Hey everyone! So, I was a big fan of 4E D&D, and something I think it did well was the concept of vampire PCs using classes. Here’s an attempt to convert the 4E class from Player’s Option: Heroes of Shadow to a 5E class.
THE VAMPIRE
Level 1. Child of the Night, Blood Drinker, Vampiric Reflexes
Level 2. Enduring Soul, Taste of Life
Level 3. Charm, Vampire Bloodline
Level 4. Ability Score Improvement
Level 5. Children of the Night
Level 6. Vampire Bloodline Feature
Level 7. Taste of Life Improvement
Level 8. Ability Score Improvement
Level 9. Form of the Bat
Level 10. Spider Climb, Taste of Life Improvement
Level 11. Vampire Bloodline Feature
Level 12. Ability Score Improvement
Level 13. Misty Form
Level 14. Shared Blood
Level 15. Misty Escape
Level 16. Ability Score Improvement
Level 17. Vampire Bloodline Feature
Level 18. Energized Taste of Life
Level 19. Ability Score Improvement
Level 20. Vital Consumption
CLASS FEATURES
As a vampire, you gain the following class features.
HIT POINTS
Hit Dice: None. You do not gain permanent hit dice, but you may gain class features that allow you to gain temporarily 1d8 hit dice. At the end of a long rest, these temporary hit dice are lost.
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per level after 1st
PROFICIENCIES
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons
Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Deception, History, Intimidation, Perception, Persuasion, Religion, Stealth, and Thievery.
CHILD OF THE NIGHT
You have been reborn into darkness, claiming the ancient power that will mark you for all time. You gain strength in the night even as you curse the sun, for its unwavering radiance is a bitter fire that drains your strength and power.
At level 1, you gain the following benefits and weaknesses:
- You are an undead creature. You are unaffected by anything that affects only living creatures (such as the cure wounds and healing word spells). You don’t need to breathe or sleep, you no longer age, and you are immune to diseases.
- You gain darkvision 120 ft.
- You gain necrotic resistance.
- You gain vulnerability to radiant damage.
- When you start your turn in sunlight and lack a protective covering such as a cloak or other heavy clothing, you take 10 radiant damage and have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. If this damage reduces you below 1 hit point, you are instantly destroyed.
Your save DC for any vampire abilities is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.
BLOOD DRINKER
During a short rest, an ally adjacent to you can spend a hit die to allow you to regain twice the number of hit points normally regained. If you complete a short rest with any temporary hit dice, they are automatically expended and you regain the standard amount of hit points for each.
Additionally, your fangs grow in to the point that they can be used as a weapon. Your fanged bite is a natural weapon, which can be used to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
VAMPIRIC REFLEXES
Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier.
TASTE OF LIFE
Starting at 2nd level, when you successfully bite an enemy, you can drain blood to deal an extra 1d6 necrotic damage and gain a temporary hit die. You must complete a short rest before you can use this ability again.
ENDURING SOUL
When you reach 2nd level, at the start of your turn, if you are currently below one-half your maximum hit points, you regain hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 0). If you take radiant damage, this feature does not function at the start of your next turn.
CHARM
Starting at 3rd level, your compelling demeanor can throw your prey off its guard, lulling it into a false sense of security. You gain the ability to cast the charm person spell using your vampire ability save DC. Once you use this ability, you must complete a short rest before you can use it again.
ABILITY SCORE IMPROVEMENT
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase your ability scores above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to gain a feat instead.
CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT
Starting at 5th level, you can call upon creatures of the night to do your bidding. You gain the ability to cast the conjure animals spell to summon swarms of bats, swarms of rats, or wolves. Once you use this ability, you must complete a long rest before you can use it again.
TASTE OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT
At 7th level and 10th level, you gain one additional use of your taste of life class feature. You may only use it once per turn.
FORM OF THE BAT
At 9th level, you gain the ability to turn into a Tiny bat as an action. While in this form, you cannot speak, your walking speed is 5 feet, and you gain a flying speed of 30 feet. Your statistics otherwise remain unchanged. Your equipment melds with your new form, and you revert to your vampire form if you die. While in bat form, you can return to your normal form as an action.
SPIDER CLIMB
Starting at 10th level, you can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
MISTY FORM
When you reach 13th level, you can expend one temporary hit die as an action to turn into a Medium cloud of mist. While in this form, you cannot take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. You are weightless, have a fly speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, the mist can do so without squeezing, and it can’t pass through water. It has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and it is immune to all nonmagical damage, except the damage it takes from sunlight. You can revert to your normal form as an action, and your equipment melds into your misty form.
SHARED BLOOD
Starting at 14th level, you can expend a temporary hit die and touch a creature to roll the die and restore 3d8 + your Charisma modifier (minimum 0) hit points to that creature.
MISTY ESCAPE
At 15th level, if you are reduced to 0 hit points you can expend one temporary hit die as a reaction to stabilize and use your misty form class feature. While using the form this way, you cannot revert to your vampire form until you have at least 1 hit point.
After two hours, you automatically expend any remaining temporary hit dice to regain 1 hit point and revert to your vampire form.
ENERGIZED TASTE OF LIFE
Starting at 18th level, when you use your taste of life class feature, you gain temporary hit points equal to 5 + your Charisma modifier (minimum 0).
VITAL CONSUMPTION
At 20th level, whenever you expend a temporary hit die, you gain temporary hit points equal to 5 + your Charisma modifier (minimum 0).
VAMPIRE BLOODLINES
There are currently two known bloodlines of vampires – beguilers, who seek to mask their true nature and cling to the memory of who they once were; and stalkers, who embrace their transformation into a monster and relish the savagery of hunting humanoids.
BEGUILER BLOODLINE
You prefer the company of mortals and the benefits of being a part of society. Using your talents for enchantment and disguising your undead nature, you subtly charm your way into your enemies’ hearts before unleashing your dark power.
CONCEALING MAGIC
At 3rd level, you gain the ability to cast disguise self on yourself at will.
Additionally, you gain proficiency in Deception and Persuasion.
AURA OF GRANDEUR
Starting at 6th level, you can tap into your blood powers to project a beguiling and fearsome aura. As an action, you can expend one temporary hit die to cause each creature in a 10-ft. cube to make a Wisdom saving throw against your vampire ability save DC. Creatures that fail their saving throw are charmed or frightened by you (your choice) until the end of your next turn.
EXPERTISE
At 11th level, choose two of the following skill proficiencies: Deception, Intimidation, Persuasion, or Stealth. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability checks you make using the selected skills. If you were not already proficient with those skills, you also gain proficiency with them.
DAYWALKER
Starting at 16th level, sunlight no longer deals radiant damage to you, though you still suffer disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks without proper protection.
STALKER BLOODLINE
In your heart and soul, you have become a monster more terrifying than any other you have known in mortal life. By controlling your monstrous nature, you can learn to take advantage of your predatory urges. The monster within connects you to the shadowy realm of the dead, granting you unnatural power.
NIGHT HUNTER
At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Stealth and Survival if you don’t already have it. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability checks made using those skills.
FERAL ASSAULT
Starting at 6th level, you can expend a temporary hit die when you take the Attack action to make two attacks. Each attack deals an extra 2d8 necrotic damage on a hit.
SHADOW SKULKER
At 11th level, when you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible until you move, take an action, or use a reaction.
UNLEASHED FURY
Starting at 16th level, when you expend a temporary hit die to use your feral assault class feature, you can make three attacks. Each attack deals an extra 3d8 necrotic damage on a hit.
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