Blood Hunter

Marred but resolute, his grimacing face dripping with sweat, a half-orc reddens a finger across his wounds to draw a glowing, ruby glyph in the air. He grips the weightless, completed sigil, twisting it to unleash dark magical energies that fire forward, cursing the stalking behemoth from within its own veins to better even the odds.

A mysterious half-elf swathed in a worn cloak and rugged leather armor carefully investigates a grizzly scene off the roadway, her eyes flashing with recognition as she meditates on the remnants of the massacre. The survivor who warily hired her withdraws with a jump as the half-elf suddenly shoots to her feet, sure in the knowledge of the culprit, where it calls home, and how little time there is to find it.

Stepping into the lightless chambers of ancient dust and lingering whispers, the halfling’s nose picks up the pungent smell of imminent danger as she hears the scraping of bone and claw on nearby stone. She winces as she runs her blade across her palm, the steel transmuting her blood into glowing runes of powerful magic, her sword suddenly engulfed in arcane flames, eager to brand and burn the flesh of her enemies.

Often feared or misunderstood, and driven by an unending drive to destroy the wicked, blood hunters are clever, arcane warriors who have bound their essence to the dark creatures they hunt to better stalk and survive their prey. Armed with the rites of forbidden blood magic and a willingness to sacrifice their own vitality and humanity for the cause, they protect the realms from the shadows, ever vigilant to avoid becoming the same monsters they choose to hunt.

Class Features

As a Blood Hunter, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per blood hunter level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per blood hunter level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, medium armor, heavy armor shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: Alchemist’s supplies
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose three from Athletics, Acrobatics, Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Religion, and Survival

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two simple weapons or (c) two martial weapons
• (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) hand crossbow and 20 bolts
• (a) studded leather armor or (b) scale mail armor or (c) chain mail armor
• an explorer’s pack and a set of alchemist's supplies
  
  Alternatively, you may start with 5d4 × 10 gp to buy your own equipment.

Hunter's Bane

Beginning at 1st level, you have survived the Hunter’s Bane, a dangerous, long-guarded ritual that alters your life’s blood, forever binding you to the darkness and honing your senses against it. You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track fey, fiends, or undead, as well as on Intelligence ability checks to recall information about them. The Hunter’s Bane also empowers your body to control and shape hemocraft magic, using your own blood and life essence to fuel your abilities. Some of your features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. Choose either Intelligence or Wisdom. This is your Hemocraft modifier, which you use when setting the DC of your Hemocraft Save, and any associated blood hunter features. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Crimson Rite

At 2nd level, you learn to invoke a rite of hemocraft within your weapon at the cost of your own vitality. Choose two rites from the Crimson Rites list below to learn.

As a bonus action, you can activate a crimson rite on a weapon with the magical energy of a known rite of your choice that lasts until you finish a short or long rest, or if you aren’t holding the weapon at the end of your turn. When you activate a rite, you lose a number of hit points equal to one roll of your hemocraft die, as shown in the Hemocraft Die column of the Blood Hunter table.

Rites can be used on multiple weapons with the same bonus action, costing additional hit point loss. Most weapons can only be subject to a single rite at any given time. Each end of a polearm, quarterstaff, or other similar weapon is treated as a separate weapon for the purposes of this feature.

You can have a maximum of three weapons affected by your Crimson Rite feature at any one time.

For the duration, attacks from this weapon deal an additional 1d4 damage of the chosen rite’s type. The affected weapon's damage is magical and increases as you gain levels as a blood hunter, as shown in the Hemocraft Die column of the Blood Hunter table. A weapon can only hold a single active rite at a time.

You gain access to an additional rite at 6th, 11th level, and at 14th level.

Blood Hunter Order

At 3rd level, you commit to an order of blood hunter martial focus. Choose Order of the Ghostslayer, Order of the Profane Soul, Order of the Mutant, Order of the Lycan, Order of the Scale, Order of the Inquisition, Order of the Sin-Eater, Order of the Atavist, or Order of the Dark Draught, all detailed at the end of the class description. The order you choose grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, 11th, 15th, and 18th level.

Inured Viscera

At 3rd level, your body takes on physical traits and aspects of the toughest people and most resolute populations. You gain the following benefits:

• You are immune to disease
• Your hit point maximum can’t be reduced.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Brand of Castigation

At 6th level, whenever you damage a creature with your Crimson Rite feature, you can choose to sear an arcane brand of hemocraft magic into it (requires no action). You always know the direction to the branded creature, and each time the branded creature deals damage to you or a creature you can see within 5 feet of you, the creature takes force damage equal to your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of 1 damage).

Your brand lasts until you dismiss it, or you apply a brand to another creature. Your brand counts as a spell for the purposes of dispel magic, and the spell level is equal to half of your blood hunter level (maximum of 9th level spell).

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Rebuttal of Body

At 7th level, you can refute many attacks on your body. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Constitution saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Hardened Soul

When you reach 9th level, you can no longer become frightened, and you have advantage on saving throws against the charmed condition. At 14th level, you become immune to the charmed condition.

Dark Augmentation

Upon reaching 10th level, arcane blood magic suffuses your body, permanently reinforcing your resilience. Your speed increases by 5 feet, and whenever you make a Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution saving throw, you gain a bonus to the saving throw equal to your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of +1).

Grim Psychometry

When you reach 10th level, you gain the ability to meditate on any object, person, creature or artifact and discern lingering evils or wicked pasts that surround them.

You can cast the legend lore spell once per day. While this spell details use on any legendary or unique item or person, your use of this spell grants you greater knowledge when specifically used on items created from evil, or for sinister and impure purposes.

Crimson Manipulation

At 11th level, you hone your control over blood magic, mitigating your sacrifice and empowering your capability. Once per turn, whenever a blood hunter feature requires you to roll a hemocraft die, you can choose to reroll the die and choose which result to use.

Brand of Retribution.

Starting at 13th level, the force damage from your Brand of Castigation increases to twice your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of 2 damage).

Ichorous Vigor

At 14th level, damage dealt by your Crimson Rite feature ignores resistance to that damage type. If a creature is immune to the damage dealt by your Crimson Rite feature, they take half damage, instead of no damage.

Sanguine Mastery

Upon becoming 20th level, your ability to harness your pain and the pain of your foes is perfected. Whenever a blood hunter feature requires you to roll a Hemocraft Die while you are below half of your current maximum hit points, you can instead take the maximum result.

In addition, whenever you score a critical hit with a weapon attack empowered by your Crimson Rite, you regain one expended use of your Blood Maledict feature.

Blood Hunter Orders

There are a handful of secretive orders of blood hunters that guard their cryptic techniques and rituals. One must adhere to one of these orders to even be granted access to the Hunter’s Bane rite that starts their journey, and only once they’ve proven their dedication and ability will the secrets of the order begin to be revealed. It’s within these small, enigmatic sects that the real power of a blood hunter is learned.

Brand of Sundering

Beginning at 11th level, your Brand of Castigation now exposes a fragment of your foe’s essence, leaving them vulnerable to your Crimson Rite. Whenever you damage a branded creature with your Crimson Rite, your weapon deals one additional hemocraft die of rite damage.

In addition, the branded creature can’t move through creatures or objects or take the Dash action, and if a creature branded by you attempts to teleport or leave their current plane via ability, spell, or portal, they take 4d6 radiant damage and must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the teleport or plane shift fails.

Blood Curse of the Exorcist

At 15th level, you’ve honed your hemocraft to tear wicked influence from your allies, punishing those who would infiltrate their body and mind. You gain the Blood Curse of the Exorcist for your Blood Maledict feature. This doesn’t count against your number of blood curses known.

Rite Revival

Upon reaching 18th level, you learn to protect your fading life by absorbing your blood rite. When you are reduced to 0 hit points while you have an active Crimson Rite, but don’t die outright, the rite ends and you drop to 1 hit point instead. If you have rites active on multiple weapons, you choose which one ends.

Order of the Lycan

Of the many terrible curses that plague the realm, few are as ancient or as feared as Lycanthropy. Passed through blood, this affliction seeds a host with the savage strength and hunger for violence of a wicked beast. The Order of the Lycan is a proud order of blood hunters who undergo “The Taming,” a ceremonial inflicting of lycanthropy from a senior member. These hunters then use their abilities to harness the power of the monster they harbor without losing themselves to it. Through intense honing of one’s own willpower, combined with the secrets of the order’s blood magic rituals, members learn to control and unleash their hybrid form for short periods of time. Enhanced physical prowess, unnatural resilience, and razor sharp claws make these warriors a terrible foe to any evil that crosses their path. Yet, no training is perfect, and without care and complete focus, even the greatest of blood hunters can temporarily lose themselves to the bloodlust.

Advanced Transformation

Starting at 11th level, you learn to unleash and control more of the beast within. You can use your Hybrid Transformation feature four times, regaining all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest. In addition, your hybrid form gains the Lycan Regeneration feature.

Lycan Regeneration. At the start of each of your turns, you regain hit points equal to 1 + your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of one) if you have at least 1 hit point.

Brand of the Voracious

At 15th level, your Brand of Castigation now binds your foe to your hunter’s thirst for savagery. While in your hybrid form, your attacks have advantage against a creature branded by you. Additionally, branded targets hit by a weapon affected by an active rite can't regain hit points until the start of your next turn.

Hybrid Transformation Mastery

At 18th level, you have wrestled your inner predator and mastered it. You can use your Hybrid Transformation feature an unlimited number of times, and your hybrid form can now last indefinitely.

You also gain the Blood Curse of the Howl for your Blood Maledict feature. This does not count against your number of blood curses known.

Order of the Mutant

The process of the Hunter’s Bane is a painful, scarring, and sometimes fatal experience. Those that survive find themselves irrevocably changed, enhanced. Some found this experience exalting, embracing the ability to alter one’s own physiology through a combination of hemocraft and corrupted alchemy. Over generations of experimentation, a splinter order of blood hunters began to emerge, one that focused on brewing toxic elixirs to modify their capabilities in battle, altering their blood and, over time, become something beyond what they once were. They called themselves the Order of the Mutant. Researching their targets to know their strengths and weaknesses, these blood hunters can alter their biology to be best prepared for the coming conflict.

Strange Metabolism

Beginning at 7th level, your body has begun to adapt to toxins and venoms, ignoring their corroding effects. You gain immunity to poison damage and the poisoned condition.

In addition, you can instill a burst of adrenaline to temporarily resist the negative effects of a mutagen. As a bonus action, you can choose to ignore the side effect of a mutagen affecting you for 1 minute.

Once you use this feature to resist side effects, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Brand of Axiom

At 11th level, your hemocraft has altered your Brand of Castigation to enforce a foe’s true nature. Any illusions disguising or making a creature invisible when you brand them end, and they can’t benefit from such illusions while branded. If a creature branded by you is polymorphed or has changed shape, they must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or revert to their true form and be stunned until the end of your next turn. Whenever a branded creature attempts to polymorph or change shape, they must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or the attempt fails, and they are stunned until the end of your next turn.

Blood Curse of Corrosion

Starting at 15th level, your blood curse can wrack a creature’s body with terrible toxins. You gain the Blood Curse of Corrosion for your Blood Maledict feature. This does not count against your number of blood curses known.

Exalted Mutation

At 18th level, your body has adapted to produce your toxins naturally in a moment of need. As a bonus action, you can choose one mutagen currently affecting you to flush from your system and end, then immediately have a mutagen you know the formula for take effect in its place.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all uses of this feature after you finish a long rest.

Mutagens

These mutagens are presented in alphabetical order. You can learn a mutagen at the same time you meet its prerequisites.

Percipient

You gain advantage on Wisdom ability checks.

Side effect. You have disadvantage on Charisma ability checks.

Potency

Your Strength score increases by 3, as does your Strength maximum. This bonus increases by 1 at 11th and 18th level.

Side effect. You have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.

Precision

Prerequisite: 11th level

Your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19-20.

Side effect. You have disadvantage on Strength saving throws.

Rapidity

Your speed increases by 10 feet. At 15th level, your speed increases by 15 feet instead.

Side effect. You have disadvantage on Intelligence ability checks.

Reconstruction

Prerequisite: 7th level

For 1 hour, at the start of each of your turns, you regain hit points equal to your proficiency bonus if you have at least 1 hit point, but no more than half of your hit points.

Side effect. Your speed decreases by 10 ft for 1 hour.

Sagacity

Your Intelligence score increases by 3, as does your Intelligence maximum. This bonus increases by 1 at 11th and 18th level.

Side effect. You have disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws.

Prescient

Your Wisdom score increases by 3, as does your Wisdom maximum. This bonus increases by 1 at 11th and 18th level.

Side effect. You have disadvantage on Charisma saving throws.

Shielded

You gain resistance to slashing damage.

Side effect. You gain vulnerability to bludgeoning damage.

Unbreakable

You gain resistance to bludgeoning damage.

Side effect. You gain vulnerability to piercing damage.

Vermillion

You gain an additional use of your Blood Maledict feature.

Side effect. You have disadvantage on death saving throws.

Order of the Profane Soul

Those who have taken to the Order of the Profane Soul have seen the limits of hemocraft against some of the most ancient and cruel fiends and terrors of the world. Unable to pursue beings of such power, creatures able to vanish amongst the nobles without a trace, or bend the mind of the most stalwart warrior with but a glance, this order trusted in their resilience and delved into this same well of corrupting arcane knowledge, making pacts with lesser evils to better combat the greater. While they may have traded a part of themselves, members of this order believe the power gained far outweighs the price, for even devils now quake when they know they’ve drawn the attention of the Order of the Profane Soul.

Pact Magic

When you reach 3rd level, you can augment your combat techniques with the ability to cast spells. See chapter 10 of the PHB for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 of the Player’s Handbook for the Warlock spell list.

Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the warlock spell list. You learn an additional warlock cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots. The Profane Soul Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have. The table also shows what the level of those slots is; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of your warlock spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You do not regain any pact magic spell slots upon completing a short or long rest. You can spend 1 minute entreating your patron for aid to regain all your expended spell slots from your Pact Magic feature. You may use this feature three times before completing a long rest.

For example, when you are 8th level, you have two 2nd-level spell slots. To cast the 1st-level spell witch bolt, you must spend one of those slots, and you cast it as a 2nd-level spell.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher. At 3rd level, you know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the warlock spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Profane Soul table shows when you learn more warlock spells of your choice of 1st level and higher. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what’s shown in the table’s Slot Level column for your level. When you reach 11th level, for example, you learn a new warlock spell, which can be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class and order, you can choose one of the warlock spells you know and replace it with another spell from the warlock spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability. Your Hemocraft modifier functions as your spellcasting ability modifier. In addition, you use your Hemocraft modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a warlock spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Revealed Arcana

At 7th level, your dark patron grants you the rare use of a dangerous arcane spell based on your pact.

The Archfey You can cast blur once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

The Celestial You can cast healing spirit once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

The Fiend You can cast scorching ray once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

The Great Old One You can cast detect thoughts once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

The Hexblade You can cast branding smite once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

The Undying You can cast silence once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Brand of the Sapping Scar

Upon reaching 11th level, your Brand of Castigation feature now digs dark, arcane scars into your target, leaving them vulnerable to your magic. A creature branded by you has disadvantage on their saving throws against your warlock spells.

Unsealed Arcana

At 15th level, your patron grants you the rare use of an additional arcane spell based on your pact.

The Archfey You can cast slow once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

The Celestial You can cast revivify once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

The Fiend You can cast fireball once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

The Great Old One You can cast hunger of hadar once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

The Hexblade You can cast haste once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

The Undying You can cast bestow curse once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Blood Curse of the Souleater

Starting at 18th level, you’ve learned to siphon the soul from your fallen prey. You gain the Blood Curse of the Souleater for your Blood Maledict feature. This does not count against your number of blood curses known.

Order of the Scale

The Chroma Conclave. One of the greatest disasters that Exandria has endured post-Calamity. Following their attack on Tal'dorei and Draconia, some in the Claret Orders recognized the danger these creatures presented. These Blood Hunters founded a new order, based around a new version of Hunter's Bane derived from dragon's blood. You know the saying, fight fire with fire...

Brand of Elemental Prowess.

Beginning at 11th level, your Brand of Castigation now strengths elemental magics around it. When you damage a branded creature with the damage type associated with your Dragon's Bane, they suffer additional damage equal to your Hemocraft modifier. In addition, the branded creature's speed becomes 0, if it has one.

Great Drake's Bane

At 15th level, you consume an even more powerful version of the Dragon's Bane, further infusing yourself with draconic qualities. You gain blindsight out to a range of 30 feet.

You also gain the Blood Curse of the Wyrm for your Blood Maledict feature. This does not count against your number of blood curses known.

Draconic Call

When you reach 18th level, you gain the ability to call lesser dragons to your side as both ally and mount. Once per long rest, you can cast the spell find greater steed, though the form you choose can only be that of a dragon wyrmling.

The specific wyrmling is dependent on your chosen Dragon

Finally, when summoned in this way, the wyrmling is considered a Large creature.

Order of the Inquisition

Of all the Orders of Blood Hunter's within the Dwendalian Empire, the Order of the Inquisition is the most accepted by the crown. Working closely with the Assembly, the Inquisition has been given much leeway in their fight against corruption. Most Orders specialize in hunting down different monsters, threats to humanity. However, this order understands that humanity themselves are the true monsters. The biggest threats to an orderly and peaceful society come from within, and these must be cut out of the Empire like the cancer they are.

Order of the Sin-Eater

Following the adage "a burden shared is a burden halved", these blood hunters take the pain and suffering of others onto themselves. While many blood hunters prefer to operate as part of a group, supplementting their skills with those of their allies, members of this order particularly rely on companions for successful hunts. Sin-Eaters are known for a special ritual that involves placing food on an individual, which absorbs their corruption. By then eating the food, the blood hunter takes a portion of their pain. Some members of this order use fruit and berries or other natural foods, while others employ specially prepared wafers.

Order of the Atavist

While all blood hunters use their lifeblood to fuel rites and curses, the Order of the Atavist has made the practice into an art. Atavist blood hunters coax every drop of vitality from their blood and channel it towards slaying their foes. While this burns through their lifeforce at a terrifyingly fast rate, an atavist blood hunter only becomes stronger as their life wanes — and as the blood hunter races towards the edge of death, their foes are pulled along as well.

Wounded Nature

At 3rd level, you gain three benefits, which strengthen as you become weaker, and your innate reflexes take over. You gain Unstopping Heart, and two other features, which can be chosen below.

Unstopping Heart. Once per turn, when losing hit points due to a blood hunter feature would reduce you to 0 hitpoints, you can choose to be instead reduced to 1. In addition, you are proficient in death saving throws.

Choose one of the following features, which remain active as long as you are below your maximum hit points:

• Alacrity. You hover in and out of a foe’s reach, stepping between it as easily as a flick of a blade. Choose either the Disengage or Dash action. You can take this action as a bonus action. You choose the action when you gain this feature.

• Beating Reflexes. Your agility and bulk are unparalleled. Whenever you make a Strength or Dexterity ability check or saving throw, you can roll your hemocraft die, lose hit points equal to half the result (rounded down), and add the result to the roll. You make this choice after you see the roll, but before the DM says whether the check or saving throw succeeds.

• Control. You finely manipulate your blood. Whenever you make an attack roll or a Constitution saving throw, you can roll your hemocraft die, lose hit points equal to half the result (rounded down), and add the result to the roll. You make this choice after you see the roll, but before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails.

In addition, choose one of the following features. When you fall below half your hit-point maximum (rounded up), your chosen feature activates for you, remaining active as long as you are under that threshold:

• Serrated Strike. Your blade’s edge coats and sharpens in spilled blood. When you roll the maximum number on a damage die or hemocraft die, you can add an additional 1d8 to the result for the next 3 hits with that weapon. The amount of damage, and hits you deal increases as you reach higher levels: it becomes 2d8 at level 6 (4 hits), 3d8 at 10th (5 hits), and 4d8 at 18th (6 hits).

• Thickening Humors. Once on your turn, you can activate a crimson rite, amplify a blood curse, or use your Blood for Blood feature without losing hit points.

• Unceasing Flow. Your blood runs like water. When you lose hit points due to your Blood for Blood feature, you can double the result. You lose hit points equal to half the result (rounded down) and apply double the result.

Draining Rite

At 7th level, your wounds call out to be matched. You gain the following benefits

• When you kill a creature with a weapon empowered by your crimson rite feature, you can roll two of its Hit Dice + its Constitution modifier, gaining hit points equal to double the result.

• When an attack hits you, you fail a saving throw, or you fail an ability check that requires an attack or an action, you can make a weapon attack against any creature within range as a reaction.

Brand of Siphoning

Beginning at 11th level, your brand leeches vitality from your enemies. Once on your turn when you deal damage to a branded creature whilst beneath half your hit point maximum, you can store a death saving throw success. Whenever you make a death saving throw and fail, you can expend a stored success to pass the saving throw. You can store a maximum of 3 death saving throw successes.

Additionally, when you fall to 0 hit points, you do not fall unconscious until you gain a second death save failure.

Bleeding Wounds

At 15th level, you can keep a creature in a damaged state, forcing wounds to open and blood to flow. You gain the Blood Curse of the Wounded for your Blood Maledict feature. This does not count against your number of blood curses known.

Call Godslayer

Beginning at 18th level, you are capable of creating a blood weapon that rivals the most powerful weapons in the multiverse. As a bonus action, you can choose one weapon you are currently wielding, that is empowered by your crimson rite feature. Roll your hemocraft die 10 times, lose hit points equal to half the amount rolled (rounded down), and add the result to damage dealt with the chosen weapon for three hits. After three hits, this effect fades.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Order of the Dark Draught

The original purpose of this strain of Hunter's Bane was to help abate the affliction of those cursed with vampirism. Many of these victims chose to combat the scourge that had cursed them as well as those of their ilk, and the Order of the Dark Draught was formed. Soon other blood hunters who were not cursed began to drink the specialized concoction, willing to gain a mild form of the vampiric disease for the cause. Given the Order's history, many of these blood hunters specialize solely with the fight against vampires, looking to prevent others from going through the pain they suffered. But others of the Order see the similar oppression and violation of vampires in the many forms of evil infiltrating the land all of which must be stopped.

Blood Curse of Enflamed Passions

Prerequisite: Order of the Dark Draught, 15th level

As a bonus action, you manipulate the blood borne hormones of a creature you can see within 30 feet, flooding them with emotions. The target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be charmed by you until the end of its next turn. This effect ends early if it takes damage from you or an ally. While charmed, the target regards you as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn't under your control, it takes your requests or actions in the most favorable way it can.

Amplify. The effect doesn't end early if it takes damage from an ally or you.

Order of the Old Blood

The Order of the Old Blood delves deep into the realm known as the 'Hunter's Dream. The bloodiest dreams of this realm evokes images of yourself and your red life essence. You can hear the sound of the grindstone, the clang of weapons, and the distinctive ringing of gunshots. Blood Hunters of the Old Blood are dangerous martial fighters whose perfection of the body is difficult to rival.

The Blood Dream

Starting at 3rd level, you gain two features of your choice, choosing from the list below, reflecting the influence of the Blood Dream on your fighting.

• Harvest Dregs. You harvest the blood dregs of the fallen to honor your dreams of conflict. When you reduce a hostile creature to 0 hit points with a weapon empowered by your Crimson Rite feature, you gain hit points equal to one roll of your hemocraft die plus your hemocraft modifier. Alternatively, you can gain temporary hit points instead.

• No Quarter. When a Medium sized or larger creature within 10 feet of you attacks you, you can use your reaction to make a weapon attack against that creature.

• Parting Glass. When you hit with a weapon attack empowered by your Crimson Rite feature, you don't provoke opportunity attacks until the start of your next turn.

• Thunderous Encore. When you use the Attack action and attack with a one handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a one handed ranged weapon you are holding. If you are wielding a trick weapon that has a ranged weapon integrated into it, you can swap into its ranged weapon form as apart of the same bonus action, as long as you use it to make the ranged weapon attack.

Quick Step

At 3rd level, you learn how to dart forth with uncanny swiftness. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to move up to 10 feet in any direction. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks, and is not reduced by difficult terrain.

You cannot quick step while you are prone, while you are wearing heavy armor, or while your speed is at 0.

Mechanical Advantage

Starting at 7th level, when you transform your trick weapon, the next attack you make with it that turn has advantage. Additionally, you can add or remove two weapon properties for each form of your trick weapons.

Brand of Bloodtinge

Starting at 11th level, you have devised a more efficient system of bloodletting, using your Brand of Castigation to expunge impurities from blood. Whenever you damage a branded creature with your Crimson Rite, you can expend up to three Blood Hunter hit dice, rolling them and dealing extra rite damage equal to the sum of the result.

Visceral Attack

At 15th level, you can exploit your enemies' position for a devastating counterattack.

When a creature targets you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make a ranged weapon attack against it (this attack doesn't have disadvantage due to being next to the target). On a hit, the next weapon attack you hit the creature with a weapon attack on your next turn becomes a critical hit.

Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest, or amplify a Blood Curse.

Paleblood Rapture

At 18th level, you bathe in the raw euphoria of warm blood, sprayed from the savage wounds you inflict to your foes. When you perform a Visceral Attack, you regain hit points equal to half the damage dealt (rounded down).

Additionally, once on each of your turns, you can pour your life's blood into a weapon you are wielding. If you do so, you lose hit points, up to a number of hit points equal to half your current hit points, and the next successful attack with that weapon deals additional necrotic damage equal to the hit points you lost. This necrotic damage ignores resistance and immunity.

Blood Curses

The blood curses are presented in alphabetical order.

Blood Curse of Mutual Suffering

As a bonus action, you can link to a creature within 30 feet for up to a minute, forcing them to share in the pain they inflict upon you. The next time the cursed creature deals damage to you, they lose hit points equal to half the damage dealt. This curse then ends.

Amplify. The target loses hit points equal to the damage you initially suffered. In addition, this curse lasts for 1 minute. The target can make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending this effect on a success.

Blood Curse of Scarlet Binding

You focus your attention on the vitals that run through the veins of your enemies. As an action, you attempt to bind a humanoid that you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, they are paralysed until the end of your next turn.

Amplify. This curse lasts for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, the cursed creature can make a Constitution saving throw. On a success, this curse ends.

Blood Curse of the Pierced Mind

Prerequisite: 8th level

You gain the ability to forcefully tap into the mind of a creature and sift through its memories.

As an action, choose a creature within 60 feet of you. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw, or you gain all of the creatures memories from the past 24 hours and the creature is stunned until the end of your next turn. On a success, you and the target take 3d6 psychic damage.

Amplify. The target takes 3d6 psychic damage on a failed save, and 5d6 psychic damage on a successful save.

Blood Hunter Multiclassing

Should you wish to multiclass into a blood hunter, the prerequisites and proficiencies gained are listed below.

Changelog

• Saving throws changed from Dexterity and Intelligence, to Strength and Constitution.

• Proficiency with heavy armor added.

• Starting equipment changed from "a martial weapon or two simple" to "a martial and a shield, two simple or two martial", and added chain mail to armor options. Increased starting wealth to 5d4x10 instead of 4d4x10

• Hemocraft die progression changed, matches proficiency bonus progression.

• Number of Blood Curses known increased by 1 overall, and Blood Maledict use per rest increased by 1

• Multiclassing Prerequisites are changed from 13 Str/Dex and 13 Int, to 13 Str/Dex and 13 Int/Wis

• Grim Psychometry revised and placed at level 10.

• Brand of Castigation now deals force damage, and Brand of Tethering has been renamed Brand of Retribution - The Dash action and teleport restriction has been moved to Order of the Ghostslayer.

• No longer limited to Intelligence - Choose Hemocraft Modifier at 1st level, either Wisdom or Intelligence.

• Great Weapon Fighting Style, Two-Weapon Fighting Style (Sanguine Onslaught), and Dual Wielder Feat all revised or replaced.

• UA Fighting Style added: Blind Fighting.

• Rites are no longer separated into Primal and Esoteric - Level gating of rites is removed. Rite of the Caustic and Venom added, and number of Rites gained increased and spaced out. Rites can be applied onto multiple weapons with one Bonus Action, costing additional hit point loss.

• Inured Viscera and Rebuttal of Body added.

• Hardened Soul revised and replaced. No longer at 14th level, now at 9th.

• Crimson Manipulation and Ichorous Vigor added

• Sanguine Mastery revised.

• Alchemical Knowledge added to Order of the Mutant

• Pact Magic revised for Profane Soul.

• Profane Scars added for Profane Soul. Allows for some focus on spellcasting.

• Changed the spell gained from Unsealed Arcana for Hexblade and Great Old One.

• Order of the Scale, Inquisition, Sin-Eater, Atavist, Old Blood, and the Dark Draught added.

Credits

• /u/matthewmercer, for creating the Blood Hunter
• Joma Cueto and Matthew Mercer for the art of Elias, used as the front cover.
• Infernal Guard, for Bloodborne art used as the back cover. Follow the Trail of Blood
• /u/Cixal, for their wonderful Blood Hunter revision, which aided me greatly (The increase in Primal Rites plus progression, Grim Psychometry, Alchemical Knowledge, Profane Scars, and the increase in Blood Maledict and Curses is from their brew)
• u/TheAshtonium for Ichorous Vigor
• Vorpal Dice Press for their Fighting Maneuver replacement for Fighting Styles
• /u/cyberhawk94 for Orders of the Scale and Inquisition
• /u/MobiusFlip and /u/SwordMeow for Order of the Atavist (a mix of the Atavist Class by /u/SwordMeow and the Order of the Deathbound by /u/MobiusFlip)
• Blood Hunter Expanded, by Dave Gibson, for Order of the Sin-Eater (Found on DMsGuild).
• /u/blckthorn and GMBinder for this theme
• Travis Legge, for his Blood Hunter subclass, Order of the Dark Draught