Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Half vampire/vampire spawn race please

This is possibly an addition to a long list of 'yet another request for a weird race that most folk haven't heard of or played' threads, but I really like playing half-vampires in fantasy RPGs and I'm sure I'm not alone.

A point in favour of introducing half-vampire/vampire spawn as a playable race in BG3 is that most of the thinking behind the mechanics has already been developed with the development of our favourite rogue. Yes, having another vampire spawn would make Astarion suddenly not as unique as he'd like, but I am firmly in the camp that allows the PCs to be the special snowflakes in a campaign and not to be overshadowed by the accompanying NPCs.

Besides, I reckon Astarion's mind would be blown should a female vampire spawn appear and being the same position he is. The possibility of verbal fencing between the two is immense. You'd certainly secure the Goth vote (I'm not a Goth - middle-aged Goths would look odd unless they are called Alice Cooper).

So, if vampire spawn could be introduced as a playable race I would be a very happy bunny. With fangs. Thanks.

Vampirism is an affliction, not a race in D&D - Humans, Elves, Orcs, Goblins.. Everyone can be infected.

There are several examples of vampires as playable races in D&D/AD&D throughout the editions of the games' history (I've played all editions to date). The term 'race' in D&D does not mean the same as in real life, where we would probably refer to the various D&D 'races' as 'species'.

Regardless, I would like to see them as a playable race.

Or the least let us customise Astarion appearance to our liking when we choose to play as him.

+1, or some way of becoming a vampire in-game would be cool.

I'd rather start as a a vampire spawn/half-vampire than become one in game, mainly because I can create the character to suit the image rather than have (for example) my gruff dwarven fighter suddenly take on the personality of a cynical witty courtier (which is how I usually see vampires being - living that long must really jade them).

The vampire-spawn as portrayed by Astarion is great, but I'd like to have the option of a female version, a wizard version, cleric version and so on. All with great clothes, of course (Larian, you are working on better cosmtetic options, aren't you?), because no vampire-spawn wizard is going to wear a robe that looks more suited to gardening than promenading through the Underdark. I am now visualising Cat from Red Dwarf (UK comedy sci-fi TV series for those who don't know).

In addition, it would be a firm reason for having been taken by the mind-flayers in the first place. Never mind aliens abducting US backwater hicks to do terrible things to their rear ends, this would be mind-flayers deliberately turning vampire spawn into mind-flayers so see what happens. All PC adventurers are special, but some are more special than others.

A vampire wizard with an illithid tadpole? Does that mean we can potentially become vampiric alhoons? I'm sold, haha.

As I don't see a Ilithid tadpole working on an actual undead brain, I think half vampire is where it should have stopped... but since there already is an actual vampire spawn in the game proving me wrong... somehow... I guess we'll get that "race" option too at some point.