Editing Vampire (section)

==== Dungeons & Dragons ====
Vampires have been around in pretty much every edition of the game.  They get a full smorgasboard of powers, including the ability to shapeshift into animals and mist, climb up walls, fast healing, and the ability to not only drain blood but inflict negative levels with their touch, though they usually can't fly unless they shapeshift into something that can.  There're also vampire spawn, which are lesser vamps subservient to their creators and reduced versions of most vampiric powers.  Most vampires have special weaknesses, but can also be killed by good ol fashioned damage, though a few require extra steps to stay dead.

2nd Edition [[Ravenloft]] introduced separate monster entries for [[demihuman]] vampires: [[elf]], [[dwarf]], [[halfling]], [[gnome]], and even the dreaded [[kender]].

The gameline also includes a variety of special custom vampires reflecting the dizzying array of bloodsucking undead monsters in world mythology.  

Special mention to everyone's favorite master vampire villain, [[Strahd von Zarovich]], and to the Vampire, the awnsheigh from [[Birthright]] where monsters tend to be unique, a tragic figure who hunted down the monster that slew his father, only, in a conflux of different factors, to lose his humanity in the process and become a tyrannical awnsheigh in his own right.

=====Ravenloft=====
Being a [[Gothic Horror]]/[[Dark Fantasy]] setting for [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]], and considering AD&D's general approach to monster design (aka "let's turn as many alternate names as possible into unique monsters!"), you better believe that [[Ravenloft]] was ground zero for an invasion of an absolute ''fuckton'' of vampire variants!

Firstly, there's the ''Oriental Vampire'', which is native to the Domains of I'Cath and Rokushima Taiyoo. This one is a weird blend of the "classic" D&D vampire given an Asian reskin and the [[Jiangshi]]; in 3rd edition, it would lean slightly more towards the latter and become known as the ''Chiang-ahi''.

Secondly, there's the ''Cerebral Vampire'', an artificially created vampire that is only found in the domain of Dominia, a corrupted insane asylum. They feed on cerebro-spinal fluid, hence the name. In AD&D, they caused madness and their victims would die and return as [[ghoul]]s, whilst in 3e, they cause permanent Intelligence loss and can reproduce this way.

''[[Nosferatu]]'' are a variant strain of vampire who actually feed on blood (drain Constitution) rather than sapping levels like other AD&D vampires. Otherwise, they're largely interchangeable. Ironically, [[Mystara]] has its own Nosferatu variant which is based more on novel!Dracula or Varney the Vampire, and the 3e update of Ravenloft rewrote the Ravenloft nosferatu based on the abilities of the Mystaran nosferatu.

Most famously, Ravenloft would introduce an array of [[demihuman]] vampires, as well as two monstrous vampires; the [[drow]] and [[illithid]]:
* [[Drow]] revere the transformation into vampires, referring the change as "The Kiss of [[Lolth]]". They can transform into giant spiders and clouds of poisonous vapor, but cannot cross a line of salt and are ''incredibly'' light vulnerable; even moonlight burns their flesh, whilst a single shaft of sunlight is instant death. Vampire drow can be placed in a death-like torpor by staking them through the heart with rock salt, but can only be killed by exposing them to sunlight, immersing them in a waterwall, or binding the torpid vampire in cords of silver thread, smearing it with oil, and burning it for at least 12 hours.
* [[Dwarves]] '''loathe''' vampires of their kind, who can pass through stone as if it were air and are unimpaired by sunlight. They can't transform, but they can command burrowing and subterranean creatures. They can't enter a home unless it's at least partially made of earth or stone, nor can they cross a line of powdered metal, and water from natural springs scorches them like acid (but holy water has no effect). Dwarven vampires can be rendered torpid by staking them with a natural stalactite or stalagmite. Actually ''killing'' them requires cutting out their heart, soaking it in oil for 3 days, then burning it to ashes.
* [[Elves]] regard their vampires with pity, for they are metaphorically and literally hideously warped, twisted, ugly creatures. These Charisma-draining undead can only walk about during the day, and perish if they remain abroad at night or if forced underground, in a reversal of the standard vampire. Their touch kills plants, and they possess a number of twisted [[druid]]-like abilities, such as assuming the form of an eagle and commanding forest creatures. They are burned by the sap of deciduous trees and repelled by fresh flower petals. They can be made torpid by staking them with a stake of charcoal, but to permanently kill them, the torpid elf's head must be cut off and burned for 24 hours in a fire made of flowers and flowering shrubs.
* [[Gnome]] vampires are twisted, perpetually silenced creatures with faces twisted into rictus grins. They can transform into the form of a will o' wisp and can freely command (but not summon) animals. Their touch slowly petrifies their victims. Though they hate sunlight, only natural sunlight hurts them. Defeating them is tough; once rendered torpid by pounding a stake of Blessed silver into their heart, their hands must be cut off and boiled in a natural hot spring for 24 hours whilst the gnome is placed in a wooden coffin. Once their hands have finished boiling, their eyes must be gouged out and replaced with high quality precious gems; once that is done and the coffin is nailed shut, the vampire is dead.
* [[Goblin]] vampires are weaker than most vampires, and are created artificially from the goblins of Tepest by its [[hag]] darklords. Oversized brutes with distended fangs and claws who feed on both blood and fear, they are mindless killers with few supernatural talents or resistances, although they prefer to hunt during the day, as goblins avoid the day. They can be killed by hammering a stake of obsidian into their hearts.
* [[Halfling]] vampires have a surprising array of magical abilities, including freely transforming into and commanding small woodland creatures, assuming a sweet-smelling smoke form, exuding an aura of fatigue and creating high-quality food and drink at will. They cannot approach somebody smoking a pipe, nor enter a room where a fire is burning in a hearth. They can be destroyed by sunlight and rain. To render one torpid, impale it with a burning length of wood taken ''directly'' from a hearth. To kill it, chop off its hands and feet and then burn them in a hearth for 3 hours.
* [[Illithid]] vampires were a mistake that went ''horribly'' wrong, creating mindless blood-and-brain-sucking brutes with no more than animalistic intelligence. Whilst they lack most of the sundry supernatural powers of both races, they are, to all intents and purposes, indestructible; nobody knows the method to truly kill them yet. They returned in 5e with a major overhaul; no longer technically indestructible, they also now serve a purpose - where as the original Vampiric Illithids were a failed attempt to create a weapon against the God-Brain, in 5e they are ''agents'' of the God-Brain. These short-lived creatures are sent to harvest cerebrospinal fluid from humanoids, then return to the God-Brain and are [[Ripper|dissolved into its nutrient-pool to infuse their life-energy and stolen bounty directly into the God-Brain]], which is the only thing slowing the God-Brain's decay into death.
* [[Kender]] vampires are only found in the domain of Sithicus, and in fact are destroyed instantly if forced over its border. Wracked with permanent rigor mortis, they are surprisingly easy to turn by [[cleric]]s and [[paladin]]s. They are repulsed by shimmerweed, and the sight of moonlight shining on shimmerweed can actually  destroy them. But the most effective weapon against them is their own iconic hoopaks; if a warrior can snatch away a kender vampire's hoopak, not only can they swiftly beat the creature into submission with it, but impaling the kender vampire through the heart with it (easier than it sounds) will instantly destroy the kender vampire forever.

3rd edition would introduce the only new Ravenloft vampire to this list, the disease-carrying, [[ghoul]]ish [[Vrykolaka]], and update all of the above, sans the [[Drow]] and [[Kender]] vampires.

In addition, Ravenloft also introduced three "vampire-adjacent" monsters; the Japanese-flavored [[Kizoku]] (a supernatural womanizer that lures women to commit evil acts, then turns them into willow trees), the [[Vampyre]] (a "living vampire" flavored monstrous humanoid), and the [[Vorlog]] (a human partially warped into a vampire).

But that wasn't enough for fans, so they got together and came up with the [[Aswang]] (based on Filipino vampires) and the [[Upir Lichy]] (Russian heat vampires).

=====Other D&D Vampire Strains=====
Whilst [[Ravenloft]] is home to the largest array of vampires and vampire-like monsters, AD&D at least had its share of other vampires to be found in other settings.

The [[Forgotten Realms]] is home to the ''Lhiannan Shee'', an all-female vampire strain created from [[human]], [[elf]] and [[half-elf]] women that specializes in preying on [[bard]]s and artists. It is, quote, "thought to be the undead spirit of a woman who killed herself for the unrequited love of a bard or other artistically talented and desirable, but unobtainable or callous man."

[[Mystara]] is home to both the ''Velya'', an aquatic vampire strain, and to its own distinct strain of [[Nosferatu]], which ironically became the basis of the Ravenloft version in 3e.

The [[Fiend Folio]] introduced the [[Penanggalan]] to generic D&D as a whole.

=====[[4E|4th Edition]]=====
Vampires are now a class in 4e. They were introduced in the Heroes of Shadow book, and yes, they are in fact a CLASS now, no longer a template or curse. There is also detailed in the book a new race, "[[Vryloka]]," which are basically vampires in their own right so [[Derp|WHY MAKE VAMPIRE A CLASS]], [[RAGE|I MEAN SERIOUSLY]]. Only in the [[fluff]], Vryloka have the power of vampires, just without the bloodlust. Really? That just sounds stupid on paper. And also stupid in general. We got a fucking ''cornucopia'' of stupid going on here.

The Vampire class has the Shadow power source, and is also a striker, which is apparently all Shadow is good for in 4e, being that all it consists of is Assassins, Executioners (variant Assassins from the ''Heroes of Shadow''), Vampires, and [[Blackguard]]s, all of which are strikers for fuck-all reason. WOTC explained that they named the class Vampire because they really wanted the players to feel like they were playing one, as most of the powers are based on vampiric lore (turning into bats, mist, wolves, drinking blood to gain healing surges). If so, they still could have come up with an original fucking name either way and kept the fluff relatively the same. This also means that Vampires (the class, that is) cannot be mages or knights without using hybrid classes.

Then there's the ''Vampiric Heritage'' feat, which lets any humanoid gain +2 to Perception and Insight checks to find undead while also getting Blood Drain (Encounter Attack; Str/Dex/Con +2/tier vs Reflex when grabbing someone, deals 1d4/tier + Con Mod damage and lets you spend a [[healing surge]]). This already is a step above the class by not hamstringing you with the shittiest number of surges in existence and an absolutely pitiful selection of powers. You also get access to the Blood Knight [[Paragon Path]] and a few extra feats, though some of them are kinda naff:
*Vampire Alacrity (+1 Speed)
*Mist Form (Requires level 10; replace a level 10 or lower utility power with Mist Form, a sustainable daily power that renders you insustantial with a hovering speed of 8 squares but forbids you from attacking)
*Night's Sight (Gain darkvision)
*Bloodied Regeneration (Requires paragon tier; replace a level 10 or lower utility power with Bloodied Regeneration, a daily utility power that grants you regeneration 5 until you aren't bloodied anymore)
*Domineering Gaze (Requires level 15; replaces a level 15 or lower utility power with Domineering Gaze, a daily ranged 5 attack that uses a mental stat +4 (+6 in epic) vs Will that inflicts either save-ends Dominated (downgraded to save-ends dazed after making the save) or save-ends dazed)
*Savage Bite (Requires paragon tier; you can now use your power on anyone you have combat advantage over)

This also raises a question: Since vampirism was already present in 4e by way of heritage feats (which was already a decently-received idea that enabled for diversity in builds), why not simply expand on that idea instead of introducing both a race AND class that are both vampires? Or better yet, why not make vampire a race in the same way that [[Revenant]] is (that is, you choose which race you are a revenant of and can select that race's feats)? As the system is, it is possible to make a Vryloka with Vampire class and the Vampiric Heritage feat, meaning you can gain utility and attack powers that all relate to being a vampire from three different sources with one character.

Another, better idea than they did was themes: optional features that give players a bit more unique character fluff, that came with at least one additional power and others to choose from as you leveled up. Why couldn't they have done this with Vampire? It would have cut down on the feat expenditure, enabled access to unique powers without being shoehorned into any crap class, and offers all the benefits of each without any drawbacks.

[[Tl;dr]] There's a Vampire class, it is stupid, blame Essentials.

{{D&D4-Classes}}

=====Pathfinder=====
{{dnd-stub}}
======2e======
Most of the time, a vampire sucking out your blood means the end of your PC. Thanks to '''Book of the Dead''', however, your now blood-less character can become a bloodsucker themselves and remain under your control! This is thanks to the ''Vampire'' archetype. Your bite now does a d6 of damage, and you can grapple with it. You even get an action to drink blood, granting you temp HP and leaving your opponent with the drained condition.

However, it's not all sunshine and roses, as now you are allergic to said sunshine. You gain the slowed condition in sunlight, and if you reach slowed 3, you die. Also you are repulsed by religious symbols and garlic until you pass a will save.

Like all other archetypes, there is a feat tree that grants you awesome abilities. There's even one called ''Daywalker'', a level 6 feat which allows you to not die in sunlight! You still get slowed though, so you still have a chance to lose all your actions and be still as a statue.

{{Pathfinder-2nd-Edition-Archetypes}}

=====Gallery=====
<gallery>
Vampire MM 1e.jpg|1e
Vampire monster card.jpg
Vampire MC 2e.jpg|2e
Vampire MM 2e 1.png
Vampire MM 2e 2.png
Vampire 3e.jpg|3e
Vampire 4e.png|4e
Vampire 5e.jpg|5e
Vampire B1.png|Pathfinder
2e vamp.PNG|Pathfinder 2E

Dwarf vampire MC Ravenloft 1.jpg|Dwarf vampire
Elf vampire MC Ravenloft 1.jpg|Elf vampire
Gnome vampire MC Ravenloft 1.jpg|Gnome vampire
Halfling vampire MC Ravenloft 1.jpg|Halfling vampire
Kender vampire MC Ravenloft 1.jpg|Kender vampire
Demihuman vampire DoD1.jpg|3e Demihuman Vampires
</gallery>