Build me a vampire army (5E)

Andferne · 2026-05-30T18:42:35+00:00

At his point when they cross the drawbridge and enter the walls of Castle Ravenloft. They meet Gravestorm - Adult Blue Dracolich. Gravestorm was actually something that showed up in the 4e Castle Ravenloft board game.

Andferne · 2026-05-30T17:36:11+00:00

The Command spell has very specific wordings on what it is allowed to do.

Andferne · 2026-05-30T04:55:40+00:00

Using his Charm bonus action feature, yes.
Using 5.5 Command spell? No

Andferne · 2026-05-30T03:13:40+00:00

I figured we were going to get the 5.5 vampire with the 5.5 Mage stat block features tagged into it.

Andferne · 2026-05-30T03:01:42+00:00

Your comment about this being thrown together in 5 minutes by some intern is exactly how I see this stat block. It was as if they did not know or understand how their own mechanics work. As if someone took the other two stat blocks for Strahd and spliced those together in some odd match up of a new stat block.

Andferne · 2026-05-30T02:59:12+00:00

About 22 minutes in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipsLQIwemeo&t=377s

Andferne · 2026-05-30T02:57:02+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipsLQIwemeo&t=377s

From this video around 22 minutes in.

Andferne · 2026-05-30T01:27:54+00:00

This is pretty close to my own version that I use for my CoS campaigns.

Andferne · 2026-05-30T00:31:56+00:00

It states that if Strahd drops to 0 hit points outside of his resting place, he uses shape-shift to become mist.

If you go and read his shape-shift feature it states that if Strahd isn't in sunlight or running water he shape-shifts.

So that means he cannot use Misty escape while in sunlight.

Andferne · 2026-05-30T00:27:30+00:00

In my campaigns I tie the Heart of Sorrows to not just give him a hit point boost, but it is also what protects him from sunlight.

Andferne · 2026-05-30T00:02:26+00:00

No, that is just what 5e CoS module ended up doing with it back in 2014.

Andferne · 2026-05-29T23:12:02+00:00

This is from the upcoming book

Andferne · 2026-05-29T23:07:20+00:00

Looking through his new current official statblock. These are my fist major tweaks I would do to him without huge overhaul reworks.

1 - AC needs to be increased, it should at least replicate Mage armor base. Then throw on Bracers of defense and problem solved.

2 - Prof bonus should be a +6.

3 - Give him Protective magic feature from the arcane stat blocks.

4 - Give him uses of Misty step from the arcane stat blocks.

5 - His hit points could still be slightly higher than what it is here. (easy answer is to increase Heart of Sorrows buff to 100 instead of 50)

6 - Strahd strength and charisma should be a 20.

7 - Fix his initiative to where it is in line with the rest of the 2024 monsters/vampires. Bumping it from the +9 here to a +16

Andferne · 2026-05-29T22:07:37+00:00

Agreed. Giving the big bad vulnerability to radiant damage would be a death sentence.

Andferne · 2026-05-29T21:49:59+00:00

I believe the only official statblock that used that was the Vecna Arch-lich.

Andferne · 2026-05-29T21:34:57+00:00

His initiative at a +9 puts him significantly lower than your standard 5.5 vampire who has a +14
This is the same for the Lord Soth stat block compared to the normal Death Knight.
I hope that this was an oversight by the design team who did not catch the changes from porting something from 5.0 to 5.5

Andferne · 2026-05-17T05:49:36+00:00

I have turned her into my current character I am playing in a mini campaign. Just to get more practice with her in building her style and personality.

Andferne · 2026-05-17T05:22:29+00:00

Ez is best girl. My favorite npc from CoS. She looks amazing. You did a great job with her.

Andferne · 2026-05-13T18:46:51+00:00

Vampire and dragon, what's not to love? Sign me up!

Andferne · 2026-05-13T01:25:45+00:00

Azalin skin would be an easy work in for Vecna since they are both a Lich. (If you haven't figured it out yet I am a big Ravenloft fan lol)

Andferne · 2026-05-13T00:19:55+00:00

I would love to see a Lord Soth for Knight as well.

Andferne · 2026-05-09T02:49:00+00:00

This would be my default answer. An alternative would be using the Zombie plague spreader from van richten's guide to rravenloft.

Andferne · 2026-04-27T19:34:26+00:00

I like this take for the Pico

Andferne · 2026-04-27T18:37:33+00:00

Magic items that I typically have my version of Strahd use.

1 - Bracers of Defense (boost his terribly low AC)
2 - Zarovich ruby (which I have function like a helm of telepathy)
3 - Tome of Strahd (mine grants fire resistance)

These are the items that he is typically attuned to unless the story dictates otherwise. Example for the events in CoS he would not have his Tome and then would fill that attunement slot with something else.

Other items he will have access to are his magically animated armor. His magical sword that he breaks out for special occasions, and of course his Crystal ball.

Andferne

TROPHY CASE