The Blood Machine
Notice
As of writing this update/notice (5/13/23), a few changes have been made after having had the chance to do a little bit of testing. As always, everything you see is subject to change, and you can read up on exactly what I changed at the end of this document. With that being said, I hope I did the inspiration justice, and that you enjoy this homebrew class!
May your rolls be 20s, and your 1s few.
Insatiable Metal
When all of man will have fallen, there will be but one being left standing, atop the corpses of an entire world: The Blood Machine - for it will have been machines' crimes against humanity that cause their downfall. An unstoppable force with an insatiable lust for blood, its sole fuel source, and violence, its preferred tool for acquiring such, so great is their gluttony that the hells themselves tremble - for they know that one day only three truths will remain:
Mankind is dead. Blood is fuel. Hell is full.
Glistening Gore
Blood is fuel for every living creature in a manner of speaking. That manner, for the Blood Machine, is very literal. The Machine specializes in fast, frantic, and brutal combat to siphon the very life essence from their foes, knowing that the more gore that glistens over their hardened body, the more life they have to live.
Creating a Blood Machine
When creating a Blood Machine, body and machine become closer than ever before. Ask yourself to what extent this relationship goes: is it akin to equipping a suit of armor that does the work for you? Or is your entire being the machine? How much of you remains as flesh? Was any of you ever?
Also consider how your Blood Machine feels to be partaking in such a role. How do you regard the grim task of feeding on the blood you beat and maim others for? With great displeasure in indulging such a gruesome act? Stoic solemnity accepting what needs to be done for your own survival? Frenzied glee with hardly contained excitement at the next opportunity to bathe in the blood of your enemies? Or perhaps it doesn't matter, and you'll go on with your life all the same?
Multiclassing
This material has had very little/limited playtesting, and much of that playtesting has not taken multiclassing into account. As such, multiclass with caution - stuff may be broken or have unforeseen interactions.
Got feedback or comments? Let me know!
Email: jjuusstiinn@gmail.com
Discord: internet.person
You must have a Dexterity of 13 or higher in order to multiclass in or out of this class.
The Blood Machine
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Bonus Movement | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | +10 ft | Machine Form, Blood is Fuel |
| 2nd | +2 | +10 ft | Fighting Style, Jab |
| 3rd | +2 | +10 ft | Blood Machine's Armaments, Moving Target |
| 4th | +2 | +10 ft | Ability Score Improvement, Fresh Weapon Bonus |
| 5th | +3 | +15 ft | Extra Attack, False Wings |
| 6th | +3 | +15 ft | Armament Feature, Combat Refactoring |
| 7th | +3 | +15 ft | Elusive Target |
| 8th | +3 | +15 ft | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | +20 ft | Machine Form V2 |
| 10th | +4 | +20 ft | Unyielding Steel |
| 11th | +4 | +20 ft | Armament Feature |
| 12th | +4 | +20 ft | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13th | +5 | +25 ft | Impossible Target |
| 14th | +5 | +25 ft | Weapon of War |
| 15th | +5 | +25 ft | Synergistic Armaments |
| 16th | +5 | +25 ft | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | +30 ft | Armament Feature |
| 18th | +6 | +30 ft | Machine Embodiment |
| 19th | +6 | +30 ft | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | +35 ft | Insatiable |
Class Features
As a Blood Machine, you gain the following class features:
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d6 per Blood Machine level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per Blood Machine level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: None
- Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
- Tools: None
- Saving Throws: Dexterity, Strength
- Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Perception, Performance, Religion, and Sleight of Hand
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- any martial melee weapon
- a light crossbow and 20 bolts
- 2 daggers
- (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
Machine Form
At 1st level, you gain the ability to don the Machine Form, transforming your body at will into a visage of metal. You can transform at any time, and you must be in Machine Form to use any of the features of this class. Your transformation only ends when you would wish for it to end, regardless of whether or not you become incapacitated.
While in Machine Form, you gain the following features:
- You are not affected by any effect that would cause you to regain hit points if that effect specifies that it does not affect constructs.
- Your Armor Class becomes 12 + your Dexterity modifier, ignoring any armor you may have been wearing before transforming.
- Your speed increases by 10 feet. This bonus increases when you reach certain Blood Machine levels, as shown in Bonus Movement column in the class table.
- You can use your Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes.
- You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike.
- Some features will require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw for those features is calculated as follows:
Feature Saving Throw = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier
Blood is Fuel
Starting at 1st level, you have the ability to siphon off the life essence of your foes any time they suffer damage.
Whenever you successfully hit a creature with a melee attack, ranged attack, or unarmed strike, and that creature is within 5 feet of you, you may use this feature to restore an amount of hit points equal to the amount of damage you inflicted with said attack.
You may use this feature an amount of times equal to your Blood Machine level. You regain all uses upon completing a long rest.
Fighting Style
Starting at 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
- Archery. You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
- Dueling. When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
- Great Weapon Fighting. When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
- Thrown Weapon Fighting. You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon. In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.
- Two-Weapon Fighting. When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
- Unarmed Fighting. Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a hit. If you aren't wielding any weapons or a shield when you make the attack roll, the d6 becomes a d8. At the start of each of your turns, you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to one creature grappled by you.
- Close Quarters Shooter (UA). When making a ranged attack while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll. Your ranged attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover against targets within 30 feet of you. You have a +1 bonus to attack rolls on ranged attacks.
Jab
Starting at 2nd level, immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you may make an unarmed strike as a bonus action.
Blood Machine's Armaments
Starting at 3rd level, you select a designated armament to add to your arsenal, expanding your capabilities. Your armament grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level. You can view detailed descriptions of each Armament and their features at the end of this class description.
| Armament |
|---|
| Feedbacker |
| Knuckleblaster |
| Whiplash |
| Changemaker (Coming soon!) |
Moving Target
Beginning at 3rd level, you can rely on your sheer agility to evade incoming attacks. When you are hit by an attack, you may use your reaction to make a Dexterity saving throw against a DC equal to the attack roll of the incoming attack. On a success, you take half as much damage as the attack would have inflicted. Regardless if you succeed or fail the saving throw, you may move yourself 5 feet in a direction of your choosing after using this feature. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
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.
Fresh Weapon Bonus
Beginning at 4th level, you make use of your deft hands to make sure your enemies can't predict your next move, opening them up for further punishment. After hitting an enemy with an attack, if your next attack is made using something other than what you just used (i.e. your first attack was made with a dagger, and your next attack was made with an unarmed strike or other weapon), that attack benefits from an additional effect based on the type of damage the attack would inflict.
- Bludgeoning: After hitting a creature with this attack, its next attack suffers a -1 to the attack roll. This effect can be stacked.
- Piercing: Hitting a creature with this attack lowers the targeted creature's AC by 1 until the start of your next turn. This effect can be stacked.
- Slashing: When using the Blood is Fuel feature with this attack, recover an additional 1d4 hit points.
- Other: After hitting a creature with this attack, the next attack that hits it gains 1d6 to the damage roll. This additional damage does not count for the hit points you would gain from using Blood is Fuel.
For attacks that inflict multiple types of damage, you may choose a single effect between whatever benefits are valid for the attack. For example, if you attack with a magic sword that deals both slashing and fire damage, you can choose between the Slashing benefit or Other benefit, but you may not have more than one, and your next attack must still be made with a different weapon to benefit from Fresh Weapon Bonus.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 14th level in this class.
False Wings
At 5th level, any time you enter your Machine Form, you don a set of wings that grant the following traits:
- You are not required to move the 10 feet needed for the full distance of a Long Jump or High Jump.
- You always land on your feet when landing in difficult terrain after jumping.
- Your total jump distance with High Jump increases by 10 feet.
- You reduce any falling damage you would take by 5 times your Blood Machine level.
- When you roll for initiative, you may add your proficiency bonus to the roll.
Combat Refactoring
Beginning at 6th level, during a long rest, you may choose to replace your currently selected Fighting Style with a different one from the provided list.
Elusive Target
Starting 7th level, you avoid attacks with more ease and speed than ever before. When you use your Moving Target feature to make a Dexterity saving throw against an incoming attack, you avoid all damage on a success, rather than taking half damage. The distance you can move with Moving Target is also increased, allowing you to move up to 10 feet.
Additionally, when you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take half damage, you may use the Moving Target feature to potentially dodge the effect by moving out of harm's way. For example, if you would find yourself on the edge of a fireball's radius, you may use your reaction to use the Moving Target feature to move yourself up to 10 feet, placing yourself outside of the radius and avoiding the damage.
Machine Form V2
Beginning at 9th level, your machine form has incurred several upgrades, improving your combat effectiveness. Choose a second option from the Fighting Style class feature. When using Combat Refactoring, you may choose to replace both Fighting Styles or only a single one.
Additionally, the range of the Blood is Fuel feature increases to 10 feet, and whenever you use the Blood is Fuel feature, you gain an additional amount of hit points equal to half your proficiency bonus, rounded up.
Unyielding Steel
Starting at 10th level, your iron will supersedes the setbacks that any wound might force upon you. When you would take damage that reduces you to 0 hit points or lower, you instead remain at 1 hit point and can immediately take an action.
Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.
Impossible Target
At 13th level, you become a blur on the battlefield, unmatchable in speed and agility. After you use the Moving Target feature to make a Dexterity Saving throw against an attack, your armor class is increased by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus until the start of your next turn, regardless of whether or not you succeeded on the save. The distance you can move with Moving Target increases yet again, allowing you to move up to 15 feet.
Weapon of War
Beginning at 14th level, any weapon in your hands is deadly to even the most resilient foes. Your unarmed strikes and any attack you make with a weapon counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Additionally, if your attack would benefit from Fresh Weapon Bonus, it also gains 1d6 to the damage roll. This bonus does not count for the hit points you would gain from using Blood is Fuel.
Synergistic Armaments
At 15th level, your Armaments are incorporated into the flow of combat in such a way that using them becomes second nature. If an Armament feature would require you spend a reaction to use it, you may use that feature without using your reaction, though you may only use that feature once per round. Once used in this manner, you may not use Synergistic Armaments again until the start of your next turn.
Machine Embodiment
Beginning at 18th level, it becomes impossible to tell if you were ever organic underneath the layers of metal coated in glistening gore. While you are in Machine Form, you gain these features in addition to the previously listed features:
- You do not require food or water.
- You are immune to disease and poison.
- Your creature type is Construct, rather than humanoid.
Tentative:
- You add your proficiency bonus twice to Dexterity saving throws.
Insatiable
Starting at 20th level, your appetite can only be described as ungodly, and you will stop at nothing to satiate your insatiable thirst.
You may use the Blood is Fuel feature an indefinite amount of times.
Blood Machine's Armaments
There are a variety of options to choose from in a Blood Machine's expansive arsenal, each of them making modifications and adding special abilities to your unarmed strikes. Here are the Armament options you can choose from at 3rd level.
Feedbacker
The Feedbacker Armament is for those that enjoy making fools of their enemies, turning an attacker's advances onto themselves and making them into unwilling co-conspirators in their own demise. With a deft parry, your opponents will quickly learn that they are their own worst enemies.
Parrying Fist
Beginning at 3rd level, when you are hit by an attack you may use your reaction to roll 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Blood Machine level. If your roll is equal to or higher than the damage you would have taken, you successfully parry the attack. When you successfully parry an attack, you avoid taking the damage, and the creature who targeted you with the attack takes the damage instead.
Projectile Boost
At 6th level, you can increase the impact force of your own ranged attacks - by punching them. When you make a ranged attack against a creature, you may use your reaction to quickly strike the projectile with your fist, doubling your proficiency bonus for the attack roll, and adding 1d8 force damage to the damage roll.
Volatile Counter
Beginning at 11th level, when you use the Parrying Fist feature to successfully parry an attack, the parry has additional effects that happen alongside the reflected damage.
If you parried a melee attack, in addition to taking the reflected damage like normal, the creature that targeted you with the attack must succeed a Constitution saving throw against or be stunned until the end of your next turn.
If you parried a ranged attack, you send the projectile back at the creature that targeted you with the attack with explosive force. In addition to taking the reflected damage like normal, that creature, as well as any creature within 10 feet of it, must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 1d8 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
Additionally, the Projectile Boost feature now grants your boosted projectiles a similar level of explosive force. When you use the Projectile Boost feature, the projectile, in addition to the normal effects granted by the feature, also explodes, causing the targeted creature, as well as any creature within 10 feet of it, to make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 1d8 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
Recursive Defense
Starting at 17th level, when you fail to parry an attack using the Parrying Fist feature, you may choose to reroll the die, taking the new result. If the new roll also fails, reduce the damage you would take by half the amount of the new roll.
Knuckleblaster
The Kunckleblaster Armament offers the boon of adding sheer force and impact to your unarmed strikes, blasting foes away with a violent outburst of kinetic energy delivered straight from your knuckles. With a deafening boom, all will fall before the ringing in your ears has time to subside.
Blasting Fist
At 3rd level, when you make an unarmed strike, you may choose to use Knuckleblaster in place of the normal strike. Upon doing so, you trigger the blasting mechanism embedded in your fist, releasing a wave of energy in a 10-foot cone. Creatures within the cone must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d6 force damage and being pushed 10 feet away from you on a failed save. On a successful save, they take half as much damage and are not pushed. Creatures that are within 5 feet of you when you use this feature have disadvantage on the saving throw.
You may use the Blood is Fuel feature when damaging creatures with Blasting Fist. You must still adhere to the set range of Blood is Fuel, and you may only target up to an amount of creatures equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded up. This expends a use of the Blood is Fuel feature for each creature targeted.
You must use a bonus action to recharge your blaster before you can use this feature again.
Deflecting Blast
Starting at 6th level, you can use a well-timed blast to redirect incoming attacks, albeit not as efficiently as the Knuckleblaster's sibling. When you are hit by a ranged attack, you may use your reaction to use the Blasting Fist feature and reduce the damage you would have taken by the damage you roll. If you reduce the damage to 0, the projectile is deflected back to the creature that attacked you, and it takes the damage instead of you.
Additionally, the damage of the Blasting Fist feature increases to 3d6 force damage.
As with normally using Blasting Fist, you must use a bonus action to recharge your blaster before you can use this feature again.
Locked and Loaded
At 11th level, you may use your reaction to recharge your blaster instead of your bonus action.
Additionally, Deflecting Blast no longer requires Knuckleblaster to be charged to be used, and using Deflecting Blast no longer consumes Knuckleblaster's charge.
Deafening Boom
Beginning at 17th level, the blast from Blasting Fist becomes more powerful, dealing an additional 1d8 thunder damage, increasing its range to a 15-foot cone, and increasing the push distance to 15 feet. The effect also extends to a 5-foot radius around you, in conjunction with the cone.
Additionally, creatures that fail the saving throw are deafened, and have a -5 penalty to attack rolls and saving throws until the start of your next turn as they find their senses assaulted and focus disrupted. Creatures that succeed on the saving throw are not deafened, but still suffer a -2 penalty to their attack rolls and saving throws.
Whiplash
The Whiplash Armament ensnares enemies with a piercing projectile attached to a tether, ruining any opponent's hopes for strategic positioning by letting you decide how far apart the two of you should be. With a defiant insistence, they will simply have no choice but to get to know you up close and personal.
Snaring Fist
Starting at 3rd level, when you make an unarmed strike, you may choose to use Whiplash in place of the normal strike. Whiplash has a range of 30 feet, and deals 1d8 piercing damage. Upon hitting a creature, that creature must make a Strength saving throw or be restrained until the end of its turn, or until it is attacked. When a creature is restrained in this manner, you may use your reaction to activate the winch within Whiplash and begin reeling in the tether. If the targeted creature is of a size Medium or smaller, you may choose whether it is pulled to you, or you are pulled to it. If the targeted creature is of a size Large or greater, you are pulled to it.
Additionally, Whiplash may be used to interact with objects from a distance, such as activating a lever from the other side of a room, or picking up a potion just lying out of reach. The object must be within 30 feet of you, and you use whatever action you would normally use when interacting with this object as you normally would. For example, whether you pick up a sword at your feet using your hands like normal, or a sword 30 feet away using Whiplash, you would use a free object interaction either way.
Additionally still, Whiplash can be used to grapple onto solid surfaces, allowing you to zip across the battlefield or easily scale up a wall. As a bonus action, you can select an unoccupied space within 30 feet of you and use Whiplash to move towards that space. Creatures can target you with attacks of opportunity while you move to this space, and you are stopped by walls or barriers. The space you target must not be difficult terrain.
Follow Through
Beginning at 6th level, when you use your reaction to activate Whiplash's winch to pull a creature towards you, or pull yourself towards a creature, you may immediately make an attack against that creature as part of the same reaction. If you successfully hit the creature with this attack, it drops whatever it is holding. After attacking the creature in this manner, it is no longer restrained.
Lasso of Flame
Starting at 11th level, Large creatures can now be pulled towards you if you so choose. Additionally, Medium or smaller creatures have disadvantage on the Strength saving throw against being restrained by Snaring Fist.
Whiplash now deals an additional 1d8 fire damage.
Vulnerability Exploit
At 17th level, when you use your reaction to activate Whiplash's winch to pull a creature towards you, or pull yourself towards a creature, until the end of your next turn, your attacks against that creature deal an additional 1d8 damage and critically strike on a roll of 19 or 20.
Tentative: After attacking a creature with these bonuses, you may not gain these bonuses against that creature again until after the end of its next turn.
Changemaker
The Changemaker Armament is the choice for those who prefer to show off during combat, deftly dispensing deceivingly deadly coins into the air and stylishly chaining hits off these tiny discs of death into an unsuspecting foe across the battlefield. With a golden glint and distinct tink, your enemies best be ready to have their minds blown.
Glimmering Fist
At 3rd level, you gain the ability to augment your attacks using Coins. Your Armament contains a maximum of 4 Coins, and you gain 1 Coin at the start of each of your turns.
Ricoshot: As a bonus action, you may place up to 4 Coins in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of you, expending as many Coins as you place. When you attack a creature using a ranged weapon, you may choose to aim at one of
these Coins instead, suffering a penalty to the attack roll equal to the amount of Coins you placed.
When you aim your attack at a Coin, it ricochets from Coin to Coin before hitting the creature you originally targeted. You determine the order of Coins that the attack bounces to. While your attack is bouncing between Coins, it creates lines from one Coin to the next.
Creatures caught in these lines suffer the same attack as the creature you originally targeted. This can include the creature you originally targeted. A creature can only be subjected to this effect once per attack.
When your attack stops bouncing, it deals additional damage equal to the amount of Coins you expended to perform this attack.
Any Coin you placed disappears at the end of your turn or after you have used it to bounce an attack.
Coinpunch: When you make an unarmed strike, you may choose to instead expend a Coin, tossing it into the air and targeting it with a punch. The Coin flies to a creature of your choice within 30 feet of you, and it suffers an unarmed strike attack with a -1 to the attack roll and +1 to the damage roll. Until the end of your next turn, the Coin hovers above the targeted creature's position. During this time, you can choose to punch the Coin again, causing the same effect. Each time you punch the same Coin, both the attack penalty and damage bonus increment by 1. If your turn ends without punching this Coin, or if you miss your attack with this Coin, or if you target a different creature with a new Coinpunch, this Coin falls to the ground, rendered useless.
Chargeback
Beginning at 6th level, when you are targeted by a ranged attack, as a reaction you can expend a coin to make a Sleight of Hand check to deftly toss a Coin in the way of the oncoming projectile. The DC of this check is equal to the attack roll of the attack targeting you. On a success, the projectile is deflected back at the attacker and they suffer the damage instead of you.
You may also attempt to use this if you are subjected to an effect that would cause you to make a Dexterity saving throw, assuming the effect comes in the form of a line. The DC of this check is equal to the effect's normal DC + 4. On a success, the line is interrupted as it reflects back to its origin point and whatever caused the effect suffers the effects instead.
For example: a hostile wizard casts Lightning Bolt in your direction and you are caught in the line. You expend a Coin to use Chargeback, and on a successful check, the line stops at your position instead of fully forming, and the wizard suffers the effects of the spell instead of you.
Splitshot
At 11th level, when you make a ranged attack, you can choose to expend a single Coin as a bonus action, and target the Coin with your attack. The attack roll suffers a -2 penalty, but your attack can target one additional creature within 30 feet of the creature you originally targeted. This attack gains a +2 to the damage roll.
Ultraricoshot
Starting at 17th level, there is no limit to how many times a creature can be targeted by Ricoshot. If the lines you create would cross over a targeted creature three times, then it suffers the attack three additional times.
Additionally, you now gain 2 Coins at the start of each round instead of 1.
Version 2.1 - Changelong 8/8/23
Primary Class Description
Fresh Weapon Bonus
- Lowered the amount of bonus healing you get from the Slashing damage bonus from 1d6 to 1d4.
It just occurred to me that 1d6 additional healing is basically saying you get to use a hit die in the middle of a fight, at no cost or inconvenience to you. All you need to do is use a slashing damage weapon. That felt a bit strong to me, and it could very well be still too strong. I'll be keeping my eye on this one.
- Changed effect of Other damage bonus.
Previously: A creature that has been hit by this attack suffers additional damage on the next attack that hits it. This damage is equal to 1d6 and is of the same damage type as the attack you used to gain this benefit.
Changed to: After hitting a creature with this attack, the next attack that hits it gains 1d6 to the damage roll.
This effect seemed needlessly complicated and just an overall eyesore to read, so I simplified it to something that I believe more or less achieves the same effect with none of the headache.
Subclass Changes
Feedbacker > Recursive Defense
- Added the following:
If the new roll also fails, reduce the damage you would take by half the amount of the new roll.
I felt that this feature was a bit weak for 17th level, so I thought to increase its defensive power. However, I also didn't want it to be too strong, so I opted for half the amount rather than my initial thought of the full amount. If I feel that it deserves to be stronger still, then I'll bump it back up.
Whiplash > Snaring Fist
- Added the following:
Additionally, Whiplash may be used to interact with objects from a distance (...) The object must be within 30 feet of you, and you use whatever action you would normally use when interacting with this object as you normally would. For example, whether you pick up a sword at your feet using your hands like normal, or a sword 30 feet away using Whiplash, you would use a free object interaction either way.
Additionally still, Whiplash can be used to grapple onto solid surfaces (...) As a bonus action, you can select an unoccupied space within 30 feet of you and use Whiplash to move towards that space. Creatures can target you with attacks of opportunity while you move to this space, and you are stopped by walls or barriers. The space you target must not be difficult terrain.
I realized looking back on this that this part of the Snaring Fist feature was extremely vague and could mean literally anything since it didn't come with any actual explanation or game rule integration. Sorry about the confusion.
Changemaker
- Officially out of WIP stage!
This subclass is quite ambitious in what it sets out to simulate. As such, it has some of the most complicated mechanics throughout this entire document; rather fitting considering its inspiration. I hope it proves to be more fun than frustrating, and that it doesn't slow combat down too much - this especially is something I fear might come up as a player would need to take the time to keep track of their Coins and whatnot. As of the time of writing, this subclass's features are also likely to need some tweaking, but I'll wait until I have more data and testing done until I change anything.
Version 2.0 - Changelog 5/13/23 - 6/13/23
Note
The reason there's so much time between when this changelog started and when it ended is because I've been very on and off with updating this material - sorry about that!
Primary Class Description Changes
Introductory Flavor Text
- Corrected a typo.
The Blood Machine Class Table
- Changed Ground Slam to Fresh Weapon Bonus.
- Changed Improved Siphoning System to Machine Form V2.
- Changed Ground Smash to Weapon of War.
- Added Combat Refactoring at 6th level.
With new focus added to switching between a variety of weapons, I wanted to add a feature that helped encourage that, thus explaining the addition of Combat Refactoring.
Ground Slam
- Removed this feature and replaced it with Fresh Weapon Bonus.
Previously:
Beginning at 4th level, you can use your reaction when you fall to immediately plummet to the ground and redirect the force of the impact into a powerful slam. Upon doing so, you instantly fall to the ground and take half as much damage as you would have from the fall, and are not knocked prone. Any creature within 10 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, they take 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet you fell, for a maximum of 5d6, and are knocked prone. On a successful save, they take half as much damage and are not knocked prone.
Any creature that is directly underneath you when you use this feature takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage in addition to the initial damage of your impact, and has disadvantage on the saving throw. Additionally, you may choose to expend a use of the Blood is Fuel feature on this creature. If the creature is of a size Medium or smaller, you may choose whether it or you are pushed to an adjacent space regardless of whether they succeed on the save. If the creature is of a size Large or greater, you move to an adjacent space.
This was another one of those features that felt sort of out of place to me. Sure, ground slams are a thing that happen in Ultrakill, but it's not exactly the first thing I would think of when thinking about Ultrakill's combat. I think weapon swapping makes a lot more sense to take this slot and so I've attempted to translate that game mechanic into tabletop. Plus, it lets Knuckleblaster feel more niche by now being the only class feature for a source of AOE damage and healing from multiple targets.
Extra Attack
- Added the following:
The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 14th level in this class.
False Wings
- Added the following:
You reduce any falling damage you would take by 5 times your Blood Machine level.
It always felt weird to me to not include some way of reducing falling damage given that there are sources for it in 5e, namely the Monk's Slow Fall ability, and also that Ultrakill itself has no fall damage.
Improved Siphoning System
- Changed feature name.
Previously: Improved Siphoning System
Changed to: Machine Form V2 - Removed references to Ground Slam, reflecting the removal of Ground Slam as a feature.
- Changed flavor text.
Previously: Beginning at 9th level, your ability to absorb blood grows stronger in conjunction with your increased bloodlust.
Changed to: Beginning at 9th level, your machine form has incurred several upgrades, improving your combat effectiveness. - Added the following:
Choose a second option from the Fighting Style class feature. When using Combat Refactoring, you may choose to replace both Fighting Styles or only a single one. - Changed the Tentative section to be included as a normal part of the feature.
Reference:
Tentative: Additionally still, whenever you use the Blood is Fuel feature, you gain an additional amount of hit points equal to half your proficiency bonus, rounded up.
Ground Smash
- Removed this feature and replaced it with Weapon of War.
Previously: Beginning at 14th level, the impact of your plummet is comparable to a meteor. The damage of the Ground Slam feature increases to 2d6 bludgeoning
damage for each 10 feet you fall, for a maximum of 8d6, and the radius increases to any creature within 15 feet of you. Additionally, creatures of a size Medium or smaller are knocked 10 feet into the air on a failed save. Additionally still, when you use the Ground Slam feature, you no longer take the falling damage if the height you fell is 30 feet or lower.
The additional damage taken by creatures directly underneath you increases to 3d6 bludgeoning damage.
Changed to: Weapon of War
Subclass Changes
Knuckleblaster > Blasting Fist
- Changed trigger condition.
Previously: when you make an unarmed strike, you may use your reaction to trigger the blasting mechanism embedded in your fist.
Changed to: when you make an unarmed strike, you may choose to use Knuckleblaster in place of the normal strike. Upon doing so, you trigger the blasting mechanism embedded in your fist -
Knuckleblaster > Quickloader
-
Changed name of feature.
Previously: Quickloader
Changed to: Locked and Loaded -
Added the following:
Additionally, Deflecting Blast no longer requires Knuckleblaster to be charged to be used, and using Deflecting Blast no longer consumes Knuckleblaster's charge.
Having tested this subclass a little bit, I've come to the opinion that it still has a problem in its action economy, namely the problem of too many things loaded onto the reaction; a problem I was trying to get rid of from a previous version of this class as a whole. The hope is that with this change and the trigger condition change, that feeling subsides. Also, the other 11th level features on the other subclasses felt a lot more substantial than this one's, so hopefully this helps.
Coinshotter
-
Changed Armament name.
Previously: Coinshotter
Changed to: Changemaker
I just think it sounds a bit better. -
Changed flavor text.
Previously: The Changemaker Armament is the choice for the one who prefers to show off during combat, deftly flicking deceivingly deadly coins into the air and purposefully choosing to aim at such a tiny target instead of the foe right in front of them. Hitting a coin triggers a chain of ricochets and rebounds that your enemy can't possibly predict - not before they drop dead, anyways.
Changed to: The Changemaker Armament is the choice for those who prefer to show off during combat, deftly dispensing deceivingly deadly coins into the air and stylishly chaining hits off these tiny discs of death into an unsuspecting foe across the battlefield. With a golden glint and distinct tink, your enemies best be ready to have their minds blown. -
Preserving potential idea for Glimmering Fist feature in case the one I go with doesn't pan out
At 3rd level, when you make an attack, you can choose to perform a maneuver using this feature to enhance or alter the attack. Each maneuver requires an amount of Coins to perform which you expend upon performing said maneuver. Your Armament holds a maximum of 4 Coins, and you regain 1 Coin at the start of each of your turns.
| Maneuver | Coins Required |
|---|---|
| Ricoshot | X |
| Maulshot | 2 |
| Critshot | 3 |
Ricoshot:
Maulshot:
Critshot:
As shown here, the initial idea with this was to basically augment attacks at the cost of this subclass specific resource. Each maneuver would work a specific way, i.e. the ricoshot would lower your attack roll but increase your damage as a means of emulating the action of aiming at and hitting a coin in Ultrakill. The part that I struggled with was making it feel like something other than just a tacked on bonus to your attack. Additionally, I was worried about making other maneuvers that didn't feel redundant while still being interesting. Ultimately, after thinking about it more, I've decided to go with something drastically different but what I hope will really convey that feeling of pulling off the ridiculous tech of the Ultrakill coin.
Version 1.1 - Changelog 1/18/23 - 1/19/23
This section details the changes made as of the date listed above. The changes described will tell which feature was changed, what specifically about the feature was changed, and (sometimes) a brief explanation of why I felt that change was needed.
Primary Class Description Changes
Class Introduction
- Minor corrections to grammar and spelling.
The Blood Machine Class Table
- Added Bonus Movement column.
See changes made to Machine Form. - Changed False Flight to Synergistic Armaments
Machine Form
- Changed bonus speed to scale with level.
Previously: flat 10 ft bonus to movement.
Changed to: 10 ft bonus to movement now scales with level, similar to the Monk class.
Ultrakill's gameplay is speed incarnate, so it seemed pretty lame that a class supposedly based on that would only have a flat 10 ft bonus movement that only ever increases to 20 ft at 18th level, which in and of itself is a veeery lame development. This adjustment is to make it more true to the inspiration and help fulfill that fantasy better. I mean, come on, Monks had a better scaling movement bonus than that, so it was truly unacceptable that I didn't have something that was at least comparable.
Blood is Fuel
- Changed activation method.
Previously: dependened on player using their reaction anytime a creature took damage within a specified radius to use feature.
Changed to: player may choose to use feature any time they successfully hit a creature with an attack
A large part of why so many things are changing is because upon reflection, so many things were loaded onto the player's reaction that it seemed like it made it unfun to use your features. You had so many things to do on your reaction, including the normal 5E reactions, that you were basically locked out of using any of them because they all depended on this single aspect of the action economy. Your primary methods of staying alive depended on the reaction, so why would you, a fragile fighter, use anything else?
Again, this stuff hasn't been tested yet, so maybe it was actually fine, but I just had a gut feeling that it would have made for some dull or frustrating gameplay. With these changes, the hope is that you still have decent access to your healing while freeing up your reaction for other abilities, but also without just absolutely decimating the health economy by maintaining a certain limit on how many times you could use the ability in a single round.
Moving Target
- Changed movement condition.
Previously: automatically move after using the feature and succeeding the saving throw
Changed to: can choose if you want to move or not regardless of saving throw result
Ground Slam
- Added damage cap of 5d6.
- Added option to choose between who moves when you use this ability directly above a creature.
- Added ability to use Blood is Fuel on creature directly below player when using this feature.
Coming back to this, I realized there was no cap on how much damage you could do with this feature, so I added one to counteract any one who realized they could exploit this with something like a Fly spell to turn themselves into an orbital strike. I also added the ability to use the Blood is Fuel feature to account for the new changes to the mechanic, and also made it so that once you get Improved Siphoning System, it feels like a situational but still useful ability to have for some area damage and a quick burst of healing.
Elusive Target
- Adjusted this line to clarify movement increase:
The distance you can move with Moving Target is also increased, allowing you to move up to 10 feet.
Improved Siphoning System
- Fixed: Class table had this feature listed as 'Improved Siphoning System' while the description was titled 'Advanced Siphoning System.' Description title changed to be consistent with class table.
- Fixed: Ground Slam portion of the feature referred to proficiency bonus as 'proficiency modifier,' even though every other part of the class description did not.
-
Changed description of the Ground Slam portion of the feature for clarification.
Previously: This still expends uses of the feature.
Changed to: This expends a use of the Blood is Fuel feature for each creature targeted.
In hindsight, the old descriptor for this portion of the feature seems kind of confusing for what I intended it to be, so I've changed it to hopefully be more clear about its usage. -
Removed this text and adjusted description to reflect removal.
Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack or unarmed strike, you may immediately use the Blood is Fuel feature without using your reaction. This still expends a use of the feature.
See changes made to Blood is Fuel.
- Added the following:
Tentative: Additionally still, whenever you use the Blood is Fuel feature, you gain an additional amount of hit points equal to half your proficiency bonus, rounded up.
The Tentative section is my way of jotting ideas down for later reflection to make sure I keep a note for my future self of cool ideas for features, but wasn't sure if I wanted to add or keep out at the moment since I wasn't sure if it would work or be broken. In this case, I wanted to add this aspect to the feature since I felt it would otherwise be a little underwhelming for being one of the only things this class gets at 9th level, but I also fear it may be a little too powerful. Perhaps something like this could be balanced if I added the limit that the proficiency bonus healing can't be added again until the start of your next turn?
Impossible Target
- Removed the following:
Additionally, when you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take half damage, you may use the Moving Target feature to double your proficiency bonus for the roll.
This just felt like a needless part of the feature that made it a bit overloaded, so this should help balance things back out. - Adjusted this line to clarify movement increase:
The distance you can move with Moving Target increases yet again, allowing you to move up to 15 feet.
Ground Smash
- Moved the falling damage negation from False Flight to this feature and adjusted the damage negation to have a threshold.
- Added damage cap of 8d6.
See changes made to False Flight and Ground Slam respectively.
False Flight
- Removed this feature and replaced it with Synergistic Armaments.
Previously:
At 15th level, your false wings grow stronger, shrinking the gap between your capabilities and true flight ever so slightly. - If you are in the air, you may choose to remain in the air until the start of your next turn. While in the air, you gain a +2 to your Armor Class. At the start of your next turn, you begin falling immediately.
- When you use the Ground Slam feature, you no longer take the falling damage.
- Your total jump distance with High Jump increases by another 10 feet.
Changed to: Synergistic Armaments
This feature was always sort of oddly placed, and was very indicative that I was starting to run out of ideas. Now that I've come back, I've got some fresh ideas, and it starts with getting rid of this really weird one and replacing it with something that I feel flows much better with the rest of the class's features. Of course, not all of it was completely out of place, and so I've reflected that by moving one of the few useful aspects of it to Ground Smash (see changes made to Ground Smash).
Machine Embodiment
-
Removed old bonus movement.
See changes made to Machine Form. -
Added the following:
Tentative:
* You add your proficiency bonus twice to Dexterity saving throws.
The bonuses from this feature are pretty good as is, though I worry it may still be a little underwhelming, so this is here just in case it needs a little more oomph.
Subclass Changes
Feedbacker
- Minor corrections to grammar and spelling.
Feedbacker > Recursive Defense
- Changed feature to reflect the new Synergistic Armaments feature.
Previously: Starting at 17th level, when you successfully parry an attack using the Parrying Fist feature, you may continue to use the Parrying Fist feature without using your reaction until you fail to parry an attack.
Changed to: Starting at 17th level, when you fail to parry an attack using the Parrying Fist feature, you may choose to reroll the die, taking the new result.
Knuckleblaster > Blasting Fist
- Added the following:
You may use the Blood is Fuel feature when damaging creatures with Blasting Fist. You must still adhere to the set range of Blood is Fuel, and you may only target up to an amount of creatures equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded up. This expends a use of the Blood is Fuel feature for each creature targeted.
Knuckleblaster > Deflecting Blast
-
Changed title of feature.
Previously: Deflector Blast
Changed to: Deflecting Blast -
Added the following line to address a potential loophole:
As with normally using Blasting Fist, you must use a bonus action to recharge your blaster before you can use this feature again.
Knuckleblaster > Quick Loader
- Changed action economy of this feature.
Previously: At 11th level, when you use your reaction to use the Blasting Fist feature, you recharge the blaster as part of the same reaction, allowing much more frequent use.
Changed to: At 11th level, you may use your reaction to recharge your blaster instead of your bonus action.
This change reflects the newly added Synergistic Armaments feature. It's technically a nerf, but it should hopefully be offset by the gains from the new feature (once you get to that level, it should pretty much function like it did before) as well as the newly added Blood is Fuel synergy.
Whiplash > Snaring Fist
- Changed duration of restrained status.
Previously: lasted until start of player's next turn
Changed to: lasts until end of creature's turn or until it is attacked - Added option to pull yourself to enemy or pull enemy to you for Medium or smaller creatures
This ability is sort of a tricky one to balance specifically because the restrained condition is so powerful. I changed it in this manner so that it's not quite as possible to just restrain a target and then have your buddies whale on em with advantage attacks until they die or until the start of your next turn. At the same time, I don't want it to be useless because the DC could be sort of low, although that can be offset by additional effects like anything that imposes disadvantage on Strength saves. Basically, the idea is for this is to be sort of hard to pull off for the trade off of having a great reward, but I don't want that reward to be too overwhelmingly strong.
Whiplash > Follow Through
- Changed the weapon drop aspect.
Previously: If you successfully hit the creature with this attack and it is holding a weapon, it drops the weapon.
Changed to: If you successfully hit the creature with this attack, it drops whatever it is holding.
Since I've been nerfing quite a few other aspects of this subclass, I thought I'd at least change this one up to be more useful and interesting to help balance that out.
Whiplash > Lasso of Flame
- Changed value of fire damage.
Previously: 2d6 fire damage
Changed to: 1d8 fire damage
Changed due to concerns that this ability would end up doing too much damage when combined with other aspects of this subclass.
Whiplash > Vulnerability Exploit
-
Changed which attacks gain the bonus effects.
Previously: all attacks
Changed to: only applies to your attacks
The previous version of this feature seemed a little too powerful since it basically made the already powerful restrained infliction even stronger, and I also have some general concerns about the power of increased critical ranges. This change hopefully tempers that a bit while still feeling powerful enough as a 17th level feature. -
Added the following:
Tentative: After attacking a creature with these bonuses, you may not gain these bonuses against that creature again until after the end of its next turn.
Just jotting this down as a potential nerf just in case this ability ends up still being too strong. Hopefully the wording is at least somewhat clear about my intentions, but it's basically supposed to be that you can't gain the bonuses against that single creature over and over again, instead delaying it by a round.