Hemomancy Spells
Content Warning
This document contains descriptions of blood, body horror, gore, and minor references to self-harm.
Among forbidden traditions of magic is Hemomancy, or Hemocraft, magic of the body and blood. Hemomancy allows its wielders to manipulate blood in many powerful and horrifying ways, often to the detriment of others and possibly themselves. While its power could be considered useful in areas like medicine, its vile appearance attracts disgust and often hostility in public spaces, leading its practitioners into secrecy.
Warn Your Players
If you plan to introduce Hemomancy to your players, make sure they're alright with everything in the above content warning before you do. The descriptions here aren't extremely graphic, but they aren't vague either.
Learning Hemomancy Spells
Hemomancy spells must be learned by studying a hemocraft text, such as a spellbook or tome of rituals, or by learning from a Hemomancer, at the DM's discretion.
Hemomancy Spell List
| Level | Spell | Concentration | Ritual | Classes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cantrip | Open Wound | No | No | Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Oracle, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| 1st | Minor Transfusion | No | No | Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Oracle, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| 1st | Sanguine Spear | No | No | Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Oracle, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| 2nd | Contortion | Yes | Yes | Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| 2nd | Grappling Tendon | No | No | Artificer, Druid, Paladin, Sorcerer, Wizard |
| 2nd | Imbue Agility | No | No | Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Oracle, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| 3rd | Exsanguinate | No | No | Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Oracle, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| 3rd | Spine Whips | Yes | No | Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Oracle, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| 3rd | Wyrmblood Lance | No | No | Artificer, Bard, Druid, Oracle, Sorcerer, Summoner, Warlock, Wizard |
| 4th | Deathweb | Yes | No | Artificer, Bard, Druid, Oracle, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| 4th | Web of Nerves | Yes | No | Artificer, Bard, Druid, Oracle, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| 5th | Heart Storm | Yes | No | Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Oracle, Sorcerer, Warlock Wizard |
| 5th | Major Transfusion | No | No | Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Oracle, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| 6th | Empower Immunity | Yes | No | Bard, Cleric, Druid, Oracle, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| 6th | Rosethorn Sigil | Yes | No | Artificer, Druid |
| 7th | Agonizing Artery | Yes | No | Bard, Cleric, Druid, Oracle, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| 8th | Age Bind | No | Yes | Bard, Cleric, Druid, Oracle, Warlock, Wizard |
| 9th | Safeguard Soul | Yes | Yes | Wizard |
Spell Descriptions
The spells are listed in alphabetical order.
Age Bind
8th level Hemomancy (Ritual)
- Casting Time: 1 hour
- Range: touch
- Components: V, S, M (A willing creature)
- Duration: instantaneous
You attempt to link your lifespan to a willing creature. To do so, you must cast this spell on the target as many times as it has been alive in years. Once complete, the target cannot age by nonmagical means, and it is immune to any adverse effects of old age currently affecting it. When you die the spell ends, and all creatures bound to you continue aging as if their aging had been paused.
Casting this spell on yourself has no effect.
Agonizing Artery
7th level Hemomancy
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: instantaneous, concentration
At any point within 1 minute of damaging a creature with the Sanguine Spear spell (page 4), you can attempt to bind your Hemomantic magic to that target. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the magic you used for your Sanguine Spear binds to the blood within the target, and it takes 6d6 Piercing damage. While concentrating on this spell, you can cause the target to take a further 3d6 Piercing damage as an action on your following turns.
The creature can repeat this save on each of their turns, ending the effect on a success.
Contortion
2nd level Hemomancy (Ritual
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: self
- Components: V, S
- Duration: 1 minute, concentration
You systematically break your bones to enter a state of unrestricted movement, controlling your body purely with hemomancy. While in this state you retain your normal movement and spellcasting, you ignore difficult terrain caused by nonmagical effects, and you can move through any space large enough to fit your head.
With this spell you can reform your body back into its natural form, retaining any damage not caused by this spell. If this spell ends before you reform, you take Force damage equal to half of your maximum hit points, and you remain in the broken state under the Prone and Restrained conditions until you are fully healed.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, add one minute to the spell's duration for every level after 2nd.
Deathweb
4th level Hemomancy
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V S M (A bit of spiderweb and a vial of coagulated blood)
- Duration: 1 hour, concentration
You conjure a mass of thick, sticky webbing made from coagulated blood at a point of your choice within range. The webs fill a 20-foot cube from that point for the duration. The webs are difficult terrain and lightly obscure their area.
If the webs aren’t anchored between two solid masses (such as walls or trees) or layered across a floor, wall, or ceiling, the conjured web collapses on itself, and the spell ends at the start of your next turn. Webs layered over a flat surface have a depth of 5 feet.
The web counts as difficult terrain. If a creature starts their turn or enters the web's zone for the first time on a turn it must make a Constitution saving throw, becoming Partially Paralyzed on a failed save until it leaves the zone.
Empower Immunity
6th level Hemomancy
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 15 feet
- Components: V, S, M (A mixture of a heart from a humanoid and honey blessed by a deity or one of their followers, which the spell consumes)
- Duration: 1 minute, concentration
You draw upon your hemomancy to temporarily empower the immune system of a creature. That creature becomes immune to Poison damage, can't be Poisoned or Bleeding, and has advantage on saving throws against Hemomancy spells for the duration.
Exsanguinate
3rd level Hemomancy
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 30 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: instantaneous
You grasp at the blood of a Bleeding creature and attempt to accelerate its blood loss. The target must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 5d8 Necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success.
If a creature fails this save by 5 or more, the creature's maximum hit points are reduced by half the damage taken.
Grappling Tendon
2nd level Hemomancy
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S, M (A vial of blood, which the spell consumes)
- Duration: instantaneous
You attempt to Grapple a target with a bloody tendon. Once the effect occurs, the tendon disappears.
- If you attempt to grapple a creature, the target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 1d8 Bludgeoning damage, and is pulled 30 feet towards you.
- If you target a solid surface, you are pulled 30 feet toward the surface.
- If you target an object less than 10 lbs not being worn or carried, the object is pulled to you. If you have a hand free, you can choose to pull it to your hand.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, you can create an additional tendon for every level after 2nd.
Heart Storm
5th level Hemomancy
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 120 feet
- Components: V, S, M (A heart from a humanoid and a vial of blood, which the spell consumes)
- Duration: 1 minute, concentration
A reddish-grey storm cloud rains down hot blood in a 5 feet radius, 80 feet high cylinder centered on a point within range. When a creature enters the spell’s area for the first time or starts its turn there, it must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 4d6 Fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. Creatures capable of casting Hemomancy spells make this save with advantage.
On each of your turns after you cast this spell, you can use an action to move the cloud up to 60 feet in any direction.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 7th level or higher, you create an additional storm cloud, each of which are 5ft radius x 80ft high cylinders, for every level two levels after 5th. While you have multiple clouds active, you can use your action to move 1 of them.
Imbue Agility
2nd level Hemomancy
- Casting Time: 1 Action
- Range: touch
- Components: V, S
- Duration: 1 minute
You briefly enhance a creature's lungs, heart, and muscles to empower their natural stamina. For the next minute, the target can dash, dodge, or disengage as a bonus action.
Major Transfusion
5th level Hemomancy
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: self (30 foot radius)
- Components: V, S, M (a palm-sized wrought-iron cage coated in a layer of blood)
- Duration: instantaneous
You tug at the blood inside hostile creatures within a 30 feet radius of you, attempting to rip it out and redistribute it. Each creature within this zone must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 5d6 Necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success.
For each creature that fails its save, another creature of your choice within range regains 3d6 hit points.
If a creature fails its save by 5 or more, it begins Bleeding.
Minor Transfusion
1st level Hemomancy
- Casting Time: reaction
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: instantaneous
As a reaction to a hostile creature within range taking Piercing or Slashing damage, you can choose to draw their spilled blood to another creature. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, you deal 2d8 Necrotic damage to the creature. You then restore a number of hit points equal to half the damage dealt to another creature within range (minimum of 1 hit point).
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, the roll increases by 1d8 for every level after 1st, to a maximum of 6d8.
Open Wound
Hemomancy Cantrip
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: instantaneous
You attempt to open a small wound on the skin of a creature within range. The target must succeed a Constitution saving throw or begin Bleeding until the end of your next turn.
Rosethorn Sigil
6th level Hemomancy
- Casting Time: reaction
- Range: self (10 foot radius)
- Components: V, S, M (A red rose)
- Duration: 1 minute, concentration
You inscribe a 10 foot radius sigil of thorned vines in the air around you with blood. If a creature hits you with a ranged or melee attack while in this zone, it takes Necrotic damage equal to half the damage it dealt to you. You also gain temporary hit points equal to that amount.
Safeguard Soul
9th level Hemomancy (Ritual)
- Casting Time: 10 hours
- Range: touch
- Components: V, S, M (An object made from metal or stone worth at least 500gp)
- Duration: instantaneous
You hide a piece of yourself in the object used for this spell's material component to safeguard yourself from death. When you do so, your maximum hit points is reduced by an amount equal to 40 - your level. This reduction lasts until the spell ends.
While this object is intact you cannot age. When you die, the object resurrects your body within 5ft of it and pulls your soul back into it over the course of an hour, after which the object breaks and the spell ends. If you cast this spell on a new object, the previous object is immediately destroyed. The spell ends early when the object used for this spell's material component is destroyed.
Sanguine Spear
1st level Hemomancy
- Casting Time: reaction
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S, M (A ruby worth at least 50gp)
- Duration: instantaneous
As a reaction to a creature that isn't a Construct or Undead within range taking Piercing or Slashing damage, you crystalize a bolt of their blood midair and fire it at a target within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target, dealing 2d6 Piercing damage on a hit.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each level after 1st.
Spine Whips
3rd level Hemomancy
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: self (15 feet radius)
- Components: V, S, M (A spine from a humanoid or a vertebrae from a beast that is covered in blood, which the spell consumes)
- Duration: 1 minute, concentration
Long, spiked spinal chords flow out from you in a 15 foot radius. This effect moves with you but does not spread around corners. When a creature starts its turn in this zone or enters it for the first time on a turn, it must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d6 Slashing damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for every level after 3rd.
Web of Nerves
4th level Hemomancy
- Casting Time: 1 minute
- Range: self (30 foot radius)
- Components: V, S, M (A palm-sized wooden object with carvings representing taste, sight, smell, and hearing)
- Duration: 1 minute, concentration
You conjure thousands of spectral nerves in a 40 foot radius around you, which spreads around corners and moves with you. While concentrating on this spell, you gain the following Effects:
- You gain 30 feet of Blindsight.
- You have 30 feet of Telepathy.
- You can hear all sounds within the spell's area with perfect clarity.
- You have advantage on Nature, Insight, Investigation, and Perception checks made against targets within the spell's area.
Wyrmblood Lance
3rd level Hemomancy
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: self (60 foot line)
- Components: S, M (A vial of blood from a draconic creature)
- Duration: instantaneous
You fire a thin bolt of draconic blood in a 5 foot x 60 foot line, which mimics a dragon's innate magical abilities. Each creature in this zone must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 6d6 Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Poison damage on a failed save (your choice), or half as much on a success.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, add an additional 30 feet to the spell's longer range and 1d6 to the spell's damage for every level after 3rd.