Blood Hunter
Marred but resolute, his grimacing face dripping with sweat, a half-orc reddens a finger in the blood of his own wounds, then draws a glowing ruby glyph in the air between him and the bloody behemoth facing him. He grips the weightless sigil, twisting it to unleash streams of dark energy that curse the blood of the monster’s own veins to even the odds.
A mysterious half-elf swathed in a worn cloak and rugged leather armor carefully investigates the site of a roadway massacre, her eyes flashing with recognition as she meditates on the remnants of the grisly scene. Suddenly, she jumps to her feet, certain in the knowledge of what creature was responsible, where it can be found—and how little time she has before it kills again.
Stepping into lightless chambers filled with ancient dust and lingering whispers, the halfling picks up the warning of imminent danger from the scraping of bone and claw on nearby stone. She winces as she runs her blade across her palm, the steel transmuting blood and essence into glowing runes of powerful magic, eager to brand and burn the flesh of her enemies.
Blood hunters are clever warriors driven by an unending determination to destroy evils old and new. Armed with rites of secretive blood magic and a willingness to sacrifice their own vitality and humanity for their cause, they protect the realms from the shadows—even as they remain ever vigilant against being drawn to the darkness that consumes the monsters they hunt.
Sacrifice to Preserve Life
Far from the judging eyes of society, blood hunters have mastered the secretive techniques of hemocraft, finding blood magic’s esoteric nature effective against evils that resist divine rebuke or arcane bindings. Through careful study and practice, blood hunters hone the rites of hemocraft into unique combat techniques, forfeiting a portion of their own health to call blood curses down upon their enemies or summon the elements to aid their strikes. Willing to suffer whatever it takes to achieve victory, these adept warriors have forged themselves into a potent force dedicated to protecting the innocent.A Monster to Fight Monsters
Whether driven by the wish to make a difference, the need to take vengeance, or the hope of finding a place to belong in an uncaring world, every blood hunter has their own reasons for undertaking the ritual of the Hunter’s Bane that starts them on this path. In joining an order of blood hunters, one also joins a family bound by service to each other and a common cause. For many, this might be the only family they have left—or have ever known—making the kinship felt between blood hunters an all-but-unbreakable bond. Outside the camaraderie of their orders, however, the life of a blood hunter is not an easy one. The ritual of the Hunter’s Bane can leave a character visibly changed, and prone to unsettling the people around them. Likewise, witnessing hemocraft can invoke superstitious fears from even the most learned scholars. While some cultures have come to accept the good deeds of many blood hunter orders, many blood hunters hide their calling unless absolutely necessary. They feel more comfortable in the wilds and wastes of the world, or drift through the outskirts of society, protecting the poor and defenseless from dark intention and the corrupting touch of fiends. In choosing this path, every blood hunter irrevocably gives a part of themself to their cause—physically, emotionally, and sometimes morally. Each order of blood hunters practices its own ideals and methods, often employing techniques with dark origins that test the strength and will of those who employ them. Many wrestle with the fear of losing this struggle. And so a life of discipline and vigilance drives a blood hunter’s travels as they wander the countryside, in search of like-minded adventurers and whispers of dark deeds afoot.Creating a Blood Hunter
As you create your blood hunter character, think about why you were driven to this lifestyle—and why you strive to give up everything to dwell in the darkness with the evils you hunt. Do you seek a sense of purpose and security, which you found among the order that has taken you in? Have you always carried a seed of darkness within you, so that you look for compatriots who can watch over and prevent you from succumbing to it? Were you once a holy warrior who strayed from your faith and was cast out, even as you yearn to give yourself over to the cause of protecting the innocent? What is your relationship with the powers of hemocraft and the abilities it promises? Do you respect and fear the ancient power that surges through your veins, embracing your gifts and using them freely? Are you worried that this power will eventually turn you into one of the monsters you hunt? Or has your study instilled you with the confident clarity that makes you certain you can control these gifts for the greater good? As well, what made you leave the comfort of your order to strike out on your own? Do you intend to return, or have you decided you have more to learn in the world? What strengths or assets do you seek in other adventurers that can help you meet your goals? Though most blood hunters follow a path of good or neutrality in their pursuits, some have fallen to the dark, seductive side of hemocraft. These blood hunters use their abilities for selfish and evil purposes, often leading to their expulsion from the orders that trained them.Quick Build
You can make a blood hunter quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Strength or Dexterity, depending on whether you want to focus on melee weapons or on archery (or finesse weapons). Your next-highest score should be Intelligence, if you plan to focus on the potency of blood curses and mystical power, or Constitution, if you want to have additional hit points to empower your abilities through sacrifice. Second, choose the soldier or urchin background.Critical Role
Bloodhunter
hit dice:
d10
hit points at 1st level:
10 + your Constitution Modifier per blood hunter level after first
hit points at higher levels:
1d10 + your Constitution modifier per blood hunter level beyond first
armor proficiencies:
Light armor, medium armor, shields
weapon proficiencies:
Simple weapons, martial weapons
tools:
Alchemist’s supplies
saving throws:
Dexterity, Intelligence
skills:
Choose three from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, History, Insight, Investigation, Religion, and Survival
starting equipment:
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- a martial weapon or two simple weapons
- a light crossbow and 20 bolts
- studded leather armor or scale mail armor
- an explorer’s pack and alchemist’s supplies
spellcasting:
Blood Curses
As a blood hunter, you have access to a range of blood curses that can tax the resilience of any foe.Blood Curse of the Anxious
As a bonus action, you harry the body or mind of a creature within 30 feet of you, making them susceptible to forceful influence. Until the end of your next turn, Charisma (Intimidation) checks made against the cursed creature have advantage. Amplify. The next Wisdom saving throw the cursed creature makes before this curse ends has disadvantage.Blood Curse of Binding
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. Amplify. This curse lasts for 1 minute and can affect any creature regardless of size. The cursed creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the curse on itself on a success.Blood Curse of Bloated Agony
As a bonus action, you curse a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you, causing its body to swell until the end of your next turn. For the duration, the creature has disadvantage on Strength checks and Dexterity checks, and takes 1d8 necrotic damage if it makes more than one attack during its turn. Amplify. This curse lasts for 1 minute. The cursed creature can make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the curse on itself on a success.Blood Curse of Corrosion
Prerequisite: 15th level, Order of the Mutant As a bonus action, you cause a creature within 30 feet of you to become poisoned. The cursed creature can make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the curse on itself on a success. Amplify. The cursed creature takes 4d6 necrotic damage when you inflict this curse, and it takes this damage again each time it fails a Constitution saving throw to end the curse.Blood Curse of the Exorcist
Prerequisite: 15th level, Order of the Ghostslayer As a bonus action, you choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you that is charmed or frightened, or which is under a possession effect. The target creature is no longer charmed, frightened, or possessed. Amplify. A creature that charmed, frightened, or possessed the target of your curse takes 3d6 psychic damage and must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.Blood Curse of Exposure
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). Amplify. 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.Blood Curse of the Eyeless
When a creature you can see within 30 feet of you makes an attack, you can use your reaction to roll one hemocraft 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 curse if it is immune to the blinded condition. Amplify. You apply this curse to all the creature’s attack rolls until the end of the creature’s turn. You roll separately for each affected attack.Blood Curse of the Fallen Puppet
When a creature you can see within 30 feet of you drops to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to instill that creature with a final act of aggression. The creature immediately makes one weapon attack against a target of your choice within its range. Amplify. You can first cause the cursed creature to move up to half its speed, and you grant a bonus to its attack roll equal to your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of +1).Blood Curse of the Howl
Prerequisite: 18th level, Order of the Lycan As an action, you unleash a bloodcurdling howl. Each creature within 30 feet of you that can hear you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn. If a creature fails its saving throw by 5 or more, it is stunned while frightened in this way. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw is immune to this blood curse for the next 24 hours. You can choose any number of creatures you can see to be unaffected by the howl. Amplify. The range of this curse increases to 60 feet.Blood Curse of the Marked
As a bonus action, you mark a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. Until the end of your turn, whenever you hit the cursed creature with a weapon for which you have an active crimson rite, you roll an additional hemocraft die when determining the extra damage from the rite. Amplify. The next attack roll you make against the target before the end of your turn has advantage.Blood Curse of the Muddled Mind
As a bonus action, you curse a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you that is concentrating on a spell or using a feature that requires concentration. That creature has disadvantage on the next Constitution saving throw it makes to maintain concentration before the end of your next turn. Amplify. The cursed creature has disadvantage on all Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration until the end of your next turn.Blood Curse of the Soul Eater
Prerequisite: 18th level, Order of the Profane Soul When a creature that isn’t a construct or undead is reduced to 0 hit points within 30 feet of you, you can use your reaction to offer their life energy to your patron in exchange for power. Until the end of your next turn, you make attacks with advantage and you have resistance to all damage. Amplify. Additionally, you regain an expended warlock spell slot. Once you’ve amplified this blood curse, you must finish a long rest before you can amplify it again.class features:
Hunter’s Bane
At 1st level, you have survived the Hunter’s Bane—a dangerous, long-guarded ritual that alters your life’s blood, forever binding you to the darkness and honing your senses against it. You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track fey, fiends, or undead, as well as on Intelligence checks to recall information about such creatures. The Hunter’s Bane also empowers your body to control and shape hemocraft magic, using your own blood and life essence to fuel your abilities. Some of your features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: Hemocraft save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Hemocraft modifier (your choice between Intelligence or Wisdom)Blood Maledict
Also at 1st level, you gain the ability to channel—or sometimes sacrifice—a part of your vital essence to curse and manipulate creatures through hemocraft magic. You know one blood curse of your choice, detailed in the “Blood Curses” section at the end of the class description. You learn one additional blood curse of your choice at 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level. Each time you learn a new blood curse, you can also choose one of the blood curses you know and replace it with another blood curse. Each time you use your Blood Maledict feature, you choose which curse to invoke from the curses you know. While invoking a blood curse, but before it affects the target, you can choose to amplify the curse by taking necrotic damage equal to one roll of your hemocraft die. This damage can’t be reduced in any way. An amplified curse gains an additional effect, noted in the curse’s description. Creatures that do not have blood are immune to blood curses unless you have amplified the curse. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. You can use Blood Maledict twice between rests starting at 6th level, three times starting at 13th level, and four times starting at 17th level.Fighting Style
At 2nd level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.Great Weapon Fighting
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. 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.Crimson Rite
Also at 2nd level, you learn to invoke a rite of hemocraft that infuses your weapon strikes with elemental energy. As a bonus action, you can activate any rite you know on one weapon you’re holding. The effect of the rite lasts until you finish a short or long rest. When you activate a rite, you take necrotic damage equal to one roll of your hemocraft die. This damage can’t be reduced in any way. While the rite is in effect, attacks you make with this weapon are magical, and deal extra damage equal to your hemocraft die of the type determined by the chosen rite. A weapon can hold only one active rite at a time. Other creatures can’t gain the benefit of your rite. You choose one rite from the crimson rites below when you first gain this feature. You learn an additional crimson rite at 7th level, and again at 14th level. Rite of the Flame. The extra damage dealt by your rite is fire damage. Rite of the Frozen. The extra damage dealt by your rite is cold damage. Rite of the Storm. The extra damage dealt by your rite is lightning damage. Rite of the Dead. The extra damage dealt by your rite is necrotic damage. (Prerequisite: 14th level) Rite of the Oracle. The extra damage dealt by your rite is psychic damage. (Prerequisite: 14th level) Rite of the Roar. The extra damage dealt by your rite is thunder damage. (Prerequisite: 14th level)Blood Hunter Order
At 3rd level, you commit to an order of blood hunters whose philosophy will guide you throughout your life: the Order of the Ghostslayer, the Order of the Lycan, the Order of the Mutant, or the Order of the Profane Soul, each of which is detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 7th level and again at 11th, 15th, and 18th level.Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.Extra Attack
Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.Brand of Castigation
At 6th level, when you damage a creature with a weapon for which you have an active crimson rite, you can channel hemocraft magic to sear an arcane brand into that creature (no action required). You always know the direction to the branded creature as long as it’s on the same plane as you. Further, each time the branded creature deals damage to you or a creature you can see within 5 feet of you, the branded creature takes psychic damage equal to your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of 1). Your brand lasts until you dismiss it or until you use this feature to apply a brand to another creature. Your brand can be dispelled with dispel magic, and is treated as a spell with a level equal to half your blood hunter level (maximum 9th level).Grim Psychometry
When you reach 9th level, you gain a supernatural talent for discerning the secrets surrounding mysterious relics or places touched by evil. Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check to recall information about the sinister or tragic history of an object you are touching or your current location, you have advantage on the check. At the DM’s discretion, a suitably high roll might cause your character to experience brief visions of the past connected to the object or location. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.Dark Augmentation
Starting at 10th level, the magic of hemocraft suffuses your body to permanently reinforce your resilience. Your speed increases by 5 feet, and you have a bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws equal to your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of +1).Brand of Tethering
Starting at 13th level, the psychic damage from your Brand of Castigation increases to twice your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of 2). Additionally, a branded creature can’t take the Dash action, and if it attempts to teleport or to leave its current plane by any means, it takes 4d6 psychic damage and must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the attempt to teleport or leave the plane fails.Hardened Soul
When you reach 14th level, you have advantage on saving throws against being charmed and frightened.Sanguine Mastery
Upon reaching 20th level, your mastery of blood magic reaches its height, mitigating your sacrifice and empowering your expertise. Once per turn, whenever a blood hunter feature requires you to roll a hemocraft die, you can reroll the die and use either roll. Additionally, whenever you score a critical hit with a weapon for which you have an active crimson rite, you regain one expended use of your Blood Maledict feature.subclass options:
Blood Hunter Orders
A handful of secretive orders shape and define the knowledge of the blood hunters, their members all guarding unique arrays of cryptic techniques and rituals. Characters must seek out one of these orders to even be granted access to the Hunter’s Bane rite that starts each blood hunter’s journey. But only once a blood hunter has proven their dedication and worth will an order’s most powerful secrets be revealed.Order of the Ghostslayer
The Order of the Ghostslayer is the oldest of the blood hunter orders, its members having originally rediscovered the secrets of hemocraft and refined them for combat against the scourge of undeath. Ghostslayers seek out and study the moment of death, obsessing over the mystery of the transition from life, and the unholy power that can cause the dead to rise once more. These zealous blood hunters make it their life’s work to destroy the scourge of undeath wherever it is found, tuning their abilities to engage undead creatures and those who manipulate the necromancy that creates them.Rite of the Dawn
When you join this order at 3rd level, you learn the Rite of the Dawn as part of your Crimson Rite feature. When you activate the Rite of the Dawn, the extra damage dealt by your rite is radiant damage. Additionally, while that rite is active on your weapon, you gain the following benefits:- Your weapon sheds bright light out to a range of 20 feet.
- You have resistance to necrotic damage.
- When you hit an undead creature with a weapon for which the Rite of the Dawn is active, you roll an additional hemocraft die when determining the extra damage from the rite.
- The Archfey, the Fiend, or the Great Old One, detailed in the Player’s Handbook
- The Undying, from Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide The Celestial or the Hexblade, from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
- The Fathomless or the Genie, from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
- The Undead, from Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Curse Specialist
Starting at 3rd level, you learn to master blood curses. You gain an additional use of your Blood Maledict feature. In addition, your blood curses can target any creature, whether it has blood or not.Aether Walk
Upon reaching 7th level, at the start of your turn, you can magically step into the veil between the planes as long as you aren’t incapacitated. You can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain, as well as see and affect creatures and objects on the Ethereal Plane. You take 1d10 force damage if you end your turn inside an object. This feature lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of 1 round). If you are inside an object when it ends, you are immediately shunted to the nearest unoccupied space and you take force damage equal to twice the number of feet you moved. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. You can use Aether Walk twice between rests starting at 15th level.Brand of Sundering
Starting at 11th level, your Brand of Castigation exposes a fragment of your foe’s essence, leaving them vulnerable to your Crimson Rite feature. Whenever you hit a creature with a weapon for which you have an active crimson rite, you roll an additional hemocraft die when determining the extra damage from the rite. Additionally, if a branded creature has the Incorporeal Movement trait or a similar feature, it can’t move through creatures or objects while branded.Blood Curse of the Exorcist
At 15th level, you hone your hemocraft to tear corruption from the minds and bodies of your allies—and to punish those responsible for it. You gain the Blood Curse of the Exorcist for your Blood Maledict feature. This doesn’t count against your number of blood curses known.Rite Revival
Upon reaching 18th level, you learn to protect your fading life by reabsorbing the energy you feed to your weapons. If you have one or more crimson rites active and you are reduced to 0 hit points but don’t die outright, you can choose to have all your active crimson rites end and drop to 1 hit point instead.Order of the Lycan
The ancient curse of lycanthropy is feared by nearly all peoples and cultures, passed through blood and seeding a host with the savage strength and hunger for violence of a wicked beast. The Order of the Lycan is a proud group of blood hunters who undergo “the Taming”—the ceremonial infliction of lycanthropy by a senior member of the order, for those who do not already carry the curse before seeking this path. These hunters then use the magic of their blood to harness the power of the monster they harbor, without losing themselves to it. Using intense will and secret blood magic rituals, members of the Order of the Lycan learn to control and unleash their hybrid forms for short periods of time. Enhanced physical prowess, unnatural resilience, and razor-sharp claws make these warriors a terrible foe to any evil that crosses their path. Yet no training is perfect, and without care and complete focus, even the greatest of blood hunters can temporarily lose themselves to their own hunger.The Burden of Lycanthropy Those inducted into the Order of the Lycan choose this path with conviction, understanding the terrible weight it imposes on them and the challenges it brings. Where most afflicted by the curse of lycanthropy grow wicked, deranged, and even murderous, Lycan blood hunters accept the gifts of the beast while maintaining control through intense training and the power of their blood magic. A member of the Order of the Lycan cannot spread their curse through blood unless they wish to, and one of the most sacred oaths of this order is to never infect another creature without the order’s sanction. If a member of the Order of the Lycan is ever cured of their lycanthropic curse, it brings terrible shame to their name and the order. Members who have been cleansed against their will readily return to the order to undergo a renewed initiation of the Taming, reintroducing the curse to their bodies and restoring their honor. Lycanthropy comes in many forms bound to specific beasts, with wolf, bear, tiger, boar, and rat the best-known variations. The particular strain of the lycanthropic curse defines the physical traits that manifest in a Lycan blood hunter’s hybrid transformation, even as the benefits the curse bestows remain relatively uniform.
Comments