Soul Vampire

Small or medium monstrosity (shapechanger), chaotic evil

Armor Class 16 (natural)
Hit Points 182 (28d8 + 56)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
15 (+2)	17 (+3)	14 (+2)	14 (+2)	14 (+2)	25 (+7)

Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +5
Skills Deception +10, Intimidation +10, Perception +5, Performance +10, Persuasion +10, Stealth +6
Senses darkvision 120ft, passive Perception 15
Languages any (see text)
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Assume the Aspect. In the moment when a soul vampire consumes the soul of a target, the soul vampire is transformed, bodily, to look exactly like the deceased target. This ability is physical, not illusory, and it is flawless. Only truesight can reveal that this is not the soul vampire’s natural form. Soul vampires can become only Small or Medium humanoids through this means, but no other limitations apply.
• Infectious Charm. If a soul vampire spends one hour or more within 100 feet of a target humanoid, the soul vampire may charm it. The target must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by the soul vampire. The charmed target regards the soul vampire as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn’t under the soul vampire’s control, it interprets the soul vampire’s requests or actions in the most favorable way it can. Each time the soul vampire does anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts until the soul vampire is killed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes an action to end the effect. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the soul vampire’s Infectious Charm for the next 24 hours. If a creature spends one month or more under the soul vampire’s Infectious Charm, that creature has a chance of contracting the soul drain disease (see below).
• Innate Spellcasting. The soul vampire’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 20). The soul vampire can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
  • At will: charm person, dancing lights, disguise self, dissonant whispers, friends, mage hand, minor illusion, prestidigitation, silent image, sleep
  • 3/day each: calm emotions, clairvoyance, cloud of daggers, enthrall, detect thoughts, hypnotic pattern, knock, magic missile, major image, nondetection, phantasmal force, suggestion
  • 1/day: compulsion, dimension door
• Master Mimic. The soul vampire is able to perfectly mimic the voice, mannerisms, and attitudes of anyone whose soul it has eaten. In the process of consuming the soul, the soul vampire also gains all of the slain target’s memories, including languages the target spoke (though not including the target’s skill proficiencies – some of the memories don’t make clear sense to the soul vampire). Only someone close to the slain target has any chance of noting that this is not who it seems, and even then only with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) check.
• Soul Drain. Anyone who spends a month or more under the soul vampire’s Infectious Charm ability must make a Wisdom save, DC 20, or contract the soul drain disease. Those who succeed but remain charmed by the soul vampire must save again each month, with a cumulative +1 DC, until either they catch the disease or are no longer affected by the soul vampire’s Infectious Charm. While infected, the target has disadvantage on all Wisdom and Intelligence ability checks in regard to its own health or to the soul vampire’s influence on itself. The target also loses a cumulative 1 Constitution and 1 Wisdom per week, and nothing can heal this drain until the disease is cured. The target may make a new save every week to shake off the effects, but additional exposures to the disease (through the Infectious Charm) may re-infect the target normally. This magical disease may also be cured by dispel magic, heal, or wish. Creatures of a challenge that exceeds the soul vampire’s by 5 or more are immune to the soul drain disease. If a target is reduced to 0 Wisdom or Constitution while infected with the disease, the target’s soul is consumed by the soul vampire, and the target dies and cannot be brought back to life by any ordinarily-available means (though in a high-magic world, anything might be possible with the right reality-shaking quest). Only one humanoid can be infected by any given soul vampire at a time. If a second humanoid becomes infected by the same soul vampire, the soul vampire chooses which will get well and which will remain infected. If the soul vampire dies, an infected target is immediately cured.

ACTIONS

• Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 6) piercing damage (varies, see text).
• Light crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 6) piercing damage (varies, see text).

ABOUT

A soul vampire is not undead, but an evil shapeshifter distantly related to doppelgangers. The soul vampire, however, feeds on humanoid souls, and requires a long, loving connection with a target (such as a romantic or familial-like bond, or a truly deep friendship) in order to consume and mimic it. Most soul vampires claim it pains them to drain and feed upon the lives of those who love them, and that they are devastated to have to live as they do, but this doesn’t stop them from continuing the pattern, without ceasing.