Dhampir
“Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!
- Bram Stoker, Dracula
Poised between the worlds of the living and the dead, dhampirs retain their grip on life yet are endlessly tested by vicious hungers. Their ties to the undead grant dhampirs a taste of a vampire’s deathless prowess in the form of increased speed, darkvision, a life-draining bite, and an unnaturally long life span of about 250 years.
With unique insights into the nature of the undead, many dhampirs become adventurers and monster hunters. Their reasons are often deeply personal. Some seek danger, imagining monsters as personifications of their own hungers. Others pursue revenge against whatever turned them into a dhampir. And still others embrace the solitude of the hunt, striving to distance themselves from those who’d tempt their hunger.
A dhampir's appearance and capabilities are largely shaped by the bloodline they descend from. The three bloodlines are described in the next column.
Art Credits:
Background: Old Manor by Evgeniy Musienko Foreground: Dhampir by Kobold Press
Vampire
Dhampirs of vampiric bloodlines share many of physical features common to their bloodline. Pale skin, red eyes, and sharp features give these dhampirs a predatory aspect.
Nosferatu
The Nosferatu bloodline are considered to be the most feral in appearance. Cold, graying skin, gaunt faces, and eyes that glow with unholy light are all common features.
Jiangshi
Descendants of Jiangshi look much like walking corpses with gray, dead eyes, decayed flesh, and locked joints. A palpable sense of unease follows in the wake of these dhampirs left behind by the necrotic energy filling their bodies.
Dhampir Traits
Creature Type: Humanoid
Size: Medium (about 4–7 feet tall) or Small (about 2–4 feet tall), chosen when you select this species
Speed: 35 Feet
As a Dhampir, you have these special traits.
Darkvision. You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Deathless Nature. You have Resistance to Necrotic damage, and you don't need to breathe.
Spider Climb. You have a Climb Speed equal to your Speed. In addition, at 3rd level, you can move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving your hands free.
Vampiric Bite. Your fanged bite is a simple melee weapon with which you are Proficient. You can choose to add your Constitution modifier, instead of your Strength modifier, to the attack and damage rolls when you attack with this bite. It deals 1d4 Piercing damage on a hit. While you are Bloodied, you have Advantage on attack rolls you make with this bite.
When you attack with this bite and hit a creature that isn’t a Construct or an Undead, you can empower yourself in one of the following ways of your choice:
- You regain Hit Points equal to the Piercing damage dealt by the bite.
- You gain a bonus to the next D20 Test you make; the bonus equals the Piercing damage dealt by the bite.
You can empower yourself with this bite a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.
Unnatural Bloodline. You are the descent of a bloodline that grants you supernatural abilities. Choose a bloodline from the Unnatural Bloodlines table. You gain the level 1 benefit of the chosen bloodline.
When you reach character levels 3 and 5, you learn a higher-level spell, as shown on the table. You always have that spell prepared. You can cast it once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to cast it in that way when you finish a Long Rest. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for the spells you cast with this trait (choose the ability when you select the bloodline).
Dhampir Bloodlines
| Bloodline | Level 1 | Level 3 | Level 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vampire | You know the Friends cantrip. | Animal Friendship | Misty Step |
| Nosferatu | You know the Chill Touch cantrip. | False Life | Invisibility |
| Jiangshi | You know the Mind Sliver cantrip. | Jump | Alter Self |
Art Credits:
Background: Avernus Concept by Matthew Sauder
Foregrounds: Vampire Bat Swam by Paizo Inc., Animated Coffin by Wizards of the Coast LLC