Vampiric Predators
The Origin Unveiled
In the clandestine corridors of power, obscured from the prying eyes of the world, a classified government project unfolded with ominous intent. It began with the covert collaboration between the highest echelons of military intelligence and a secretive order known as The Black Rose, a cabal of hemomancers who had mastered the dark arts of manipulating blood. The Black Rose, steeped in ancient mysticism and shrouded in secrecy, harbored a forbidden knowledge that attracted the attention of certain classified government agencies seeking to gain an unparalleled edge in the realm of warfare. Under the umbrella of Project Crimson Eclipse, the unholy alliance between the government and the Black Rose set out to create vampiric weapons – humanoid creatures fueled by an insatiable bloodlust.
The process was a macabre application of alchemy, as hemomancers harnessed the arcane powers coursing through the veins of their humanoid subjects. Countless individuals, often taken from the fringes of society and erased from public record, became unwilling participants in this nightmarish experiment. In hidden laboratories, the air was thick with the scent of forbidden magic and the metallic tang of fresh blood. The Black Rose, with their mastery over hemomancy, instilled in these humanoids a primal connection to the life force within their own veins. Through dark incantations and unspeakable rites, the subjects were transformed into vampiric entities. These creatures retained a humanoid facade, but were driven by an insatiable hunger for blood and the primal urge to hunt.
The government, viewing these vampiric creations as ultimate weapons, sought to harness their predatory instincts for covert missions. The humanoids, now living vessels of the Black Rose's unholy magic, became hunters in the shadows, pursuing designated targets with ruthless efficiency. They were now consumed by a bloodlust they could not control, and served as the government's dark enforcers, leaving a trail of mysterious, unsolvable incidents in their wake.
Yet, within the secrecy of Project Crimson Eclipse, a malevolent undercurrent simmered. The Black Rose, wielding their dark influence, ensured that their own agenda thrived alongside the government's ambitions. The true extent of the power bestowed upon these vampiric weapons remained shrouded in the shadows, a macabre secret bound by blood, and the world remained oblivious to the nightmarish genesis of its new breed.
Born into Bloodlust and Deceit
As a Vampiric Predator, the bloodlust that fuels your existence is both a curse and a source of power. How do you grapple with the eternal hunger that you constantly feel, and does it ever conflict with your own sense of morality? How do you navigate the blurred lines between your own desires and the agendas of those who created you? Do you commit your life to the purpose for which you were created, or do you strive to forge a new path for yourself, in an attempt to live a normal life? The path is in front of you, but it is yours to walk.
Affinity for Bloodlust
The Vampiric Predator is a powerful and unique martial class. It parallels a Fighter or Barbarian that focuses on getting up close and personal to danger, with many dexterous aspects like a Monk or Rogue, and with a few unique Hemocraft features in its arsenal, like Matthew Mercer's own Blood Hunter class.
The main aspect that sets this class apart from the rest is its power-balance distribution. It's a very powerful and versatile class, however this power comes with a loss of some functionality, choices, and player agency in order to offset the front-loading of benefits obtained from the class's blood frenzy feature.
The Blood Frenzy feature of this class is its bread and butter, holding a vast number of benefits for the player, but also holding a vast number of drawbacks to counteract the raw strength and damage output. The allocation of the class’s action economy, on one specific target, really puts an emphasis on the class being based on the concept of a “bloodthirsty predator” that is unable to control their own primal urges and cravings.
Retribution and Respite - Maintaining Balance
This class pays for its increased damage and the usage of its features in the form of health costs. This dynamic management of your hit points is a very prevalent theme when playing a character of this class, and anything that you can do to bolster your resolve is vital.
The Retribution of Bloodlust feature is a tribute that is paid for each attack, where the Vampiric Predator sacrifices some of its own vitality in order to inflict grevious wounds to its prey. The damage incurred this way can add up quickly, combined with the external damage that will be naturally sustained from enemies during combat.
To counteract this feature, the class also has access to a few self-sustaining abilities and features that can recharge its hit points. The primary feature amongst these is known as Vampiric Respite, which utilizes the class's hit dice in a combat environment in order to replenish the hit points lost by the Retribution of Bloodlust feature.
Creating a Vampiric Predator
Vampiric predators are driven by an unrelenting thirst for blood. This primal instinct, heightened by the arcane powers infused within them, compels them to hunt with a ferocity that transcends the natural world.
How will you choose to play this type of character? Perhaps you will continue to be a tool of government manipulation, serving those that created you. Or maybe you will turn against them out of vengeance for the humanity that was lost when they changed you into what you are now.
Maybe you have deserted your former life and sought isolation in the wilderness, in fear of harming those around you, as you struggle to cope with the bloodlust that you can no longer ignore during your day-to-day life.
This class has a plethora of possibilities to explore, and limitless potential to harness, as we delve into what innate features and abilities this class possesses.
Runeterran Lore and Inspiration
This class, as well as the lore surrounding it, was inspired by the character Briar, The Restrained Hunger from the game League of Legends, created by Riot Games, Inc. The world that this lore exists within is known as Runeterra, but please do not feel limited to using the lore that I have provided. Feel free to use this class to your heart's content. Have fun, place it within your own world, and fit it into a society and background of your own making, to accommodate your D&D experience. Enjoy!
Quick Build
You can make a Vampiric Predator quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Strength or Dexterity, depending on what type of melee weapons you want to use, as well as which Predatory Aspect you will be choosing to evolve into, followed by Constitution so you can have a higher hit point maximum to utilize. Second, choose the Haunted One or Soldier background. Lastly, consider taking the Tough feat in order to give yourself a larger hit point maximum to work with.
Optional Rule: Multiclassing
If your group uses the optional rule on multiclassing in the Player's Handbook, you must meet the prerequisites listed below in order to multiclass into a Vampiric Predator.
Ability Score Minimums. The following ability score prerequisites are needed in order to be eligible to multiclass into a Vampiric Predator, or take a level in another class if you are already a Vampiric Predator:
- A Strength or Dexterity score of at least 13
- A Constitution score of at least 13
The Vampiric Predator Table
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Blood Frenzies | Retribution Die |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Retribution of Bloodlust, Unarmored Defense, Blood Frenzy | 2 | 1d4 |
| 2nd | +2 | Reckless Onslaught, Heightened Awareness | 2 | 1d4 |
| 3rd | +2 | Vampiric Respite, Sanguine Rituals, Predatory Aspect | 3 | 1d4 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement, Overexertion | 3 | 1d4 |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack, Crimson Curse | 3 | 1d6 |
| 6th | +3 | Predatory Aspect Feature | 4 | 1d6 |
| 7th | +3 | Feral Instincts, Evasion | 4 | 1d6 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 1d6 |
| 9th | +4 | Critical Lethality (1 die) | 4 | 1d8 |
| 10th | +4 | Predatory Aspect Feature | 4 | 1d8 |
| 11th | +4 | Relentless Frenzy | 4 | 1d8 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 1d8 |
| 13th | +5 | Critical Lethality (2 dice) | 5 | 1d10 |
| 14th | +5 | Predatory Aspect Feature | 5 | 1d10 |
| 15th | +5 | Controlled Frenzy, Retaliation | 5 | 1d10 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 1d10 |
| 17th | +6 | Critical Lethality (3 dice), Heightened Awareness | 6 | 1d12 |
| 18th | +6 | Unrivaled Vitality, Overexertion (2 uses) | 6 | 1d12 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 | 1d12 |
| 20th | +6 | Unrelenting Ferocity | ─ | 1d12 |
Class Features
As a Vampiric Predator, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d12 per Vampiric Predator level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + your Constitution modifier per Vampiric Predator level, after 1st level
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Deception, Intimidation, Perception, Persuasion, and Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) any martial weapon or (b) any simple weapon
(a) a rapier or (b) any martial melee weapon
(a) two handaxes or (b) two daggers
(a) an explorer’s pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
Starting Class Features
Retribution of Bloodlust
Your thirst for blood in battle is greater than your own sense of self-preservation. Each attack that you make with Retribution is made with the intent to kill, and you sacrifice some of your own vitality in order to empower your strikes with Hemomancy inflict grievous wounds to your target.
Each time you take the attack action on your turn, you can choose to makes the attacks with Retribution. If you decide to do this, then you roll your Retribution die and take necrotic damage equal to the number rolled, in order to pay the Retribution tribute. The necrotic damage taken this way cannot be reduced by any means. You then add half of the number rolled, rounded down to a minimum of 1, to the damage for each weapon attack that you make for that attack action. While you are in your blood frenzy, this feature must be used for every attack that you make.
Additionally, you also gain the following forms of attack, as the predatory blood that pulses through your veins shapes certain aspects of your physical form in order to make you a more efficient killer.
Vampiric Bite
Your fanged bite is a natural weapon, which counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are proficient. You add your Constitution modifier to the attack and damage rolls when you attack with this bite, and it deals 1d6 piercing damage on a hit. This damage increases to 1d8 at 10th level.
While you are missing half or more of your hit points (bloodied) you have advantage on attack rolls you make with this bite. Once on each of your turns when you damage a creature with this bite, as long as it is not a construct or an undead, you regain a number of hit points equal to the damage dealt, provided that you are bloodied.
Predatory Claws
Your claws are natural weapons, which count as simple melee weapons with which you are proficient. You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of the unarmed strikes you make with them, which deal 1d6 slashing damage. This damage increases to 1d8 at 10th level.
Additionally, when you use the Attack action to make an unarmed strike with your claws, you can make one additional unarmed strike as a bonus action.
Unarmored Defense
While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals the following:
10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier.
Blood Frenzy
In battle you fight with unrelenting ferocity, and your bloodlust becomes so great that your urge to hunt down your prey becomes uncontrollable.
On your turn, you can enter a blood frenzy as a bonus action. Upon entering your blood frenzy, you choose a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you to become the target and sole focus of your blood frenzy, while it persists.
While frenzied, you gain the following benefits if you aren’t wearing heavy armor, or wielding a shield or a weapon with the heavy property:
- You have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks.
- Your speed is increased by 10 feet while your frenzy persists.
- When you make a melee weapon attack using Dexterity, you may add your proficiency bonus to the damage for that attack if it is against the target of your blood frenzy.
- Other creatures have disadvantage on opportunity attack rolls against you.
- You gain an olfactory scent sense up to a range of 30 feet, which you can use to track the target of your blood frenzy with your sense of smell. You know the location of your target even if they cannot be perceived by you with your sense of sight.
While frenzied, you gain the following drawbacks as you lose control of yourself in a blood-crazed hysteria:
- You must use your action on your turn to attack the target of your blood frenzy, if you are able to.
- You must use all of your available movement each turn to get close enough to attack your target.
- You must use the dash action in order to get within range of attacking your target, if your normal movement would not allow you to do so.
- You are unable to willingly move away from your target while your blood frenzy persists.
- Any attacks that you make on creatures other than the target of your blood frenzy are made at disadvantage.
- You are unable to do non-lethal damage to any creatures that you hit with melee attacks while you remain in your blood frenzy.
The only times that your blood frenzy can end are under the following circumstances:
- The target of your blood frenzy dies.
- Your turn ends and you have not attacked or taken damage from a hostile creature since your last turn.
- The target of your blood frenzy moves more than 120 feet away from you.
- The target of your blood frenzy can no longer be perceived by you when using your senses of sight, scent, and hearing.
- You have succumbed to a condition that prevents you from perceiving your target with your senses of sight, scent, and hearing.
- You are knocked unconscious.
Blood Frenzy (continued)
If you are able to cast spells, you can’t cast them or concentrate on them while you are in your blood frenzy. Your blood frenzy lasts for 1 minute, unless it ends early under one of the above scenarios.
Once you have frenzied the maximum number of times for your Vampiric Predator level, shown in the Blood Frenzies column of the Vampiric Predator table, you must finish a long rest before you can enter a blood frenzy again.
Devour Essence
When the target of your blood frenzy dies, and you are within 5 feet of them, you can use your reaction to devour their remaining life essence. Roll a Retribution die and regain that many hit points plus your Constitution modifier, and then regain one expended use of your blood frenzy.
Reckless Onslaught
Starting at 2nd level, you can throw aside all concern for your own protection to attack with fierce, reckless bloodlust. When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Dexterity during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn. While you are in a blood frenzy this feature must be used for every attack that you make against your target, regardless of if you are already receiving advantage on the attack by some other means.
Heightened Awareness
At 2nd level, you gain the enhanced senses of a natural predator in order to hunt your targets more efficiently and sense danger when it's nearby.
Your predatory awareness and enhanced senses give you the following benefits:
- You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see. To gain this benefit, you can’t be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated.
- You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track down any creature that you have successfully hit with an attack at least one time within the last 24 hours.
- You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on your senses of hearing or smell.
- You gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision from your race, its range is increased by 30 feet, instead.
This feature gains additional benefits once you reach 17th level in this class.
Predatory Aspect
At 3rd level, you choose an aspect that shapes the nature of your bloodlust, and the means by which you hunt your prey. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.
Vampiric Respite
Beginning at 3rd level, you have become more efficient at regulating and maintaining the blood that you constantly lose in battle, and you have found a way to siphon the life essence from others with your bloodlust to sustain your injuries.
If you meet the following requirements, then you can use your Vampiric Respite:
- You are currently in your blood frenzy.
- You are currently missing half or more of your maximum hit points (bloodied.)
You can use your Vampiric Respite as a reaction when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack. When you do so, expend one of your hit dice in order to roll a Retribution die and regain that many hit points plus your Constitution modifier.
After a long rest, you also regain an additional number of hit dice equal to your proficiency bonus.
Sanguine Rituals
At 3rd level, you learn the art of blood manipulation, known as Hemocraft, and you can use your vitality to perform a number of blood rituals.
You will have access to a variety of Sanguine Rituals, with various uses and applications, in order to give you an extra edge over your enemies both in combat and in social situations.
You learn three of these rituals now, and you gain an additional ritual option at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels, each time that you gain access to a Predatory Aspect Feature.
Each time you learn a new blood ritual, you can also choose one of the blood rituals that you already know and replace it with another blood ritual.
Hemocraft Save DC
8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Constitution Modifier
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.
Overexertion
Starting at 4th level, you can push yourself beyond your normal limits for a brief moment. On your turn you can take an additional action, which must be used to make the attack action.
Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. Starting at 18th level, you can use it twice before a rest, but only once on the same turn. This feature cannot be used on the same turn as any other class feature that would also give you an additional action.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Crimson Curse
Starting at 5th level, you gain the ability to sear a blood-imbued curse mark onto a creature. As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target is cursed by you for 1 minute, and the curse ends early if the target dies, or if you die or are knocked unconscious.
If you are in a blood frenzy when you use this ability, you can only curse the creature that is the focus of your bloodlust.
If you enter a blood frenzy and you have already cursed a creature, then that creature immediately becomes the target of your blood frenzy.
Until the curse ends, you gain the following benefits:
- Any attack roll you make against the cursed target is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.
- If the cursed target dies, you regain hit points equal to your Vampiric Predator level plus your Constitution modifier.
- You always know the direction that the curse mark is in, so long as the cursed target remains on the same plane of existence as you.
You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.
Feral Instincts
By 7th level, your instincts are so honed that you have advantage on initiative rolls. Additionally, if you are surprised at the beginning of combat and aren’t incapacitated, you can still act normally on your first turn, but only if you enter your blood frenzy before doing anything else on that turn.
Evasion
At 7th level, your heightened awareness lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon’s lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity 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.
Critical Lethality
Beginning at 9th level, you can roll one additional weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack. This increases to two additional dice at 13th level and three additional dice at 17th level.
Relentless Frenzy
Starting at 11th level, your blood frenzy can keep you fighting despite sustaining severe wounds in combat. If you drop to 0 hit points while you’re in a blood frenzy, and you don’t die outright, you can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If you succeed, you drop to 1 hit point instead. Each time you use this feature after the first, the DC increases by 5. When you finish a short or long rest, the DC resets to 10.
Critical Lethality
At 13th level, you can roll two additional weapon damage dice when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack. This increases to three additional dice at 17th level.
Controlled Frenzy
Beginning at 15th level, you have learned to maintain your composure when you enter a blood frenzy. You gain the following additional benefits while you are in your blood frenzy:
- You are no longer required to use reckless onslaught while you are in your blood frenzy.
- You can now end your blood frenzy as a bonus action on your turn.
- You no longer get disadvantage for attacking creatures other than the target of your blood frenzy.
Retaliation
Starting at 15th level, when you take damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature.
Critical Lethality
At 17th level, you can roll three additional weapon damage dice when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack.
Heightened Awareness
At 17th level, you gain preternatural senses that help you fight creatures you can’t see. When you attack a creature that you can’t see, your inability to see it doesn’t impose disadvantage on your attack rolls against it. You are also aware of the location of any invisible creature within 30 feet of you, provided that the creature isn’t hidden from you and you aren’t blinded or deafened.
Unrivaled Vitality
Beginning at 18th level, the blood in your body has become potent enough to keep you alive indefinitely, and rapidly regenerate any wounds that you sustain. You do not require food or water, you are immune to disease and poison, you are immune to the poisoned condition, and you are immune to the effects of aging and any effect that would cause you to be magically aged. If you end your turn in combat with less than half of your maximum hit points, you regain hit points equal to 1d12 + half of your Vampiric Predator level, rounded down.
Unrelenting Ferocity
At 20th level, you are the ideal Apex Predator and your body has become the perfect vessel for hunting your prey. You gain the following physical benefits:
- Your Dexterity and Constitution scores are each increased by 4, up to a maximum of 24.
- You can now blood frenzy an unlimited amount of times.
- Your speed is permanently increased by 10 feet.
- You gain a climbing speed equal to your movement speed.
- Your long jump and high jump distances are doubled.
Ascending to the pinnacle of power
Congratulations on achieving your most powerful state of being, and for embracing your existence as a Vampiric Predator. You have transcended the confines of your cursed creation, and harnessed the primal forces within yourself to become a formidable force that knows no bounds, and has no master. May your predatory instincts and apex power serve you well in all of your endeavors, and may you find purpose in an existence that was once stolen from you, but is now reclaimed.
Best Wishes, and Happy Hunting!
Sanguine Rituals
Vampiric Predator Ritual Options
To perform a Sanguine Ritual, you must pay the cost of the Retribution tribute - the irreducible necrotic damage taken from a roll of one Retribution die.
Just like Matthew Mercer’s iconic Blood Hunter class, you also have the option to empower any one of these rituals in order to gain an added benefit of some kind. To pay for the empowerment of a ritual, simply pay the Retribution tribute again, for a total of two Retribution tribute rolls.
Some rituals also specify rolling Retribution dice for their effects. These additional rolls are completely separate from paying the initial tribute and empowerment costs needed to perform the ritual.
Hemocraft Save DC
8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Constitution Modifier
Bloodmist Fade (bonus action)
You may teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see.
Empower
You may teleport up to one willing creature with you.
Blood Transfusion (action)
Prerequisite: Level 6
You wreath your hand in necrotic energy as you touch a creature within 5 feet of you. They must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or they take necrotic damage equal to 4 of your Retribution dice, and you regain hit points equal to the amount of necrotic damage dealt plus your Constitution modifier.
Empower
You give the creature disadvantage on their Constitution saving throw.
Charming Presence (action)
You can cast the Charm Person spell at will, without expending a spell slot.
Empower
You can target any number of creatures in range with the spell, and you pay the Retribution cost for each creature targeted this way.
Crimson Cocoon (reaction)
Prerequisite: Level 6
As a reaction, when you take damage, you can entomb yourself in a crystalized blood cocoon, which fractures and shatters off of you at the end of your next turn. You gain 10 temporary hit points per Vampiric Predator level, which absorbs as much of the triggering damage as possible. The temporary hit points gained from this ritual can also absorb the damage sustained from the Retribution tribute that was paid to perform it. Immediately after taking the damage, your speed is reduced to 0 and you become incapacitated. If you are in a blood frenzy when you perform this ritual, it immediately ends. These protective effects all end, including any remaining temporary hit points, once the cocoon shatters.
Empower
Choose an ally within 30 feet of you to protect with your cocoon instead, using both their reaction and your own to perform the ritual.
Demonic Sight (action)
Prerequisite: Level 10
For one hour, you have truesight, you notice secret doors hidden by magic, and you can see into the Ethereal Plane, all out to a range of 120 feet. You can perform this ritual once per long rest.
Empower
You can grant this power to a willing creature within 30 feet of you, instead.
Excoriate Eyesight (reaction)
When a creature you can see within 30 feet of you makes an attack, you can use your reaction to roll a Retribution die and subtract the number rolled from the creature’s attack roll. You can choose to use this feature after the creature’s roll, but before the DM determines whether the attack hits or misses. The creature is immune to this ritual if it is immune to the blinded condition.
Empower
You may apply this to all the creature’s attack rolls until the end of the creature’s turn. You roll separately for each affected attack that you choose, and you pay the Retribution tribute for each roll that you make.
Expose Weakness (reaction)
When a creature you can see within 30 feet of you takes damage from an attack or spell, you can use your reaction to temporarily weaken its resilience. Until the end of the target’s next turn, it loses resistance to all the damage types dealt by the triggering attack or spell (including for that triggering effect).
Empower
The target instead loses invulnerability to the damage types of the triggering attack or spell, but has resistance to those damage types until the end of its next turn.
Grievous Wounds (bonus action)
You cause the physical wounds that you deal to bleed out, profusely. Double the bonus Retribution damage for the next attack that you hit a creature with, this turn. They cannot regain any hit points until the start of your next turn.
Empower
Double the bonus Retribution damage for every attack that you make this turn. The creature cannot regain hit points until your next turn.
Predatory Enslavement (action)
Prerequisite: Level 10
You attempt to beguile a humanoid that you can see within range. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for one minute. If you or creatures that are friendly to you are fighting it, it has advantage on the saving throw.
While the target is charmed, you have a telepathic link with it as long as the two of you are on the same plane of existence. You can use this telepathic link to issue commands to the creature while you are conscious (no action required), which it does its best to obey.
You can specify a simple and general course of action, such as "Attack that creature" or "Fetch that object." If the creature completes the order and doesn't receive further direction from you, it defends itself to the best of its ability.
You can use your action to take total and precise control of the target. Until the end of your next turn, the creature takes only the actions you choose, and doesn't do anything that you don't allow it to do.
During this time you can also cause the creature to use a reaction, but this requires you to use your own reaction as well. Each time the target takes damage, it makes a new Wisdom saving throw against the effect. If the saving throw succeeds, the ritual ends.
Empower
The ritual lasts for an hour, instead of one minute.
Sanguine Shackles (bonus action)
As a bonus action, you attempt to bind a Large or smaller creature you can see within 30 feet of you, which must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, the cursed creature’s speed is reduced to 0 and it can’t use reactions until the end of your next turn.
Empower
This ritual lasts for 1 minute and can affect any creature, regardless of size. The affected creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the ritual on a success.
Sanguine Storm (action)
You unleash a torrent of blood from your body in a 5-foot-radius sphere, centered around you, into a rapidly-rotating hurricane of destruction. This storm lasts until the end of your next turn, and any creature that is within the area when the storm manifests, or that ends their turn there, must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes magical bludgeoning damage from 4 of your Retribution dice on a failed save, and half of that damage on a successful one.
Empower
Increase the radius of the sphere to 10 feet.
Soul Tether (reaction)
Prerequisite: Level 6
When a creature you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to bind your vitality to the attacker and force them to share your pain. The attacker takes damage equal to the damage you took from that attack.
Empower
Remain bound to the creature until the end of their turn, and any damage you take during this time is also shared with them, excluding the damage that you take from your Retribution costs.
Unnerving Presence (bonus action)
As a bonus action, you torment the mind of a creature within 30 feet of you, making them susceptible to forceful influence and manipulation. Until the end of your next turn, Charisma (Intimidation) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks made against the creature have advantage.
Empower
The next Wisdom saving throw that the creature makes before this ritual ends has disadvantage.
Vampiric Predator - Predatory Aspects
Aspect of the
Insatiable Devourer
Vampiric Predators that inherit the Insatiable Devourer aspect are unmatched in their speed and ferocity. They are known for their overwhelming tenacity and the horrific, inevitable executions of their helpless and outmatched victims. Once they enter their blood frenzy and a target is set in their sights, there is little to nothing that can be done to keep them from closing the distance. They thrive on the thrill of the hunt and the primal need to press forward, no matter what stands in their way. If their speed and brute force isn’t enough to get them where they want to be, then cover your ears and prepare for their blood-curdling scream. If you won't get out of their way, they will MAKE you get out of their way!
Enhanced Agility (3rd level)
Starting at 3rd level, you gain 10 feet of movement as long as you aren’t wearing heavy armor, or wielding a shield or a weapon with the heavy property. You gain another 5 feet of movement from this feature at 6th level, 10th level, 14th level, and 18th level.
While you are in your blood frenzy you may dash as a bonus action, and you must do so if you would not otherwise be able to get within range of attacking your target.
Impetuous Frenzy (6th level)
Beginning at 6th level, you can’t be charmed or frightened while you are in your blood frenzy, and you can't be magically put to sleep while you are in your blood frenzy. If you are charmed or frightened when you enter your blood frenzy, the effect is suspended for the duration of the frenzy.
Additionally, you have advantage on Wisdom saving throws while you are in your blood frenzy.
Acquired Taste (10th level)
Starting at 10th level, after successfully hitting a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction to discern its creature type, and its damage resistances, immunities, and vulnerabilities.
The taste and smell of their blood and bodily essence will always be remembered by you, after you have acquired it.
If you have acquired the taste of a creature, and they are the target of your blood frenzy, your melee weapon attacks against them have advantage as long as they are bloodied (missing half or more of their maximum hit points.)
Chilling Scream (14th level)
Beginning at 14th level, when you enter a blood frenzy, you let out a blood-curdling scream. All enemy creatures within 60 feet of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened by you until the end of your next turn.
On your subsequent turns, you can use your bonus action to extend the duration of this effect on any frightened creatures until the end of your following turn.
The effect ends on a creature if they end their turn out of line of sight of you or more than 60 feet away from you. If a creature succeeds on its saving throw, they are immune to the effects of this ability for 24 hours.
Vampiric Predator - Predatory Aspects
Aspect of the
Vermilion Blood Knight
Vampiric Predators that inherit the Vermilion Blood Knight Aspect are renowned for their unmatched resilience and unbreakable prowess in combat. Unlike their primal counterparts, they have undergone specialized rigorous training in order to be utilized in more organized capacities, such as the military, or personal guard duty for wealthy aristocrats and nobles who request them for protection. They combine the ferocity of their Vampiric power with the discipline of a trained warrior in order to become the perfect, docile bodyguard or soldier.
Fortified Aegis (3rd level)
Starting at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with wearing heavy armor, wielding shields, and with the Athletics skill. You can now wear heavy armor and wield a shield or a weapon with the heavy property, and still gain the benefits from your blood frenzy feature.
You may also use strength instead of dexterity for your melee weapon attacks, and still benefit from any of your features that specify that dexterity is required, such as the blood frenzy and reckless onslaught features.
Fighting Style (3rd level)
When you choose this predatory aspect at 3rd level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options:
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with it.
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. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Inexorable Frenzy (6th level)
While you are in your blood frenzy, your speed cannot be reduced, and you are immune to the frightened, paralyzed, prone, and stunned conditions.
If you are frightened, paralyzed, or stunned, you can still use a bonus action to enter your blood frenzy, even if you can’t otherwise take actions.
Indomitable (10th level)
Beginning at 10th level, you can reroll a saving throw that you fail. If you do so, you must use the new roll, and you can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
You can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 14th level and three times between long rests starting at 18th level.
Titan Stance (14th level)
At 14th level, you can prepare to charge a creature and make yourself a juggernaut of unstoppable force. At the start of your turn (no action required) as long as you are in your blood frenzy, you can assume a fortified stance that lasts until the start of your next turn.
While in this stance, you gain the following benefits:
- You can’t be grappled or restrained.
- Your movement is not impeded by difficult terrain.
- You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
- You have advantage on Constitution checks and Constitution saving throws.
- Attack rolls against you have disadvantage, however your weapon attacks are also made with disadvantage.
- You have resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
The
Vampiric
Predator
Prepare yourself for an unholy fusion of government-engineered weaponry and hemomantic mastery - a humanoid creature driven by an insatiable bloodlust and the choiceless obedience necessary to serve those that created it.
The Black Rose will create you, the bloodlust will guide you, and the reward of the hunt will sustain you in your glorious new life.
Inspired by the lore of League of Legends and the world of Runeterra, from Riot Games, Inc.
Artist Credit: all art was provided by Mikonotai
I hope you enjoyed my content, this was the first homebrew content that I've ever created. It's been a fun project to work on, and I hope that I can continue to balance and improve it with your help and suggestions! Thanks everyone!
Vampiric Predator (Ver 2.0) by KiraTheChosen
