Dungeons & Dragons Vampire Lord Miniature

This is a highly detailed miniature of a Vampire Lord.

This model was created by MZ4250 who makes amazingly accurate models of the Monster Manual creatures and provided by Commercial License.

A Vampire Lord in Dungeons & Dragons is an elite and powerful form of vampire, often considered a template applied to an existing vampire or powerful creature to elevate its status, abilities, and threat level. While standard vampires are already formidable undead beings with a range of supernatural abilities such as regeneration, shapechanging, charm, and necrotic attacks, a Vampire Lord represents a further evolution—usually one that combines centuries of experience, arcane or divine power, and a deep connection to the dark forces that empower undeath.

Vampire Lords first appeared in earlier editions of D&D, particularly 3.5e where they were introduced in the supplement Libris Mortis. In that system, the Vampire Lord template significantly boosted the creature’s physical stats, added new spell-like abilities, enhanced their regeneration, and allowed them to resist or even bypass some of the typical weaknesses associated with vampires. For example, a Vampire Lord might not be as easily harmed by running water or sunlight, and could sometimes create more vampire spawn or command greater undead armies. They also gained superior control over their lairs and dominions, often ruling vast swaths of land from shadowy castles or crypts.

In 5e, there is no official Vampire Lord template in the core rules, but the concept is frequently represented through powerful vampire NPCs such as Strahd von Zarovich, the iconic vampire antagonist from Curse of Strahd. Strahd functions as a de facto Vampire Lord, wielding advanced spellcasting abilities, legendary actions, lair actions, and tactical genius. Homebrew adaptations often define a Vampire Lord as a vampire who has overcome their weaknesses, perhaps through rituals, dark pacts, or unique lineage. This elevation usually makes them capable of challenging high-level adventuring parties, as they combine vampiric might with strategic intelligence and magical prowess, making them terrifying foes and compelling villains in any campaign.