How to survive as a full blown vampire.

[TheEndIsNear]

So due to some making a deal with a Demon Goddess for "Immortality" at the cost of "My life." I've been turned into a vampire.

I'm a 5th level Wizard Vampire (No LA, I'm still going to level up with the party.) In a core only (not everything even) low magic setting game.

I'm the Dracula type of vampire though, here are my weaknesses:

Everything in the Monster manual + flavor:
Sunlight (direct or indirect) gives me 1 move action for 1 round, and I am destroyed on the 2nd.
Immersion in water deals 1/3 of my hp in dmg per round.
I need to rest 8 hours a day with at least 50 pounds of soil from where I was buried.
I need to feed off 10 con a day. It can be from animals, but anything non human (including things like elves) makes me lose my fast healing.

Some additional problems: The sun thing will be a big one, I need to be VERY covered. A big hood won't work, but something like the darkness spell will (I banned evocation.)

The campaign is low magic, there is no magic mart, and most magic items are custom. As a whole, the part of 5 PCs and a couple NPC, at level 5, have 1 magic item. A special sword. They are not magic items so much as magical artifacts. However crafting is totally allowed, and there are no XP penalties. You still need the feats and the campaign is kind of timed. The time is the valuable resource.

The campaign is core only, but not SRD. Nothing outside of core, and no promises on inside of core stuff. Setting is a bit historical fiction, 3500 BC. No one in the world but me knows what a vampire is.

Currently (until friday) we are at my resting place. We finished the last session with me coming back to life at midnight. So I need to find a way to cover myself from the sun (we are over a day's walk from any town) that is rising in 6 hours. I've got no spells that can really help me. I'm thinking make a bad with 50 pounds of dirt, turn into a dire wolf, and sprint for the last town we were at (I don't get exhausted, so 50 ft per round x 4 for run should be fast enough, I hope). Find an NPC we knew and ask him to take care of me.

How do you guys see this working?

I'm thinking of taking leadership next level, get a wizard cohort to craft stuff (including an item of permanent darkness.)

We have a cleric in the party, played by a player who isn't huge on the collab it seems, so I want to protect myself from him too.

Thoughts guys?

[Slippery_Chicken]

Maybe you could research a version of Protective Penumbra, then bake it into a continuous item. The item should only run you 20,000 (or 10,000 if you craft it yourself). If you get dispelled, maybe throw up a Darkness until the item gets back online.

To last through the day, you could try burying yourself under a few feet of dirt. To make sure you emerge at night, you could cast an extended 1hour/level spell at the right CL so the effect ends after sunset.

A summoned creature which leaves a tunnel (such as a celestial badger) could dig you a comfortably-large hole to hang out inside until sunset.

Depending on how long the day is (dependent on season), Extended Rope Trick (10 hours at CL 5) might last until sunset, or serve as a backup in case the makeshift cave collapses.

[kitep]

Just so you know, 50 lbs of soil = ~ 2/3 cubic feet, or 12 in x 12 in x 8 in

What happens if you don't spend 8hrs with soil, or don't feed off 10 CON?

I would definately have a box or a bag made with the required soil, but with holes that allow a gaseous form to enter (since you go gaseous at 0hp).  But the holes should be an indirect route to the interior (think crazy straws), so the interior is dark, protected from sunlight.

Core has Everburning Torch that produces light.  See if the DM will allow you to research an equivalent spell that produces darkness and would protect you from the sun.

There's also items that increase turn resistance, but I don't remember if any are in core.

Maybe a thick sunproof blanket in a Heward's Handy Haversack that you could retrieve and put over yourself as a move action.

[TheEndIsNear]

I've seen the umbra but It's pathfinder, which isn't core.

That dirt it taking less room than I thought, that is great

I was planning on getting leadership with a crafting wizard cohort (more spells known) to get a cloak of darkness possibly (casts darkness within the cloak).

I don't have extend spell. But I think the things can work out. I've been told there is a town I've never been too that is close enough. I've also thought of a bag of dirt (my idea was a backpack that I lugged around, that would fall  when I'd turn into a gas, I'd create a few more of those and give them to my cohort or trustworthy party members.

The rest thing I don't know, I'm assuming it'll be the same as a normal pcs not getting rest.

The feeding he said "I don't wanna figure out what happens if you don't do it, just keep yourself fed".

[kitep]

Can you cast Mount or Summon Monster and suck the CON out of them?  If so, you should write a scroll or two, just in case you get hungry

Is the rest of the party ok with traveling at night or are you expected to travel by day?

I know you said you don't trust the cleric, but you should be aware that he can "bolster" your turning resistance, and he may be willing to since his goals will often be the same as yours.  It lasts 10 minutes, so he could do it before busting in on an opposing cleric, if you know one's there.  PHB, p159, last paragraph

Speaking of said cleric, a protection from evil/good spell should protect you from mental control if he tries to command you.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

Mule and a cart with a box which has special colored mud brick dirt, for the prince the next kingdom over who's a little "special colored brick" if you get my drift.  Guard says: Sure whatever move along folks.

It might not be easy for the DM to split some adventuring/encounters into Hard stuff at night, Easier stuff during the day without the Vamp, come back late(r) to try again.

Vamp spawn army is over powered.
Energy Drain is a 9th level spell ...
Swarms in-combat can wipe out any number of bbeg's.

Maybe instead you're a Day Walker, and can only use 1 of your Vamp powers per day and only at night.

[TheEndIsNear]

Can you cast Mount or Summon Monster and suck the CON out of them?  If so, you should write a scroll or two, just in case you get hungry

Is the rest of the party ok with traveling at night or are you expected to travel by day?

I know you said you don't trust the cleric, but you should be aware that he can "bolster" your turning resistance, and he may be willing to since his goals will often be the same as yours.  It lasts 10 minutes, so he could do it before busting in on an opposing cleric, if you know one's there.  PHB, p159, last paragraph

Speaking of said cleric, a protection from evil/good spell should protect you from mental control if he tries to command you.

I can feed off summons yes. But I won't get my fast healing. ALSO, 3500 BC was before currency was invented. Our party is walking around with stuff like multiple Ox, a dozen sheep/goats, a few donkeys and so on. I also have the summon Monster 1 spell, I should be k.

I don't think I will see opposing clerics. The DM expects me to shut up and stay in my box being lugged around by day. I'm thinking he expects the whole group to start acting by night.

[phaedrusxy]

The DM is the one that should be worried, not you. Low magic game where no one has even heard of vampires, and you're a vampire wizard with no LA? Either one of those things is overpowered in a low magic game, but together?

Deeper Darkness is a 3rd level cleric spell that lasts days/level. Get the cleric to keep one of those cast on a piece of your equipment. I'd still not be out regularly during the daytime (it might get Dispelled). Stay inside of a coach or something. Your "coffin" can be under the seat, and only accessible (without an axe) via Gaseous Form.

The cleric could also use Lesser Restoration to let you feed on your friends to keep your fast healing, even if you can't find victims. Scratch that. I'd forgotten that vampires do drain, and LR doesn't cure that... It's actually too bad that you're not a cleric instead of wizard, so you could do all this spellcasting yourself... Maybe your first move should be to convert the cleric into your vampiric minion.  (Of course I'd talk this over out of character with the cleric's player first...)

[Mixster]

The DM is the one that should be worried, not you. Low magic game where no one has even heard of vampires, and you're a vampire wizard with no LA? Either one of those things is overpowered in a low magic game, but together?

Deeper Darkness is a 3rd level cleric spell that lasts days/level. Get the cleric to keep one of those cast on a piece of your equipment. I'd still not be out regularly during the daytime (it might get Dispelled). Stay inside of a coach or something. Your "coffin" can be under the seat, and only accessible (without an axe) via Gaseous Form.

The cleric could also use Lesser Restoration to let you feed on your friends to keep your fast healing, even if you can't find victims. Scratch that. I'd forgotten that vampires do drain, and LR doesn't cure that... It's actually too bad that you're not a cleric instead of wizard, so you could do all this spellcasting yourself... Maybe your first move should be to convert the cleric into your vampiric minion.  (Of course I'd talk this over out of character with the cleric's player first...)

Deeper darkness is on the Darkness domain from BoVD so he can get it with Arcane disciple next level.

Forgot he banned evocation. Scratch that and get a cleric follower with leadership instead.

[Risada]

What about Cloak of Dark Power? According to this spell, "ir creates a dusky haze around the subject. The haze does not interfere with vision, but the subject and anything it wears or carries is protected from the effects of full sunlight, even under the open, daytime sky of the surface world." Does this means the vampire can walk under the sun normally?

[phaedrusxy]

What about Cloak of Dark Power? According to this spell, "ir creates a dusky haze around the subject. The haze does not interfere with vision, but the subject and anything it wears or carries is protected from the effects of full sunlight, even under the open, daytime sky of the surface world." Does this means the vampire can walk under the sun normally?

Not core.

[TheEndIsNear]

I was thinking of a wizard cohort (sharing spells (double the spellbook), tons of crafting) but you guys think a cleric cohort would be better? (I think the DM is safe, I'm not planning on breaking the campaign.)

Thoughts?

[Slippery_Chicken]

I was thinking of a wizard cohort (sharing spells (double the spellbook), tons of crafting) but you guys think a cleric cohort would be better? (I think the DM is safe, I'm not planning on breaking the campaign.)

Thoughts?

Instead of an item of permanent Darkness, I'd just ask to limit the darkness' effect to merely protect you from the sun.

Also, I'm not entirely sure if you'd need to take Leadership when you have at-will (Su) Dominate Person. This also makes feeding really easy: just dominate someone and drink his blood. Or dominate a farmer and make him lend you some cows for the night.

[TheEndIsNear]

So a bit of un update. I'm level 6. I'm wizard 5 Shadowcraft Mage 1 (early entry, wooo)

Here is the list of out of core stuff approved:

FEATS
http://dndtools.eu/feats/complete-arcane--55/persistent-spell--2140/
http://dndtools.eu/feats/players-handbook-ii--80/arcane-thesis--104/
http://dndtools.eu/feats/complete-arcane--55/split-ray--2741/
http://dndtools.eu/feats/complete-arcane--55/twin-spell--2989/
Also "Easy Metamagic" which does this:
One of your metamagic feats is easier to use.
Prerequisite: Any other metamagic feat.
Benefit: Choose a metamagic feat you already have. When preparing or casting a spell modified by that feat, lower the spell-slot cost by one. You can never reduce the spell-slot cost below one level higher than the spell's actual level. For example, taking this feat for the Quicken Spell feat reduces the spell slot cost of a quickened spell from four levels higher than the spell's actual level to three levels higher than the spell's actual level.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time you take this feat, you must choose a new metamagic feat.

CLASSES
http://dndtools.eu/classes/scout/
http://dndtools.eu/classes/dread-necromancer/
http://dndtools.eu/classes/favored-soul/ can be unlocked, but is not base available.

PRESTIGE CLASSES
http://dndtools.eu/classes/players-guide-to-faerun--22/incantatrix/
http://dndtools.eu/classes/shadowcraft-mage/
http://dndtools.eu/classes/shadowcrafter/

Spells:
A few. Those are unpickable however, but they will only show up as scrolls. and I don't know ahead of time which, but I can send a list of 20 that I would like.

Any ides for which 20 spells to pick? I've got a few ideas. Here are a few of my favorite.

http://dndtools.eu/spells/spell-compendium--86/ray-clumsiness--4061/
http://dndtools.eu/spells/miniatures-handbook--75/benign-transposition--1949/
http://dndtools.eu/spells/races-of-the-dragon--83/instant-diversion--3103/
http://dndtools.eu/spells/magic-of-faerun--20/net-of-shadows--1701/
http://dndtools.eu/spells/spell-compendium--86/nerveskitter--4591/

http://dndtools.eu/spells/miniatures-handbook--75/baleful-transposition--1948/
http://dndtools.eu/spells/spell-compendium--86/sonorous-hum--4197/
http://dndtools.eu/spells/spell-compendium--86/ray-weakness--4070/
http://dndtools.eu/spells/spell-compendium--86/ray-sickness--4069/
http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-ii--80/kelgores-grave-mist--2929/
http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-ii--80/dimension-hop--2921/
http://dndtools.eu/spells/magic-of-eberron--9/dimension-leap--4835/
http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-ii--80/blinding-color-surge--2983/
http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-ii--80/celerity-lesser--3005/

http://dndtools.eu/spells/spell-compendium--86/contagious-fog--4045/
http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-ii--80/dimension-step--2923/
http://dndtools.eu/spells/book-of-vile-darkness--37/curse-of-the-putrid-husk--193/
http://dndtools.eu/spells/spell-compendium--86/ray-dizziness--4064/

I didn't look above third level. Celerity would be in. Don't know what else though.

I'm also thinking of making two vampire under my control. They'd probably be lower level (3/4 of my level, same level as a cleric's BAB compared to us is the rule of npcs in the party). But I think I could do lots. I was thinking of an Incantrix Wizard and a Cleric (DMM is not approved.)

Thoughts?