Since the contest is over, I repost here the very first War-Frenzy prestige class, coming in third place.
Blood Frenzy "There will be blood? I'll show
you blood, little man."— Arthol Redbeard
Blood is the warrior's lifeline: It boils, it freezes, it flows freely to paint the earth red. It beats a rhythm in their chest, every fighter's very own drum of war. Sometimes, it stands for the cause it was spilled for, a token that connects every soul on the battlefield. And, of course, he who runs out of blood dies.
Even among those who can be called mad warriors, there is a special kind of insanity. A blood frenzy takes a very literal approach to the term: They form a bond with themselves stronger than any totem and as clear as any madness, and throw themselves into battle wielding their own life as a weapon and shield. And no matter what, they never seem to run out of blood.
BECOMING A BLOOD FRENZY Five levels of War-Frenzy are the simplest and most common entry method for aspiring Blood Frenzies, though any combination of full BAB classes with at least one level of War-Frenzy will do the trick. Among the available madnesses, Despair and Fury are the most prominent options, with Duty a close third. Other madnesses are rarer, but can still take advantage of the class's abilities just fine.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTSBase Attack Bonus: +5.
Skills: Autohypnosis 8 ranks, Heal 8 ranks.
Special: War-Frenzy's madness ability.
Special: Must possess a functioning circulatory system
1.
1When it's not obvious, whether a specific creature has a circulatory system is up to the DM, but in general living creatures with a discernible anatomy can be assumed to have one unless stated otherwise. An easy rule of thumb is to ask: Is the creature naturally susceptible to critical hits? If it is, it probably has something close enough to count. Some kinds of undead, such as vampires, have a circulatory system as well.
Class SkillsThe Blood Frenzy's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (all) (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + int
Hit Dice: d12
Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special |
1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Crimson Madness, Scarlet Mark (status) |
2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Fast healing |
3rd | +2 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Blood Edge |
4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Bloodletting |
5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Scarlet Mark (Share Madness) |
6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Thicker Than Poison |
7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Cascade of Red |
8th | +6 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Blood's Heart |
9th | +6 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Scarlet Mark (Shielding) |
10th | +7 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Sanguine Avatar |
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Blood frenzies gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Crimson Madness: A blood frenzy's class levels stack with their war-frenzy levels for determining the benefits of her trance (but not for other class features they gain from their choice of Madness). For example, a War-Frenzy 5/Blood Frenzy 4 with the Madness of Fury would gain a +8 bonus to Strength while in a trance, but wouldn't benefit from the Thundering Wrath ability.
Scarlet Mark (Su): A blood frenzy can mark allies with their own blood, leaving a mark such as a hand print or parallel lines anywhere on a willing creature's body (usually on the face or arms) as a full-round action. For as long as the blood frenzy sustains it, this mark remains fresh and brilliant red, linking them to the marked creatures. This link increases in strength and utility as the blood frenzy gains levels.
At first level, the blood frenzy may monitor marked creatures as with the
status spell.
At fifth level, the blood frenzy may share her Madness's bonuses with marked creatures as if they had the Share Madness ability, except only marked creatures are affected. If they already have Share Madness or later gain that ability, marked creatures may be affected at any range (but not on other planes of existence).
At ninth level, the blood frenzy may, as an immediate action, collapse into a small pool of blood and reappear adjacent to any marked creature on the same plane of existence, bursting from the mark in a spray of gore. The
status ability of the marks improves to allow the blood frenzy to use this immediate action in response to any action that would deal hit point damage or change the marked creature's condition in a way detectable by the
status spell, in which case the blood frenzy may choose to suffer that attack in place of the marked creature on their arrival.
A given mark lasts until the blood frenzy chooses to terminate it (a free action), sleeps or otherwise loses consciousness, or dies, at which point the blood dries in a matter of seconds and flakes off.
Fast Healing (Ex): Starting at second level, a blood frenzy has fast healing equal to their class level, as blood clots and wounds heal of their own accord faster than the eye can see.
Blood Edge (Ex): At third level, the blood frenzy gains the ability to shoot blood out of fresh wounds with enough force to cut steel and split skulls. Once per round, when the blood frenzy takes hit point damage, they may take a special attack of opportunity against the creature or object that inflicted the damage if it is within ten feet. This is treated as a melee or ranged attack (whichever is more advantageous) with a natural weapon with the following traits: Damage 1d8 (at Medium size), slashing and piercing, critical 19-20/x2, no weight. The blood frenzy is automatically proficient with this weapon.
For every 10 hit points the blood frenzy loses starting from the beginning of an encounter, this weapon gains a cumulative +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls, up to a maximum of their class level.
At level seven, this ability may trigger any number of times per round (though each attack still consumes an attack of opportunity for the round). In addition, the attack of opportunity may target any creature or object in range, not just the aggressor who triggered it (the blood frenzy may even attack herself to forcibly trigger it, if desired).
Bloodletting (Su): Starting at fourth level, the blood frenzy can recover from crippling blows and magic in a torrent of blood, literally shunting the affliction out of their body. As a swift action, the blood frenzy may pay a number of hit points in order instantly recover from any one
condition (except
dead) affecting them. The amount of hit points they must pay depends on how long the condition would last if not healed: 10 hit points for a duration of less than one minute, 20 for durations between one and ten minutes, 40 for durations between ten minutes and one hour, and 80 for longer durations. This payment is not damage, and therefore cannot be reduced or circumvented in any way, but the lost hit points can be healed normally.
If a condition (such as stunning or confusion) prevents the blood frenzy from taking the swift action needed to activate this ability, they may activate it regardless as a standard action instead, leaving them free of the condition, but with their standard action for the turn used up.
If the blood frenzy enters a trance or a surge, they may use this ability as part of the same action, and may take the action even if a condition would prevent them from taking swift actions.
Thicker Than Poison (Su): At sixth level, the blood frenzy learns to draw their allies' suffering into themselves through their blood marks, only to spit it back out in a crimson spray. When the blood frenzy uses their Bloodletting ability, they may heal any creature marked with their Scarlet Mark ability instead of themselves, at the usual hit point cost. Alternatively, as a full-round action and by paying an additional 10 hit points, the blood frenzy may heal themselves and any number of marked creatures of any one condition. This full-round action may be used even if the blood frenzy is prevented from taking full-round actions by a condition.
Cascade of Red (Ex): At level seven, the blood frenzy's body produces seemingly unending rivers of blood. Whenever they are affected by an effect that specifically causes massive blood loss (such as a wounding weapon, an
avasculate spell, or a vampire's Blood Drain), they gain the following two benefits:
First, any loss of hit points caused by the effect counts towards paying for an activation of the blood frenzy's Bloodletting ability within the next round. Points of Constitution damage or drain inflicted by the effect are counted as lost hit points equal to half the blood frenzy's hit dice per point of damage or drain. For example, if the blood frenzy loses 50 hit points to an
avasculate spell, she could shake off the stunning effect at no cost (hit points lost in excess of the cost are wasted).
Second, whenever the blood frenzy suffers such an effect, the damage die of her Blood Edge ability increases in size by one step and its range increases by 10 feet until the end of their next turn. These increases stack if the blood frenzy is subject to multiple such effects in the same round.
Blood's Heart (Su): Starting at eighth level, the blood frenzy's passions flow out of them with their blood, filling the air with the scent of madness. While they are in a trance, every creature within ten feet of the blood frenzy is subject to a general mood or emotion, directed towards the blood frenzy and chosen from the four below on entering the trance. Affected creatures take a morale penalty equal to the bonus granted by the blood frenzy's madness ability (half the bonus in case of the madness of Fury) to any d20 rolls involved in actions that go directly counter to the chosen emotion (at the GM's discretion, actions other than the provided examples may qualify).
Anger: Attacking anyone but the blood frenzy, attempting to discuss rationally and honestly, holding back
Fear: Moving closer to the blood frenzy, resisting intimidation, attacking the blood frenzy without fighting defensively (or similar)
Apathy: Attacking the blood frenzy in preference to other targets, noticing the blood frenzy, retaliating
Desire: Attacking the blood frenzy with intent to harm rather than subdue or capture, displeasing the blood frenzy, moving away from the blood frenzy
While the blood frenzy is in a surge, the radius of this ability doubles. The blood frenzy may exempt any creatures marked with Scarlet Mark from the effects.
This ability is a mind-affecting compulsion effect.
Sanguine Avatar (Ex): At level ten, the blood frenzy's blood takes on a life of its own, suffusing their entire body and even soul without regard for blood vessels. Their fast healing improves to allow them to regrow limbs in 3d6 minutes or reattach them instantly if the member is held to the stump. Additionally, the blood frenzy becomes immune to critical hits, stunning, poison, and paralysis.
As a final benefit, should the blood frenzy be killed, if any blood remains in whatever is left of them, their body will regenerate and return to life conscious, stable, and at -9 hit points 24 hours later without any loss of Constitution or character levels. This may be prevented by completely exsanguinating the body (easier said than done) or destroying it entirely (such as with a
disintegrate spell or by burning it or dissolving it in a vat of acid).
PLAYING A BLOOD FRENZYBlood frenzies take on a team-oriented, aggressive support role compared to regular war-frenzies. Where war-frenzies work best in closely-ranked groups using similar fighting styles, blood frenzies offer more to a mixed group, being able to hold the front lines while simultaneously defending and supporting the rear.
Combat: The key to playing a blood frenzy is to get in the enemy's way. With potent recovery abilities in Fast Healing and Bloodletting, you can take attacks that might incapacitate or seriously inconvenience another character while returning the favor with Blood Edge.
Advancement: Most blood frenzies will want to keep progressing in war-frenzy or another class that further improves their Madness ability. Some, however, may find a few levels of Paladin beneficial for the bonus to saves, while the additional flexibility of maneuvers could make the martial adept classes attractive.
Resources: Lacking an overarching organization, blood frenzies generally draw on community resources based on their role as warriors. They are especially welcome in less civilized, survival-oriented communities, where their messy but valuable healing abilities are respected highly. Some blood frenzies may be part of cults or churches of appropriate gods, in which case, they may enjoy a similar status to paladins.
BLOOD FRENZIES IN THE WORLD"
First there was blood all over the place. Then he got serious, and there was blood everywhere
!"— Janitor of Stormkeep
Blood frenzies are chiefly warriors in temperament and skill set, with a strong inclination towards protectiveness, making them natural leaders in frontier regions and less civilized societies. Unlike many warriors, they rarely fight for gold alone, but rather for the benefit of their community, friends, and family. Contrary to the connotations of their particular fighting style, many blood frenzies tend towards lawful and/or good alignments.
Daily Life: Outside of their combat and leadership roles, blood frenzies tend to act as hunters, personal guardians and peacekeepers. They rarely take up the protection of structures and objects, caring more for the community and people than for mere possessions with no lifeblood.
Notables: Arthol Redbeard (CG Dwarf War-Frenzy (Fury) 5/Blood Frenzy 3) is the chief of a nomadic barbarian tribe of the tundra - an affable, if intimidating man who will take insane risks to tame his territory.
Meliss of Steelkeep (LE Human War-Frenzy (Duty) 2/Crusader 3/Blood Frenzy 5) is a champion of Hextor, a no-holds-barred mercenary who hires out to further her god's cause.
Organizations: Like other war-frenzies, blood frenzies are often part of warrior societies or berserker lodges, though they walk a different path from their comrades. They tend to treat their way as a family traditions and sometimes double as a noble class or family.
NPC ReactionOn the surface, a blood frenzy may not look very different from any other war-frenzy until skin is broken. Once they are aware of the former's abilities, though, civilized society finds the indiscriminate, even enthusiastic bloodshed highly unsettling. Other areas treat blood frenzies with cautious respect for their casual prowess with the juice of life.
BLOOD FRENZIES IN THE GAMEBlood frenzies operate in a risky manner, taking damage for their own benefit and relying on Fast Healing and party members to patch them back up after combat. At the same time, they can casually shrug off more debilitating conditions, making the party value efficient and repeatable means of hit point recovery between fights highly.
Adaptation: While the typical blood frenzy has a strong association with barbarian cultures, the class can just as easily be recast as a practitioner of a mystical martial art or an holy warrior for a god of life or war. The visuals strongly lean towards the visceral, but the class could also use the strength of the soul to protect and influence instead.
Encounters: Blood frenzies are almost never encountered alone - whether others are also combatants or not, they will usually be part of or at the head of a group. They might be bodyguards, mercenaries, or warleaders.
Sample EncounterEL 13: While raiding an orc encampment, the PCs find the warchief (War Frenzy (Fury) 5/Blood Frenzy 6) in his tent alongside his shamans (Sorcerer 9 and Druid 9), posing a potent physical threat while also hindering any offense directed at his supporters.