Killing a vampire

[AxeMental]

Was running over an encounter last week our party had with a vampire. We managed to get a really pissed off vampire with a light spell cast in its eye to break threw a door directly over a set trap of 10 flasks of oil. The vampire failed to save and got engulfed in flame. Taking massive damage it flies back to its coffin in vapor form. When the party follows the vampire we would find it asleep and in human form in the coffin, correct? At that point (if we can get into his coffin) it should just be a matter of staking it (getting it in the sun etc.). Your thoughts?

Also, my impression is in combat it would be possible to stake a vampire in combat (with wooden stake) but this would have to be a pretty lucky hit (would you even allow this attempt)? Also, if a vampire is taken to below -10 in combat in a single blow would there be anyway to kill it on the spot (perhaps before it turns to mist) or is the only option basically finding its coffin where it must return to heal.

[TRP]

Just playing DM's advocate here, but if the vampire had a reasonable expectation that you'd chase it back to it's coffin, then it'd be too smart to go. It would attempt to lead you on a merry chase, ditch you and then head back to it's coffin.

But, to answer you question, the answer is yes. Once in corporeal form, the vampire may be staked.

Also, of course you can stake a vampire in combat, but it's very difficult for one very main reason. The heart is a well-protected organ. You've the breast bone in front, and the spine and ribs in the back. So, you're not just going be able to shove a wooden stake past all that; you're going to need a blunt instrument to drive that puppy home. If using a stake & hammer in combat to kill a vampire, that amount of coordination would require you to hit AC -10. Possibly someone with exceptional strength, 18/xx, could accomplish the feat without a hammer, but it's still going to have be something like at least AC -2. A thief could do it with a successful backstab, because that character knows exactly how to get in under and up past the breastbone. And, no. No other character (except assassin I suppose) can do that no matter how much a player insists otherwise. Sounds easy, but *you* convince that barely armored thief to try his luck on getting surprise on a vampire.

[AxeMental]

So lets say a vampire has it's head chopped off with a vorpal blade in one hit. What HP would you put it at, and would it be required to immediately head back to the coffin. Or if its heads chopped off would you have a minute to stake it before it turned to mist (say role initiative following the decap)?

TRP interesting observations with thief and assassin.

[TRP]

Or if its heads chopped off would you have a minute to stake it before it turned to mist (say role initiative following the decap)?

That seems reasonable, winning initiative, the staker would have to act in the first segment. Also, if a player *immediately* cried out that they stake the body, then I'd give them the chance. A moment's hesitation, however, and the vampire turns to mist.