Monster Monday: Vampiric Skeleton

Today's Monster Monday is the vampiric skeleton, a skeleton that sucks blood. These aren't the skeletons of vampires: that's not how vampires work. But they could be the skeletons of a vampire's victims, or creatures who died in a vampire's evil castle, or just of beings who were buried in a particularly evil area charged with necrotic energies.

This is a variant of the skeleton template, so it can be applied to anything that has a skeleton. Blood-sucking ogre skeleton? Sure! Vampiric skeletal wyvern? Sounds good to me. Bloodthirsty badger bones? Yeah, okay, but the alliteration might be a bit much.

Presented below are the vampiric skeleton variant template and two example vampiric skeletons: a human and a dire wolf.

The following text in gold is available as Open Game Content under the OGL. Open Game Content is ©2017 Jonah Bomgaars.

This human skeleton has been deformed by dark energies. Sharp fangs grow from its gaping mouth.

Vampiric Skeleton, Human   CR 1/2

XP 200

NE Medium undead

Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0

DEFENSE

AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, +2 Dex, +2 natural)

hp 6 (1d8+2)

Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +2; +4 channel resistance

DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune cold, undead traits

Vulnerability sunlight destruction

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.

Melee 2 claws +2 (1d4+2), bite -3 (1d6+1 plus blood drain)

Special Attacks blood drain (1d2 Con)

STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 10, Con --, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14

Base Atk +0; CMB +2; CMD 14

Feats Improved Initiative^B

Gear broken chain shirt

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Blood Drain (Ex)

When a vampiric skeleton hits with its bite attack, or if it grapples a foe, it inflicts 1d2 points of Constitution damage on its target. The vampiric skeleton heals 5 hit points or gains 5 temporary hit points for 1 hour (up to a maximum number of temporary hit points equal to its full normal hit points) each round it drains blood.

Sunlight Destruction (Su)

When a vampiric skeleton is exposed to direct sunlight (not the effects of daylight or similar spells), it cannot attack and is staggered. On every subsequent round of exposure, the vampiric skeleton takes 1d4 points of fire damage.

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization any

Treasure none 

A twisted skeletal wolf the size of a horse lurches forward, blood dripping from elongated fangs

Vampiric Skeleton, Dire Wolf             CR 3

XP 800

NE Large undead

Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0

DEFENSE

AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +2 natural, -1 size)

hp 32 (5d8+10)

Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +2; +4 channel resistance

DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune cold, undead traits

Vulnerability sunlight destruction

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft.

Melee bite +6 (2d6+6 plus blood drain)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Special Attacks blood drain (1d2 Con)

STATISTICS

Str 19, Dex 17, Con --, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14

Base Atk +3; CMB +8; CMD 21 (25 vs. trip)

Feats Improved Initiative^B

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Blood Drain (Ex)

When a vampiric skeleton hits with its bite attack, or if it grapples a foe, it inflicts 1d2 points of Constitution damage on its target. The vampiric skeleton heals 5 hit points or gains 5 temporary hit points for 1 hour (up to a maximum number of temporary hit points equal to its full normal hit points) each round it drains blood.

Sunlight Destruction (Su)

When a vampiric skeleton is exposed to direct sunlight (not the effects of daylight or similar spells), it cannot attack and is staggered. On every subsequent round of exposure, the vampiric skeleton takes 1d4 points of fire damage.

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3-8)

Treasure none

A vampiric skeleton has long fangs and hungers for blood. These skeletons tend to result from great discharges of negative energy, or being created in areas strongly associated with vampires. Vampiric skeletons are not, as sometimes believed, the skeletons of slain vampires, but they have been known to arise from the victims of vampires. Their physical form is often twisted by the same necromantic energies that give them unlife, bestowing on them a grotesque visage that reflects the dark hunger within.

Vampiric Skeleton (Skeleton Variant)

In addition to the changes for the skeleton template, make the following adjustments to the base creature.

   CR: As a normal skeleton +1

   Saves: A vampiric skeleton gains channel resistance +4.

   Attacks: If the base creature did not have a bite attack, the vampiric skeleton gains a secondary bite attack which deals damage appropriate to its size. If the base creature did have a bite attack, the vampiric skeleton’s bite damage increases by one step, as if it were one size larger. A vampiric skeleton’s bite attack causes blood drain (see special attacks, below).

   Special Attacks: A vampiric skeleton gains the blood drain special attack.

   Blood Drain (Ex): When a vampiric skeleton hits with its bite attack, or if it grapples a foe, it inflicts 1d2 points of Constitution damage on its target. The vampiric skeleton heals 5 hit points or gains 5 temporary hit points for 1 hour (up to a maximum number of temporary hit points equal to its full normal hit points) each round it drains blood.

   Abilities: A vampiric skeleton’s charisma is 14.

   Special Qualities: A vampiric skeleton gains the sunlight destruction special quality.

   Sunlight Destruction (Su): When a vampiric skeleton is exposed to direct sunlight (not the effects of daylight or similar spells), it cannot attack and is staggered. On every subsequent round of exposure, the vampiric skeleton takes 1d4 points of fire damage.

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-your bone-dry d20 despot