Dungeons & Dragons 2024 (D&D) Monster/NPC: Amdis Quiphelen

Traits

Shapechanger. If Amdis isn't in running water or sunlight, he can use his action to polymorph into a Tiny bat, a Medium wolf, or a Medium cloud of mist, or back into his true form.

While in bat or wolf form, Amdis can't speak. In bat form, his walking speed is 5 feet, and he has a flying speed of 30 feet. In wolf form, his walking speed is 40 feet. His statistics, other than his size and speed, are unchanged. Anything he is wearing transforms with him, but nothing he is carrying does. He reverts to his true form if he dies.

While in mist form, Amdis can't take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. He is weightless, has a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature's space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, the mist can do so without squeezing, and he can't pass through water. He has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and he is immune to all nonmagical damage, except the damage he takes from sunlight.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day, or 4/Day in Lair). If Amdis Quiphelen fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Courtly Devotion. When Amdis Quiphelen is targeted by an attack while a creature Friendly to Amdis Quiphelen is within 5 feet of either Amdis Quiphelen or the attacker, that creature can take a Reaction to become the target of the attack instead.

Misty Escape. When Amdis drops to 0 hit points outside his coffin, he transforms into a cloud of mist (as in the Shapechanger trait) instead of falling unconscious, provided that he isn't in running water or sunlight. If he can't transform, he is destroyed.

While he has 0 hit points in mist form, he can't revert to his vampire form, and he must reach his coffin within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once in his coffin, he reverts to his vampire form. He is then paralyzed until he regains at least 1 hit point. After 1 hour in his coffin with 0 hit points, he regains 1 hit point.

Regeneration. Amdis Quiphelen regains 20 hit points at the start of his turn if he has at least 1 hit point and isn't in running water or sunlight. If he takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn't function at the start of his next turn.

Spellcasting. Amdis Quiphelen is a 12th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 20, +12 to hit with spell attacks). It requires no material components to cast its spells. Amdis Quiphelen has the following sorcerer spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): blood bolt, mage hand, prestidigitation

1st level (4 slots): command, captivate undead, sleep

2nd level (3 slots): unraveling whisper, veil of the reaper

3rd level (3 slots): animate undead, dispel magic, fireball, nondetection

4th level (3 slots): banishment, blight, buried alive, polymorph

5th level (2 slots): contagion, forest of dread

6th level (1 slot): wall of bones

Vampire Weakness. Amdis Quiphelen has these weaknesses:

• Forbiddance. Amdis Quiphelen can't enter a residence without an invitation from an occupant.
• Running Water. Amdis Quiphelen takes 20 Acid damage if it ends his turn in running water.
• Stake to the Heart. If a weapon that deals Piercing damage is driven into Amdis Quiphelen's heart while Amdis Quiphelen has the Incapacitated condition in his resting place, the vampire has the Paralyzed condition until the weapon is removed.
• Sunlight. Amdis Quiphelen takes 20 Radiant damage if he starts his turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, he has Disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

Actions

Multiattack (Vampire Form Only). Amdis makes two attacks, only one of which can be a bite attack.

Unarmed Strike (Vampire or Wolf Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage, plus 14 ( 4d6 ) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, Amdis can grapple it (escape DC 18) instead of dealing the slashing damage.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by Amdis, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 10 ( 3d6 ) necrotic damage. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and Amdis regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0. A humanoid slain in this way and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a vampire spawn under Amdis's control. If a creature targeted by this bite can cast spells Amdis can choose to gain a spell slot of 5th level or lower, expending that spell slot from the creature. If the creature has no remaining spell slots of that level left they will instead gain a level of exhaustion and Amdis will not gain a spell slot

Charm. Amdis targets one humanoid he can see within 30 feet of him. If the target can see Amdis, the target must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed. The charmed target regards Amdis as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. The target isn't under Amdis's control, but it takes Amdis's requests and actions in the most favorable way and lets Amdis bite it.

Each time Amdis or his companions do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until Amdis is destroyed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a bonus action to end the effect.

Children of the Night (1/Day). Amdis magically calls 2d4 swarms of bats or swarms of rats, provided that the sun isn't up. While outdoors, Amdis can call 3d6 wolves instead. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as allies of Amdis and obeying his spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour, until Strahd dies, or until he dismisses them as a bonus action.

Bonus Actions

Sanguine Drain. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 18, one creature the vampire can see within 30 feet that isn't a Construct or an Undead. Failure: 14 ( 4d6 ) Necrotic damage. The target's Hit Point maximum decreases by an amount equal to the damage taken, and the vampire regains Hit Points equal to that amount.

Beguiling Influence. As a bonus action Amdis can cast command without expending a spell slot and requiring no spell components, on a vampire spawn within 60 ft of himself. Any vampire spawn that has been under his influence for more then 1 month has disadvantage on the saving throw

Legendary Actions

• Move. Amdis moves up to his speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
• Unarmed Strike. Strahd makes one unarmed strike.
• Bite (Costs 2 Actions). Strahd makes one bite attack.