School of Hemocraft

For a wizard, there are many paths to great power, yet few that are not darkened by forbidden practices. Perhaps the most forbidden of all schools of magic, even beyond that of the school of necromancy, is hemocraft — the arcane art of blood magic. Like sorcerers who pull their arcane power from their blood, so do hemomancers, but to a more detrimental effect. They don’t simply tap into their bloodlines, but use their very blood itself. As such, it’s not difficult to understand how dangerous hemocraft can be for a practitioner. But with that danger also comes the promise of great power and for some that makes it worth the risks.

Crimson Overload

Beginning when you choose this tradition at 2nd level, you can use your own life essence to wield magic and empower your spells. While you are below your hit point maximum, you can use your own blood as an arcane focus for your wizard spells. Moreover, when you cast a wizard spell of 1st level or higher that deals damage, you can choose to take an amount of necrotic damage equal to the spell’s level. After doing so, you either gain advantage on the spell’s attack roll or impose disadvantage on saving throws made against the spell. The necrotic damage you take from this feature cannot be reduced in any way.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.

Strengthened Veins

At 6th level, your studies into blood magic have improved your resilience and longevity. Your hit point maximum increases by 6. Whenever you gain another level in this class, your hit point maximum increases by an additional hit point. In addition, whenever you regain hit points, you regain an additional amount of hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Sanguine Focus

At 10th level, your blood sharpens both your body and mind. While you are below your hit point maximum, you have advantage on all Constitution saving throws you make.

Cruor Lord

At 14th level, you have mastered the esoteric secrets of blood magic. Whenever a creature within 60 feet of you is reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to grab ahold of their blood and use it for one of the following purposes:

Reservoir. You use the creature's blood to augment your own resilience. You instantly gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your level in this class + 1 for each of the creature's Hit Dice. These temporary hit points last until they’re depleted or until you finish a long rest.

Mask. You use the creature’s blood to take on its appearance. You transform to match its height, weight, facial features, voice, hair length, coloration, and distinguishing characteristics, if any. None of your in-game statistics change. You also can't appear as a creature that is larger than you or more than one size smaller, and your basic shape stays the same; if you're bipedal, you can't use this feature to become quadrupedal, for instance. Your appearance remains changed until you finish a long rest, or until you end the effect (no action required by you).

Shield. You use the creature’s blood to draw out some of its defenses and wield them as your own. You gain one resistance or immunity that the creature had until you finish a long rest.

Creatures that do not possess blood are immune to this feature, such as constructs and undead. You can use this feature once per long rest.