Pathfinder in the Mists

[Ryan Naylor]

Jiang-Shi

Jiang-shis (often known as “hopping vampires”) are undead humanoid creatures that feed on the exhaled life energy of the living. A jiang-shi’s appearance is based on the state of the creature’s corpse at the time of its reanimation. Regardless of the state of decay, most jiang-shis wear clothing or armor that is at least one generation out of style. Additionally, each has a short parchment prayer scroll affixed to its brow by stitches; originally intended to protect the body from restless spirits, this scroll grants a jiang-shi immunity to magical effects unleashed by items like scrolls and wands.

The Jiang-Shi Template
Creating a Jiang-Shi
“Jiang-shi” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 5 or more Hit Dice (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A jiang-shi uses the base creature’s stats and abilities except as noted here.

Age Category DR Fast Healing Channel Resistance Natural AC CR
0-99 Fledgling 10/magic and slashing 5 +4 +2 +2
100-199 Mature 10/magic and slashing 5 +4 +2 +3
200-299 Old 10/magic and slashing 6 +5 +3 +3
300-499 Ancient 15/magic and slashing 6 +6 +3 +4
500-999 Eminent 15/magic and slashing 8 +7 +4 +4
1000+ Patriarch 15/magic and slashing 10 +8 +4 +5

CR: See table above.
AL: Any evil.
Type: The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented). Do not recalculate class Hit Dice, BAB, or saves.
Senses: A jiang-shi gains darkvision 60 feet. It also gains the ability to sense the breathing of living creatures—a jiang-shi has blindsight to a range of 60 feet against creatures that breathe. A creature may hold its breath to prevent a jiang-shi from noticing it in this manner.
Armour Class: See table above
Hit Dice: Change all racial Hit Dice to d8s. Class Hit Dice are unaffected. As undead, jiang-shi use their Charisma modifier to determine bonus hit points instead of Constitution).
Defensive Abilities: A jiang-shi gains cold resistance 20, and damage reduction, fast healing and channel resistance as shown in the table above, in addition to all of the defensive abilities granted by the undead type. In addition, all jiang-shis gain the following defensive ability.
Prayer Scroll (Su): The scroll attached to the brow of a jiang-shi grants immunity to any effects generated from spell-completion or spell-trigger magic items, such as scrolls and wands. Such magical effects treat the jiang-shi as if it had unbeatable spell resistance. A jiang-shi‘s prayer scroll can be removed with a successful steal combat manoeuvre, which immediately ends the jiang-shi’s immunity to these effects. If a jiang-shi’s prayer scroll is destroyed (a standard action), the vampire also loses its fast healing ability. A jiang-shi may create a replacement prayer scroll by using any strip of parchment and a writing instrument, but doing so requires 10 minutes of uninterrupted work.
If reduced to 0 hit points, a jiang-shi crumbles to dust but is not destroyed. It reforms in 1 minute with 1 hit point in the same space, or the nearest unoccupied space. Scattering the dust before the jiang-shi reforms destroys it permanently, as does mixing rice into the dust with a dose of holy water. Jiang-shis are also susceptible to wooden weapons carved from peach trees, as such weapons represent the unity of all elements and life to these creatures. A wooden weapon carved from a peach tree automatically bypasses a jiang-shi’s damage reduction. Additionally, any successful hit from such a weapon that reduces a jiang-shi to 0 hit points immediately destroys the creature. Although they normally retreat from daylight, jiang-shis are not destroyed by sunlight like regular vampires and can move around during the day without harm.
Weaknesses: Jiang-shis recoil from mirrors or the sound of handbells rung within 10 feet of them. Cooked rice, which to jiang-shis mocks the fundamental fact that they no longer eat food, shames them into recoiling as well. These things don’t harm a jiang-shi—they merely keep it at bay for a period of time. A recoiling jiang-shi must stay at least 5 feet away from the object of its revulsion, and cannot touch or make melee attacks against a creature brandishing the object during that round. Holding a jiang-shi at bay takes a standard action. After being held at bay for 1 round, a jiang-shi can attempt to overcome its revulsion of the object and function normally each round it makes a DC 20 Will save at the start of its turn.
Speed: A jiang-shi moves only by hopping. This mode of movement is somewhat less swift than regular movement, and thus a jiang-shi’s base speed is reduced by 10 feet from the base creature’s speed, to a minimum of 10 feet. This unusual mode of movement allows the jiang-shi to ignore the effects of difficult terrain on movement, and makes it impossible to trip. Other speeds (like fly or swim speeds) are not affected by this reduction.
Melee: A jiang-shi gains a bite attack and 2 claw attacks if the base creature didn’t have them. Damage for the bite attack depends on the jiang-shi’s size, but its claw attacks do damage as a creature two size categories larger. For a Medium jiang-shi, a bite attack deals 1d6 points of damage and a claw attack deals 1d8 points of damage. A jiang-shi’s claws are even more dangerous than this, though—see the “brutal claws” special attack below. A jiang-shi’s natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Special Attacks: A jiang-shi gains several special attacks. Save DCs are equal to 10 + 1/2 the jiang-shi’s Hit Dice + the jiang-shi’s Charisma modifier unless otherwise noted.
Brutal Claws (Ex): A jiang-shi’s nails are brutally sharp and can extend and retract at will. They threaten a critical hit on a roll of 19–20 and grant the grab ability. A jiang-shi with monk levels gains this enhanced critical threat range and grab ability with its unarmed attacks, and uses its unarmed monk damage or its claw damage, whichever is higher, when making such attacks.
Create Spawn (Su): A jiang-shi can create spawn out of those it slays with its drain chi, provided that the slain creature is of the same creature type as the jiang-shi’s base creature type. The victim rises from death as a jiang-shi when its creator prepares a prayer scroll (typically 1d4 days). This jiang-shi is under the command of the jiang-shi that created it, and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. A jiang-shi may have enslaved spawn totalling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn it creates that would exceed this limit become free-willed undead. A jiang-shi may free an enslaved spawn in order to enslave a new spawn, but once freed, a jiang-shi or jiang-shi spawn cannot be enslaved again.
Drain Chi (Su): Instead of draining blood, a jiang-shi drains “chi,” or life energy, from a victim’s breath. When a jiang-shi makes a successful grapple check (in addition to any other effects caused by a successful check, including additional damage), the jiang-shi can attempt to drain chi by drinking the victim’s breath. The victim can resist this attack by making a successful Fortitude save. On a failed save, the victim gains 1 negative level and is staggered for 1d4 rounds.
Ability Scores: See below. As an undead creature, a jiang-shi has no Constitution score.

Category Str Dex Int Wis Cha
Fledgling +4 +6 +2 +4 +2
Mature +4 +8 +2 +4 +4
Old +6 +8 +4 +6 +4
Ancient +6 +10 +4 +6 +6
Eminent +8 +10 +6 +8 +6
Patriarch +10 +12 +8 +10 +8

Skills: Jiang-shis gain a +8 racial bonus on Acrobatics, Perception, and Stealth checks.
Feats: Jiang-shis gain Alertness, Dodge, Mobility, Skill Focus (Acrobatics), and Spring Attack as bonus feats.

[Ryan Naylor]

Kuei-jin

(Note from me: In RL3e terms, this was the Chiang-shi. However, the Jiang-shi already exists in Pathfinder as a different beast, so I renamed it).

The kuei-jin (or “oriental vampire”) originated in lands with Eastern cultures, such as the domain of Rokushima Táiyoo. It is the strain of vampirism that is oriental, not necessarily the base creature. All kuei-jin possess slightly luminous skin, long, razor-sharp fingernails and stark white hair. Both nails and hair grow longer with age: for each century of undeath, a kuei-jin’s nails grow 1 inch and its hair grows 1 foot. If trimmed, the nails and hair grow back while the kuei-jin sleeps in its coffin. Truly ancient kuei-jin often wear their hair in long braids or allow it to enshroud them like cobwebs.

The Kuei-jin Template
Creating a Kuei-jin
“Kuei-jin” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 5 or more Hit Dice (referred to hereafter as the base creature). Most kuei-jin were once humanoids, fey, or monstrous humanoids. A kuei-jin uses the base creature’s stats and abilities except as noted here.

Age Category Speed DR Fast Healing Channel Resistance Natural AC CR
0-99 Fledgling +10 10/magic and silver 5 +4 +6 +2
100-199 Mature +10 10/magic and silver 5 +4 +6 +3
200-299 Old +10 10/magic and silver 6 +5 +7 +3
300-499 Ancient +20 15/magic and silver 6 +6 +7 +4
500-999 Eminent +20 15/magic and silver 8 +7 +8 +4
1000+ Patriarch +30 15/magic and silver 10 +8 +8 +5

CR: See table above.
AL: Any evil.
Type: The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented). Do not recalculate class Hit Dice, BAB, or saves.
Senses: A kuei-jin gains darkvision 60 ft.
Armour Class: See table above
Hit Dice: Change all racial Hit Dice to d8s. Class Hit Dice are unaffected. As undead, kuei-jin use their Charisma modifier to determine bonus hit points instead of Constitution).
Defensive Abilities: A kuei-jin gains resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10, and damage reduction, fast healing and channel resistance as shown in the table above, in addition to all of the defensive abilities granted by the undead type. If reduced to 0 hit points in combat, a kuei-jin becomes invisible and intangible (see below) and attempts to escape. It must reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. Additional damage dealt to a kuei-jin forced into intangible form has no effect. Once at rest, the kuei-jin is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes fast healing.
Weaknesses: Kuei-jin cannot tolerate the odour of burning incense made from rosemary and myrrh and will not enter an area laced with its smoke. Similarly, they will recoil from garlands woven from rosemary and ivy. This doesn’t harm the kuei-jin—it merely keeps it at bay. A recoiling kuei-jin must stay at least 5 feet away from the garland and cannot touch or make melee attacks against that creature. Holding a kuei-jin at bay takes a standard action. After 1 round, a kuei-jin can overcome its revulsion of the object and function normally each round it makes a DC 25 Will save.
Reducing a kuei-jin’s hit points to 0 or lower incapacitates it but doesn’t always destroy it (see fast healing). However, certain attacks can slay kuei-jin. Exposing any kuei-jin to direct sunlight staggers it on the first round of exposure and destroys it utterly on the second consecutive round of exposure if it does not escape. Each round of immersion in running water inflicts damage on a kuei-jin equal to one third of its maximum hit points—a kuei-jin reduced to 0 hit points in this manner is destroyed. Driving a bamboo shaft through a helpless Kuei-jin’s heart instantly slays it (this is a full-round action). However, it returns to life if the shaft is removed, unless bless is cast on a rosemary blossom placed in the kuei-jin’s mouth and its lips and eyelids are sewn shut with a silver needle.
Speed: See table above. If the base creature has a swim speed, the kuei-jin is not unduly harmed by running water.
Melee: A kuei-jin gains 2 claw attacks if the base creature didn’t have them. Damage for the claws depends on the kuei-jin’s size. Its slam also causes energy drain (see below). Its natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Special Attacks: A kuei-jin gains several special attacks. Save DCs are equal to 10 + 1/2 kuei-jin’s HD + kuei-jin’s Cha modifier unless otherwise noted.
Blood Drain (Su): A kuei-jin can suck blood from a grappled opponent; if the kuei-jin establishes or maintains a pin, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution damage. The kuei-jin heals 5 hit points or gains 5 temporary hit points for 1 hour (up to a maximum number of temporary hit points equal to its full normal hit points) each round it drains blood.
Children of the Night (Su): Once per day, a kuei-jin can call forth 1d6+1 cat swarms or 2d6 panthers as a standard action. (If the base creature is not terrestrial, this power might summon other creatures of similar power.) These creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the kuei-jin for up to 1 hour.
Create Spawn (Su): A kuei-jin can create spawn out of those it slays with blood drain or energy drain, provided that the slain creature is of the same creature type as the kuei-jin’s base creature type. The victim rises from death as a kuei-jin in 1d4 days. This kuei-jin is under the command of the kuei-jin that created it, and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. A kuei-jin may have enslaved spawn totalling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn it creates that would exceed this limit become free-willed undead. A kuei-jin may free an enslaved spawn in order to enslave a new spawn, but once freed, a kuei-jin or kuei-jin spawn cannot be enslaved again.
Energy Drain (Su): A creature hit by a kuei-jin’s claws (or other natural weapon) gains two negative levels (Fortitude negates). This ability only triggers once per round, regardless of the number of attacks a kuei-jin makes. The kuei-jin heals 10 hit points or gains 10 temporary hit points for 1 hour (up to a maximum number of temporary hit points equal to its full normal hit points).
Mesmerism (Su): A kuei-jin can paralyse an opponent as a standard action. Anyone the kuei-jin targets must succeed on a Will save or be paralysed as though by a hold monster spell (caster level 12th). The ability has a range of 30 ft.
Spell-like Abilities (Sp): At will: insect plague, passwall. Caster level 12th.
Special Qualities: A kuei-jin gains the following.
Change Shape (Su): A kuei-jin can use change shape to assume the form of a tiger, as beast shape II.
Corrosion (Su): Any non-magical weapon that strikes a kuei-jin takes 1 point of damage due to aging. This damage bypasses the weapon’s hardness.
Invisibility (Su): A kuei-jin can turn itself invisible as a standard action. It can remain invisible indefinitely, but still becomes immediately visible if it makes a direct attack.
Shadowless (Ex): A kuei-jin casts no shadows and shows no reflection in a mirror.
Weightless Step (Su): At will, the kuei-jin can levitate (caster level 12th), except that it can also move horizontally forward at 10 ft per round (20 ft if ancient or older).
Ability Scores: See below. As an undead creature, a kuei-jin has no Constitution score.

Category Str Dex Int Wis Cha
Fledgling +6 +4 +2 +2 +4
Mature +8 +4 +2 +4 +4
Old +8 +6 +4 +4 +6
Ancient +10 +6 +4 +6 +6
Eminent +10 +8 +6 +6 +8
Patriarch +12 +10 +8 +8 +10

Skills: Kuei-jin gain a +8 racial bonus on Bluff, Perception, Sense Motive, and Stealth checks.
Feats: Kuei-jin gain Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, and Toughness as bonus feats.

[The Giamarga]

That's a lot to digest. Can you highlight the changes ? Why "Barovian" vampire? Are there other strains? Darkonian? Gundarakite?

Will you adopt/adapt paizo's hunger/withdrawal rules?

One thing I always loved where the new salient abilities. Will they be included? (Paizo only has very few)

[Ryan Naylor]

A Barovian vampire is a normal/standard vampire, to differentiate them from elven vampires, nosferatu, etc. Barovia gets the credit because Strahd, as he likes to remind us, was the first one in Ravenloft.

I have no intention of adopting or adapting the Pathfinder hunger rules, but I'd imagine they're completely compatible with this, so if you want to use it, you can.

Salient abilities are coming. This is only about a third of the vampires chapter.

Changes include the RL age categories for the Pathfinder templates. For the other templates, the abilities are Pathfinderised from their RL3e version. Goatsucker is new and based on an idea by Mangrum; I've no idea if he ever released stats for it, but this is based on a written description and stated up from those vague hints. Penanggalan might be new as well. I thought I'd only adapted it, but I can't find a Pathfinder base version now.

[Mortavius]

Pathfinder Penanggalen is on page 216 of the Bestiary 3.

[The Giamarga]

Or here

[Ryan Naylor]

Spelling it differently - that's the problem. I knew I'd seen it, and I didn't have time to look properly.

[Ryan Naylor]

Incidentally, the Pathfinder vrykolakas should probably been seen as a Hungry Dead rather than a vampire. It's basically a souped up, disease-ridden wight rather than a full vampire.

[Nathan of the FoS]

Hey, Ryan...do you think you could compile this for publication as a netbook? I think about all it's missing at this point is a table of contents.

[Ryan Naylor]

Table of Contents

Chapter One: What Is Ravenloft? 5
The Gothic Milieu 6
Playing the Game 7
Chapter Two: The Lay of the Land 10
Good and Evil 11
The Semblance of Reason 11
The Domains 12
The Mists 12
False History 13
Necromancy and Shadow 13
Divination 13
Other Worlds 13
The Gods 14
The Dark Powers 14
Chapter Three: The Heroes of Ravenloft 15
Races 16
Humans 16
The Near Human 17
Calibans 17
Changelings 18
Dhampir 19
Half-Elf (Changelings, fey-born) 20
Halflings 21
Giomorgo (Half-Vistani) 22
The Nonhuman 23
Dwarf 23
Elf 25
Gnome 27
The Inhuman 28
Classes 29
Alchemist 29
Barbarian 29
Bard 30
Cavalier 31
Cleric 32
Druid 32
Fighter 32
Gunslinger 33
Inquisitor 33
Magus 34
Monk 34
Oracle 34
Paladin 37
Ranger 38
Rogue 38
Sorcerer 39
Summoner 39
Witch 39
Wizard 40
Dread Companions 41
Animal Companions 41
Skills 42
Feats 43
Altered Feats 43
New Feats 44
New Feats In Brief 47
Equipment 48
Technology Levels 48
New Equipment 50
Weapons 50
Armour 52
General 52
Alchemical 53
Faiths of the Mists 56
Ezra 56
Hala 56
The Lawgiver 57
Hearth Gods 57
Minor Faiths 57
Chapter Four: Magic in the Mists 60
The Semblance of Reason 61
Altered Magic 62
New Magic 66
The Mist Domain 77
The Seer Subdomain (Knowledge) 77
Chapter Five: The Ways of the World 78
Innocence 79
Xenophobia 79
Ethereal Resonance and Sinkholes of Evil 80
Fear, Horror and Madness 81
Dreams and Nightmares 85
Reality Wrinkles 86
Curses 86
Powers checks 88
Chapter Six: The Land of the Mists 92
The Core 93
Inhabited Domains 94
Barovia 95
Borca 95
Darkon 96
Dementlieu 96
Falkovnia 96
Hazlan 97
Invidia 97
Kartakass 98
Lamordia 98
Mordent 98
Nova Vaasa 99
Richemulot 99
Sithicus 100
Tepest 100
Valachan 100
Verbrek 101
The Seas 101
Uninhabited Domains 102
The Near 103
The Amber Wastes 103
G’Henna 103
The Shadowlands 103
Souragne 103
The Verdurous Lands 103
Zherisia 104
The Far 104
The Frozen Wastes 104
Rokushima Taiyoo 104
The Lost 104
Chapter Seven: Prestige Classes 105
Altered Prestige Classes 106
New Prestige Classes 107
Anchorite 107
Avenger 109
Ba’al Verzi Assassin 110
Courtier 112
Crypt Raider 114
Dreamcaster 116
Guardian 117
Herald of the Dawn 118
Knight of the Shadows 119
Mesmerist 120
Monster Hunter 122
Moonchild 123
Tepestani Inquisitor 124
Chapter Eight: Forged of Darkness 126
The Great Divisions 127
The Mundane 127
The Mystical 127
The Magical 128
Companion Items 128
Altered Magic Items 129
Cursed Items 129
Intelligent Items 129
New Magic Items 130

[The Giamarga]

Ooh, Ba’al Verzi Assassin! Yay! I'm looking forward to this and some of the other prestige classes implementation. Moon Child and Monster Hunter especially. My hopes for Ba'al Verzi: no spellcasting, weapon bond similar to paladin or wizard.

Any chance for a preview?

So, no new archetypes?

[Ryan Naylor]

Ooh, Ba’al Verzi Assassin! Yay! I'm looking forward to this and some of the other prestige classes implementation. Moon Child and Monster Hunter especially. My hopes for Ba'al Verzi: no spellcasting, weapon bond similar to paladin or wizard.

You might be disappointed then. At least as it currently is. But I am always open to feedback as I hope I've made clear.

Any chance for a preview?

Prestige classes are up after I'm done with vampire templates.

So, no new archetypes?

Yes, but they're right back on pages 2-4 of this thread.

[Ryan Naylor]

More vampire templates for you all.

Note that I have renamed the elven vampire to pishacha from Mangrum's suggestion of albesadow. I did this because I don't like the word "albesadow." To my ear, given the elves of Sithicus (where a good proportion of these are likely to come from) are known as "hissing elves" a nice sibilant-rich name like "pishacha" seems more fitting. Pishacha are Indian undead who dance in the intenstines of their victims, which is just too nice an image to pass up. I can certainly imagine elven vampires doing that.

The Pathfinder nosferatu is very different to the Ravenloft nosferatu. One is like the movie Nosferatu; one is like the Byronic vampires of Lord Ruthven and Varney. The Ravenloft nosferatu came first (in game terms at least, although not in quite the same form) and is well entrenched in Ravenloft from the very beginnings, so (as opposed to the chiang shi earlier) I've left the Ravenloft one as the nosferatu, and the Pathfinder one has been renamed "obyri". For those who are interested, "obyri" is the Slavic word for vampire, and shares the same root as the Bulgarian word "vampir," which is obviously where the English word comes from.

Also, the obyri have gained the ability to create spawn, since that's an important part of being a true vampire according to Van Richten (and because Ravenloft is nastier than Pathfinder in terms of monster power).


I am not sure whether Jander Sunstar is a nosferatu or a Barovian/standard vampire who refuses/is unable to drain energy. His attempt to face his death with dignity (which I think is a really moving part of the book), his fear of the sun and becoming a crimson death, and the damage caused by the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind certainly suggest that he is vulnerable to sunlight. I'm not sure how he'd know this for sure though without exposing himself to sunlight, so perhaps he just *thinks* he'd be damaged by it, which makes his fear and his attempted suicide even more pointless. We do know, though, that the vampires that made him were damaged by sunlight.

On balance, despite the fact that he's labelled as a nosferatu, I'm inclined to say he's a Barovian vampire with salient abilities allowing him to resist sunlight for a time and be awake during the day.

[Ryan Naylor]

Nonaris

When some gnomes claim that life is little more than a cruel cosmic joke, it is the nonaris or “gnome vampire” they offer as their evidence. Time etches itself deeply into the nonaris’s flesh, slowly turning their skin from taut to haggard to a state of near mummification. Strikingly, all nonari are completely mute, robbing them of the ability to tell the jokes and stories they enjoyed in life or to use their inborn cantrips.

The Nonaris Template
Creating a Nonaris
“Nonaris” is an acquired template that can be added to any gnome with 5 or more Hit Dice (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A nonaris uses the base creature’s stats and abilities except as noted here.

Age Category Speed DR Fast Healing Channel Resistance Laugh Natural AC CR
0-99 Fledgling +0 10/magic and silver 3 +4 1d4 +6 +1
100-199 Mature +10 10/magic and silver 3 +4 1d6 +6 +1
200-299 Old +10 10/magic and silver 5 +5 1d8 +7 +2
300-499 Ancient +20 15/magic and silver 5 +5 1d8 +7 +2
500-999 Eminent +20 15/magic and silver 6 +6 1d10 +8 +3
1000+ Patriarch +30 15/magic and silver 8 +7 1d10 +8 +4

CR: See table above.
AL: Any evil.
Type: The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented). Do not recalculate class Hit Dice, BAB, or saves.
Armour Class: See table above
Hit Dice: Change all racial Hit Dice to d8s. Class Hit Dice are unaffected. As undead, nonari use their Charisma modifier to determine bonus hit points instead of Constitution).
Defensive Abilities: A nonaris gains resistance to cold 20, electricity 20 and fire 20, and damage reduction, fast healing, and channel resistance as shown in the table above, in addition to all of the defensive abilities granted by the undead type. If reduced to 0 hit points in combat, a nonaris immediately assumes spectral form and must attempt to return to its coffin. It must reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. Additional damage dealt to a nonaris at this point has no effect. Once at rest, the nonaris is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes fast healing.
Weaknesses: Nonari recoil from silver mirrors or strongly presented holy symbols and are fascinated by gemstones. These things don’t harm the nonaris—they merely keep it at bay. A recoiling nonaris must stay at least 5 feet away from the mirror or holy symbol and cannot touch or make melee attacks against that creature. Holding a nonaris at bay takes a standard action. After 1 round, a nonaris can overcome its revulsion or fascination with the object and function normally each round it makes a DC 25 Will save. Attacking immediately ends the fascination.
A nonaris is unable to enter any structure unless it raps once on the door and a living creature responds. In lands where nonari roam, wary residents will not respond until a visitor’s second or third knock.
Reducing a nonaris’s hit points to 0 or lower incapacitates it but doesn’t always destroy it (see fast healing). However, certain attacks can slay nonari. Exposing a nonaris to direct sunlight destroys it completely at the end of one round. Driving a silver spike through a helpless nonaris’s heart instantly slays it (this is a full-round action). However, it returns to life if the shaft is removed, unless its hands are cut off, its eyes replaced by gems worth at least 100 gp, and it is nailed into a coffin and reburied.
Nonari are mute. A nonaris spellcaster must use the Silent Spell feat to cast spells.
Speed: See table above.
Melee: A nonaris gains a slam attack if the base creature didn’t have one. Damage for the slam depends on the nonaris’s size. Its natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Special Attacks: A nonaris gains several special attacks. Save DCs are equal to 10 + 1/2 nonaris’s HD + nonaris’s Cha modifier unless otherwise noted.
Blood Drain (Su): A nonaris can suck blood from a grappled opponent; if the nonaris establishes or maintains a pin, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution damage. The nonaris heals 5 hit points or gains 5 temporary hit points for 1 hour (up to a maximum number of temporary hit points equal to its full normal hit points) each round it drains blood.
Create Spawn (Su): A nonaris can create spawn out of any gnomes with at least 5 Hit Dice it slays with blood drain. To do so, the victim’s corpse must be interred with the master vampire itself for 3 full days. The master vampire is not even able to leave to feed. If this occurs, the victim rises from death as a nonaris. This nonaris is under the command of the nonaris that created it, and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. A nonaris may have enslaved spawn totalling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn it creates that would exceed this limit become free-willed undead. A nonaris may free an enslaved spawn in order to enslave a new spawn, but once freed, a nonaris cannot be enslaved again.
Nonari can only create full nonari, not nonari spawn.
Dexterity Drain (Su): A creature struck by a nonaris’s slam attack suffers 1d4 points of Dexterity drain (Fortitude negates). The nonaris heals 5 hit points or gains 5 temporary hit points for 1 hour (up to a maximum number of temporary hit points equal to its full normal hit points) per successful attack.
Dominate Animals (Su): A nonaris can crush an animal’s will as a standard action. The animal must succeed on a Will save or fall instantly under the nonaris’s influence, as though by a dominate animal spell (caster level 12th). The ability has a range of 30 feet.
Mocking Grin (Su): Once per 10 min, the nonaris can twist its features into a leering grin. This ability is a gaze attack that requires a standard action and has a range of 30 ft. Anyone who can see the nonaris’s face must make a Will save or be affected by hideous laughter (CL 12th), except the duration is 1d6 rounds and victims of a different type do not receive a bonus to their save. In addition, victims suffer damage each round they laugh, as shown in the table above.
Special Qualities: A nonaris gains the following.
Change Self (Sp): At will as a standard action, the nonaris can change self (CL 12th), except it can maintain the illusion indefinitely.
Metal Immunity (Su): Metal weapons (except silver) pass harmlessly through a nonaris’ body, regardless of the weapon’s enchantment. If a magic weapon does additional damage of a different type (e.g. fire), the nonaris is subject to that weapon, but otherwise takes no damage at all.
Sceptic (Ex): A nonaris automatically disbelieves all illusions.
Spectral Form (Su): At will as a standard action, a nonaris can assume a form similar to a will o’ wisp. It can remain in this form indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect manoeuvrability. It is incorporeal, but cannot pass through force effects, living creatures, or materials made out of once-living material (such as leather or wood).
Spider Climb (Ex): A nonaris can climb sheer surfaces as though under the effects of a spider climb spell, provided the surface is made of an inorganic material.
Ability Scores: See below. As an undead creature, a nonaris has no Constitution score.

Category Str Dex Int Wis Cha
Fledgling +0 +6 +2 +6 +4
Mature +0 +8 +2 +8 +4
Old +2 +8 +4 +8 +6
Ancient +2 +10 +4 +10 +6
Eminent +4 +10 +6 +10 +8
Patriarch +6 +12 +8 +12 +10

Skills: Nonari gain a +8 racial bonus on Bluff, Perception, Sense Motive, and Stealth checks.
Feats: Nonari gain Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, and Toughness as bonus feats.

[Ryan Naylor]

Nosferatu

Nosferatu (or “daywalker vampires”) are naturally pale and cold to the touch, but become as flushed and warm as any living person for several hours after feeding. Nosferatu often grow more attractive with the passing of centuries as old scars fade and coarse features become smooth. Patriarch nosferatu are reputed to have skin as smooth as porcelain. Their ability to tolerate sunlight, ape the living, and control the minds of their victims make them a far more subtle threat than most other strains of vampire, although they are less hardy in direct combat.

The Nosferatu Template
Creating a Nosferatu
“Nosferatu” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 5 or more Hit Dice (referred to hereafter as the base creature). Most nosferatu were once humanoids, fey, or monstrous humanoids. A nosferatu uses the base creature’s stats and abilities except as noted here.

Age Category Speed DR Lunar Regen. Channel Resistance Natural AC CR
0-99 Fledgling +0 10/magic and silver +0 +4 +6 +2
100-199 Mature +10 10/magic and silver +0 +4 +6 +2
200-299 Old +10 10/magic and silver +1 +5 +7 +3
300-499 Ancient +20 15/magic and silver +1 +6 +7 +3
500-999 Eminent +20 15/magic and silver +2 +7 +8 +4
1000+ Patriarch +30 15/magic and silver +3 +8 +8 +5

CR: See table above.
AL: Any evil.
Type: The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented). Do not recalculate class Hit Dice, BAB, or saves.
Senses: A nosferatu gains darkvision 60 ft.
Armour Class: See table above
Hit Dice: Change all racial Hit Dice to d8s. Class Hit Dice are unaffected. As undead, nosferatu use their Charisma modifier to determine bonus hit points instead of Constitution).
Defensive Abilities: A nosferatu gains resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10, and damage reduction and channel resistance as shown in the table above, in addition to all of the defensive abilities granted by the undead type. If reduced to 0 hit points in combat, the nosferatu collapses as if slain, but is not truly slain. If exposed to moonlight, it begins to regenerate.
Weaknesses: Nosferatu cannot tolerate the strong odour of garlic and will not enter an area laced with it. Similarly, they recoil from mirrors or strongly presented holy symbols. These things don’t harm the nosferatu—they merely keep it at bay. A recoiling nosferatu must stay at least 5 feet away from the mirror or holy symbol and cannot touch or make melee attacks against that creature. Holding a nosferatu at bay takes a standard action. After 1 round, a nosferatu can overcome its revulsion of the object and function normally each round it makes a DC 25 Will save.
Reducing a nosferatu’s hit points to 0 or lower incapacitates it but doesn’t always destroy it (see lunar regeneration). However, certain attacks can slay nosferatu. Each round of immersion in running water inflicts damage on a nosferatu equal to one third of its maximum hit points—a nosferatu reduced to 0 hit points in this manner is destroyed. Driving a wooden stake through a helpless nosferatu’s heart instantly slays it (this is a full-round action). However, it returns to life if the stake is removed and it is exposed to moonlight, unless it is consumed by flame or its limbs are scattered beyond the reach of its surviving minions.
Speed: See table above. If the base creature has a swim speed, the nosferatu is not unduly harmed by running water.
Melee: A nosferatu gains a slam attack if the base creature didn’t have one. Damage for the attack depends on the nosferatu’s size. Its natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Special Attacks: A nosferatu gains several special attacks. Save DCs are equal to 10 + 1/2 nosferatu’s HD + nosferatu’s Cha modifier unless otherwise noted.
Blood Drain (Su): A Nosferatu can suck blood from a grappled opponent; if the nosferatu establishes or maintains a pin, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution damage. The nosferatu heals 5 hit points or gains 5 temporary hit points for 1 hour (up to a maximum number of temporary hit points equal to its full normal hit points) each round it drains blood. The victim must also make a Will save or be dominated.
A rare subtype of nosferatu, called cerebral vampires, deal Intelligence damage instead. Victims reduced to 0 Intelligence fall into a catatonic stupor; if killed while in this stupor they return as cerebral vampires with their original Intelligence intact.
Dominate (Su): A nosferatu can crush a humanoid opponent’s will as a standard action. Anyone the nosferatu targets must succeed on a Will save or fall instantly under the nosferatu’s influence, as though by a dominate person spell (caster level 12th). The ability has a range of 30 feet. At the GM’s discretion, some nosferatu might be able to affect different creature types with this power.
Children of the Night (Su): Once per day, a nosferatu can call forth 1d6+1 rat swarms, 1d4+1 bat swarms, or 2d6 wolves as a standard action. (If the base creature is not terrestrial, this power might summon other creatures of similar power.) These creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the nosferatu for up to 1 hour.
Create Spawn (Su): A nosferatu can create spawn out of those it slays with blood drain or energy drain, provided that the slain creature is of the same creature type as the nosferatu’s base creature type. The victim rises from death as a nosferatu in 1d4 days. This nosferatu is under the command of the nosferatu that created it, and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. A nosferatu may have enslaved spawn totalling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn it creates that would exceed this limit become free-willed undead. A nosferatu may free an enslaved spawn in order to enslave a new spawn, but once freed, a nosferatu or nosferatu spawn cannot be enslaved again.
Special Qualities: A nosferatu gains the following.
Change Shape (Su): A nosferatu can use change shape to assume the form of a dire bat or wolf, as beast shape II.
Daylight Powerlessness (Ex): Although nosferatu are not directly harmed by sunlight, they cannot use any of their supernatural abilities between sunrise and sunset. A nosferatu that is actually exposed to direct sunlight must sleep in its coffin for 8 full hours to regain its powers. A nosferatu can continue to exert influence over previously dominated victims during the day but cannot dominate new ones. A nosferatu caught in an alternate from by daybreak is trapped in that form until it regains its powers.
Gaseous Form (Su): As a standard action, a nosferatu can assume gaseous form at will (caster level 5th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect manoeuvrability.
Lunar Regeneration (Su): A nosferatu gains the regeneration trait whenever it is exposed to direct moonlight. The nosferatu heals at a rate determined by the phase of the moon, plus a bonus based on its age category.

Crescent (13 days per month) 3
Half (8 days per month) 4
Gibbous (4 days per month) 6
Full (3 days per month) 8

The nosferatu cannot die as long as its regeneration is still functioning. Fire, acid and blessed or holy weapons cause the nosferatu’s renegeration to stop functioning on the round following the attack. During this round, it does not heal and can be killed (although see above). Regenerating nosferatu can reattach severed limbs (regardless of how long it has been since they were severed) but cannot regrow them. A nosferatu cannot regenerate if its head and torso are separated, but can if they are reattached.
Restful Sleep (Ex): So long as it has at least 1 hit point, a nosferatu heals 1 hit point per Hit Dice per hour that it spends lying in its coffin.
Spider Climb (Su): A nosferatu can climb sheer surfaces as though under the effects of a spider climb spell.
Ability Scores: See below. As an undead creature, a nosferatu has no Constitution score.

Category Str Dex Int Wis Cha
Fledgling +4 +4 +2 +2 +6
Mature +4 +4 +4 +2 +8
Old +6 +6 +4 +4 +8
Ancient +6 +6 +6 +4 +10
Eminent +8 +8 +6 +6 +10
Patriarch +10 +10 +8 +8 +12

Skills: Nosferatu gain a +8 racial bonus on Bluff, Perception, Sense Motive, and Stealth checks.
Feats: Nosferatu gain Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, and Toughness as bonus feats.