rats, and wolves with it. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Shapechanger. If you aren't in sunlight, you can use your action to cast polymorph on yourself to transform into a bat, rat, or wolf. When cast in this way, polymorph requires no components and cannot be dispelled. It has the following changes:
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Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature’s bonus instead of yours.
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You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.
Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Credits
- Art: Sorin, Vengeful Bloodlord by Tommy Arnold
- Art: Bloodcrazed Paladin by Daarken