Magic and Vampires
Vampires are, by their nature, highly magical creatures. Thus it is only logical that their reactions and responses to magic might be quite different in their undead state from what they were while alive. There are two issues to consider: the use of magic on vampires and the use of magic by them. Vampiric spellcasting occurs most often among those creatures who had magic capabilities in life - I shall address that subject in Chapter Thirteen, "Retained Skills". Vampires in general can use magical items, and I shall discuss that briefly at the end of this chapter. First, allow me to consider the issue of the effects of spellcasting on the "typical" vampire.
The Effects of Magic on Vampires
There are a great many spells and spell-like powers available to (demi) human spellcasters, or possessed innately by other creatures. For this reason alone it would be impossible to discuss individually how each different power affects a vampire. Fortunately, the vast majority of these powers can be grouped into representative categories, with most members of a category having a similar effect (or lack thereof) on vampires. I have, therefore, chosen to organize this discussion along those categorical lines, pointing out unique exceptions where appropriate. Note that these categories generally do not equate to Schools of wizardly spellcasting or to Spheres of priestly magic. They are generally classified by effect.
Before continuing, please note that exceptionally powerful vampires may well prove immune to spells that are highly efficacious against their lesser brethren. Conversely, vampires with unique heritages might well be subject to dweomers that are totally useless against most of their kin. If the latter is the case, then such vulnerabilities are usually counterbalanced by some surprising immunity. For example, I have reason to believe that a vampire line exists whose members are all susceptible to illusions, but totally invulnerable to fire magic, Also, before discussing individual categories of magic, one thing must be made clear. Patriarch vampires are categorically immune to spells of low power. This means that the spells of priests and wizards of limited experience will be totally useless against such an ancient creature.
To be affected by magic, the vampire must fail both its basic magic resistance roll and its saving throw. Vampires suffer half damage (rounded up) from any magically damaging attacks. If a victim of the attack is normally entitled to a saving throw for half damage, a vampire would also be entitled to a saving throw. If the vampire saves successfully, however, it suffers no damage whatsoever from the attack.
Patriarch vampires are totally immune to all 1st- and 2nd-level spells - of the wizard variety only - regardless of the level of the character casting the spell.
This ruling might force the DM to make judgement calls regarding certain spells. The pertinent issue is whether the spell is intended to have an effect on the vampire itself. First, some obvious examples: spells like magic missile are totally ineffective against a Patriarch. Likewise, a Patriarch vampire can see through the effects of an alter self spell.
An armor spell will provide no protection against a Patriarch's melee attacks, but it will improve the subject's AC against a missile weapon hurled by a vampire. Likewise, a shield spell will provide a wizard with AC 2 against missiles hurled by a Patriarch vampire, and AC 3 against arrows fired by the same creature, but will provide no additional protection against a melee attack from the vampire.
Using these guidelines, DMs can adjudicate how this immunity will work in other situations.
Vampires may or may not be vulnerable to magical attacks while in gaseous form - it's up to the DM. Some vampires may be partially susceptible to magical attacks while in gaseous form, but suffer only half damage, or may enjoy bonuses to their saving throws, ranging from +2 to +4.
Illusion/Phantasm Spells
Illusions have a more powerful effect on mortals than vampires. Mortals exist inside the delicate walls of their own senses and thence are strongly subject to the effects of illusions. Even the slightest flow of phantasmal magic may be enough to disrupt their carefully-maintained mental picture of the world. Vampires, too, generally depend on external senses to learn about the world. These senses, however, are heightened to a literally superhuman degree. This makes the creatures unnaturally adept at perceiving flaws and tell-tale clues that identify an illusion as such.
Enchantment/Charm Spells
Most vampires are totally unaffected by magic that affects the mind - not only the classic charm or hold spells, but also more subtle magic such as fear, taunt, and scare. The mind of the vampire is subtly different from that of a mortal, and its mental processes are sufficiently changed to allow them to shrug off such dweomers.
There are certain spells from the enchantment/charm school, however, that do not directly affect the mind. Enchanted weapon, shadow walk, and sink are examples of such spells. Vampires are not innately immune to spells that do not directly affect the mental processes. This should not be taken to mean that such spells are guaranteed to affect a vampire.
Blindness and Deafness
Spells that cause blindness and deafness can effect vampires, but only while the creatures are in forms that use such senses. Thus, a vampire in the form of a human, a wolf, or something similar could be blinded and deafened. A bat, on the other hand, depends very little (if at all) upon vision, so a vampire in bat form will suffer few noticeable effects from a spell that causes blindness. That same bat, of course, would be virtually incapacitated by deafness because the creature uses echolocation in place of vision. In short, a wolf-form vampire affected by blindness could virtually ignore the affliction if it changed to the form of a bat.
A vampire in gaseous form uses arcane senses other than vision end hearing in their classical sense. A vampire in gaseous form cannot be affected by magical blindness or deafness because these spells actually target the physical sense organs. A vampire magically blinded or deafened could regain full use of visual and auditory senses by assuming gaseous form.
A gaseous vampire would still be affected by magical silence, of course, because this spell actually suppresses the physical characteristics of sound, vibrations in the air or another medium, and no sensory apparatus can detect vibrations that don't exist. The same argument holds for vampires within the area of a darkness spell.
Magical Imprisonment
Spells of magical imprisonment have varied effects on vampires. Some of these effects are related to the special supernatural powers of the vampire itself, and still others are results of the strange and evil magic at the heart of the land.
There are basically two types of magical imprisonment: those that physically impede movement and those that capture the life essence or soul of a being. The various Otiluke's spheres are examples of the former and trap the soul, magic jar, and maze are examples of the latter. Speaking generally, the former spells are effective against vampires (assuming the creature is affected by the spell at all). The latter, however, are much more problematic.
The "soul" or life force of a vampire seems to exist on both the Prime and Negative Material planes. Other creatures generally do not enjoy this duality; their life forces are on the same plane as their physical bodies. To trap or imprison the soul of a "dual-planar" creature like a vampire, a dweomer must trap that portion of the life force that is on the same plane as its physical body and then draw the remainder of that life force from the Negative Material Plane into the trap.
Even if the vampire's physical body is on another plane, this "double trapping" is an exceptionally difficult task. The chance that the spell will be effective is much less than normal, and the duration of the imprisonment is drastically curtailed.
On the demiplane of Ravenloft, this type of spell is totally useless. That portion of the vampire's "soul" that resides in the demiplane is protected by the magical nature of the demiplane itself. Thus, while within Ravenloft vampires are totally safe from having their souls trapped in any fashion whatsoever.
Bless Spells
As might be expected from the creatures' responses to holy symbols, vampires find a bless spell cast on them by a priest of a good deity to be highly disturbing, having the general effect of a curse spell cast upon the living. A curse (that is the reverse of bless) cast by a priest of a good deity has no effect.
A bless or curse spell cast by a priest of a neutral deity has no effect on a vampire, either positive or negative. A bless or curse cast by a priest of an evil deity seems to benefit the foul creature in some inexplicable way, however.
If bless is cast upon a vampire by a priest of a Good deity, the creature receives its normal magic resistance roll to resist the spell's effects. Should the creature fail this roll, it suffers a -2 penalty to hit for the duration of the spell. The creature also must save vs. spells or be held at bay for 1d3 rounds, and be unable to shapechange for the entire duration of the spell. The only exception to this is if the monster is reduced to zero or fewer hit points, at which time it is forced to assume gaseous form.
If bless or curse is cast on a vampire by a priest of an Evil deity, however, it automatically gives the creature a + 1 bonus to hit for the duration of the spell, whether or not the priest wants to so benefit the monster.
Polymorph Magic
Because vampires have innate shapechanging abilities, it should come as little surprise that polymorph other and similar spells have abnormal effects on the fiends. If such a spell even affects the creature, it will involuntarily remain in its new form for no more than a minute. Then it will revert either to the form it was in when the spell took effect, or into any other form that the monster is able to assume. Spellcasting vampires can cast polymorph self, shape change, or similar spells on themselves - these spells operate normally.
If the vampire fails both magic resistance and saving throw rolls, it is polymorphed into the form desired by the caster, but retains this form for only 1 round. When the round is up, the creature can choose which of its normal selection of forms it will assume.
Necromantic Magic
The use of necromantic magic against vampires can be highly dangerous. The vampire's connection with the Negative Material plane affords it an advantage over mortals that is difficult to overcome. Casting a necromantic spell upon a vampire is like to attempting to break a stone with a pitcher. For instance, I have seen a wizard attempt to drain life energy from a vampire, only to feel the effects of his spell rebound upon him, wither him to decrepitude, and invigorate the fiend in return. Therefore, I advise against the use of necromantic magic on vampires.
I must add, against my better judgement, that I have also seen a very effective use of this particular brand of magic against the lords of the undead: a spell that would reincarnate or otherwise bring life back to a mortal can destroy a vampire outright! However, if one attempts a spell of this nature and fails, the consequences can be tragic.
The use of energy drain opens a channel to the Negative Material plane, which is home to at least part of the vampire's life force. If this spell is used against a vampire in Ravenloft, the caster immediately loses 1d4+1 experience levels, and is stunned for 1d4 rounds. In addition, the vampire gains 1 HD, plus concomitant combat benefits, etc., for 2d4 rounds; during this time, all damage to the vampire is taken from these "temporary" hit points. Outside the lands of Ravenloft, the vampire does not gain the additional Hit Dice. The caster's loss is permanent, until regained through adventuring.
Raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection can have a devastating effect on vampires. If one of these spells is cast on a Fledgling or Mature vampire, and the creature fails its magic resistance roll and saving throw, it is instantly destroyed. If it makes its saving throw only, it suffers 3d12 hit points of damage; if it makes its magic resistance roll, it is totally unaffected. If the spell is cast on a vampire of Old or greater age, the possible results are as follows: 3d12 hit points of damage (magic resistance and saving throw failed); 1d12 hit points of damage (only saving throw made); or no effect (magic resistance roll made). At the DM's option, a resurrection or similar spell cast upon a vampire (who makes both a successful saving throw and magic resistance roll) may reverse and rebound upon the caster.
Effects of Magical Items Used by Vampires
As horrible as the concept may be, it must be accepted that vampires can use magic items often more readily than they can be affected by them. The vast majority of vampires can use only those items that are usable by most mortals. Happily, if these vampires touch or attempt to use items that are specifically attuned to particular professions or nonevil persons, they generally suffer twice as much damage as mortals.
Vampires who retain magical skills from their former lives can use items specific to the professions they practiced while alive, as well as those nonspecific items discussed above, so long as those items are not protected by Goodness.
If the penalty for touching or using a certain Item is loss of experience points or experience levels, then a vampire is unaffected, but is totally incapable of using the item in question. Unless otherwise specified, vampires suffer normal (not double) damage from touching or attempting to use items that are inappropriate to their class. They still suffer double damage from items that are specific to certain alignments.
