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[Rodge]

Before I go on, I should clear this up. I don't have the new one yet, I started DF just a few weeks before the new release and I'm still playing with the old one. I want to tinker around with that toy first before getting the upgrade. So this is so far theory only.

That said, I have been tinkering with this idea and I had to share it with someone. Those who can test it can, unless someone already knows enough to say if it'll work or not.

We know that vampirism is communicable, in adventure mode at least, via drinking vampire blood. So, dig a ditch and place the vampire body in it, fill with water. If the vampire was killed in a bloody enough way the water should have it's blood mixed in. Lock or burrow a dorf with the pond. Forbid any other source of drink and water, do not allow wells (I'm pretty sure this purifies water, I'm very new) and force a dwarf to stay in this room  until he drinks from the bloody water a few times (multiple, a few posts imply it may take multiple doses), then release the dwarf. Even if the rules from adventure mode apply, which it may not, he may not be a vampire yet. They seem to not turn until after the first feeding, so the nicknaming thing may not work yet. After a period of time dorfs should start going missing again or found as vampire victims.

If this works we can expand as needed.

Obviously there are problems. If it DOES work, how many dorfs are needed to feed your army? A full squad may wipe your fortress out faster then immigrants can repopulate (unless POWs can be used). Also, constant deaths could lead to bad thoughts. So, from a purely pragmatic perspective, even if it does work...

...on the other hand, vampire armies=awesome. Besides, if the abilities carry over an incomplete squad may be worth it. (not sure what the abilities are, reports show they are faster and don't need food, and I think I saw that they can walk right past the undead. I also beleive the get stronger and more resilient). I think some players may like the population control.

I imagine baracks with a small squad in a seperate area of the fort with nearby bedrooms with the most useless migrants and irritating nobles to sleep in. As vampires feed, move in new dorfs.

Possible? Feasible? Dorfy?

[Mrhappyface]

I could only imagine the benefits of migrating to such a fort: Immortality!, Superhuman abilities!, only the freshest food!

[Randy Gnoman]

I'm pretty sure that, while they start out awesome, vampires *don't* get more awesome over time (that is, i think their abilities get locked, so no amount of skill training will make them physically stronger).  I'm still interested in trying out vampire soldiers myself, though.  My plan was to sequester them to a burrow, then add useless immigrants to that burrow as cattle.  That might protect my valuable dwarves from being feasted upon.

EDIT:  Also, I was just going to recruit immigrant vampires to squads- I hadn't thought of trying to make new ones.  Might try a spike pit for that, though- maybe a wooden spear with a vampire blood coating would communicate the disease when it penetrates some unsuspecting peasant's groinal region.

EDIT #2:  if you *can* make new vampires, it might be good to hold off until you've got a dwarf with super epic stats from training, them turn them.  If their stats get a big boost, but then stop advancing- this would be the best way to make use of that.  The downside would be that you would have a legendary super-vampire roaming the fortress.

[Hotaru]

Basically, it would seem vampire curse can be transmitted by ingestion of blood (consumed the tainted blood of...and was cursed) or by being attacked by a vampire (in a non-bloodsucking way) due to [CE:SYNDROME_TAG:SYN_INJECTED]. Vampires shouldn't feed on vampires either, and they can't die of starvation, old age, or thirst.

So basically... you could have a "Dracula's castle" of immortal dwarves requiring no food and with the vampire bonuses to strength, toughness, endurance, and material. Although they'd probably swarm non-initiated migrants pretty quickly if they should happen to fall asleep - on the other hand an easy way to get rid of cheese makers and milkers.

However, from all to judge their attributes do indeed get locked. They don't rust, but don't gain either. So if you wanted to create a real old Tzimisce fort you might want to keep the future kindred in a danger room for a while first.

[That guy]

I lot my last fort to an attack by three necromancers and their army of 50 zombies. ...I had a dining room with platinum furniture and was making steel armor, so I kind of invited it.

Anyway I had two vampires drafted into my squad, one was a last-minute thing to fight the zombies and he had no military skills whatsoever, the other was a mace lord. These two characters were the only two that survived the assault (and a caged dwarf with broken legs) but it was a Pyrrhic victory as they would have had to fight off the casualties from the fall of the fort (~70 dwarves + zombie farm animals) as well as the remaining zombies from the zombie invasion. The only injury one of them suffered was a broken hand.

Also, when stationed, my vampires let other undead walk right past, and the zombies didn't care about them. When specifically ordered to do so they killed zombies, and quite effectively.

The game plan was to stick them in a locked room with a supply of fancy imported blood in barrels, and then unleash them whenever danger came. The fort fell before this could happen.

[Hotaru]

Right, so, your all-vampire fort would also be immune to zombies due to them not really giving a carp.

[Broseph Stalin]

Oh god Dorf-Boner!





There is a tower to the north where nothing grows it is silent in the morning and the evening and though many have sought it none have returned. In this tower five years have passed since Urist Bomrek has begun his training. His skills with the blade have grown unparalleled, the shield an extension of his arm, his armor is his second skin. He kneels before the overseer and receives praise, the final stage begins. He enters the chamber and for days fasts in pensive thought. When the thirst becomes great he steps toward the great central well and peers into the bottom. In it's depths clear, cool, water and on it's bottom half buried in soft silt sits the bones of a vampire ancient and terrible. He draws the bucket and drinks of the blood tainted water and forever more joins the ranks of the undead.

[Karnewarrior]

I'm pretty sure that, while they start out awesome, vampires *don't* get more awesome over time (that is, i think their abilities get locked, so no amount of skill training will make them physically stronger).  I'm still interested in trying out vampire soldiers myself, though.  My plan was to sequester them to a burrow, then add useless immigrants to that burrow as cattle.  That might protect my valuable dwarves from being feasted upon.

EDIT:  Also, I was just going to recruit immigrant vampires to squads- I hadn't thought of trying to make new ones.  Might try a spike pit for that, though- maybe a wooden spear with a vampire blood coating would communicate the disease when it penetrates some unsuspecting peasant's groinal region.

I used to be a dwarf like you, then I took a vampiric shard of wood to the balls.

[kefkakrazy]

Wait. Wait. WAIT.

Zombies ignore vampires!?

That's it. The first lair of my defenses if I ever do a terrifying embark? I'm going to create a burrow that everything has to pass through, with all my livestock, one vampire butcher, and a couple peasants for snacks.

[Eddren]

I haven't gotten a Vampire yet. How does the Accusation mechanic work?
Also, I'm thinking that you'd just vampirize your Legendary Craftsmen.

[Mrhappyface]

I had an awesome Undead Army moment just a few minutes ago. You have to be embarked on a necro tower though.
1. Attach a lever to necro tower's door.
2. Remove a tile of roofing on top of the tower.
3. When gobbos/elves/titans/something invades, UNLEASH THE UNDEAD! (make sure no necros get out)
4. Close door after a few undead come out and they kill the threat.
5. Get you hammerdwarves and macedwarves to kill the undead.
6. Dump all the bodies through the hole of the tower for !!!SCIENCE!!