Vampire stats?

[Qstor]

Does anyone have the stats for 4e for a "generic" vampire like Dracula that could be used in Fantasy or horror game? I know there's templates in the Basic Book and the Horror. But I wanted something that can be used "right away" in a game.

[Ulzgoroth]

Vampires vary enormously, including portrayals of Dracula...

But what exactly are you hoping to find that is more ready to use than the template on page 262 of Characters? You could find a vampire 'stat block' in Monster Hunters 3...

[AlexanderHowl]

If you want the original Dracula, he is immune to sunlight and, while he is weaker during the day, he actually becomes more powerful at noon, plus he is invulnerable to normal weapons. I generally prefer using that type of vampire, as players used to the Hammer films are surprised when their PCs meet a known vampire during the day, allowing for more genuine shock and horror. When the vampires can go to the police station personally to complain about PC harassment, players have to be smart to avoid having their PCs experience legal entanglements.

[Flyndaran]

I thought Dracula was killed with mundane knives in the book.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

I thought Dracula was killed with mundane knives in the book.

He was. However only stabbing him in his heart and decapitating him had any effect.

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

If you want the original Dracula, he is immune to sunlight and, while he is weaker during the day, he actually becomes more powerful at noon, plus he is invulnerable to normal weapons. I generally prefer using that type of vampire, as players used to the Hammer films are surprised when their PCs meet a known vampire during the day, allowing for more genuine shock and horror. When the vampires can go to the police station personally to complain about PC harassment, players have to be smart to avoid having their PCs experience legal entanglements.

The one in the novel had a pretty long list of powers, most mentioned in a speech by Van Helsing. Along with hypnotism (which I think he uses on Lucy and Mina), there's this paragraph section from Bram Stoker's novel, which I'm going to break up for ease of analysis (my comments will be in parentheses):

*The nosferatu do not die like the bee when he sting once. He is only stronger, and being stronger, have yet more power to work evil. (Unaging and some form of Unkillable, plus he's still able to learn)

*This vampire which is amongst us is of himself so strong in person as twenty men, (if we go by Basic Lift, that should mean that he has roughly ST 45)

*he is of cunning more than mortal, for his cunning be the growth of ages, (again, he can still learn, and has)

*he have still the aids of necromancy, which is, as his etymology imply, the divination by the dead, and all the dead that he can come nigh to are for him at command; (this depends on what magic system you're using)

*he is brute, and more than brute; (If not referring to his personality, this probably means that he's highly durable, likely including some form of Injury Tolerance)

*he is devil in callous, and the heart of him is not; (I've been wondering for years what this means, still no idea beyond 'maybe something to do with his personality')

*he can, within his range, direct the elements, the storm, the fog, the thunder; (he has Weather Control, or knows some spells or rituals for that)

*he can command all the meaner things, the rat, and the owl, and the bat, the moth, and the fox, and the wolf, (Speak With Animals, or similar, and it may be connected to his mind control, whether that's a power or a spell)

*he can grow and become small; (Growth and Shrinking, and again, might be spellcasting rather than a power)

*and he can at times vanish and come unknown. (either Teleportation, Invisibility, or both)


A lot depends on setting assumptions and the magic system, though I would tend to assume that Dracula is a powerful vampire, rather than a 'typical' vampire.

[David Johnston2]

Ah yes, teleport from one place illuminated by moonlight to another place illuminated by moonlight. One of my favourite powers.

[zoncxs]

Dracula is not a normal vampire as already mentioned. What makes him unique is that he has magic. Most vampires in a Draculaverse are mindless zombies, but Dracula managed to retain his mind and learn magic. He can morph into creatures of the night, mind control said creatures, hypnotize people, and control the weather. That can all be done, and should be done, using a magic system because no other vampire can do that.

[AlexanderHowl]

Vampires could get a lot of mileage out of RPM.

[Apollonian]

Originally Posted by zoncxs

Dracula is not a normal vampire as already mentioned. What makes him unique is that he has magic. Most vampires in a Draculaverse are mindless zombies, but Dracula managed to retain his mind and learn magic. He can morph into creatures of the night, mind control said creatures, hypnotize people, and control the weather. That can all be done, and should be done, using a magic system because no other vampire can do that.

Of the other vampires in Dracula, the most useful for statting up a generic vampire is probably Lucy Westenra, as she's the youngest and so we can posit that her powers are essentially universal to the bloodline. Unfortunately, we don't get to see a lot of what she can do. Most notably, "the woman, with a corporeal body as real at that moment as our own, pass{ed} through the interstice where scarce a knife-blade could have gone." To me that implies the old form of mist, since all four other vampires shown appear to have that ability. Aside from that, she might have some kind of hypnotic ability - obviously far less powerful than Dracula's.

I wouldn't go as far as mindless; I would say that the other vampires presented are definitely slaves to their appetites. Dracula appears to have more self-control.