The Revamped Dhampyr
No one history catalogues the definitive origin of vampires. Simply a fact of the world, these undead lurk as an eternal threat, forever in shadowed alleyways for their next victim. Those touched by their presence, left with a mote of evil, are known as Dhampyrs.
While the traditional Heritage covers those touched by vampiric energies, this ancestry is for those truly engulfed by it. Having largely lost most benefits from their parent ancestries, these figures hold one foot in the lands of the living, and another of the dead. Known as Dhampir, the creatures continue to appear as a member of their parent race, but are unmistakeably marked.
In many ways, they can be considered the next step in vampiric evolution. Contrasted with traditional Dhampir, a Dhampyr is more enslaved to thirst and sun. While some strain against their condition, moving to hover close to humanity, others shirk from the light, revelling in the powers of their vampiric legacy.
Cursed Nature
Compared to their long-lived cousins, Dhampyrs are practically eternal. Asuming their lives are not ended prematurely, they can live to be up to a thousand years old, watching even Elven empires pass them by. Caught between drastically competing interests, Dhampirs lose something of themselves as the ages roll past. Relationships mean little as they watch friends grow old, turning bitter at such abandonment. Eventually, their only companion is the thirst that forever gnaws at them.
Dhampirs embody this descent perhaps more than their full-blooded kin. Despite being gifted with abilities some people may only dream of, the cost for such gifts comes at a steep price few consider. Every Dhampir knows thirst slaked only by the living. Those who overindulge this urge risk losing their minds, forever viewing others as prey. Prior loves feel empty; husks when compared to the ambrosia of vitae.
Such hungers often leave the Dhampir in question to view others as mere cattle to be grazed upon, losing all sense of their humanity from before the condition. Their new powers certainly don't help this. Vampires, forever known as a threat to the world, are presumed evil, with their immortality compoudning to this effect. Dhampyr, on the other hand, are seen as more mortal, and so their slide into madness with time reminds observers of their accursed condition.
Vampiric Appearance
Often portrayed as possessing unearthly beauty, Dhampir can be idealized as the perfect person. This is not always the case. Conventional changes do accompany their state, including pale skin, ashen eyes and elongated digits. Some are even enhanced by the process, finding their skin smoother than it was previously, or their grace supernaturally supplemented when well fed.
Others, however, are less fortunate. Fangs inevitably protrude from their upper row of teeth, with some unable to retract the incisors. They have no reflection in mirrors or other reflective surfaces, as well as occasional burns from the sun or distorted features. The exact conditions and traits are unique to each Dhampyr, with individual 'blends' being common. This variety gives Dhampirs much grace to hide, though invariably their traits are clearly vampiric.
Many creatures shun and fear anyone touched by the Sanguine Curse, and their reactions can range anywhere from frightened to violent. Often finding themselves on the end of a pike, Dhampyr wary of this fate mask themselves in a bid to survive, using anything from makeup to magic. This, however, may always make one vulnerable to blackmail should one discover their secret.
Depsite their accursed appearances, Dhampr are not innately driven towards evil. Like anyone else, they run the spectrum of ethics all the same. Despite this, immortality, power, and a thirst for life do drive one towards wicked thoughts, and evil Dhampyr outnumber their good kin.
Virulent Affliction
Traditional Dhampir are often created at birth, whether infected when young or to a turned mother. Dhampyr, though, are invariably made as adults. Some infected wounds, cursed to fester, can leave one transformed, while others are purposefully created by true vampires through grim rituals. Such profaned actions are almost always to have loyal servants which can be sighted during the day, and are most commonly associated with incursions into urban centers.
When embraced, the changes come slowly. Sleepless nights, burning days and a strange longing become companions to the Dhampyr. This state lasts until they are first driven to drink of another creature, their canine teeth elongating and the corruption completed. They stop aging, forever cursed to look as they did at this moment of change, with any non-magical alteration, such as cutting their hair or getting a tattoo, reversing within the hour.
Dhampyr are also infertile, unable to create progeny of their own. Traditions hint of another way, however. If they feed their blood to a creature suffering their death throes, the creature stills, eventually changing into one of the half dead.
You Might...
- Shy away from your heritage and force yourself to take up mortal habits, even if they are unnessary or out of place.
- Constantly struggle with the urge to consume blood, even staying away from fighting to avoid losing yourself.
- Do your best to educate the world on your nature, bridging the gap between life and death and working towards a more accepting life.
Others Probably...
- Believe you to be evil or tainted, distrusting or even outright attacking you.
- Struggle to see you as a person, instead only noticing your affliction.
- Wonder about your life, and possibly even romanticize how you live.
Dhampyr
[Uncommon Ancestry]
Hit Points
8
Size
Medium or Small (Your choice, based on the ancestry you were embraced from)
Speed
25 feet
Attribute Boosts
Constitution
Free
Languages
Common
Additional Languages equal to your intelligence modifier (if it's positive). Choose from Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnomish, Goblin, Halfling, Necril, Orcish, Undercommon, or any other language to which you have access (such as the languages prevalent in your region).
Low Light Vision
You can see in dim light as though it were bright light, and you ignore the concealed condition due to dim light.
Sanguine Thirst
As a Dhampyr, you gain the Drink Blood action.
Drink Blood
Concentrate Dhampyr Manipulate Negative The thirst which accompanies all vampires has burrowed within you, needing to be slaked. You drain the life blood from a living humanoid creature. The target must be restrained, unconscious, or willing. Make an unarmed melee Strike against your targets AC. On a success, the target takes 1 piercing damage, and 1d6 bleed damage. You regain hitpoints equal to the amount of bleed damage. The bleed damage increases to 2d6 at 6th level, 3d6 at 11th level, and 4d6 at 16th level.
If you go for 7 days without drinking at least a pint of blood, or using this activity, your maximum Hit Points are reduced by 1d10. It drops by 1d10 for every additional week you continue to not drink. This reduction cannot be removed until you've consumed a pint of blood for every d10 you're missing, and completed your daily preparations.
Burn of Sun's Light
While not as vulnerable as a true vampire, your skin nonetheless smolders under the sun's light. While you are in an area of Bright Sunlight, you are Enfeebled 1. For every hour you spend in such light without seeking cover, the condition increases 1 by, to a maximum of 4. Additionally, if you spend more than 4 hours in direct sunlight, you become Dazzled as well.
If you are Enfeebled 3 or less, the condition wears off immediately when you are no longer in the sun. If you are Enfeebled 4 or Dazzled, you recover after you are no longer in Sunlight, and take 10 minutes to rest.
Undead Physiology
Despite not being dead, you still heal wounds as if you were. You have the void healing ability, which means you are harmed by vitality damage and healed by void effects as if you were undead.
Dhampyr Heritages
With the number of vampires which can be found across Golarion, it is no wonder there is an incredible range of their heirs. Choose one of the following Dhampyr heritages at 1st level.
Born to Moroi
Among the most common vampires upon Golarion, Moroi are known for their unending thirst. increase the damage die size by one step, to 1d8.
Born to Vetalaranas
Rather than drinking the blood of creatures, you instead siphon off memories and thoughts like that of your ancestor. Drink Blood deals mental damage, rather than bleed, and you recover hit points equal to the amount of mental damage dealt.
Additionally, you learn a few mental tricks of the vampire who created you. During your daily preparations, choose Daze, Figment or Message. Until your next daily preaprations, you can cast that cantrip as an occult innate spell at will. A cantrip is heightened to a spell level equal to half your level rounded up.
Born to Strigoi
More attuned to the Shadow Plane thanks to the first vampires to walk the Universe, you have the ability to sculpt the shadows to hide yourself. As long as you are in dim light in an area of shadows, you can attempt a Stealth check to Hide, even if you aren't concealed against the creature, such as with a creature with darkvision.
Born to Jiang-Shi
Created by one of the strange Tian vampires which siphon the Qi from enemies, you thirst for the very essence of a soul. Drink Blood deals spirit damage, rather than bleed, and you recover hit points equal to the amount of spirit damage dealt.
Additionally, When you Leap, you can add 10 feet to the horizontal and/or vertical distance you move without affecting the Leap DC.
Born to Nosferatu
Raised from plagues, you know the vampires which are truly ancient. Times of sickness are when you are most comfortable, and you've learned to spread disease wherever you tread. Once per hour, when you succeed on an unarmed strike, you may impart a bit of plague to your victim. They must succeed at a Fortitude save against the higher of your Class DC or Spell DC or become Sickened 1. The condition lasts for one minute, or until they succeed on the Fortitude save, which they repeat at the end of each of their turns.
Born to Vrykolakas
Wild and untamed, you feel a natural kinship with the wild side of the world. You gain the Tame Animal feat, and gain a +1 bonus to nature checks when interacting with animals.
Ancient Dhampyr
In your long life, you've dabbled in many paths and many styles, and are typically at least 100 years old. Choose a class other than your own. You gain the multiclass dedication feat for that class, even though you don't meet its level prerequisite. You must still meet its other prerequisites to gain the feat.
They Who Walk Under the Sun
An oddity among Dhampyr, your blood does not burn at the touch of the sun. The reason for this may vary, yet you are closer to humanity than most others of your kind. You lose your Burn of Sun's Light ability, walking unimpeded within Sunlight, though it may still be uncomfortable. You also have a +2 bonus to checks to convince others you are mortal.
Art Credits
"Vampire Castle" - Zahir Aghakhani,
"A Vampire's Tale" - Luke Woolfe,
"Screeching Bat" - Slawomir Maniak,
"Stalking Vampire" - Slawomir Maniak,
"Edgar's Awakening" - Joshua Raphael
Unfortunately, your curse manifests in another way. You cannot enter a residence you do not own without an invitation from one of the occupants. If you enter a residence involuntarily, you take 1d10 mental damage at the start of your turn while you are inside it. This only affects lived in buildings. A hotel room would apply, yet a warehouse would not. The GM has final say on what exactly counts.
Dhampyr Feats
The following feats are available to Dhampyr Characters.
1st Level
Night Eyes Feat 1
| Dhampyr |
|---|
You can see in the darkness as easily as a true vampire. You gain darkvision.
Vampiric Arsenal Feat 1
| Dhampyr |
|---|
Your body shifts to be a natural killing machine. When you will it (no action required) your fingernails or incisors grow into vicious claws or fangs, well suited for drawing blood. Choose either Tooth or Claw.
If you chose Tooth, you gain a fangs unarmed attack that deals 1d6 piercing damage, and has the grapple and unarmed traits. It is in the brawling group.
If you chose Claw, you gain a claw unarmed attack that deals 1d6 slashing damage, and has the finesse, agile and backstabber traits. It is in the brawling group.
Special. You may choose this feat a second time, selecting the option you did not initially choose for it.
Ancient One Feat 1
Prerequisites: At least 100 years old
| Dhampyr |
|---|
Older than most mortals will ever know, you have acquired a vast store of knowledge during your life. You become trained in two skills of your choice.
Chiropteran Form Feat 1
| Concentrate | Dhampyr | Polymorph | Transmutation |
|---|
Your body warps, assuming the shape of a Tiny bat. Any gear your are carrying absorbs into your form. You gain the Animal trait and a fly Speed of 20 feet. You add your level to Stealth if you do not do so already, though you gain Weakness 5 to all damage, cannot speak and your land Speed is reduced to 5 feet, unless it was already lower. While in this form, you cannot take the Strike, Cast a Spell, Invest an Item, Mount or Raise a Shield activities. You also can't perform activities that have the Manipulate trait, or which require anatomy you don't possess, at the GM's discretion.
If you take more than a quarter of your maximum health (rounded down) in damage while in bat form, you are forced back into your normal form, taking fall damage if appropriate, and are unable to use this activity again for a minute. You may dismiss the effect at any time.
Speech of Vermin Feat 1
| Dhampyr |
|---|
The night's scions whisper to you, and you can respond in turn. You may communicate with bats, rats and wolves, and may use Diplomacy with them. You also gain a +1 circumstance bonus to Make an Impression on such creatures.
5th Level
Entralling Allure Feat 5
| Dhampyr |
|---|
The powers of domination employed by your progenitors have manifested in you as well. Once per day, you may cast Charm as a 2nd rank occult innate spell. Casting it requires staring into the target's eyes, giving the spell the visual trait.
Corpselike Physiology Feat 5
| Dhampyr |
|---|
Resisting the toils of mortality, you begin to shrug off some of the effects of lesser beings. You gain a +2 bonus to saves against diseases, and no longer need to eat or drink. However, you must consume blood every 3 days rather than 7, as per Sanguine Thirst.
Against your Nature Feat 5
| Dhampyr |
|---|
Possessed of a deep understanding of your own nature and how to apply such secrets against your own kind, you have taken to hunting nocturnal predators. Against undead creatures, you gain a circumstance bonus to damage with weapons and unarmed attacks equal to the number of weapon damage dice for the Strike. This bonus increases to double the number of weapon damage dice if your target has the vampire or dhampyr traits.
Spider Climb Feat 5
| Dhampyr |
|---|
You gain a climbing Speed equal to half your land Speed. You may walk with your hands free in this way, and need only connect your feet to the surface you are standing on.
9th Level
Bloodletter Feat 9
| Dhampyr |
|---|
A messy eater, you are particularly vicious when you feed. When you score a critical hit with your Drink Blood attack, you deal an additional 1d4 persistent bleed damage.
Blood Frenzy Feat 9
| Dhampyr |
|---|
You feel more alive when you have recently fed, as stolen life force flows through your veins. When you successfully deal damage with your Drink Blood attack, you gain a +1 bonus to a +1 status bonus to your Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, and Thievery checks, and to your Reflex DC. Your land speed also increases by 10 feet, though you become Stupefied 1. These effects last for 1 minute, and can be dismissed. Subsequent uses of Drink Blood do not increase the effect, though it does reset its duration.
Natural Killer Feat 9
Prerequisites: Vampiric Arsenal
| Dhampyr |
|---|
Your body improves, sharpening your natural implements towards a singular purpose: death. If you possess a claw unarmed attack, it gains your choice of Backswing, Disarm, Fatal (d8), or Hampering. If you possess a fangs unarmed attack, it gains your choice of Deadly (d10), Injection or Tearing. If you choose Injection, you must first consume the liquid in the same manner as refilling a standard weapon. You may delay any effects from it until the end of your next, instead passing it onto your victim with a successful strike.
Once you select an additional trait for your attacks, you may not change them unless you retrain the feat.
Expanded Forms Feat 9
Prerequisites: Chiropteran Form
| Dhampyr |
|---|
The forms which you can transform into through Chiropteran Form expand, allowing you to now assume the guise of a wolf or a rat. You may assume the shape of any of the three animals - or return to your true form - whenever you use Chiropteran Form.
While a wolf, you do not have a fly speed, and your land speed is 35 feet. You gain impercise scent 30 feet, and do not gain the weakness to physical damage. You may also make Strikes, however the only attack you can perform is an unarmed Jaws attack which deals 1d8 piercing damage and has the grapple trait.
As a rat, you do not have a fly speed, and your land speed is 25 feet. You gain impercise scent 30 feet. You are immune to catching diseases while in this form, however if you are already suffering from any, they continue to affect you.
Additionally, while you are a bat, you gain precise echolocation 30 feet, and your fly speed increases to 30 ft.
If you take more than a quarter of your maximum health (rounded down) in damage while in any form, you are forced back into your normal shape, taking fall damage if appropriate, and are unable to change into any shape for one minute.
Vampiric Reconstitution Feat 9
| Concentrate | Dhampyr | Healing | Necromany |
|---|
Evolving into something more than mortal, your wounds start to knit together with barely a thought. You regain Hit Points equal to half your level, rounded down. Whenever you take vitality damage, your wounds sizzle until the end of your next turn, preventing you from using Vampiric Regeneration.
Each time you use this ability, make a DC 5 flat check. If you succeed, you recover Hit Points without issue. If you fail, you recover the hit points, but your healing goes awry.
The first time you fail the check, you expend the stores of blood in your body. You become Drained 1, Enfeebled 1 and Clumsy 1 until you deal damage with your Drink Blood attack. This effect stacks every time you fail the flat check.
If these conditions every reach 5 or greater as a result of Vampiric Reconstitution, your body begins to strain against itself. You are also Fatigued unitl you use your Drink Blood ability, as if you had not fed for a week. You cannot use Vampiric Reconstitution until you are no longer fatigued.
13th Level
Escape of Vapour Feat 13
| Concentrate | Dhampyr | Manipulate | Polymorph |
|---|
You shift your body into a gaseous cloud, slipping through the thinnest cracks to persue your prey. You are amorphous while in this state. You lose all item bonuses to AC and other effects caused by your equipment, using your proficiency modifier for unarmoured defence. You gain Resistance 10 to physical damage, and you are immune to precision damage. You cannot cast spells, make attacks, and cannot affect the physical world while in this state. You gain a fly speed of 10 feet, and may pass through anywhere air can escape, but not liquids. You can Dismiss the effect.
17th Level
Affliction's Spread Feat 13
Frequency: Once per day
| Concentrate | Dhampyr | Manipulate | Polymorph |
|---|
Misery loves company, and your blood has learned to kiss others with its curse. You feed your blood to another humanoid creature who has the Dying condition, or to a corpse which has been dead for no longer than 1 minute and whose body is mostly intact. If the creature was dead, they return to life. With either option, they stabilize, and do not become Wounded or increase their Wounded level, though are still unconscious at 0 hp.
Over the next 7 days, the creature's skin slowly begins to lose its colour, and food or drink no longer sates them. At the end of this time, they become a Dhampir (Player's Core 2, Pg. 42), losing any traits or feats from their original heritage. If they have a versatile heritage, they may still keep feats from it with GM permission. Finally, they may select Dhampir feats to replace ones which relied on their original heritage. GM's are recommended to be wary with this feat, as it is intended to be a story device.