Giant Rat and Vampire Slayer

[Rearden]

If there is already a thread relating to either of these, a point in the right direction would be appreciated. I apologize if this if this is the case.

(Tjmiller07, if you're reading this, stop here)

I'm currently running a banestorm campaign, and I plan on leading the players into a sewer dungeon. What I need is a basic Giant Rat or similar dungeon crawler template, I have looked through all of my books and pdf's and havent' found one. What I'm asking for is either a template for one, or help making one.

My other inquiry is for a Vampire Slayer. I plan on turning my players into vampires in a crazy totally-never-saw-that-coming plot twist [/sarcasm]. Their main opposition from that point on is going to be a guild of vampire slayers in Megalos. My current plan of action is to use the Slayer template in the 4th ed Fantasy book (pg. 123) but I'm curious as to how I can customize this.

Any help is appreciated, and once again I apologize if this is in the wrong place or is a waste of space.

[swampthing]

Last time the topic of the Giant Rat came up, my favorite suggestion was to call it the same as a dog, make it a carrier of your favorite disease, and be done.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Rearden

If there is already a thread relating to either of these, a point in the right direction would be appreciated. I apologize if this if this is the case.

(Tjmiller07, if you're reading this, stop here)

I'm currently running a banestorm campaign, and I plan on leading the players into a sewer dungeon. What I need is a basic Giant Rat or similar dungeon crawler template, I have looked through all of my books and pdf's and havent' found one. What I'm asking for is either a template for one, or help making one.

My other inquiry is for a Vampire Slayer. I plan on turning my players into vampires in a crazy totally-never-saw-that-coming plot twist [/sarcasm]. Their main opposition from that point on is going to be a guild of vampire slayers in Megalos. My current plan of action is to use the Slayer template in the 4th ed Fantasy book (pg. 123) but I'm curious as to how I can customize this.

Any help is appreciated, and once again I apologize if this is in the wrong place or is a waste of space.

Use the Slayer, maybe bump it up a bit for really challenging opposition. A Vampire Slayer probably would need the following:

Observation: to notice the freaky b'stards.
Body Language & Detect Lies: ditto, but for up close.
Hidden Lore (Vampires): Downright useful skill, tells you what really is as far as vampires go, the Slayers might even know more about the vampires than the vampires!
Occultism (optional specialty Vampirology): this would be the common info on vamps but useful none-the-less).
Knife: used for staking a vamps, really needed.
Crossbow: long distance staking, also useful.
Spear: melee, but keep-them-out-of-my-hair range.
Armoury (Esoteric, Melee Weapons, and Missile Weapons): the first is from Pyramid 3/5 and basically covers odd things like crossbow bolts made from brass, silver daggers, etc; the other two explain themselves; useful for weapon creation.
Throwing: holy water is useful against the undead
Broadsword or Axe/Mace: useful for beheadings.
Mental Strength: (if allowed) useful for resistance mind powers and such.

That should mostly cover the skills except for Religious Ritual which is probably in the hands of specialist slayers anyways.

For advantages you might want to consider:

Resistance to Vampirism (+3, +8, or immunity) [2, 3, or 5]: Depending on the campaign you can bump this up to Occasional increasing the cost to 3, 5, 10.
Resistance to Vampiric Mind Control [as above]: "Your evil powers have no sway over me!" or something like that.
True Faith (possibly w/Turning) [15 or 25: Just downright useful against the walking dead.
Blessed (possibly with Heroic Feats) [10]: guidance from a high power might lead to nests/infestations of undead. Heroic Feats can be useful for ST or even DX.
Signature Gear (with the consumable signature gear) [varies]: maybe those silver bolts/arrows given by the guild
Patron [varies]: The Guild might have some pull, you might even have it so the guild is a branch of the christian church...
Hard to Kill/Subdue [2/level]: when your facing monsters with inhuman strength these are no contest winners...
Magic Resistance (Blood Magic only, -20%) [1.6/level]: to deal with those pesky vampire mages, once again mileage may vary by campaign, so Blood Magic only could be up to -30% or as low as -10%, it feels right at -20% though.

And many many others depending on the campaign giving Weapon Master, Trained by a Master, or Heroic Archer might make a given vampire hunter scary.

Disadvantage probably include some of

Intolerance (Vampires) [-5]: most would have this disad.
Fanaticism (Destroy Vampiric Scourge) [-15]: for the hard-core hunters, maybe Extreme Fanaticism depending on the guild itself.
Obsession (Kill Vampires [-10]: for those single-minded obsessed hunters types.
Enemies (vampires) [varies]: past foes, organized vampire tribes, and so on.
Callous [-5]: Do not hunt monsters lest ye become one. Possibly with Vampires only, -80% (basically a quirk).


hope that helps some.

Ghostdancer

[Rearden]

That is exactly what I needed! Much appreciated.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Rearden

That is exactly what I needed! Much appreciated.

Glad I could help. ^_^

Ghostdancer

P.S. Let us know how things go in your game.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Rearden

My other inquiry is for a Vampire Slayer. I plan on turning my players into vampires in a crazy totally-never-saw-that-coming plot twist [/sarcasm]. Their main opposition from that point on is going to be a guild of vampire slayers in Megalos. My current plan of action is to use the Slayer template in the 4th ed Fantasy book (pg. 123) but I'm curious as to how I can customize this.

Sure it could just be a Guild working for money, but wouldn't it be so much better if it was a highly-specialized traveling Fist of Michael? Now they've got Legal Enforcement Powers, Fanaticism in many cases, and their own Priest smoothing things over with the farmers when they say they need to roll in and start torching local buildings without offering hard evidence of an infestation first...

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Rearden

I'm currently running a banestorm campaign, and I plan on leading the players into a sewer dungeon. What I need is a basic Giant Rat or similar dungeon crawler template, I have looked through all of my books and pdf's and havent' found one. What I'm asking for is either a template for one, or help making one.

Dungeon Fantasy 2 has a serviceable Giant Rat... you might want to tone it down some for a Banestorm game.

[Rearden]

Originally Posted by Not another shrubbery

Dungeon Fantasy 2 has a serviceable Giant Rat... you might want to tone it down some for a Banestorm game.

Thanks, I'll check it out.