Vampire Spawn in 5e: The Defanging (Nerf) and Tactical Shift (2014 vs. 2024)
The Vampire Spawn has had some BIG changes from 2014 to 2024. Effectively the Vampire Spawn got a big downgrade in 2024 as they are now meant to be newer vampires and haven't developed more traits and abilities the older ones have.
Stat wise they are fairly comparable, but the real differences are in the resistances, traits and actions.
- 2014 was resistant to Necrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks.
- 2024 is only resistant to Necrotic damage.
- 2014 Stake to the Heart. The vampire is destroyed if a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into its heart while it is incapacitated in its resting place.
- 2024 Stake to the Heart. The vampire is destroyed if a weapon that deals Piercing damage is driven into the vampire’s heart while the vampire has the Incapacitated condition.
Note that in 2014 the weapon needed to be made of wood and the Vampire had to be in its resting place. Now it just needs to be a piercing weapon (so ordinary sabers and daggers qualify.) and it can be done anywhere, as the limitation of being in its resting place is gone.
At this point it is looking like all downhill for the 2024 Vampire Spawn, but the offset to these new limitations come in the form of it's actions and a new bonus actions.
The 2014 Spawn was designed to be a monster that could go toe to toe with PCs. It could count on not only its resistances, but also its regeneration of 10 HPs per turn and any healing it got from drinking the blood of its foes to keep it in the fight. With the changes the 2024 the Vampire Spawn can't be a creature that fights that way. The new Vampire Spawn needs to be more of a hit and run creature when it is alone.
Lets start with its mental stats.. With an INT of 11 and a WIS of 10 it comes across as average. So it can recognize who in the group is the larger threat and who is likely the easiest to pick off. This also means that it is smart enough to work in groups. Thankfully it has Darkvision of 60 ft so it likely will take a few moments to observe the PCs, from a safe distance, before rushing in. Especially if it sees them using any sort of magic such as a light cantrip. It then assesses who will be the most vulnerable. The GM should use common sense when making this judgment.
Depending on how long it has been since it fed last, it may wait and stalk the PCs waiting for a good opportunity to present itself. (IE when they make camp is a great time as they have to take off the armor and there are less to deal with.) But it's patience isn't infinite. It knows the dawn is coming and it will be feeling the hunger and eventually the thirst for blood will compel it to attack.
Once it has selected its victim it doesn't waste time. It moves into a position where it only needs to move 30ft to get to its intended victim. (Within 30 feet using +6 to its Stealth against the passive perception of the PCs) If the PCs didn't spot it then it will have a pretty good chance of gaining a surprise attack.
If it was spotted it may try to trick the PCs (Unless it's really hungry then it doesn't attempt any deception.) It may claim to be lost and saw their fire. It will ask if it can join them. This gives the PCs a chance for insight checks.
Either way it doesn't waste time sitting by the fire or getting to know the PCs. It's already picked a victim and it just needs to get closer to it. As soon as it is within 30 feet it moves in and attacks.
The 2024 attacks are better than the 2014 Vampire Spawn. 2024 rules it makes two attacks AND uses the Bite. In 2014 it was only two attacks and only one of which could be bite. The key difference here is in how they attack.
2014 had a claw attack and if it hit the vampire could opt to grapple the victim and then go for the bite. But things work differently in 2024.
Claw: Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) Slashing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it has the Grappled condition (escape DC 13) from one of two claws.
The first two attacks should be claw strikes to damage the victim. As soon as one of them successfully hit it has sunk it's claw into them and the PC has the grappled condition. Meaning the PCs speed is zero and it can be moved, but it will cost the Vampire an extra foot of movement for every foot it brings its grappled victim.
This is where the 2024 Vampire Spawn shines. Even if it hasn't used its second attack it will use its bonus action of Deathless Agility to Dash 30 feet away, and then it will also continue to move any leftover movement it has.
This means unless the victims buddies were standing right next to the Vampire Spawn they are now likely too far away to reach them on just standard movement alone. As a result the grappled PCs is isolated for a moment or two.
The vampire will then use the Bite on the PCs. Thankfully for the vampire it doesn't need to roll to hit like it did in 2014. The victim needs to make a Constitution saving throw of 14.
If it still has an attack left over it will slash at the PC again attempting to take them down. (Afterall an unconscious victim doesn't fight back.)
If the PC doesn't escape or isn't saved by one of their allies on its next turn the vampire again uses it's full movement to drag the PC another 15 feet away and again uses Deathless Agility to move itself an the PC another 30 feet away where it will again attempt to subdue the PC with attacks before another attempt to bite the PC. Once the PC is KO'ed the Vampire Spawn just uses its bite as the PC isn't fighting back. (Note the PC can make a CON saves, this will be in addition to death saves)
If it finished off the PC, it may go back to the party for seconds... It all depends on how satiated its hunger is, or if it was ordered to by a higher up vampire..
One thing we do need to cover is group tactics. As noted the Vampire Spawn have an average intelligence and wisdom scores. This means they are capable of simple tactics to use against their enemies.
Tactic # 1: Attacking a camped Enemy.
Depending on the number of vampires and the group they are attacking the tactics will change. First they won't all scout out the group. Only one will and it will have to report back after several minutes or the rest will come to find out what happened.
Once the Scout comes back and tells the group they will divide into two teams. Strikers and Snatchers.
Again they will attempt to sneak within 20-30 feet and use the hit and run tactic. The difference will be when they run they will move away from the group in separate directions. So lets say the PCs are making camp. The strikers will come in from the west, attack, and then dash away to the North West and South West in order to encourage PCs to chase them.
This is all diversionary tactics to draw attention so the Snatchers can approach unseen from the east and get at the likely easy targets and back line characters. If they can get more than one all the better. This causes even more division for the PCs.
Once they have been taken the Strikers will circle around and rejoin the Snatchers. Woe be to any PC who is taken as once the group is back together they begin feasting.
Tactic # 2: Laying a Trap for Travelers on the road at Night
In this scenario the PCs will come upon a distressed person who appears harmless, but in need of help. The key to this is to not give them time.. The "fleeing victim" comes running right at the PCs pleading "Please you have to help me, they're after me!" and they run toward them even if ordered to stop.. "No you don't understand.. They are coming!"
It's at this point off in the distance (Say about 60 ft where the edge of light is dim, the PCs can make out shadowy humanoids coming in quick..) Call for initiative and there is no surprise role here. The fleeing victim is a vampire who will use her first turn to run past the PCs, but not too far.
In this case the vampires what the PCs to engage for one or two rounds. This gives the victim vampire a chance to learn which backline ones are spell casters. Those are the ones they attack and attempt to haul off using the grappled movement.
This same tactic can also be used in urban environments, but instead of the distressed person running down the road have them crawling out a window the PCs can clearly see. The Vampires then appear up on rooftops and emerge from buildings to surround the PCs.
Tactic # 3: Urban Areas, Grave Yards and Ruins
They a group will still sneak up as close as possible. Depending on how close several can get to the group, one spawn will either use the Deathless Agility bonus action or regular movement, to close in and attack a PC twice with claw strikes ad a bite and then back off using ordinary movement, or the Deathless Agility Bonus Action, all the while shouting insults.
What decides this is how close it's buddies can get. If the other spawn can get within 20-30 feet of the PC the spawn uses the standard movement. If they need to draw the PCs out then it uses the Deathless Agility to close the distance initially.
In this scenario the Vampires aren't using a diversionary tactic, they are hoping the PCs give chase so that other spawn who have taken up hiding spots along the route the attacking vampire used can get attack of opportunity as the PCs give chase. Effectively they want the PC to run the gauntlet.
Keep in mind hiding spots don't just have to be side passages as the Vampire Spawn has the Spider Climb feature.
On the second round the PCs might find themselves in a bit of trouble as the remaining vampires leave their hiding spots and start to use the numbers game for attacks and to group feed.
Final Thought on 2024 Spawn
I should note that "group feeding" is something the Vampire Spawn will take part in. Once they get one grappled, any other vampire spawn that can close in and use the bite will.
It is a good idea to have PCs come across victims/corpses drained of blood with multiple bite wounds to clue them in on this change.
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