Vampire Thrall Toady

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Vampire Thrall Toady (Heavy Role; CR 12)

Vampires are one of the great nations of Undeath. Vampires are Emptied Undead, meaning they have been cored out of life. Unlike most of the Emptied, they do not noticeably decay, although during battle their disgusting nature is amply evident in the mess they leave behind. Vampires are the greatest representatives of the Corrupting Undead, those undead who seek the preservation and continuation of life, so that they may corrupt it into ever more Undeath. As a result, the motivations of Vampires are more complex than the Destroying Undead or the Eaters.

Vampires like people. They like the trappings of civilization, they like the happy whirl of social life, they enjoy the company of others, both undead and living alike. Vampires want to make more Vampires, it is an erotic part of their existence that they would be greatly diminished by losing.

Vampires get along well with most other Undead, even though relations often involve the Vampires using their domination abilities or simply persuading the other Undead to be patient. It is not unusual for Vampires to be encountered with powerful Skeletons, Wights, Death Knights, Liches, and other mighty Undead, even including the Lost Ones, who make terrifying allies indeed.

On top of this, Vampires are unique among Undeath in that they create living allies, their Vampiric Thralls. The existence of Vampiric Thralls makes finding a Vampire nest immeasurably more difficult, because Vampire Thralls are alive. Thralls are mortals who admire and envy the Vampires for their abilities, and whom the Vampires have fed their blood to. Vampire Blood can create new Vampires, or, in lesser doses, a living human becomes addicted to it, as if it were strong drink, or some horrifyingly strong opiate.

Vampire thralls are the first rank of Vampire culture, the eternally obedient and awfully empowered servants whom the Vampires use to interact with the daytime world. Their regular small doses of vampire blood keep thralls in a constant state of ecstatic empowerment, nearly immune to pain and injury, utterly and fanatically loyal to their dark masters, and nearly impossible to put down cleanly.

Most thralls are willing, but not all. it is not unheard of for Vampires to punish their living foes by attacking their loved ones, and in especially cruel cases, turning them into thralls.

Such a fate is to be avoided. Vampires must be rooted out everywhere they are discovered, without pause or hesitation.

GENERAL

CR 12 Hit Dice 17

XP 38,400 (Heavy Role Included)

NE, Medium, Humanoid

Init +7; Senses Keen Scent, Perception +18

DEFENSE

AC 32, touch 20, flat-footed 27 (+7 armor, +5 dex, +5 natural, +5 deflection)

hp 498 (Heavy Role Included)

Fort +15, Ref +12, Will +14

Aura: -

SR: - 22

Special Defenses: DR 12/Good

Immunities: -

Weaknesses: -

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft, Greater Climb 30 ft

Space / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.

Single Melee Ripping Clench +20 (2d8+25/x2) + Vicious Backhand

Full Melee 2 x Wrenching Grasp +20 (2d8+29/x2) + Vicious Backhand

Ranged none, but see Raving Spray and Horrible Pounce

Special Attacks Raving Spray, Vicious Backhand, Stuporous Gaze, Horrible Pounce

Action Points 1 (Heavy Role included)

STATISTICS

Str 45, Dex 18, Con 25, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 10

Base Atk +12; CMB +19; CMD 28

Feats Antagonize: Make an Intimidate check as a standard action against a target in sight. The DC is 10+ Character Level(CR) + Wisdom. If successful the target takes -2 to hit on any attacks that do not target the thrall who Antagonized it, and a ten percent spell failure chance on any spells that do not target the thrall who Antagonized them, until the end of the encounter.

Urban Forager: Thralls are exceptionally adept at surviving in cities, which is useful for when their dead masters neglect things like feeding and housing them.

Skills Intimidate +19, Knowledge (Local) +14, Bluff +14, Survival +19

Languages Common, Necril, up to two other languages based upon campaign location

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Vicious Backhand (Su)

Once per round, as a swift action, a Vampiric Thrall may lash out with a savage backhanded blow on a target within reach. This is treated as a melee touch attack with a +15 to-hit. If the Thrall hits, the victim takes 3d6+1 points of bludgeoning damage and is Pushed up to four squares, where they fall Prone. Creatures struck may make a Reflex save, DC 21, to avoid being knocked Prone, though they are still subject to the forced movement.

Horrible Pounce (Su)

Thralls are supernaturally strong and quick, and can move in flickering bursts of speed that have to be seen to be believed. Once per round, as a standard action, the Thrall may Slide up to four squares and at the end of the Slide make two Wrenching Grasp attacks upon an unfortunate victim within their reach. As forced movement, this does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

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Stuporous Gaze (Su)

Once per encounter, as a swift action, a Vampire Thrall may direct their dull-eyed gaze worshipfully upon any vampire in their line of sight. That vampire is heartened by the faithful presence of its brain-fried vassal, removes any conditions it may be suffering from, and may take an immediate standard action usable as an interrupt.

Live To Serve (Ex)

When a Vampire Thrall is first reduced to zero hit points, it collapses in a heap but does not die. Instead, all the Vampire Blood in their system is suddenly consumed by their raging metabolism, healing them and driving them into a frenzy of agonized rage. From the time they are reduced to zero hitpoints until their next initiative count, they lay un-moving, to all appearances dead. Upon their next action, they gain a +4 bonus to-hit on all melee attacks and can now perform their Horrible Pounce ability even while prone, grappled, or entangled. In addition, they are healed up to half their full hit points, and all conditions they may have been suffering from are removed. Unfortunately, while under the effects of Live To Serve, they may use no feats, their mouth being occupied with incoherent screams of agonized rage as they suffer withdrawal.

TREASURE

sell value of approximately 8,000 gp

COMBAT TACTICS

Vampire Thrall Toady

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