Order of the Sanguine

The ancient curse of vampirism 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 Sanguine is a proud group of blood hunters who undergo “the Blooding”—the ceremonial infliction of vampirism 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 Sanguine learn to control and unleash their hybrid forms for short periods of time. Enhanced physical prowess, unnatural resilience, and needle-like fangs 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 thirst.

Heightened Senses

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the improved senses of a natural predator. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Hybrid Transformation

Also at 3rd level, you learn to control the vampiric curse that courses through your veins. As a bonus action, you transform into a special hybrid form for up to 1 hour. You can speak, use equipment, and wear armor while in this form, and can revert to your normal form as a bonus action. You automatically revert to your normal form if you fall unconscious or die.

This feature replaces the rules for lycanthropy in the Monster Manual with the alteration that the infected becomes a vampire rather than any form of lycanthrope. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

In the Character Builder, set the option for Hybrid Transformation to Hybrid Form to activate the bonuses for that form on the character sheet.

Hybrid Transformation Features

While you are transformed, you gain the following benefits and drawbacks:

Feral Might. You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and you have a +1 bonus to melee damage rolls. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and to +3 at 18th level.

Resilient Hide. You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons. Additionally, while you are not wearing heavy armor, you have a +1 bonus to AC.

Predatory Strikes. You can apply your Crimson Rite feature to your unarmed strikes, which you treat as one weapon. You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes, which deal 1d6 bludgeoning or slashing damage (your choice). This damage increases to 1d8 at 11th level.

Additionally, when you use the Attack action to make an unarmed strike, you can make one additional unarmed strike as a bonus action.

Bite. (Hybrid/Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by the vampire, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the vampire regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. The vampire can decide whether or not a humanoid slain in this way and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a vampire spawn under the vampire’s control.

Bloodlust. If you start your turn with fewer hit points than half your hit point maximum, you must succeed on a DC 8 Wisdom saving throw or move directly toward the nearest creature and use the Attack action against that creature. If you’re concentrating on a spell or are under an effect that prevents you from concentrating (such as the barbarian’s Rage feature), you automatically fail this saving throw. While under the effects of bloodlust, any unarmed strike you make must be a Bite attack with the addition that you regain 1d6 worth of hit points from said bite. However, this also extends your bloodlust by a number of rounds equal to that d6 roll. Being healed back to above half hit point maximum by this feature does not bring you out of bloodlust.

If you have your Extra Attack feature, you can choose whether to use it for this frenzied attack. If more than one creature is equally near to you, roll randomly to determine your target. Once your attack is resolved, you regain control of yourself.

Children of the Night (1/Day). You magically call 2d4 swarms of bats or rats, provided that the sun isn’t up. While outdoors, you can call 3d6 wolves instead. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as allies of the caller and obeying its spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour, until the caller dies, or until the caller dismisses them as a bonus action.

Feral Might

Your bonus to melee damage rolls increases to +3 at 18th level.

Vampiric Weaknesses

Vampire Weaknesses. A vampire has the following flaws:

Forbiddance. The vampire can’t enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.

Harmed by Running Water. The vampire takes 20 acid damage if it ends its turn in running water.

Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into the vampire’s heart while the vampire is incapacitated in its resting place, the vampire is paralyzed until the stake is removed.

Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The vampire takes 20 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

Stalker's Prowess

At 7th level, your speed increases by 10 feet, and you add 10 feet to your long jump distance and 3 feet to your high jump distance. Your hybrid form also gains the following additional benefit.

Improved Predatory Strikes. You have a +1 bonus to attack rolls made with your unarmed strike. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and to +3 at 18th level. Additionally, when you have an active crimson rite on your unarmed strike while in your hybrid form, your unarmed strikes are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Advanced Transformation

At 11th level, you learn to unleash and control more of the beast within. You can use your Hybrid Transformation feature twice, regaining all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest. Your hybrid form also gains the following additional benefit.

Lycan Regeneration. At the start of each of your turns when you have at least 1 hit point but fewer hit points than half your hit point maximum, you gain hit points equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1). If you are in hybrid form, you gain these hit points before you must make the saving throw for your bloodlust.

Brand of the Voracious

Starting at 15th level, you have advantage on the saving throw for your bloodlust while in hybrid form. Additionally, your Brand of Castigation can now bind a foe to your hunter’s ferocity. While in your hybrid form, you have advantage on attack rolls against a creature branded by you.

Hybrid Transformation Mastery

At 18th level, you have mastered your inner predator. You can use your Hybrid Transformation feature an unlimited number of times, and your hybrid form lasts until you revert to your normal form, fall unconscious, or die.

You also gain the Blood Curse of the Howl for your Blood Maledict feature. This doesn’t count against your number of blood curses known.