Dhampirs are creatures of the undead—vicious beings who are bound by their neverending need to feed. Akin to vampires in their ties to the underworld, dhampirs have increased speed, darkvision, and the ability to drain life with a single bite.
There are many perks to choosing a Dhampir as your character’s race including manifesting a dark backstory and special character quirks. If you’ve become interested in this quasi-vampire, the next question that you’ve certainly come to ask is what classes pair best with this strange creature.
5. Ranger
Rangers roam the world alone but aren't opposed to a team-up occasionally.
This adventurer class creates an interesting dynamic that makes it a solid choice for anyone hoping to play as a dhampir. While being a ranger won’t necessarily make the most use of the dhampir’s Vampiric Bite, it still pairs well with other features unique to this creature.
Why it's great for Dhampir:
- The ranger class is the perfect way to use the dhampir’s superior vision and speed.
- Adventurers are one of the best backgrounds to base the dhampir in and allow you to play around a lot with how you became a dhampir.
- Use the gloom stalker subclass to up your abilities to talk to the dead and stick to the shadows.
- As a gloom stalker, your darkvision and mobility would be even further boosted.
- Use spider crawl to stick to walls, which, paired with an ability to stick to the shadows and move undetected will give you a powerful advantage in fights.
Choose Ranger If:
- You prefer stealth over brute force attack.
- You want to focus on the dhampir’s connections to the shadows.
- You have a preference for ranged attacks while also being proficient in melee if necessary.
4. Druid
Find inner peace as a druid while ripping out your enemy's hearts.
Druids embody nature and see themselves as an extension of nature’s will. While this may seem contrary to the unnaturalness of a dhampir, there are a couple of reasons why this would make an interesting build for your character.
Why it's great for Dhampir:
- Take full advantage of druid’s Wild Shape ability to transform yourself into different creatures when using your Vampiric Bite. This allows you to get close to people to feed and has the added bonus of allowing you to hide your vampire side from your party if you wish.
- Druids often prefer ranged attacks which pair well with dhampir’s Spider Crawl, giving an advantage in any ranged attack.
- Summon a Wild Companion like a bat to truly embrace your vampiric side.
- Druids have a whole range of spells complementary to being a dhampir. For example, amp up the healing given to you by your Vampiric Bite with more healing spells and buff your constitution.
- Stay mobile and fast with druid’s preference for lightweight armor.
Choose Druid If:
- You prefer range attacks.
- You want to amp up your healing and pick up some more spells as well.
- You want to lean into your vampire persona while, potentially, keeping it a secret.
3. Monk
Embrace the way of the monk and embellish your own vampiric powers.
Monks harness the magic that flows within their own bodies and channel it into every part of their lives. Whether it's delivering a devastating blow or increasing one’s stamina, monks use their inner magic to accomplish it. This inner magic makes a monk-dhampir build particularly unique and appealing.
Why it's great for Dhampir:
- A special ability of monks is their Monk Weapons, which can be any melee weapon. Do you see where I’m going with this? Enhance your Vampiric Bite by designating your teeth as a Monk Weapon, giving them additional damage abilities.
- As masters of martial arts, monks thrive in close combat so if you want to take advantage of Dhampir’s Bite and speed in close quarters, this is a great option.
- Monks thrive with a high movement speed, making them pair well with the Spider Climb.
- Pair with the Way of Mercy subclass to increase healing abilities for both yourself and others, and even gain the ability to revive the dead.
- The Way of Mercy subclass also brings interest into the backstory of a dhampir, which is something to consider when building your character.
Choose Monk If:
- You want to focus on magic and healing abilities.
- You want to focus on close-range, melee attacks.
- You want to highlight your Vampiric Bite and make it a more viable attack form.
2. Fighter
Master all elements — I mean, combats, as the avatar of the weapon world.
True all-rounders, fighters are masters of any combat. With an unmet knowledge of weapons and armor, fighter is a very versatile class that can pair well with Dhampir.
Why it's great for Dhampir:
- With a variety of different subclasses, there are numerous routes available to choose from if you decide to be a fighter.
- Pair your Spider Climb with an archery focus to become a formidable opponent who can shoot while clambering around on the walls.
- With improved combat abilities of your choice, you can amp up your melee skills to become a force to be reckoned with in close combat — something that would up the use of your Vampiric Bite.
- In the Battle Master subclass, use the Maneuver feature to enhance the attack made by your Vampiric Bite.
- Deal bonus damage with Unarmed Strikes, increasing your versatility on the battlefield in close combat.
Choose Fighter If:
- You want a range of subclasses to choose from.
- You want to excel in both close and ranged combat.
- You want to make the most out of your Vampiric abilities.
1. Barbarian
Go beast mode (literally) in this class and embrace your undead ways to the fullest.
Barbarian is a class characterized by its unique rage that increases its strength, resilience, and reflexes. This makes it a powerful pairing for any dhampir.
Why it's great for Dhampir:
- When a barbarian goes into Rage, it gains unnatural strength and resilience. This pairs very well with the Vampiric Bite, not only making it gain effectiveness but also emphasizing the healing ability of the bite as you will take half damage while Raging.
- You can follow the Path of the Beast, which allows you to partially and fully transform into an animal of choice. This could allow you to add damage to your Bite while also embracing a vampiric transformation.
- Barbarians naturally have a high constitution, which you will need in battle and to add damage to your Bite.
- With Unarmored Defense, Barbarians still have a certain level of protection even when not wearing any armor, pairing well with the dhampir’s speed and versatility.
- This class really allows a dhampir to fully embrace their vampire side, as it covers for their weaknesses in close-range battle while infusing the character with a rage typical of any blood-thirsty member of the undead.
Choose Barbarian If:
- You want to excel in close range and make the most of your Vampiric Bite.
- You want to Rage against your enemies in a way akin to the tales of vampires of old.
- You want to embrace your more animalistic features.
