Ghoul, Vampiric

Family: Ghouls

Medium undead (shapechanger), chaotic evil

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	37 (+3)	34 (+2)	23 (+1)	14 (+2)	24 (+2)

Skills Perception +4, Stealth +5
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhausted, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Common
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Shapechanger. If the vampiric ghoul isn’t in sunlight or running water, it can use its action to polymorph into a Tiny rat or back into its true form. While in rat form, the vampiric ghoul can’t speak, and its walking speed is 20 feet. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are unchanged. Anything it is wearing transforms with it, but anything it is carrying does not. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
• Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the vampiric ghoul has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The vampiric ghoul makes one Bite attack and one Claws attack. It can use its Life Drain in place of any melee attack.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage.
• Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage. If the target is a creature other than an undead, it must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for one minute on a failure. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
• Life Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) necrotic damage and the target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain by this attack rises 24 hours later as a ghoul under the vampiric ghoul’s control unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed. The vampiric ghoul can have no more than six ghouls under its control at one time.

ABOUT

Vampiric ghouls are possibly the most malign and wicked of the undead, vile creatures that survive by feasting on living flesh and warm blood. Vampiric ghouls are more akin to vampires than they are their ghoulish brethren, so they keep their usual human attractiveness (albeit with a great inner ugliness). Feeding on flesh sustains their natural existence, but quaffing blood energizes them.