Alternate Blood Hunter

by laserllama

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Alternate Blood Hunter

Blood Hunter

When the young man's blindfold was
removed he found himself in a dimly lit
room surrounded by hooded figures. He
stood in front of a small dais that held a
vial of gleaming crimson liquid. Months of
training had led him to this moment. If he
survived drinking the vial, the Hunter's Bane,
he would never be the same. Becoming more
than human, he would finally have the power
to avenge his family that lay dead all these years.

As the horde of demonic spawn lurched toward
her, the aging half-elf ran her thin blade along her
palm, coating it in her blood. In an instant, the blood
ignited, wreathing her sword in a ghastly blue flame.
She fell upon the horde as a blur of azure fire and cold
steel. The hellspawn would find no mercy from her today.

In the light of the pale moon, an almost feral halfling got down on all fours to sniff the tracks before him. The scent of
goblin was unmistakable, vile rags and rotten meats. With a bestial howl, the halfling grew in size and wiry gray fur burst forth from his arms and legs. As fast as the wind, the halfling werewolf began another hunt in the light of the full moon.

All of the strange and monstrous warriors described above are Blood Hunters, occult guardians who infect and inoculate their blood with accursed power so they may hunt monsters.

Self-Sacrificing Hunters

Blood Hunters have no formal hierarchy and their Orders are as varied as the curses they choose to bear, but they do hold one thing in common, the Hunter's Bane. Those who survive this ancient and deadly ritual are able to wield the signature sanguine magic that marks them as Blood Hunters.

The makeup of this sinister ritual varies by Order and era, with each incorporating monstrous curses and magic which grant a Blood Hunter the unique abilities of their Order. This ritual permanently changes the subject, inoculating its blood with monstrous power at the expense of what makes them a normal mortal. Wherever monsters lurk, there also are Blood Hunters who have given up their chance at a mundane life so they may stalk and slay the vile creatures of darkness.

Editor's Note

The Alternate Blood Hunter presented here is based on the Blood Hunter class originally designed by Matthew Mercer. This is not intended to be seen as a criticism of the original class, but rather as an homage to the Blood Hunter concept.

This reimagining of the Blood Hunter class is intended to bring the original more in line with the design philosophy of 5e, and make it less punishing for players who may not be as used to the risk/reward mechanics present in the original.

The official Blood Hunter can be found on the DMsGuild, and I encourage any fans of this project to also support the original version by picking up a copy from the link above.

~laserllama

Ancient &
Sinister Rites

Wherever creatures of the darkness prowl, there are warriors who stand against them. Many Orders of Blood Hunters can trace their lineage back to ancient days. The blood magic they use is older than the divine magic of Clerics, and it serves as the legacy of dark times when mortals were forced to fend for themselves. Though their blood magic is unsettling and grim in nature, many Blood Hunters place a great deal of pride in the ancient traditions, rituals, and rites of their Occult Order.

Creating Your Blood Hunter

When creating a Blood Hunter, the most important thing to consider is why they would choose this accursed way of life. Were they the victim of a horrible monster attack and swore vengeance, no matter the personal cost? Were they trained from birth under the tutelage of an elder hunter, and forged into a relentless monster slayer? Or, were they recruited by
a secretive society for their exceptional talent at hunting?

Multiclassing and the Blood Hunter

If your group uses the optional multiclassing rule, here's what you need to know if you choose to take your first level in the Blood Hunter class.

Ability Score Minimum. As a multiclass character, you must have a 13 in Strength (or Dexterity) and Constitution to take a level in this class, or to take a level in another class if you are a Blood Hunter.

Proficiencies. If Blood Hunter isn't your initial class, here are the proficiencies you gain when you take your first level as a Blood Hunter: light armor, medium armor, shields, simple weapons, martial weapons, and alchemist's supplies.

Class Features

Hit Points


  • Hit Dice: 1d12 per Blood Hunter level
  • Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier.
  • Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + your Constitution modifier per Blood Hunter level after 1st

Proficiencies


  • Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
  • Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
  • Tools: Alchemist's supplies

  • Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
  • Skills: Choose two: Athletics, Acrobatics, Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Religion, and Survival

Equipment

As a Blood Hunter start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

  • (a) a martial weapon or (b) two simple weapons
  • (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) four javelins
  • (a) studded leather armor or (b) scale mail armor
  • alchemist's supplies and an explorer's pack

Alternately if your group uses the starting wealth rule to purchase equipment, Blood Hunters start with 5d4 x 10 gp.

Quick Build

You can make a Blood Hunter quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Constitution your highest ability score, followed by Strength. Second, choose the Haunted One background. Finally, take the Versatile Fighting Style.

Hunter's Bane

You have survived the Hunter's Bane, a dark alchemical ritual that suffuses your blood with sinister magic, granting you an enhanced knowledge and awareness of evil. At 1st level, you gain proficiency in either Arcana, Nature, or Religion.

As a bonus action, you can use this dark insight to analyze a creature you can see within 30 feet, making a Constitution ability check using the corresponding skill (DC = 8 + its CR):

Skill Creature Types
Arcana Aberrations, Dragons, Monstrosities
Nature Beasts, Elementals, Oozes, Plants
Religion Celestials, Fey, Fiends, Undead

    On a success, you learn one characteristic of your choice from the following list: its highest ability score, lowest ability score, damage vulnerabilities, damage immunities, damage resistances, condition immunities, or another weakness (like a troll's Regeneration being stopped by taking fire damage).

If your choice doesn't apply to that creature, your DM will reveal another relevant characteristic of their choice to you.

Fighting Style

At 1st level, you adopt a Fighting Style that best reflects your training. You cannot select a Fighting Style more than once, even if a feature allows you to select another Fighting Style.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can switch your Fighting Style for another Fighting Style of your choice.

The Blood Hunter
Level    PB    Features   Rite  
Die
  Rites  
Known
1st +2 Hunter's Bane,
Fighting Style
2nd +2 Blood Rites,
Crimson Offering
d4 2
3rd +2 Occult Order d4 2
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement d4 2
5th +3 Extra Attack,
Grim Psychometry
d6 3
6th +3 Crimson Brand d6 3
7th +3 Order Feature d6 3
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement d6 3
9th +4 Improved Psychometry d6 4
10th +4 Dark Augmentation d6 4
11th +4 Improved Crimson Offering,
Vital Control
d8 4
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement d8 4
13th +5 Order Feature d8 5
14th +5 Crimson Anchor d8 5
15th +5 Hardened Soul d8 5
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement d8 5
17th +6 d10 6
18th +6 Order Feature d10 6
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement d10 6
20th +6 Sanguine Mastery d10 6

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls with ranged weapons.

Dual Wielding

While two-weapon fighting, you make your off-hand attack as part of your Attack action instead of as your bonus action, and you add your ability modifier to the damage of this attack.

You cannot also make an off-hand attack as a bonus action.

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.

Featherweight Fighting

While you are unarmed or wielding only light weapons, and are not wearing medium or heavy armor, your walking speed increases by 10 feet, and you gain a +1 bonus to your damage rolls with light melee weapons and unarmed strikes.

Warning: Depictions of Self Harm

This class contains mild descriptions of self-harm. If you, or a player in your game, are uncomfortable with depictions of self-harm, then you should think twice before playing a Blood Hunter character.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you make a two-handed melee attack with a heavy weapon as part of your Attack action, you treat a total roll
of 5 or lower on the weapon's damage dice as a 6.

Melee Marksman

Having a hostile creature within 5 feet of you doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attacks, so long as you are attacking a creature within 5 feet.

When you make a ranged weapon attack against a creature within 5 feet, you can use your bonus action to make a melee attack against it with your ranged weapon. On hit, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier.

Thrown Weapon Fighting

You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon. Moreover, when you hit with a ranged weapon attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll of that attack.

Versatile Fighting

While wielding a single versatile weapon and no shield, you gain a +1 bonus to your attack rolls with that weapon. While doing so, you can also use your bonus action to make a single grapple or shove attack, or to take the Use an Object action.

Blood Rites

At 2nd level, you learn to harness the sinister magicks within your bloodstream to invoke the ancient power of Blood Rites:

Blood Rites Known

At 2nd level, you know two Blood Rites of your choice from the list at the end of this class. When you reach certain Blood Hunter levels you learn more Rites of your choice, as shown in the Rites Known column of the Blood Hunter class table.

Once you invoke a Blood Rite you must finish a short or long rest before you can invoke that Blood Rite again. When you have no uses of a Blood Rite remaining, you can make a Vital Sacrifice (detailed below) to use that Rite again.

Blood Rites can only be used against creatures with blood. However, when you make a Vital Sacrifice to empower a Rite, you can target any creature, regardless if it has blood or not.

Finally, whenever you learn a new Blood Rite, you can replace one of the Blood Rites you know with
another Rite of your choice.

Rite Die

Some Blood Rites use your Rite Die, which starts as a d4.
At certain Blood Hunter levels, this die grows, as shown in the Rite Die column of the Blood Hunter class table.

Vital Sacrifice

Some Blood Rites allow you to sacrifice your own life to fuel deadly effects. When you make a Vital Sacrifice, you reduce both your maximum and current hit points by one roll of your Rite Die. This reduction cannot be lessened in any way.

If you have temporary hit points, you can reduce these in place of reducing your current hit points. You always reduce your maximum hit points when you make a Vital Sacrifice.

At the end of your next long rest, any reductions to your maximum hit points from Vital Sacrifices return to normal.

Saving Throws

If a Blood Rite requires a creature to make a saving throw to resist its effects, you use your Rite save DC, as shown below:

Rite save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus
+ your Constitution modifier

Crimson Offering

Also starting at 2nd level, you can use a bonus action on your turn to make a Vital Sacrifice and empower one weapon you are holding with blood magic. Choose acid, cold, fire, lighting, or poison, and for 1 hour, your attacks with that weapon deal bonus damage of that type equal to one roll of your Rite Die.

Occult Order

At 3rd level, you choose the Occult Order that best represents your training and blood magic: Order of Alchemists, Heretics Pale Moon, Salt & Iron, Undying Thirst, or Witch Knights.

Your Occult Order grants you features at 3rd level, and again when you reach 7th, 13th,
and finally at 18th level
in this class.

Ability Score Improvement

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

Extra Attack

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

Grim Psychometry

Your familiarity with dark magic allows you to decipher
the influence of similar effects. Also at 5th level, you can
use alchemist's supplies to cast identify as a ritual. When
you do so, you also learn if the object is cursed.

At 9th level, you can use this feature to cast legend lore, targeting an object or creature you touch, or your current location. When you do so, the target can have an evil, violent, or cursed history instead of legendary importance. You make a Vital Sacrifice in place of expending a spell slot, and your
alchemist's supplies replace the material components.

Crimson Brand

Your affinity with blood magic has grown. Beginning at 6th level, you can make a Crimson Offering once between each short or long rest without making a Vital Sacrifice.

Moreover, when you damage a creature with a Crimson Offering weapon attack, you can sear it with blood magic to place a Crimson Brand upon it. While this Crimson Brand lasts, you gain the following benefits against that creature:

  • You know its exact direction while on the same plane.
  • Whenever it damages you, or a friendly creature that
    you can see within 15 feet of you, it takes Crimson Offering damage equal to one roll of your Rite Die.

This Brand lasts until the creature is slain, or you Brand another creature. It can also be dispelled by remove curse.

Once you use this feature you must complete a short or long rest before you can use it again. When you have no uses
left you can make a Vital Sacrifice to use this feature again.

Dark Augmentation

The dark magic of the Hunter's Bane enhances your physical abilities. Starting at 10th level, whenever you make an ability check or saving throw that uses your Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution, you add one roll of your Rite Die to the result.

Improved Crimson Offering

You are a master of combining blood magic with martial skill. Beginning at 11th level, you can choose for the bonus damage of Crimson Offering to also be necrotic, psychic, or thunder.

Vital Control

Also at 11th level, you gain a greater measure of control over your blood magic. Whenever you make a Vital Sacrifice, you can roll your Rite Die twice and choose which result to use.

Also, once between each long rest, you can empower one
       Blood Rite you know without making a Vital Sacrifice.

Crimson Anchor

Your Crimson Brand is infused with potent abjuration magic. Starting at 14th level, in order for a creature marked by your Crimson Brand to teleport or to leave your current plane, it must succeed on a Charisma saving throw against your Rite save DC. On a failure, that feature fails and it takes Crimson Offering damage equal to four rolls of your Rite Die.

Also, the damage of Crimson Brand increases to two rolls of your Rite Die if the Branded target damages you or an ally.

Hardened Soul

Your experiences have hardened your mind against all but the most esoteric attacks. Beginning at 15th level, whenever you make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw you gain a bonus to your roll equal to one roll of your Rite Die.

Sanguine Mastery

You have gained unparalleled mastery over the dark power of your blood magic, improving its potency while minimizing the sacrifices required. At 20th level, whenever you roll a Rite Die for another Blood Rite or a Blood Hunter ability, you roll your Rite Die twice and choose which result to use.

Finally, whenever you make a Vital Sacrifice, you subtract your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) from your Vital Sacrifice roll before you reduce your maximum and current hit points. This cannot reduce your Vital Sacrifice below 1.

Occult Order

Choose the Occult Order which best represents the training, skill, and sinister blood magic abilities of your Blood Hunter:

   
Alchemists Salt & Iron
Heretics Undying Thirst
Pale Moon Witch Knights

Order of Alchemists

Blood Hunters that join this Order make use of dark alchemy and transmutation magic to mutate their physical form. The sinister power in their blood triggers massive physiological changes thanks to experimental Mutagens. These mutants enhance their mortal form to meet monsters as their peer.

Aberrant Alchemy

3rd-level Order of Alchemists feature
You knowledge of dark alchemy allows you to inoculate your blood with Mutagens, granting you the following benefits:

Latent Mutagens. You inoculate your bloodstream with three Mutagens of your choice from the list at the end of this Occult Order description. You don't gain the benefits of these Latent Mutagens until you use a bonus action to Mutate.

During a long rest, you can spend 1 hour using alchemist's supplies to perform an alchemical procedure to replace one Latent Mutagen in your blood with another of your choice.

You gain two additional Latent Mutagens of your choice when you reach 7th level, and again at 13th and 18th level.

Mutation. As a bonus action you can Mutate, radically changing your physical form and gaining the benefits from a number of your Latent Mutagens equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 Mutagen) for the next 10 minutes, or until you use a bonus action to revert to your normal form.

You can Mutate once between each short or long rest at no cost, after which, you make a Vital Sacrifice to Mutate again.

         Monstrous Awareness

          3rd-level Order of Alchemists feature
         The unnatural power of the Mutagens in your blood also
           empowers your blood magic. When you make an ability
               check that uses alchemist's supplies, or use Hunter's                 Bane to analyze an Aberration, Monstrosity, or Ooze
                   you can add one roll of your Rite Die to your roll.

             Enduring Mutation

              7th-level Order of Alchemists feature
            The potency of your dark alchemical experiments has
         grown. During a long rest, you can spend 1 hour using
     alchemist's supplies to make the effects of a single Latent
     Mutagen permanent, even when you aren't Mutated. When
     you Mutate, this Enduring Mutagen always counts as one       of the Latent Mutagens that you gain the benefits of.

    You can replace this Enduring Mutagen with another one
     of your Latent Mutagens during a subsequent long rest.

Noxious Strike

13th-level Order of Alchemists feature
You can weaponize the strange toxins in your blood to afflict your enemies. Once per turn when you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can force it to make a Constitution saving throw against your Rite save DC. On a failure, it takes acid damage equal to four rolls of your Rite Die and is blinded or stunned (your choice) for 1 minute. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and suffers no other effects.

A blinded or stunned creature repeats this saving throw each time it takes damage, ending this effect on a success.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. When you have no uses left you can make a Vital Sacrifice to use it again.

Rapid Mutation

18th-level Order of Alchemists feature
You have gained mastery over your body's mutability. While you are Mutated, you can use a bonus action to switch one
of your active Mutagens for one of your Latent Mutagens.

Mutagens

Below are the Mutagens available to the Order of Alchemists. If one of the Mutagens has a Blood Hunter level prerequisite, you can learn it at the same time you meet that prerequisite.

If one of your Mutagen effects requires a creature to make a saving throw, it makes its save against your Rite save DC.

Aberrant Sight

Your eyes become voids of inky darkness, You gain darkvision out to a 60-foot radius. If you have darkvision from your race or another feature its range increases by 60 feet. Within this radius, you can also see through magical darkness.

Aquatic Adaptation

Your neck sprouts gills or your skin becomes permeable like an amphibious creature. You gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, and you can breathe both air and water.

Enhanced Movement

Your legs grow unnaturally thick and powerful, but become grotesque to look upon. You can take the Dash action as a bonus action on each of your turns.

Grappling Appendage

You grow an extra appendage from your back that resembles a tentacle. This appendage has a reach of 10 feet and can be used to make unarmed strikes, shove, and grapple. On hit, it deals bludgeoning damage equal to one roll of your Rite Die.

This appendage can be used for simple tasks, but it cannot wield weapons or shields, or manipulate objects or tools.

Starting at 13th level, this Mutagen grows two appendages.

Knotted Flesh

Your skin becomes hard and knotted like that of a tree or a great beast. You can use your Constitution modifier in place of Dexterity when calculating your Armor Class in armor.

Moreover, so long as you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class is equal to 13 + your Constitution modifier.

Monstrous Glide

You grow bat-like skin flaps that you use to glide. When you fall at least 10 feet and aren't incapacitated, you can subtract up to 100 feet from your fall when you calculate fall damage, and you can move horizontally 2 feet for every 1 foot you fall.

Oozing Form

Your body can become slimy and pliable. As a bonus action, you can morph into (or revert from) an ooze-like state which allows you to squeeze through gaps as narrow as 1-inch.

Your ooze-like state has no effect on your weapons, armor, clothing, or objects, and you cannot attack while you are in it.

Unnatural Physicality

Your muscles and veins engorge with dark toxic chemicals. You add one roll of your Rite Die to any Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks that you make.

Acidic Bile

Prerequisite: 7th-level Blood Hunter
You can spew corrosive acid from your mouth. You know the acid splash cantrip, Constitution is your spellcasting modifier for it, and whenever you deal damage with it you add your Constitution modifier (minimum of +1) to the damage roll.

Corrosive Blood

Prerequisite: 7th-level Blood Hunter
Your wounds expel a corrosive acid. Whenever you are hit by an attack and the attacker is within 30 feet, you can use your reaction to deal acid damage to the attacker equal to one roll of your Rite Die + your Constitution modifier.

Dislocated Reach

Prerequisite: 7th-level Blood Hunter
Your strange experiments allow your joints to unnaturally stretch, crack, and expand. The length of your arms doubles, and the reach of your melee attacks increases by 5 feet.

Engorged Physique

Prerequisite: 7th-level Blood Hunter
Chemicals forcefully enlarge your body, giving you a hideous physique. You grow by one size (for example, from Medium to Large), your reach increases by 5 feet, your weight multiplies by eight, and your melee weapon attacks deal bonus damage equal to one roll of your Rite Die on hit.

If there is not room for you to grow in size, you grow to the
       maximum size allowed by your current surroundings.

Inoculated Vigor

Prerequisite: 7th-level Blood Hunter
You inoculate yourself against all but the worst poisons. You gain immunity to both acid and poison damage, and you gain immunity to all disease and to the poisoned condition.

Toxic Symbiosis

Prerequisite: 7th-level Blood Hunter
When you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can use a bonus action on that turn to suck the life from its wound and gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier.

This feature cannot be used against Constructs or Undead.

Viscous Grip

Prerequisite: 7th-level Blood Hunter
Your hands and feet secrete a sticky substance. You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed, you can climb difficult surfaces without needing making an ability check.

Also, creatures have disadvantage on ability checks or saving throws they maketo escape being grappled by you.

Accelerated Physiology

Prerequisite: 13th-level Blood Hunter
Chemicals enhance your physical ability and increase your aggression. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can make three attacks instead of the normal two.

However, if you end your turn and you have not attacked another creature since the end of your previous turn, then you take necrotic damage equal to one roll of your Rite Die.

Alchemical Intellect

Prerequisite: 13th-level Blood Hunter
Strange chemicals enhance your mind at the expense of the body. You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws, but you have disadvantage on all Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws.

Hideous Regeneration

Prerequisite: 13th-level Blood Hunter
If you begin your turn with less than half of your hit points remaining, but at least 1 hit point, you instantly regain hit points equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1).

Monstrous Flight

Prerequisite: 13th-level Blood Hunter
A pair of monstrous leathery wings sprout forth from your back. You gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed.

Synthetic Carapace

Prerequisite: 13th-level Blood Hunter
Your skin hardens resembling that of an terrible insectoid
creature. You gain a +2 bonus to your Armor Class, and you gain resistance to all bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from non-magical and non-silvered attacks.

Alchemists & Experimentation

The Mutagens included here are the most common examples created by Alchemist Blood Hunters. Talk to your DM about crafting custom Mutagens based on abilities from monsters that you slay or study!

Order of Heretics

Excommunicated from their religious orders, the founders of the Order of Heretics were holy priests who desired to utilize forbidden rites to combat darkness. Branded heretics, these conduits of divine power supplemented their holy knowledge with blood magic. Now, this Order of priestly Blood Hunters works to combat wayward divine entities, both good and evil.

Blasphemous Prayer

3rd-level Order of Heretics feature
You are able to channel divine energies despite your status as a heretic. You gain two Channel Divinity options: Censure the Divine, which is detailed below, and one Channel Divinity of your choice from those available to Cleric Divine Domains at 2nd level. For the second, you use your Blood Hunter level in place of any mentions of Cleric level and your Rite save DC.

You can use each of your Channel Divinities once, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

When you have no uses left, you can make a Vital Sacrifice to use either of your Channel Divinity options again.

Censure the Divine

As an action, you utter blasphemies painful to divine entities. Celestials, Fiends, or other creatures capable of divine magic (such as Clerics or Paladins) of your choice within 30 feet of you must succeed a Charisma saving throw against your Rite save DC or be incapacitated and restrained for 1 minute.

Creatures repeat this saving throw at the end of their turns and when they take damage, ending this effect on a success.

Heretical Knowledge

3rd-level Order of Heretics feature
Despite your beliefs, you understand the traditional religious practices, rites, and prayers. You gain the following benefits:

  • You gain proficiency in Religion. If already proficient, you add double your proficiency bonus to all Religion checks.
  • You learn two Cantrips of your choice from the Cleric
    spell list. Constitution is your spellcasting modifier.
  • If you use Hunter's Bane to analyze a Celestial,
    Fiend, or Undead, you add one roll of your
    Rite Die to your ability check.

Unholy Restoration

7th-level Order of Heretics feature
You can draw life from one creature and transfer it to another in a dark mockery of the divine. As an action, you can force a creature you can see within 30 feet to make a Constitution saving throw against your Rite save DC. On a failure, it takes necrotic damage equal to four rolls of your Rite Die, and half as much necrotic damage on a success. It has disadvantage on its saving throw if you touch it as part of this action.

As part of the action, a creature you can see within 30 feet regains hit points equal to half the necrotic damage dealt.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all uses when you finish a long rest. When you have no uses left, you can make a Vital Sacrifice to use this feature again.

Divine Anathema

13th-level Order of Heretics feature
When you use Censure the Divine you can empower it with
a Vital Sacrifice, forcing creatures of your choice within 30 feet must make on a Constitution saving throw against your Rite save DC, in place of its normal effects. On a failed save, creatures have their speed reduced by 10 feet.

Creatures repeat this saving throw at the end of each of their turns. On a failure, their speed is further reduced by 10 feet, and on a success they regain 10 feet of speed. This effect ends when a creature's speed becomes 0, at which point it is petrified, or when a creature's speed returns to normal.

Celestials and Fiends have disadvantage on saving throws to resist this feature. Once a creature succeeds against this feature it is immune to its effect until the following dawn.

Utmost Transgression

18th-level Order of Heretics feature
You use your occult knowledge to bind denizens of heaven.
As an action, you can cast summon celestial TCE, at 5th-level, using Constitution as its spellcasting modifier. The Celestial
      is bound against its will by unholy blood magic, allowing
            you to ignore the material component of the spell, but
               the duration of the spell is reduced to 1 minute.

                  Once you cast this spell you must finish a short
                  or long rest before you can cast it this way again.

Order of the Pale Moon

Lycanthropy is an ancient curse that changes those afflicted into mindless beasts with an unquenchable hunger for flesh. In order to combat these monsters, some Blood Hunters will purposefully contract this curse. These warriors willingly give their lives so that they may draw on this bestial power to rid the world of lycanthropes and other shapeshifting monsters.

Beast Form

3rd-level Order of the Pale Moon feature
You can control your lycanthropy, allowing you to shift your form. Choose one beast of CR 1 or lower without a flying or
a swimming speed, to be the Beast Form of the animal your lycanthropic curse is based on. Common Beast Forms are boars, brown bears, dire wolves, tigers, and rats.

As a bonus action, you can make a Vital Sacrifice to shift into the Beast Form chosen above, following all the rules of Wild Shape from the Druid class, as found in Chapter 3 of the Player's Handbook, except for the following changes:

  • You retain your current and maximum hit points.
  • You gain temporary hit points equal to twice your level.
  • Your Beast Form's natural weapons use your Rite Die as their damage die, unless their damage die is higher.

You remain in your Beast Form for 1 hour. You revert to your normal form if you are incapacitated or if you use your bonus action to revert. At the end of the hour, you can make another Vital Sacrifice to remain in Beast Form for 1 hour.

Hybrid Form

3rd-level Order of the Pale Moon feature
As a bonus action, you can shift into a Hybrid Form, a fusion of both beast and humanoid, gaining the benefits listed below:

  • Your walking speed increases by 10 feet.
  • You gain temporary hit points equal to your level.
  • You grow claws and fangs that count as simple weapons with the Light property for the purposes of two-weapon fighting. On hit, they deal slashing damage equal to one roll of your Rite Die + your Strength modifier.

You remain in your Hybrid Form for 1 minute. You revert to your normal form early if you are incapacitated or if you use your bonus action to revert. At the end of the transformation you can make a Vital Sacrifice to extend it by 1 minute.

Once you transform into your Hybrid Form you
must finish a short or long rest before you can
transform again. If you have no uses left, you
can make a Vital Sacrifice to shift into
your Hybrid Form again.

Feral Senses

3rd-level Order of the Pale Moon feature
Your lycanthropy heightens your primal senses. When you make a Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) check that is based on your sense of hearing, sight, or smell, you gain a bonus to your roll equal to one roll of your Rite Die.

Also, whenever you use Hunter's Bane to analyze a beast, monstrosity, or a shapeshifter of any kind, you gain a bonus
to your ability check equal to one roll of your Rite Die.

Lycan Warrior

7th-level Order of the Pale Moon feature
You are able to draw out more power from your curse. While you are in Beast or Hybrid Form you gain the benefits below:

  • Your Form's attacks count as magical for overcoming resistances and immunities to nonmagical damage.
  • You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from non-magical and non-silvered attacks.
  • If you are holding a Crimson Offering weapon when you shift, the effect transfers to one of your Form's weapons.

Feral Prowess

13th-level Order of the Pale Moon feature
Your curse fuels your bloodlust and allows you to shrug off minor wounds. At the start of each of your turns while you are in Beast or Hybrid Form, you regain hit points equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1), so long as you have at least 1 hit point and less than half your hit points.

Also, you have advantage on attack rolls against creatures marked by Crimson Brand while in Beast or Hybrid Form.

Lycanthropic Mastery

18th-level Order of the Pale Moon feature
You have achieved mastery over your lycanthropic curse. You can shift into your Beast Form or Hybrid Form at will, without having to make a Vital Sacrifice. Moreover, your Beast Form and Hybrid Form transformations last indefinitely.

Finally, you can take the Dash action as a bonus action
on your turn, so long as you end this movement closer
to a hostile creature you can see.

Order of Salt & Iron

Since the dawn of time, the ancient Order of Salt &
Iron has trained exorcists to defend the living from
the undead. Willing to sacrifice all that they are, these
Blood Hunters stain their souls with spectral power.
They then use the power of darkness to drive back the
darkness itself, and work tirelessly to prevent the tide
of undeath from overwhelming the living.

Spectral Nature

3rd-level Order of Salt & Iron feature
You have tainted your soul with ghastly power.
You require half the amount of sleep, food, and
drink for the average member of your race.

Also, you can use a bonus action to enter a
temporary Spectral State, which lasts until the end
of your current turn. While in this state, you are resistant
to all bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from non-magical and non-silvered attacks, and you can move through solid objects and creatures as if they were difficult terrain. If you end your movement inside a creature or object, you are instantly shunted to the nearest unoccupied space, taking 1d10 force damage for every 5 feet you were shunted.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to
your Constitution modifier (minimum of once), and you
regain all uses when you finish a long rest. You can
make a Vital Sacrifice to use this feature again.

At certain levels in this class, the duration of
this Spectral State increases: at 7th-level
(1 minute), 13th-level (1 hour), and
at 18th level (indefinite). You can
end this state as a bonus action.

Warrior of the Dawn

3rd-level Order of Salt & Iron feature
Your blood magic is especially potent when used against the undead. whenever you use Hunter's Bane to analyze Undead, you can add one roll of your Rite Die to your ability check.

Also, when you use Crimson Offering, you can choose to empower your Crimson Offering with the signature magicks of your Order, granting you the following additional benefits:

  • The bonus damage of Crimson Offering is radiant.
  • You gain resistance to necrotic damage.
  • The weapon sheds bright light in a 30-foot radius.

Curse Specialist

7th-level Order of Salt & Iron feature
Your knowledge and experience with undead enhances the power of your blood magic. You can target any creature with your Blood Rites, even if it does not have blood in its veins.

In addition, at the end of each long rest you can choose one Blood Rite you know. You can invoke that Rite one additional time before you must make a Vital Sacrifice to use it again.

Exorcists, Clerics, & Gods

Traditions within the Order of Salt & Iron claim the founding of their Order predates gods themselves.

Exorcists claim to have stood against the tide of undeath long before the first Clerics and Paladins.

Warrior Exorcist

13th-level Order of Salt & Iron feature
You use the power of blood magic to drive out the influence
of extraplanar creatures. As a bonus action on your turn, you can choose one willing creature within 30 feet that can hear you that is currently charmed, frightened, or being magically controlled, and instantly end one of the above effects on it.

If the creature that inflicted this condition is also within
30 feet, it must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Rite save DC. On a failure it takes radiant damage equal to four rolls of your Rite Die, and half damage on a success.

Once you use this feature you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. When you have no uses left, you can make a Vital Sacrifice to use this feature again.

Sacrificial Offering

18th-level Order of Salt & Iron feature
You can sacrifice your own vitality to resist the grasp of death. When you would fall to 0 hit points but are not killed outright, you can choose to reduce your maximum hit points by one roll of your Rite Die, and fall to 1 hit point instead.

Spectral Mastery

18th-level Order of Salt & Iron feature
You walk between the land of the living and the dead. For every 10 years that pass, you age 1 year, and you no longer need to sleep, eat, or drink. You gain the benefits of a long rest when you spend 6 hours performing only light activity.

Moreover, when you are in your Spectral State, you gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed and can hover.

Order of Undying Thirst

Legends speak of an ancient vampire who came to regret
the many atrocities he had committed when driven by his
thirst. He gathered to himself a group of vampire hunters, and once they had vowed to scour the curse of vampirism from the world, passed his curse on to them and instructed them in the power of ancient blood magic. Known as the Order of Undying Thirst, these Blood Hunters relentlessly
carry out their founding vow to exterminate all vampires.

Blood Magic Specialist

3rd-level Order of Undying Thirst feature
Your curse grants you increased control over your blood magic. You learn one additional Blood Rite, but it doesn't count against your total number of Blood Rites Known.

Also, your affinity for blood magic increases the size of your Rite Die to a d6. At certain Blood Hunter levels,
your Rite Die increases again: at 5th level it becomes
a d8, at 11th level a d10, and finally a d12 at 17th level.

Finally, whenever you use Crimson Offering, you can
choose for its bonus damage to be necrotic damage.

Vampiric Nature

3rd-level Order of Undying Thirst feature
The ancient disease of your Order has irreparably changed your physiology. Your teeth elongate into fangs which you can use for unarmed strikes. On hit, they deal piercing damage equal to one roll of your Rite Die + your Strength modifier.

Moreover, whenever you use Hunter's Bane to analyze an Undead, you can add one roll of your Rite Die to the check.

Essence Drain

7th-level Order of Undying Thirst feature
You can drain the very life-essence from your foes. When you hit a creature with a fang attack, you can restore a number of your maximum hit points equal to the piercing damage dealt. Piercing damage from your fang attacks ignores resistances and immunities to non-magical damage.

Once you use this feature to restore maximum hit points must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Sinister Resilience

7th-level Order of Undying Thirst feature
When you deal necrotic damage to a creature with a Blood Rite or another Blood Hunter feature, you can choose to gain temporary hit points equal to half the necrotic damage dealt.

While these temporary hit points last, you are resistant to necrotic, poison, and all bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from all non-magical and non-silvered attacks.

However, if you take radiant damage, all of your temporary hit points from this feature are immediately dispelled, and the total radiant damage is applied to your normal hit points.

Misty Escape

13th-level Order of Undying Thirst feature
When a creature you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to turn into a cloud of swirling mist, and the triggering attack automatically misses. You instantly reappear in an unoccupied space you can see within 30 feet.

Once you use this reaction you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. When you have no uses left,
    you can make a Vital Sacrifice to use this reaction again.

Crimson Lord

18th-level Order of Undying Thirst feature
You have mastered your ancient curse, and your abilities rival those of true vampire lords. You gain the following benefits:

  • You gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed.
  • When you damage a creature with a fang attack, it has disadvantage on its saving throws to resist the effects of your Blood Rites until the end of your next turn.
  • For every 10 years that pass, your body only ages 1 year.
Optional Rule: True Vampirism

True vampiric power comes at significant cost. If you'd like to play as a true vampire, you gain ALL abilities below when you join this Occult Order:

Deathless Nature. You don't need to breathe.

Spider Climb. You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. Upon reaching 7th level, you can move across vertical surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, while leaving your hands free.

Superior Darkvision. You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, you can only see shades of gray.

Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to see is in direct sunlight.

If you already have this trait from another source then you gain vulnerability to radiant damage.

Order of Witch Knights

Blood Hunters who join the dark Order of Witch Knights are driven by an overwhelming desire to destroy the great evils of the world. Those especially dedicated, those willing to give up anything, are often approached by Eldritch Powers, beings of otherworldly might. These benefactors offer power in return for a fraction of the warrior's soul or unquestioning fealty.

Pact Magic

3rd-level Order of Witch Knights feature
The bargain you have struck with your Patron has granted you the ability to cast spells, much like a Warlock does:

Cantrips. You learn two Cantrips of your choice from the Witch Knight spell list. Upon reaching 13th level in this class you learn one additional Witch Knight Cantrip of your choice.

Spell Slots. The Witch Knight Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have, and the level of those spell slots. All of your spell slots from this feature are the same level. To cast one of your Witch Knight spells of 1st-level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all of your expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest.

Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You learn two
1st-level spells of your choice from the Witch Knight spell list. The Spells Known column of the Witch Knight Spellcasting table shows when you learn more Witch Knight spells of 1st-level or higher. Spells you choose must be of a level no higher than the level in the table's Slot Level column for your level.

Whenever you gain a Blood Hunter level, you can choose one Witch Knight spell you know and replace it with another Witch Knight spell of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your Witch Knight spells. You use your Intelligence when a spell refers to your spellcasting ability, when setting the saving throw DC, and when making a spell attack roll.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus
+ your Intelligence modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus
+ your Intelligence modifier

Witch Knight Spellcasting
Level Spells Known Spell Slots Slot Level
3rd 2 1 1st
4th 2 2 1st
5th 3 2 1st
6th 3 2 1st
7th 4 2 2nd
8th 4 2 2nd
9th 5 2 2nd
10th 5 2 2nd
11th 5 2 2nd
12th 5 2 2nd
13th 6 2 3rd
14th 6 2 3rd
15th 6 2 3rd
16th 6 2 3rd
17th 7 2 3rd
18th 7 2 3rd
19th 7 2 4th
20th 7 2 4th

Crimson Smite

3rd-level Order of Witch Knights feature
Magic seeps into the blood you sacrifice to empower your weapons. You can use any weapon empowered by Crimson Offering as a spellcasting focus for Witch Knight spells.

In addition, when you hit with a Crimson Offering attack, you can expend a Pact Magic spell slot to deal bonus damage of your Crimson Offering damage type. This bonus damage
is two rolls of your Rite Die for a 1st-level spell slot, plus one roll of your Rite Die for each spell level higher than 1st.

Sanguine Warrior

7th-level Order of Witch Knights feature
You seamlessly weave minor spells with weapon attacks. If you use your action to cast a Witch Knight spell, or activate a spell you are concentrating on (such as witch bolt), you can make a weapon attack as a bonus action on that turn.

Moreover, when you cast a Witch Knight spell while you are holding a weapon empowered by Crimson Offering, you can cause the spell to deal the damage type of your Crimson Offering in place of the normal damage of that spell.

Bewitched Strikes

13th-level Order of Witch Knights feature
The Eldritch magic in your blood seeps into your weapons. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, that creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes against a Blood Rite or spell you cast before the end of your next turn.

Witch Knights & Warlocks

If you have levels in both Warlock and the Order of Witch Knights, you determine your available Pact Magic spell slots by adding together your Warlock levels and one-third of your Blood Hunter levels (rounded down). Then, use this total to determine your spell slots by consulting the Warlock table.

    Profane Sacrifice

    18th-level Order of Witch Knights feature
     You can offer the death of your foes to your Eldritch Power
           for enhanced magicks. If a hostile creature dies within
           30 feet of you, you can use your reaction to regain one
         Pact Magic spell slot, or gain temporary hit points equal
        to one roll of your Rite Die + your Intelligence modifier.

          Once you use this feature you must finish a short or
        long rest before you can use it again.

Witch Knight Spell List                  

        Here is the spell list you consult when you learn a Witch
         Knight spell. It is organized by spell level, and spells are
        the Player's Handbook, Xanathar's Guide to Everything*,
        and Tasha's Cauldron of Everything**.

           Spells marked LL are found in the laserllama Spell
          Compendium, which includes new and alternate spells.

   Cantrips (0-Level)

        blade ward LL
        booming blade LL
        chill touch
        control flames*
        friends LL
        frostbite
        green-flame blade LL
        infestation *
        lightning lure **
        mage hand
        magic stone *
        mind sliver **
        minor illusion
        poison spray LL
        prestidigitation
        resistance LL
        shocking grasp
        spare the dying
        sword burst LL
        toll the dead *
        true strike LL

   1st-Level

        absorb elements*
        armor of agathys
        arms of hadar
        burning hands
        cause fear *
        charm person
        compelled duel
        detect evil & good
        expeditious retreat
        false life
        hellish rebuke
        hex
        illusory script
        inflict wounds
        protection fr. good & evil
        searing smite LL
        shield LL
        thunderous smite LL
        unseen servant
        witch bolt LL

  2nd-Level

     branding smite LL
     cloud of daggers
     crown of madness
     darkness
     earthbind *
     hold person
     invisibility
     mind spike *
     mirror image
     misty step
     ray of enfeeblement
     scorching ray
     shadow blade *
     shatter
     spider climb
     suggestion

  3rd-Level

     blinding smite LL
     counterspell LL
     dispel magic
     enemies abound*
     fear
     hunger of hadar
     hypnotic pattern
     intellect fortress **
     magic circle
     major image
     remove curse
     spirit shroud **
     vampiric touch

  4th-Level

     banishment
     blight
     charm monster *
     dimension door
     elemental bane *
     hallucinatory terrain
     phantasmal killer
     staggering smite LL
     shadow of moil *
     sickening radiance *

Blood Rites

Below are the Blood Rites available to all Blood Hunters. If a Rite has a prerequisite Blood Hunter level you can learn that Rite at the same time you meet its prerequisite level.

Whenever you learn a new Blood Rite you can choose one Blood Rite you know and replace it with another Blood Rite of your choice for which you meet the prerequisites.

Empowered Rites. Some Blood Rites can be empowered for additional potency. To gain these empowered effects, you make a Vital Sacrifice as part of invoking the Blood Rite.

Rite of Agony

As a bonus action, you invoke this Rite and force one creature that you can see within 30 feet to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it has disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity ability checks and saving throws, and each time it makes an attack it takes necrotic damage equal to one roll of your Rite Die. These effects end at the end of your next turn.

Empowered Agony. The effects of this Blood Rite last for 1 minute. The creature repeats this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect early on a success.

Rite of Anxiety

As a bonus action, you invoke this Rite and curse a creature you can see within 30 feet, making it susceptible to outside influence. For 1 minute, creatures of your choice who make
a Charisma check to influence the target can add one roll of your Rite Die to the result of their ability check.

Empowered Anxiety. The creature also has disadvantage on the first Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw it is forced to make before the end of your next turn.

Rite of Binding

As a bonus action, you invoke this Rite and force a Large or smaller creature that you can see within 30 feet to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, its speed is reduced to 0 and it can't use reactions until the end of your next turn.

Empowered Binding. You can target a
creature of any size with this Rite, and
it lasts for 1 minute. Creatures can
repeat this saving throw at the end
end each of their turns, ending
the effects on a success.

Rite of Blindness

When a creature that you can see within 30 feet hits another creature you can see with an attack, you can use a reaction to invoke this Rite. The attacker subtracts one roll of your Rite Die from its attack roll, potentially turning a hit into a miss.

Empowered Blindness. The creature must also subtract one roll of your Rite Die from every weapon and spell attack roll it makes until the end of that creature's following turn.

Rite of Confusion

As a bonus action, you invoke this Rite to curse one creature you can see within 30 feet that is concentrating on a spell. It must succeed a Wisdom saving throw or lose concentration.

Empowered Confusion. The creature must subtract one roll of your Rite Die from its saving throw to resist this Rite.

Rite of Knowledge

When you learn this Rite you learn four ritual spells of 3rd-level or lower from any spell list. You can only cast them as rituals, and to do so you must make a Vital Sacrifice.

Rite of Revelation

When you use your Hunter's Bane to analyze a creature you can see, you can invoke this Rite to automatically succeed on your ability check against that creature.

Empowered Revelation. Choose one damage immunity the creature has and turn it into resistance, or one damage resistance it has and dispel it. This effect lasts for 1 minute.

If the creature has no damage immunities or resistances, you learn three Hunter's Bane characteristics of your choice.

Rite of Siphoning

As an action, you can invoke this Rite and force one creature you touch to make a Charisma saving throw.
On a failed save, the creature takes necrotic
damage equal to two rolls of your Rite Die,
and you gain temporary hit points equal to
the necrotic damage taken by the creature.

Empowered Siphoning. The necrotic
        damage from this Rite is treated
                as the maximum possible
                     amount instead of
                             rolling.

Rite of the Beast

Prerequisite: 5th-level Blood Hunter
As an action, you invoke this Rite as you touch a living beast, smearing a drop of your blood on its face. It must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or become enthralled by you for 1 hour, or until it is reduced to 0 hit points.

An enthralled beast is friendly to you and your allies and obeys your orders completely. In combat you share initiative and it acts during your turn. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but it only takes the Dodge action unless you use your bonus action to command it to take an action from its stat block or another action. If you can ride the beast then it counts as a trained mount for the duration of this Rite.

You can only have one creature enthralled by a Blood Rite at a time. Attempting to enthrall another creature with a Rite instantly frees any other creatures you have enthralled.

Empowered Beast. The beast remains enthralled by this Blood Rite until the end of your next long rest.

Rite of Bonding

Prerequisite: 5th-level Blood Hunter
As an action, you invoke this Rite as you combine a drop of your blood with a drop of blood from a willing creature you touch, forging a dark bond. While the other creature is within 60 feet of your, it is resistant to all damage. However, if this bonded creature takes damage, you take the same amount.

The effects of this Rite last for 1 hour, but it ends early if either you or the other creature are reduced to 0 hit points,
or if you are more than 60 feet apart for more then 1 minute.

You can only enter into one such bond at a time. Using this Rite with another creature instantly ends the previous bond.

Empowered Bonding. The effects of this Blood Rite last for 8 hours, and only end early if either of you is reduced to 0 hit points or is more than 1 mile apart for more than 1 hour.

Rite of Corrosion

Prerequisite: 5th-level Blood Hunter
As a bonus action , you invoke this Rite to force one creature that you can see within 30 feet to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is poisoned for 1 minute. It can repeat this Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Empowered Corrosion. The effects of this Blood Rite last until the creature succeeds on the Constitution saving throw.

Moreover, whenever it fails this Constitution saving throw, it takes necrotic damage equal to two rolls of your Rite Die.

Rite of Exposure

Prerequisite: 5th-level Blood Hunter
As a bonus action, you invoke this Rite to curse one creature you can see within 30 feet. Any damage dealt to it before the end of your next turn ignores all of its damage resistances.

Empowered Exposure. Any damage it takes before the end of your next turn treats damage immunity as resistance.

Rite of Marking

Prerequisite: 5th-level Blood Hunter
As a bonus action, you invoke this Rite and mark a creature you can see within 30 feet. Until the end of your next turn, you have advantage on all attack rolls against that target.

Empowered Marking. You add one roll of your Rite Die to weapon attack rolls against it until the end of your next turn.

Rite of the Puppet

Prerequisite: 5th-level Blood Hunter
When a creature you can see within 30 feet is slain, you can use your reaction to invoke this Rite to cause the creature to stand up, move up to its walking speed, and make a weapon attack against a creature of your choice within its reach.

Empowered Puppet. The target adds one roll of your Rite Die to its attack and damage roll as part of this Blood Rite.

Rite of Aggression

Prerequisite: 9th-level Blood Hunter
As an action, you invoke this Rite and touch a willing creature radically increasing its aggression. For 1 minute, or until it is incapacitated, it gains the benefits and drawbacks below:

  • It can make one additional attack whenever it takes the Attack action or when it uses the Multiattack feature.
  • It can take the Dash action as a bonus action on its turns.
  • It gains a +2 bonus to its AC and Dexterity saving throws.
  • If it ends its turn and has not dealt damage to a hostile creature since the end of its previous turn, the creature takes necrotic damage equal to one roll of your Rite Die.

When this Rite's effects end, the creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion.

Rite of Dread

Prerequisite: 9th-level Blood Hunter
As a bonus action, you invoke this Rite to force one creature that can see or hear you within 30 feet to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it is frightened of you for 1 minute.

While frightened in this way, a creature must do all it can to move as far away from you as possible by the safest route that it can. If it cannot move it can take the Dodge action. If it can end its turn where it cannot see you, it can repeat this saving throw, ending the effects of this Rite on a success.

Empowered Dread. On a failure, the creature is stunned for the duration, so long as it can see you. If it takes damage, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success.

Rite of the Open Grave

Prerequisite: 9th-level Blood Hunter
As an action, you can touch a creature that has died within the last minute, snatching its soul back from the grave, and returning it to life with 1 hit point. However, when a creature is brought back to life by this Rite it gains a permanent death saving throw failure. This side effect can only be removed by greater resoration or a spell of similar, or greater, power.

This Rite cannot return a creature to life that died of old age, and it cannot restore a creature's missing body parts.

Empowered Open Grave. The creature does not gain a permanent death saving throw failure, but instead suffers a single level of exhaustion, which is healed by a long rest.

Rite of the Senseless

Prerequisite: 9th-level Blood Hunter
As a bonus action, you invoke this Rite to force one creature that you can see within 30 feet to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is blinded, deafened, and cannot speak or make any sound for 1 minute. It repeats this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Empowered Senseless. The creature's speed is reduced to 0 for the duration along with the other effects of this Rite.

Rite of Decay

Prerequisite: 13th-level Blood Hunter
As an action, you invoke this Rite to force a creature you can see within 30 feet to make a Constitution saving throw as you corrupt its blood. On a failure, it takes necrotic damage equal to four rolls of your Rite Die, its speed is halved, and it cannot take reactions. It can repeat this Constitution saving throw as an action. On a success, the effects of this Rite end, but on a failure, it takes additional necrotic damage equal to two rolls of your Rite Die and suffers one level of exhaustion.

Empowered Decay. This Rite ignores necrotic resistance and treats necrotic immunity as resistance. Also, any creature killed by this Rite is reduced to a pile of flesh-colored dust.

Rite of Nightmares

Prerequisite: 13th-level Blood Hunter
As an action, you invoke this Rite to force a creature you can see within 30 feet to make a Wisdom saving throw, infecting its mind with nightmarish phantasms. On a failed save, the creature takes psychic damage equal to four rolls of your Rite Die and is frightened of you for 1 minute.

The creature repeats this Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, the effects of this Rite end, but on a failed save, the creature takes additional psychic damage equal to two rolls of your Rite Die.

Empowered Nightmares. The creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0 for the duration of this Rite's effects.

Rite of Thralldom

Prerequisite: 13th-level Blood Hunter
As an action, you invoke this Rite and touch a live humanoid, smearing a drop of your blood on its face. It must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or become enthralled by you for 1 minute, or until it is reduced to 0 hit points.

An enthralled humanoid is friendly to you and obeys your orders completely. In combat it shares your initiative and acts during your turn. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but it only takes the Dodge action on its turn unless you use your bonus action to command it to take one of the actions from its stat block or another action.

You can only have one creature enthralled by a Blood Rite at a time. Attempting to enthrall another creature with a Rite instantly frees any other creatures you have enthralled.

Empowered Thralldom. The humanoid is enthralled by this Blood Rite for up to 1 hour.

Rite of
Exsanguination

Prerequisite: 17th-level Blood Hunter
As an action, you invoke this most powerful and ancient Rite and force one creature you can see within 30 feet to make a Constitution saving throw, as you attempt to drain its body of all blood. On a failed save, it takes necrotic damage equal to twelve rolls of your Rite Die, and half as much on a success.

Any creature that you have dealt damage to since the start of your previous turn has disadvantage on this saving throw.

Once your invoke this Blood Rite you must finish a short
or long rest before you can invoke it again. You cannot make a Vital Sacrifice to circumvent this once per rest restriction.

Empowered Exsanguination. This Rite ignores necrotic resistance and treats immunity as resistance. Any creatures killed by this Rite are reduced to a pile of flesh-colored dust.

Rite of Reaping

Prerequisite: 17th-level Blood Hunter
As an action, you invoke this most powerful and ancient Rite and force creatures of your choice within 60 feet to make a Constitution saving throw as you draw all blood toward you.

Creatures take necrotic damage equal to five rolls of your Rite Die on a failed save, and half as much on a success.

Any creature that you have dealt damage to since the start of your previous turn has disadvantage on this saving throw.

Once your invoke this Blood Rite you must finish a short
or long rest before you can invoke it again. You cannot make a Vital Sacrifice to circumvent this once per rest restriction.

Empowered Reaping. This Blood Rite ignores necrotic resistance and treats immunity as resistance. Any creatures killed by this Rite are reduced to a pile of flesh-colored dust.

Rite of Rejuvenation

Prerequisite: 17th-level Blood Hunter
As an action, you invoke this most powerful and ancient Rite and touch another living and willing creature, granting it an increase in stamina at the cost of its health. It instantly gains all the benefits of a short rest, including the ability to expend its Hit Dice to regain hit points. However, the maximum life span of the creature is permanently reduced by 1 year and 1 day, and it suffers 1 level of exhaustion.

Once your invoke this Blood Rite you must finish a short
or long rest before you can invoke it again. You cannot make a Vital Sacrifice to circumvent this once per rest restriction.

Alternate

Blood Hunter

Become the master of monstrous blood magic you were meant to be with this homage to the Blood Hunter Class! Includes six Occult Orders and twenty-four new & updated Blood Rites!

Version 2.1.1 - Created by /u/laserllama
Last Updated: October 8th, 2024

The Blood Hunter class can be found Here.

Additional Laserllama Homebrew content
can be found for free on GM Binder.

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