Summary
It’s no secret that many monsters inDungeons & Dragonscome from real mythologies and folklore. One of the most famous monsters in stories as old as civilization are the vampires, undead beings that come for the blood of the living. The myth also changed significantly over the years, thanks to many interpretations and adaptations of such stories.
The idea of running into vampires and fighting them is common in D&D, being a part of the franchise since its early years. If you wish to throw some vampire cult at your players or something, we’ll show you some vampires that could be worth adding, though each of these could be a BBEG of their own.
8Strahd Von Zarovich
Obviously
You knew we’d talk about him, right? The King of Barovia, who condemned the whole region to despair and suffering in his quest to recover his wasted youth,Strahd von Zarovich,is likely the most famous vampire in D&D.
As the big bad from Curse of Strahd, taking him down is a challenging endeavor, requiring multiple magical items and dealing with all sorts of obstacles, such as his spawn, werewolves, or hags. Try not to lose Ireena on your way.
Older editions of the adventure mention Vampyr, who turned Strahd into a vampire, and he also refers to himself as Vampyr. This figure is a true mystery, so have fun creating your own version of the character or using a more powerful vampire to fill this gap should you choose to.
7Jander Sunstar
The Vampire Hater
Jander is as strong as the average vampire in a way, which is already strong by default, but he’s worth mentioning due to his story. Once an enemy of Strahd, Jander fell in love with one of the many reincarnations of Tatyana and fought the Darklord of Barovia.
He’s now in an interesting position, as Sunstar has a deep hatred for every vampire, himself included. He attempted to end his life on more than one occasion and hunts other vampires, too. A vampire vampire-hunter is a fun concept.
6Kas
Vecna’s Frenemy
Kas The Bloody-Handed,Kas The Betrayer, Kas The Destroyer. This man of many titles is one of the first vampires introduced into D&D, though funnily enough, his legendary weapon, the Sword of Kas, was created before him in terms of writing.
Kas is Vecna’s former lieutenant, whose desire for power made him turn against his master, and the Dark Powers turned him into a vampire when Kas was the Overlord of Tovag. As you may have noticed from the CR marks, he’s also one of the strongest vampires, giving all others a run for their money.
5Gulthias
Overshadowed By A Tree
Gulthias is a curious case, as he’s more famous now that he’s utterly dead than when he was roaming around as a vampire. Still, Gulthias was a powerful vampire, necromancer, and faithful follower of the wyrm Ashardalon.
Gulthias was eventually killed with a stake pierced through his chest, but once the stake got mixed with his blood in the Sunless Citadel (the place of his death), it grew into a powerful, malevolent tree known as the Gulthias Tree. Other malevolent trees began to receive this name, but only one comes from the actual vampire.
4Drelnza
The Witch’s Daughter
Drelnza has mostly kept to herself, so she hasn’t significantly affected the world around her. Still, she’s a powerful vampire and melee fighter with a legendary weapon of her own. She’s also the final confrontation in The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth.
But the most interesting detail about her is that she’s the daughter of Iggwilv,also known as Tasha.Drelnza’s objective in the lost caverns is to protect her mother’s hoard, and the book repeatedly says that Drelnza is her mother’s treasure, too.
3Cazador Szarr
Vampire Ascendant
Cazador is an interesting case. Though books such as Descent Into Avernus talk about his family, Cazador is not a figure you fight in D&D (officially), but instead in Baldur’s Gate 3, as the main villain of the companion Astarion’s story arc.
He’s a powerful wizard as well, and during the game, he attempts to perform a ritual to become something called a Vampire Ascendant, which may or may not work depending on your actions.
Baldur’s Gate 3 mechanics can be easily adapted into D&D, so it’s easy to have Cazador in your campaign should you want to.
2Mordoc SeLanmere
The Pale Knight
Mordoc is another interesting case because, similar to Cazador, he comes from Baldur’s Gate - though this time from the Dark Alliance series. He can also be treated as canon since he’s referenced in Cazador’s manor, who’s then canonized through Descent Into Avernus.
He intended to destroy Baldur’s Gate and claimed to be the strongest vampire king in Toril, which probably tracks since all the powerful vampires that surpass him are in different worlds. He did take the city over for a while, transforming people into undead.
1Kanchelsis
The Vampire God
If you want to hit your players with the most obscure lore you’re able to find, then nothing better than using Kanchelsis. His information is extremely scarce, so the best we can give you is that he’s the most powerful vampire in D&D.
He’s also technically alive and has mastered the perks of vampirism, so he doesn’t have its weaknesses, and even controls one of the layers of the Abyss - layer 487, to be exact, known as Lair of the Beast and Mansion of the Rake.
