So I never really liked any of the various takes on blood mage classes I've seen around. This is largely because nearly all of these focus on blood being icky and therefore edgy, ignoring more traditional mystic symbolism involving it. So here's my own take, in collaboration (again) with veekie.
Stuff that needs discussion: The hp costs are slightly arbitrary and set with an eye on encouraging buffing and healing, but they're kind of hard to gauge.
BLOOD MAGE Source:
http://danbooru.donmai.us/post/show/501192 "Blood calls to blood; You and I are the same, like it or not. I have a hunch you won't."Blood is life. Many associate it with death, but that's only because you can't live without it. It connects kin, makes unrelated men brothers, and seals oaths with more symbolic authority than any law. Blood mages are those who become fascinated with it, learning to wield the very essence of life and, by extension, death. Power comes at a price, and few prices are higher than blood; but the reward is proportional. Healing and harming comes more naturally to a blood mage than even to many miracleworkers. They share their blood with friend and foe, making others as themselves to share magic over impossible distances. They forge oaths on such connections of blood, equating betrayal of one's word to betrayal of one's life. They wield their own life and others' to power impressive works of magic with deceptive ease.
Despite blood's unsavory connotations, blood mages can only shake their heads at those who would consider such methods unnatural. After all, they only use what they were born with.
Paying hit pointsMost Blood Mage class abilities require you to "pay" a given amount of hit points to activate them. For purposes of this class, paying hit points simply means reducing your hit point total by the stated amount. This is not damage, and thus cannot be reduced or circumvented by any means, but the lost hit points can be healed normally. Blood mage class abilities that require you to pay hit points can be used together in any combination; the hit point costs are cumulative.
BECOMING A BLOOD MAGE Any spellcaster can become a blood mage with relative ease; similarly, nearly any spellcaster can find something they will like among its class features.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Skills: Heal 4 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks
Feat: Improved Toughness
Special: Caster level 5th.
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 Skills The Blood Mage's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Perform (Cha), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skills Points at Each Level : 2 + int
Hit Dice: d6
Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spellcasting |
1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Blood Magic, Diehard | — |
2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Blood Bond (Channel), Fast Healing | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
3rd | +1 | +4 | +1 | +3 | Insidious Blood (Conduit) | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
4th | +2 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Blood Oath (Lesser Geas) | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
5th | +2 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Empowering Blood | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
6th | +3 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Insidious Blood (Power) | — |
7th | +3 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Blood Oath (Geas) | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
8th | +4 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Blood Bond (Kin) | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
9th | +4 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Insidious Blood (Link) | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
10th | +5 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Bloody Murder | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Blood mages gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Spells per Day/Spells Known: At each Blood Mage level except 1st and 6th, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class level. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of turning or destroying undead, a more powerful familiar, and so on). If the character had levels in more than one spellcasting class before becoming a Blood Mage, the player must decide to which class to add each applicable Blood Mage level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.
Diehard (Ex): At first level, you gain Diehard as a bonus feat, even if you do not meet the prerequisites.
Blood Magic (Su): Starting at 1st level, you may sacrifice an unused spell slot or a prepared spell and pay a number of hit points equal to twice the level of the slot to spontaneously cast any spell on the following list of the same level or lower, even if that spell is not on your spell list.
1st: Close Wounds (SpC), Cure Moderate Wounds, Inflict Moderate Wounds
2nd: Cure Serious Wounds, Inflit Serious Wounds, Lesser Restoration
3rd: Cure Critical Wounds, Inflict Critical Wounds, Vampiric Touch
4th: Mass Cure Light Wounds, Mass Inflict Light Wounds, Restoration
5th: Mass Cure Moderate Wounds, Mass Inflict Moderate Wounds, Harm, Heal
6th: Mass Cure Serious Wounds, Mass Inflict Serious Wounds, Regenerate
7th: Mass Cure Critical Wounds, Mass Inflict Critical Wounds, Greater Restoration
8th: Mass Harm (HoH)
2, Mass Heal
2 We recommend treating Mass Harm as a negative energy equivalent to Mass Heal instead, like Harm is to Heal, because the HoH version is kind of retarded.Fast Healing (Ex): A blood mage learns to supercharge their metabolism, producing blood and mending wounds at an astounding rate. You gain Fast Healing equal to half your Blood Mage level.
Blood Bond (Su): Starting at 2nd level, a blood mage can imbue her own blood into their allies, forging a mystic connection to channel magic through. When you cast a spell on herself, you may pay a number of hit points equal to the spell's level to have it affect a willing ally you have line of effect and line of sight to instead, regardless of the spell's actual range. Alternatively, you may center a spell that affects an area (such as a Bless spell) on the ally, even if the ally would be outside the spell's range. If you cast a spell with multiple targets, you must pay the hit point cost for every target she couldn't normally affect, but may mix and match targets within range and out of range freely.
At 8th level, you may instead create an indefinitely lasting bond between yourself and a number of creatures up to your Blood Mage level by lowering your maximum hit point total by the number of additional creatures included in the bond. Creating this bond is a ritual that takes one minute. You can dismiss the bond as a full-round action; when you do so, your hit point total resets to what it would normally be. You may only be part of one such bond at any one time. Whenever a spell with the "harmless" designation in its saving throw entry or one requiring a willing target is cast on one member of the bond, that spell affects all members of the bond, regardless of the spell's range, distance between the members, line of sight, line of effect, or any given member's creature type, so long as the member the spell was cast on is a legal target of the spell.
Insidious Blood (Su): Starting at 3rd level, a blood mage learns to imbue their blood into their enemies, forcing a bond through which she can channel her spells on them. When you cast a spell with a range other than Personal on yourself, you may pay a number of hit points equal to 2 x the spell's level to have it affect an enemy you have line of sight and line of effect to instead, regardless of the spell's actual range. The enemy must still be a valid target of the spell, but you don't have to be.
Alternatively, you can center a spell that affects an area (such as a Fireball spell) on the enemy, even if the enemy would be outside the spell's range. If you cast a spell with multiple targets, you must pay the hit point cost for every target you couldn't normally affect, but may mix and match targets within range and out of range freely. If the spell would require an attack roll, it still requires one as normal.
At 6th level, you may pay additional hit points to increase the save DC of a spell you cast through this bond, as if you had applied the Heighten Spell metamagic feat to it. The modified spell uses the same casting time and spell slot as the original, but you pay hit points as if it were of the heightened level. You may not heighten the spell's effective level beyond the highest level of spells you are capable of casting. This affects only the spell's save DC and its hit point cost; for all other purposes, the spell is treated as its original spell level.
At 9th level, a blood mage learns to use their opponents' blood against them. If you possess a sample (about one ounce) of a creature's blood, you may use that sample as an optional material component for any spell you cast. A spell cast using this material component affects the creature the blood was taken from instead of any other targets, regardless of distance, line of sight, or line of effect, so long as the creature would otherwise be a valid target of the spell. Blood samples must be reasonably pure and fresh or preserved in some way (casting a Gentle Repose spell on the sample suffices), significant contamination or clotting ruins its connection to the target. This means that blood spilled during combat is usually useless to this purpose unless you specifically go out of your way to collect it.
Blood Oath (Sp): Starting at 4th level, by sanctifying an oath or promise between themselves and one or more other creatures with their blood, a blood mage can forge the oath into a tie that transcends the words of the agreement. All parties must be aware of your intention and agree to the blood oath; sanctifying the oath is a minute-long ritual in which each party pays five hit points. Once an agreement has been sanctified this way, all parties (including you) are compelled to follow the terms of the agreement as if under the effect of a Lesser Geas spell.
By agreeing to the blood oath, each participant forfeits their Will save against the spell effect, but they can seek to have it removed later. If the effect is broken on one party by any means, it is broken on all other parties as well, and all involved instantly know that the compulsion was broken and by whom. Oaths commonly include a clause against doing this, however. The hit dice limit does not apply. Your caster level for this effect is equal to your character level, and the compulsion to abide by the terms of the agreement fades when the spell's duration ends (the promise might still be in place, but the parties will not be supernaturally compelled to follow it unless it is sanctified again).
At 7th level, you may opt to have the blood oath bind its participants as per a Geas/Quest spell instead of Lesser Geas.
Empowering Blood (Su): Starting at 5th level, a blood mage may spill their own blood to empower their magic. By paying five hit points per feat, you can apply one or more of the following metamagic feats to a spell you are casting, without increasing its casting time or the spell slot it uses:
Empower Spell, Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Widen Spell.
You do not need to possess a given metamagic feat in order to apply it with this ability.
Bloody Murder (Su): At 10th level, a blood mage gains the ability to make her foes' blood her own. Once per round, when you deal damage to an enemy with a spell, you may choose to have that damage count as hit points you have paid for one blood mage class ability you activate on your next turn.
PLAYING A BLOOD MAGE The blood mage class is best suited to playing in a team, receiving many healing spells on tap spontaneously and at lower level than most other casters. In Blood Bond, you have a rare and powerful tool for sharing buff spells, including normally Personal-range ones, with allies, especially at 8th level and higher.
Combat: Buffing is what your class features are best geared to. If you're a Cleric, sure, Righteous Might is awesome, but it looks even better on that Warblade over there. If you're a Wizard, the frontliners probably appreciate those polymorph spells and Transformation. At 8th level, you don't even need to choose. Your other class features also give you good outlets for blasting and healing in a pinch.
Advancement: As a spellcasting-oriented class, most Blood Magi would enter into options that further improve their spellcasting ability. Prestige classes that increase spell access, such as the Master Specialist, Rainbow Servant or Recaster can be well favored for increasing the range of effects that can be shared to allies. Alternatively, a Blood Mage may focus upon the destructive aspect of their abilities, and work to improve upon their additional metamagic access.
Resources: The resources you have available depend strongly on your character's station. Charismatic blood mages are often leaders, where Intelligence- or Wisdom- based ones are often advisors. There are few true organizations proper to blood mages as a group, so any resources you have available will be more tied to your own status in society at large. Of course, if you're the loner type, you've got your party and that's it.
BLOOD MAGES IN THE WORLD "He... he didn't even use a knife. Where'd all that blood come from? And whose is it?"Aside from researchers and power freaks who walk the path of the blood mage for interest or personal gain, most blood mages originate in environments that already value kinship of blood highly, such as noble houses, criminal organizations, or barbarian tribes. Despite the stereotype of the lone delver into unsavory mysteries, blood mages know the connecting power of blood well, and most are social creatures. After all, blood is thicker than water.
Daily Life: Blood mages are a diverese bunch, and live their daily lives in accordance with their station. A tribal shaman might act as a soothsayer and healer, or the head of a noble house might tend to their family's affairs.
Notables:
Organizations: Most blood mages belong to a society that greatly values bonds of kin-blood, and often hold high positions in such societies for their mastery of both literal and symbolic blood. Among each other, blood mages usually greet each other with a certain mutual understanding and respect; regardless of credo or provenance, every blood mage understands the power of blood and the value of kinship. If nothing else, any two blood mages will always have at least that as common ground.
NPC Reaction Few NPCs look farther than "icky blood bad" when first encountering a blood mage and being made away of the gist of their specialty. As such, strangers are rarely friendly and often distrustful. Those who realize and appreciate the power of blood ties, on the other hand, tend to react in a friendlier fashion, tempered with a good measure of respect.
BLOOD MAGES IN THE GAME In terms of gameplay and balance, the blood mage's most significant ability is the ability to share buff spells with their allies. Much like a bard, a blood mage is a power multiplier if the Blood Bond ability is used smartly.
Adaptation: The blood mage as written isn't tied to any specific campaign setting, so it should be trivial to bring into any campaign. Divine-based blood mages can be adapted to be tied to any given blood-related deity in the setting, if desired and appropriate.
Encounters: NPC blood mages should always have cronies with them, so as to capitalize on their abilities, whether bodyguards, hired swords, or friends. A high-level blood mage can turn a bunch of otherwise outclassed warriors into a viable challenge for PCs.
Sample Encounter To come if I feel bored.
EL x: Give the encounter level and description of a sample member of this class and a stat block for him/her.
Namealignment/Gender/Race/Levels
Init +0,
Senses: Listen +, Spot +,
Languages ------------------------------------------------
AC , touch , flat-footed ()
hp ( HD)
Fort +,
Ref +,
Will +
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Speed ft. ( squares)
Melee Base Atk +,
Grp +
Atk Options Combat GearSpells Prepared Supernatural Abilities -----------------------------------------------
Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
SQ Feats Skills Possessions