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As it says in the title: Can a Warforged (Monster Manual III, P190-191, 215, Eberron Campaign Setting, P20-24) become a vampire or vampire spawn?

My research shows that a living construct type is immune to energy (level) drain, but is subject to ability damage/drain and necromancy effects.

A vampire's Create Spawn ability states:

A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial.

If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD.

As a Warforged cannot be energy drained, and is not a humanoid or monstrous humanoid, that means of causing it to become a vampire spawn should not work. However "the victim" in the second paragraph is suggestive that it may apply to any victim.

However, MM 252 states:

“Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

Given that a Warforged is a living construct and not a humanoid (monstrous or not), I would guess that it cannot become a vampire, despite being subject to a vampire's Con drain and necromantic effects?

Is my assessment of the rules correct?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ The use of "instead" is important. It links the second paragraph to the first, suggesting that the original predicate of "humanoid or monstrous humanoid" still applies, even though "victim" is used as shorthand. The initial paragraph establishes that "victim" is a "humanoid or monstrous humanoid". They've either been slain by energy drain, or had their Constitution reduced to 0 or lower instead. In either case, they were a humanoid or monstrous humanoid before that happened. \$\endgroup\$
    – aroth
    Nov 10 at 3:23

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You are essentially correct.

The vampire template "can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature." As a living construct, a warforged is not a viable target.

Correspondingly, the vampire's create spawn ability only triggers on humanoids or monstrous humanoids.

So, warforged are not valid vampires. Even if they were create spawn would not get you there.

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