Count Orlok — Nosferatu of the Carpathians
At a Glance
- Identity
- Count Orlok, the Nosferatu; ancient undead noble
- Home
- His isolated castle in the Carpathian region of Transylvania
- Role
- Vampire lord, plague-carrier and patient predator
- What he wants
- A secure route to fresh victims and a new resting place
- What he commands
- Human porters, nocturnal beasts, and vampire spawn
- Greatest danger
- A prepared ambush, his gaze, and escape into a coffin before daylight
- Challenge
- CR 21 in both D&D 2024 and 2014 versions; older edition adaptations differ
Count Orlok does not need to conquer a city to destroy it. He needs one locked coffin, a few reliable servants and a reason for the authorities to keep the roads open. Those who enter his castle find a host who watches them as carefully as a hunter watches a trapped animal.
He is dangerous in person, but his lasting weapon is transport. Every sealed wagon gives him somewhere to hide during the day; every frightened official helps carry the danger farther. Players can oppose him through investigation, rescue and sabotage, not only combat.
Game Statistics — Choose an Edition
Use one rules edition at a time. The 2024 version is the scenario-ready build; the 2014 version preserves his original SpiralWorlds statistics. Pathfinder and 3.5e conversions are separate original adaptations, not mechanically interchangeable with either D&D 5e version.
Count Orlok — 5.5e / 2024
Medium Undead (Vampire), Neutral Evil · CR 21 (33,000 XP) · PB +7. Unique high-level encounter statistics for Orlok.
AC 18; Initiative +4 (14); HP 350 (fixed); Speed 30 ft., Climb 30 ft., Fly 60 ft.
Saves Str +13, Dex +11, Wis +10; Skills Perception +10, Stealth +11; Resistance Necrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing and Slashing from nonmagical attacks; Immunity Poison damage, Charmed, Exhaustion and Poisoned conditions; Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20; Languages German and Transylvanian.
Traits
Regeneration. At the start of his turn Orlok regains 20 HP if he has at least 1 HP and is not in sunlight or running water. Radiant damage or holy water stops this trait at the start of his next turn. Spider Climb. He moves across walls and ceilings without a check. Legendary Resistance (3/Day). He can choose to pass a failed saving throw.
Vampire Weaknesses. He cannot enter an occupied residence without an invitation. He takes 20 Acid damage if he ends his turn in running water. He takes 20 Radiant damage at the start of a turn in sunlight, and has Disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks there. A piercing stake driven through his heart while he is Incapacitated at his resting place leaves him Paralyzed while the stake remains; it does not instantly destroy him. The 2024 Daylight spell creates sunlight.
Misty Escape. When reduced to 0 HP outside his resting place, if neither in sunlight nor running water, he becomes mist instead of dying. As mist he flies at 20 ft. (hover), cannot take actions, speak or manipulate objects, and cannot pass through liquid. He must return to his resting place within 2 hours or be destroyed. There he returns to vampire form and is Paralyzed until he regains any HP; he regains 1 HP after an hour. If he cannot take mist form on reaching 0 HP, he is destroyed.
Actions
Multiattack. Orlok makes one Claw attack and then one Bite only if a target is eligible. Claw. Melee attack +13, reach 5 ft.; Hit 13 (2d6 + 6) Slashing; one Large or smaller target is also Grappled (escape DC 21). He can hold up to two creatures. Bite. Melee attack +13, reach 5 ft., against a willing or Grappled, Restrained or Incapacitated creature; Hit 15 (2d8 + 6) Piercing plus 10 (3d6) Necrotic, reducing its HP maximum by the necrotic damage until a Long Rest. Orlok heals the same amount; a victim whose maximum becomes 0 dies.
Charm. One Humanoid within 30 ft. that can see him makes a DC 21 Wisdom save or is Charmed for up to 24 hours, seeing him as a trusted friend, not as a remotely controlled puppet. Harm from him or his allies permits a repeated save. Hypnotic Gaze. One creature Orlok can see within 30 ft. makes a DC 21 Wisdom save or becomes Unconscious for up to 1 minute; damage or an ally using an action to wake it ends the effect. Children of the Night (1/Day). At night he calls 2d4 bat swarms, 1d4 rat swarms, or 2d4 wolves (3d6 wolves outdoors). They arrive in 1d4 rounds and remain for up to 1 hour.
Legendary Actions
Three uses per round, regaining them at the start of his turn. At the end of another creature’s turn he can Move up to 30 ft. without provoking Opportunity Attacks (one use), make a Claw attack (one use), or make a Bite against an eligible target (two uses).
Lair Actions
At initiative 20 in his castle, choose one, not the same twice in succession: one seen creature within 60 ft. makes DC 21 Wisdom save or is Paralyzed for up to 1 minute (repeat at end of its turns); summon one Shadow within 30 ft. (earlier summoned shadow ends); or create a 15-ft.-radius Sphere of magical Darkness within 60 ft. until replaced. For this original 2024 encounter, treat that Darkness as a level-2 spell for Daylight and Dispel Magic; it requires no Concentration.
Equipment
Amulet of the Nightshade. Grants Resistance to Radiant damage but does not remove sunlight’s other penalties or restore regeneration. Talisman of Domination (3/Day). Lets him cast Dominate Person as a Magic action, save DC 21, subject to the spell’s Concentration limits. Both require attunement in this encounter.
Count Orlok — 5e / 2014
Medium Undead (Vampire), Neutral Evil · CR 21 (33,000 XP); unique site-original legacy build retained, with arithmetic and undefined attack labels made explicit.
AC 18 (natural armour); HP 350 (fixed); Speed 30 ft., Climb 30 ft., Fly 60 ft.
Saving Throws Str +12, Dex +10, Wis +9; Skills Perception +9, Stealth +10; Resistances Necrotic, nonmagical Bludgeoning/Piercing/Slashing; Immunity Poison damage and Charmed, Exhaustion, Poisoned conditions; Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 19; Languages Common, German, Transylvanian.
Traits
Regeneration. Regains 20 HP at his turn start if above 0 and outside sunlight/running water; radiant damage or holy water interrupts next turn’s regeneration. Spider Climb. Climbs sheer surfaces and ceilings. Legendary Resistance (3/Day). May choose success on a failed save. Vampire Weaknesses. Cannot enter a residence uninvited; running water inflicts 20 Acid at end of turn; sunlight inflicts 20 Radiant at turn start and Disadvantage on attacks/checks; a wooden stake at his heart while incapacitated in his resting place paralyzes him until withdrawn. Misty Escape. At 0 HP outside his resting place, if not in sunlight or running water, he escapes as mist and must return within 2 hours.
Actions
Multiattack. One Claw (or grappling Unarmed Strike) and one Bite against a willing or qualifying target. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack +12, reach 5 ft.; Hit 13 (2d6 + 6) Slashing. Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack +12, reach 5 ft.; Hit 10 (1d8 + 6) Bludgeoning, or instead of damage the target is Grappled (escape DC 20). Bite. Melee Weapon Attack +12, reach 5 ft., one willing or Grappled/Restrained/Incapacitated creature; Hit 15 (2d8 + 6) Piercing plus 10 (3d6) Necrotic. Necrotic damage lowers maximum HP until a Long Rest, and Orlok heals by that amount. Death occurs if maximum HP reaches zero.
Charm. A Humanoid who can see him within 30 ft. makes DC 19 Wisdom save or is Charmed, considering him a trusted friend (not mind-controlled). A harmed target repeats the save. Hypnotic Gaze. One creature within 30 ft. makes DC 19 Wisdom save or falls Unconscious for up to 1 minute; damage or an ally’s action wakes it. Children of the Night (1/Day). Summons 2d4 bat swarms, 1d4 rat swarms or 2d4 wolves at night (3d6 wolves outdoors); arrive after 1d4 rounds, serve up to 1 hour.
Legendary Actions
Three uses, regained at the start of his turn: Move up to Speed without Opportunity Attacks (one), make an Unarmed Strike (one), or Bite a qualifying target (two). Castle lair, initiative 20: DC 19 Wisdom paralysis for 1 minute (repeat save at end of target turn), summon one Shadow, or magical darkness, choosing a different effect from the preceding round.
Relics
Amulet of the Nightshade (resistance to radiant damage); Talisman of Domination (three castings of Dominate Person per day, DC 19). The exact original site rules are campaign-specific.
Count Orlok — Pathfinder 1e
Male unique human Nosferatu Vampire (augmented), NE · CR 20 (307,200 XP), a high-level Pathfinder scenario conversion. Based on the Pathfinder 1e Nosferatu template, not the common Vampire template.
Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +30; Languages Common, German, Transylvanian.
Defense
AC 34, touch 16, flat-footed 28 (+6 Dex, +18 natural); hp 250 (20d8 + 160); Fort +9, Ref +16, Will +20; Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, undead traits; DR 5/wood and piercing; Resist cold 10, electricity 10, sonic 10; fast healing 5. Weaknesses direct sunlight, running water, invitation threshold and vampire wards; see special qualities.
Offense
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. (spider climb); Melee 2 claws +26 (1d6+8 each); Special Attacks blood drain (Con and Wis), dominate (Will DC 28), telekinesis (CL 12th), swarm form.
Blood Drain (Ex). A pinned living victim loses 1d4 Constitution and 1d4 Wisdom each round; Orlok gains 5 temporary hp. Dominate (Su). Standard action against a humanoid within 30 ft., Will DC 28 or affected as dominate person (CL 12th). Telekinesis (Su). Standard action, as the spell (CL 12th). Swarm Form (Su). Standard action to assume a rat, bat, centipede or spider swarm; retain undead defenses, but cannot use claws or other special attacks while in swarm form.
Statistics
BAB +15; CMB +23 (+27 grapple); CMD 39 (43 vs. grapple); Feats Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Perception), Skill Focus (Stealth), Toughness; Skills Bluff +31, Diplomacy +23, Intimidate +31, Knowledge (nobility) +24, Perception +30, Sense Motive +25, Stealth +29; SQ swarm form, telepathy 60 ft., spider climb, undead traits, grave-soil dependence.
Nosferatu Weaknesses. Direct sunlight staggers Orlok in the first round and destroys him in the second consecutive round unless he escapes. Running water deals one-third of his maximum hp for each immersed round; a wooden stake through his helpless heart slays him, subject to the nosferatu recovery rules. Garlic, mirrors and strongly presented wards may repel him. At 0 hp he becomes a swarm and has 1 hour to reach his coffin, not the common vampire’s gaseous two-hour escape. A true nosferatu cannot create more nosferatu; his existing vampire servants are not creatures newly spawned by this ability. His campaign-specific mirror route is a feature of the castle, not an automatic combat teleport.
Count Orlok — D&D 3.5e
Medium Undead (Augmented Humanoid), Neutral Evil · CR 20 (unique 3.5e scenario conversion). Uses the 3.5e vampire template’s slam, energy drain, coffin escape and turning rules.
| Hit Dice | 24d12 (156 hp) |
|---|---|
| Initiative | +10 |
| Speed | 30 ft.; gaseous fly 20 ft. (perfect) |
| Armour Class | 32 (+6 Dex, +16 natural); touch 16, flat-footed 26 |
| Base Attack / Grapple | +18 / +31 |
| Attack / Full Attack | Slam +27 melee (1d6+13 plus energy drain) / one slam +27 |
| Space / Reach | 5 ft. / 5 ft. |
| Special Attacks | Blood drain, children of the night, dominate, energy drain |
| Special Qualities | DR 10/silver and magic, fast healing 5, gaseous form, spider climb, undead traits, cold and electricity resistance 10, turn resistance +4 |
| Saves | Fort +8, Ref +14, Will +19 |
Skills Bluff +31, Hide +30, Listen +29, Move Silently +30, Search +30, Sense Motive +28, Spot +29; Feats Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Weapon Focus (slam).
Special Attacks
Energy Drain (Su). A successful slam bestows two negative levels, once per round; Orlok gains 5 temporary hp per level. Blood Drain (Ex). A pinned victim loses 1d4 Constitution per round and Orlok gains 5 temporary hp. Dominate (Su). Standard action against one creature within 30 ft., Will DC 29 or dominated as the spell (CL 12th). Children of the Night (Su, 1/Day). Calls rat or bat swarms or wolves arriving in 2d6 rounds.
Escape and Weakness. At 0 hp he becomes gas and must return to his coffin within 2 hours. 3.5e direct sunlight destroys him if he cannot escape the following round, running water can destroy him after three rounds of immersion, and a wooden stake can slay his resting body. Mirrors, garlic and strongly presented wards can repel him. Use the 3.5e vampire rules, not the 2024 sunlight, paralysis or healing wording.
What Is Orlok Doing Now?
Orlok is arranging to move thirteen coffins from his castle under cover of a quarantine order. Eight hold living prisoners, four carry his servants, and one bears his own resting earth. He uses human drivers because they can travel through guarded roads in daylight without attracting the attention a procession of undead would draw.
When challenged, he first tries to turn investigators against the people they came to protect. He may offer the captives’ safety in exchange for letting the convoy leave, then keep the terms only as far as they suit him. A broken bridge, a missing coffin or a witness who survives until morning can hurt him more than another sword wound.
Encounters and Choices
The Visitor at the Gate
At dusk the castle porter admits a traveller on Orlok’s orders. The guest is fed, shown to a warm room and asked about the villages along the western road. A careful party notices no plates have been set for the Count. They can bargain for information, walk away before the gate closes or force a confrontation on ground he chose.
The Coffin That Breathes
A cart driver hears scratching inside one of thirteen sealed boxes and refuses to leave. Orlok orders the remaining wagons away while his servants calm the driver. A party that opens the coffin finds a living prisoner, not a corpse. Freeing that person also risks alerting the two hunters stationed along the road.
Sunrise in the Crypt
Orlok retreats toward the oldest stone niche. A shutter above the crypt can admit the morning sun; the sluice below can release running water. Players may exploit either mechanism, destroy the coffin or drive him out of range. Daylight has different effects across editions: in 2024 it is genuine sunlight, but the earlier spell versions are magical light only.
Servants, Rivals and Rumours
His vampire spawn fear him more than they love him, and his living servants do not all know what rides in the wagons. Some obey out of greed; others fear what will happen to family left in the valley. Those differences give players people to question, bargain with and rescue.
Locals speak of a Brotherhood of the Night and a Coven of the Damned linked to the castle. The names survive in stories told by travellers, but nobody has proved who belongs to either group. Stories of a lost love are also rumours, not evidence that Orlok secretly seeks redemption.
Possessions and Evidence
The Amulet of the Nightshade helps him endure radiant damage. The Talisman of Domination reinforces his control over captives and servants. His greatest treasure is less glamorous: the soil and resting coffin without which he may not survive defeat.
Useful evidence at the castle includes sealed transfer papers, numbered coffin niches, spare wagon axles, feeding bowls in unused rooms and a map showing which bridges are passable during winter. Each gives adventurers something they can act upon.
The Story Behind the Count
Count Orlok comes from Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922), directed by F. W. Murnau. In the film, estate agent Thomas Hutter visits his castle to complete a property sale. Orlok travels to the port of Wisborg, bringing rats and an apparent plague. Ellen Hutter holds him until sunrise, at the cost of her own life. Film Orlok is gaunt, bald and visibly predatory—not the elegant, black-haired seducer of later vampire stories.
In this world, Orlok remains in his Carpathian castle and can be encountered as an enduring supernatural ruler. His mirror paths, named relics, castle servants and coffin convoy are SpiralWorlds campaign material, not claims about the 1922 film.
Sources and Rules
Character and film background: British Film Institute: Nosferatu (1922); German History in Documents and Images. Later versions of the legend may differ.
D&D 2024 mechanics are original scenario conversions informed by System Reference Document 5.2.1, Wizards of the Coast LLC, licensed under CC BY 4.0. 2014 mechanics preserve the original SpiralWorlds unique NPC. Pathfinder 1e and D&D 3.5e use original adaptations informed by the corresponding Pathfinder monster templates and 3.5e vampire rules; these are not official published Count Orlok stat blocks. Use the chosen edition’s creature rules and abilities; Orlok’s special lair effects can substantially change how a confrontation unfolds.
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