A new template for vampire hunters:
Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:41 pm
From the dreams in my head to this post--I present to you--the Reflection template.
When an individual becomes a vampire or a vampire spawn, the individual’s reflection disappears. Most sages attribute this to the mirror is a reflection of one’s soul and a vampire has lost its soul. Few sages wonder as to the fate of these lost soul-reflections. Until recently, it was believed that the lost reflections simply vanished, never to return. However, during a particularly harrowing and vicious encounter with a vampire, an adventurer discovered a hidden power within himself and went toe-to-toe with a vampire with nothing more than his fists and prevailed. He had no training in unarmed combat and yet his blows landed as hard as the vampire’s and any wound the vampire inflicted healed as rapidly.
Since then, the adventurer has learned of others like himself—very rare individuals with ability to mimic several vampiric abilities when in the presence of a vampire for the express purpose of combating vampires. The few sages that have learned of these individuals call them “reflections,” (based upon one of the abilities of these people) as these individuals “mirror” the physical attributes of vampires. Those of a more scientific or natural order mind believe that vampires may have come into existence as a predator to the sentient races but in order to prevent vampires from going from predator to a rampant infection, reflections come into being as a sort of anti-body. It is unknown how many reflections actually exist, as a person can go through his or her entire life without ever encountering the undead, and the source of this power is equally unknown but most believe that it is the Positive Energy Plane (or similar life-giving energy source). Additionally, a person could fight multiple vampires before becoming a reflection.
Vampires themselves are usually completely unaware of reflections existence due to their relatively low numbers. There is the occasional legend, however these tales are usually taken as exceptional individuals rather than a new breed of creature.
Creating a Reflection
“Reflection” is a template that can be inherited or acquired that can be added to any corporeal humanoid or monstrous humanoid (referred to hereafter as “base creature”). Any templates already in place are retained unless the template changes the base creature’s creature type. Subtypes the base creature had are retained and it gains the “augmented” subtype if it doesn’t already have it.
Attacks: The base creature retains any natural weapons and attack bonuses. It should be noted that a reflection’s physical ability scores change with respect to a vampire. Any attacks gained by class are also retained. The base creature gains a slam attack if it didn’t already have one. The base creature’s attacks (manufactured weapon or natural) are treated as having the necessary requirements for bypassing damage reduction for purposes of damaging the vampire ONLY. In addition, a reflection can perform critical hits against a vampire.
Special Qualities:
Reflection’s Aura (Su): The base creature gains a couple of special abilities while it is within 30 ft. of a vampire:
Reflective Healing (Su): The base creature gains the fast healing or regeneration trait (or both) and at the same rate and conditions as the opposing vampire for only the damage directly caused by the vampires physical attacks.
Physical Might (Su): The base creature’s physical abilities (Str and Dex) gain the ability score adjustments of the vampire template while fighting the vampire. This only applies to direct attacks and defenses of the base creature against the vampire. If there are different types of vampire templates, then the adjustments for that template is used. If the vampire has aged past the base adjustments (as is usually the case in Ravenloft) or has the evolved template from Libris Mortis (or both), the base creature gains the new adjustments. For purposes of fighting vampire spawn (as described in the Monster Manual), the base creature gains +6 Str and +4 Dex. The base creature doesn’t gain the ability adjustments associated vampire’s base creature. A reflection fighting a vampire giant might be better equipped to handle the undead behemoth but he is still at a disadvantage as he doesn’t have giant’s natural strength.
A reflection also gains several non-aura-oriented abilities:
Increased Fortitude (Ex): While not immune to a vampire’s energy drain or mental attacks, the base creature gains a +4 bonus to Fortitude saves for negative level checks acquired from the vampire or its spawn and +2 to Will saves against mental-based attacks.
Vampire Sense (Su): The most shocking ability of a reflection when the base creature becomes aware of his abilities is his vampire sense. Within 30 ft., a reflection can pinpoint the exact location of a vampire (even when invisible; unless steps are taken to prevent detection). Outside the radius, the base creature sees an image of the vampire (its lost reflection) superimposed over the base creature as a translucent image anytime he looks into a mirror or other reflective surface. This indicates to the base creature that a vampire is near. The exact range varies and is never consistent but is usually limited to a few miles. In Ravenloft domains that have a vampire lord, a reflection feels the constant nearness of the darklord as its essence permeates the land (this effect doesn’t override the accuracy within 30 ft.). Such darklords don’t gain the ability to sense the reflection but will recognize that the base creature as a threat without really knowing why as soon as the reflection is sensed or detected.
Positoxic Fluids (Ex): Any vampire that feeds upon the base creature’s blood or other fluids suffers from bloodwine poisoning (as described in Libris Mortis, pp. 74-75) except the Fortitude save is 10 + ½ the base creatures total HD (from race and class) + the base creature’s Con modifier. All vampires take a -2 penalty to their Fort saves and take an initial 1d4 Cha damage and a secondary 2d4 Cha damage.
Level Adjustment: +0
Thoughts? Ideas? Heavy sarcasm?
When an individual becomes a vampire or a vampire spawn, the individual’s reflection disappears. Most sages attribute this to the mirror is a reflection of one’s soul and a vampire has lost its soul. Few sages wonder as to the fate of these lost soul-reflections. Until recently, it was believed that the lost reflections simply vanished, never to return. However, during a particularly harrowing and vicious encounter with a vampire, an adventurer discovered a hidden power within himself and went toe-to-toe with a vampire with nothing more than his fists and prevailed. He had no training in unarmed combat and yet his blows landed as hard as the vampire’s and any wound the vampire inflicted healed as rapidly.
Since then, the adventurer has learned of others like himself—very rare individuals with ability to mimic several vampiric abilities when in the presence of a vampire for the express purpose of combating vampires. The few sages that have learned of these individuals call them “reflections,” (based upon one of the abilities of these people) as these individuals “mirror” the physical attributes of vampires. Those of a more scientific or natural order mind believe that vampires may have come into existence as a predator to the sentient races but in order to prevent vampires from going from predator to a rampant infection, reflections come into being as a sort of anti-body. It is unknown how many reflections actually exist, as a person can go through his or her entire life without ever encountering the undead, and the source of this power is equally unknown but most believe that it is the Positive Energy Plane (or similar life-giving energy source). Additionally, a person could fight multiple vampires before becoming a reflection.
Vampires themselves are usually completely unaware of reflections existence due to their relatively low numbers. There is the occasional legend, however these tales are usually taken as exceptional individuals rather than a new breed of creature.
Creating a Reflection
“Reflection” is a template that can be inherited or acquired that can be added to any corporeal humanoid or monstrous humanoid (referred to hereafter as “base creature”). Any templates already in place are retained unless the template changes the base creature’s creature type. Subtypes the base creature had are retained and it gains the “augmented” subtype if it doesn’t already have it.
Attacks: The base creature retains any natural weapons and attack bonuses. It should be noted that a reflection’s physical ability scores change with respect to a vampire. Any attacks gained by class are also retained. The base creature gains a slam attack if it didn’t already have one. The base creature’s attacks (manufactured weapon or natural) are treated as having the necessary requirements for bypassing damage reduction for purposes of damaging the vampire ONLY. In addition, a reflection can perform critical hits against a vampire.
Special Qualities:
Reflection’s Aura (Su): The base creature gains a couple of special abilities while it is within 30 ft. of a vampire:
Reflective Healing (Su): The base creature gains the fast healing or regeneration trait (or both) and at the same rate and conditions as the opposing vampire for only the damage directly caused by the vampires physical attacks.
Physical Might (Su): The base creature’s physical abilities (Str and Dex) gain the ability score adjustments of the vampire template while fighting the vampire. This only applies to direct attacks and defenses of the base creature against the vampire. If there are different types of vampire templates, then the adjustments for that template is used. If the vampire has aged past the base adjustments (as is usually the case in Ravenloft) or has the evolved template from Libris Mortis (or both), the base creature gains the new adjustments. For purposes of fighting vampire spawn (as described in the Monster Manual), the base creature gains +6 Str and +4 Dex. The base creature doesn’t gain the ability adjustments associated vampire’s base creature. A reflection fighting a vampire giant might be better equipped to handle the undead behemoth but he is still at a disadvantage as he doesn’t have giant’s natural strength.
A reflection also gains several non-aura-oriented abilities:
Increased Fortitude (Ex): While not immune to a vampire’s energy drain or mental attacks, the base creature gains a +4 bonus to Fortitude saves for negative level checks acquired from the vampire or its spawn and +2 to Will saves against mental-based attacks.
Vampire Sense (Su): The most shocking ability of a reflection when the base creature becomes aware of his abilities is his vampire sense. Within 30 ft., a reflection can pinpoint the exact location of a vampire (even when invisible; unless steps are taken to prevent detection). Outside the radius, the base creature sees an image of the vampire (its lost reflection) superimposed over the base creature as a translucent image anytime he looks into a mirror or other reflective surface. This indicates to the base creature that a vampire is near. The exact range varies and is never consistent but is usually limited to a few miles. In Ravenloft domains that have a vampire lord, a reflection feels the constant nearness of the darklord as its essence permeates the land (this effect doesn’t override the accuracy within 30 ft.). Such darklords don’t gain the ability to sense the reflection but will recognize that the base creature as a threat without really knowing why as soon as the reflection is sensed or detected.
Positoxic Fluids (Ex): Any vampire that feeds upon the base creature’s blood or other fluids suffers from bloodwine poisoning (as described in Libris Mortis, pp. 74-75) except the Fortitude save is 10 + ½ the base creatures total HD (from race and class) + the base creature’s Con modifier. All vampires take a -2 penalty to their Fort saves and take an initial 1d4 Cha damage and a secondary 2d4 Cha damage.
Level Adjustment: +0
Thoughts? Ideas? Heavy sarcasm?