Vampires Vampires Vampires

So because you guys are babbies and need training wheels still, I've quoted one of the D&D sources used. Most of the abilities were outlined by Jimm in the dungeon notes, but I've had to interpret a few things as well. My notes are included below the quote and fully outline how Vampires work. They are a bullshit monster because of no direct save vs. level drain, but considering how many saves you guys do get and the items/spells you possess, you should be able to deal with them. Monsters don't have to follow some logic rules like armor weight, etc. due to the differences between monsters, their size, and mostly to the fact that their stats are already laid out before I ever bring them into the game. Vampires are AC 2 move rate is 120' per round while human, and 180' per round while mist. If I feel like trying to explain why I (or your character should) think they can move so fast while wearing platemail, you should consider yourself lucky. I'm under no obligation to explain anything except what you see. -from D&D Booklet II: Monsters & Treasure VAMPIRE STATS: ABILITIES: Are not creatures of pure-magic, but are considered undead. How they are created is a mystery that may or may not be solved during the campaign. Immune to non-magic fire, sleep, charm, hold spells, poison, and paralysis. Other normal undead abilities like: Detect Invisibility, treated as Undead, etc. Detect invisibility is merely sensing that an invisible creature is present and its general location. If invisible, the creature is still difficult to hit and attacking them comes at a -4 penalty to hit. Only hit by magic weapons. 1/2 damage from cold or electricity. Regenerates 3/hp per round. Automatic charm every round with -2 to victim's save (1 target) vs. magic. Those avoiding the gaze must still make a save with no modifier, and will attack with a -2 penalty. Characters not looking at the vampire at all must attack at a -4 penalty and may hit others engaged in melee. Attack drains 2 levels (no saving throw): The evil of these vampires is such that even those struck in melee by their weapon feel their life force sapped away by the stark horror of the creature attacking them. May take the form of a human, dire wolf, giant bat (big enough to carry people away), or gaseous cloud. Immune to all weapon attacks in gaseous form. In human form may summon: 1d10 x10 rats or 5d4 giant rats 1d10 x10 bats or 3d6 giant bats 3d6 wolves or 2d4 dire wolves Bats/Rats will consist of swarms, 1 swarm per 10 creatures, each swarm will deal 1d6 damage and attack as an AC9, ½ HD creature. Each creature will have 1hp, thus each swarm will have 10hp. Rats will cause save or be knocked down. Bats will cause save vs confusion. Those fully level drained by a vampire may return from death as a vampire in 3 days under the vampire's control. At 0hp automatically assumes gaseous form and flees to coffin. WEAKNESSES: May not come within 10' of a strongly presented Lawful holy symbol, although they will move to attack the person holding the symbol from another direction. This means the holy symbol must be presented at a target or in a specific direction. Garlic repels (save vs. poison or cannot attack that person that round (sneeze). Casts no reflection, and prefers to simply avoid mirrors. Will have no effect if a mirror is strongly presented. Will avoid crossing running water, either on foot or flying, except at bridges (any solid crossing) or while in their coffins. This does not include rain or oceans; only streams, rivers, and creeks. This interpretation is due to streams, rivers, and creeks symbolize the strength of life. Must rest in coffin during the day, failure to do so results in 2d6 hp loss per day. Continual light spell from Cleric is not direct sunlight, but will blind for -4 to rolls if strongly presented or cast upon their eyes. Any time the word "strongly presented" is used, you can assume the presenting player must expend all of his efforts that round presenting the object towards the target. It can affect more than one target if there are others in that direction. Distance at which the effect takes place is up to interpretation of the situation by the DM. Obviously 60' or even 40' away, the light would not be bright enough to penalize the vampires. Will take 1d6 damage on contact with Holy Water, and another 1d6 damage for 2 rounds after. ONLY DESTROYED BY: Killed by stake through heart or immersion in running water within 3 rounds. Can also be staked through the heart with a called shot on a natural roll of 20, or with a successful backstab. You must call out that you are doing this specific thing before you make your attack roll, and failure indicates you fail to hit the target at all. Some vampires wear heavy armor (leather can be pierced); this prevents staking in this manner. Exposure to direct sunlight requires save vs death or disintegrate. *NEW* Raise Dead excites and reinvigorates their undead corpse bodies. If vampires fail their saving throw they turn into red mist; and not the undead kind. -from DM's notes and interpretations.

List of ways to protect yourselves against vampires: EVERYONE: Wearing garlic makes the Vampire make a saving throw to carry out its physical attack. Being lawful and presenting the Holy Symbol of your god or another lawful god you equally believe in will keep the Vampire from making a physical attack against you in the first place (still susceptible to gaze). Strongly presenting an item with Clerical continual light on it, will cause -4 to vampire's attack rolls against you or those nearby. Only adventure in the Palace between late morning and early evening, to catch Vampires in their sleep, although it should be noted they will be able to defend themselves and will not just lay still. Avoid looking them in the eye to save without penalty, or just avoid looking at them altogether to avoid having to save. Casting spells that affect the vampire or attacking the vampire in any way requires at least a glance, and thus a saving throw against their charming gaze. ITEMS AND SPELLS: Protection from Chaos, will last throughout combat and grant you a +1 bonus to saving throws relating to the vampires, and cause the vampires a -1 penalty to hit you. Against demons and such this will completely hedge them out unless someone in the aura tries to directly affect one of the demon/pure magic/etc. creatures. Protection from Undead, will hedge out the vampires completely and they will have to find ways to indirectly affect you, such as collapsing the ceiling, other traps, or getting other minions to do their bidding. Attacking or otherwise seeking to directly affect any undead creature while within the aura of effect will break the effect of the protection for everyone. Amulet of Life Protection, whoever is wearing this will be outright immune to the level drain effect that vampires have. Waterskin with Water of Nisshinkan (2 doses remaining), can be used to cure any affliction and restore ability. This can also restore levels lost to level drain. Ramkus Magic Resistance: 80% chance to nullify the effect of level drain. Ring of Turning (Curtis): Not effective vs. abilities like gaze or level drain. Also the description of the ring states that it specifically excludes "finger of death" for some reason, I will also throw in "raise dead" as excluded. Any and all other spells including friendly ones may also be reflected based on the percentile roll. Wearing the ring while cast self only spells like "Mirror Image" may also be reflected back. If mirror image is mostly reflected, crazy things will happen due to the inability of the spell to effect the caster.

Can Na'Ral commission someone to make her some reflective goggles so she can't be charmed? How much would that run me?

Reflective goggles will not protective you from charm as the effect is only dependent upon you meeting the vampire's gaze. I'm also not aware that there is anyone on Eris that can create a layer of metal thin enough to be transparent.

I was talking more like a two way mirror type rig. Good for basilisks?

Micro-thin layers of metal are the only way to make two way mirrors from what I understand. Maybe there is another way to make the equivalent of these glasses with magic, but you'd have to suggest something. For mechanics sake, I'll let you know that any time you would be effected by a monster ability merely by looking at the monster, you are just plain affected while looking at the monster. Something has to actually block your sight not to be affected. Now if you were close enough that the basilisk could see its own reflection too, then yes, both of you would turn to stone.

So if I fought the vamps and stuff blindfolded what would my negative to hit and spells be?

Spells would be super dangerous and pretty much most of them require you to be able to see your target to target them. As being blindfolded while attacking in melee, its a -4 penalty to hit, and if any of your comrades are nearby (usually they would also be engaged in melee) if you miss there is a 2 in 6 chance of hitting them.

So what if I focused on their weapon or armor and not them. Would I avoid the charm if thats what I cast my spells at and looked at while I attack.

I've already explained in the original post how it would be handled.