Bloodstealer

Blood magic and bloodstealers are more feared than admired. The ability to manipulate the very essence of life, taking control of the blood of others to use against them or to rejuvenate and heal the user, strikes a primal fear and disgust into most people. Those who practice blood magic are often seen as parasitic at best, and vampiric at worst.

But, like any magic, blood magic is neutral. Blood magic can certainly be used for evil, but it can just as easily be used for good. It can heal the sick, strike down the wicked, and control the tyrannous. It’s in the hands of those who practice blood magic to choose how to use their power, and in the hands -- or on the knife -- of a bloodstealer, this is a choice with deadly consequences.

*This subclass was created by PointyHat (called the Blood Thief) - all credit for the idea goes to him, I just made a couple small edits and scripted it for use in D&D Beyond. Check out his work on YouTube!

Blood Magic

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you can use the blood or life essence your attacks spill to weaken your enemy or heal yourself.

After dealing sneak attack damage against a creature, you can use your bonus action to activate one of your blood magic features. You start knowing two such features: Blood Transfusion and Blood Stain. You gain another blood magic feature at 13th level. You can use your blood magic features a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier, and you regain all uses of your blood magic at the end of a long rest.

Some of your blood magic features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Blood Magic save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Blood Transfusion

You siphon the life force contained within the blood of your enemy, using it to seal your own wounds. You heal yourself for an amount equal to half of the damage inflicted by your sneak attack, rounded down.

Blood Stain

You pollute the blood of your enemy, turning it into a deadly ichor that harms their body from the inside. The creature damaged by your sneak attack must make a Constitution saving throw against your Blood Magic DC. On a failure, the creature is poisoned for 1 minute. It can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns.

Pristine Body

Also at 3rd level, your control over blood allows you to neutralize any poison entering your body.

You gain resistance against poison damage, and you gain advantage on saving throws against poison. If you already have resistance against poison damage, you gain immunity to it instead. If you already have advantage on saving throws against poison, you gain immunity to the poisoned condition instead.

Vitality Tracking

At 9th level, you can use a creature’s own blood to track it down.

If you are in possession of the blood of a creature, you can use an action to read the blood of your enemy. When you do so, you know the direction of where that creature currently is in relation to you, as long as the creature is on the same plane of existence as you. The accuracy of your tracking capabilities depend on when the blood was spilled:

• Less than 1 hour ago: You know the exact direction of where the creature is currently located in relation to you and the distance in feet between you and the creature.
• Less than 12 hours ago: You know the general direction of where the creature is currently located in relation to you and if the creature is within 1.000 feet of you or not.
• Less than a day ago: You know the general direction of where the creature is currently located in relation to you.

You cannot use this ability on blood that was spilled more than one day ago, as it completely loses the life essence connecting it to its origin.

Blood Puppetry

At 13th level, you gain the ability to control the blood coursing through your enemy’s veins. You gain a new use of your blood magic: Blood Puppetry.

Blood Puppetry

You manipulate the blood of your enemy, forcing them to follow your commands temporarily. The creature damaged by your sneak attack must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Blood Magic DC. On a failure, the creature acts as if it is under the effect of the compulsion spell. It can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns.

Blood Thief

At 17th level, you have gained mastery over blood magic, making you a true Blood Thief.

When you roll initiative and have no uses of Blood Magic remaining, you regain 1 use of Blood Magic. Additionally, each use of your blood magic gains an additional effect:

• Blood Transfusion: When you use this blood magic effect, you can choose to heal a creature within 20 feet of you instead of yourself.
• Blood Stain: When you use this blood magic effect, the creature hit by your sneak attack has vulnerability to poison damage (if it is not immune to poison damage) and has disadvantage on saving throws against being poisoned (including the saving throw against this blood magic effect).
• Blood Puppetry: When you use this blood magic effect, if the creature hit by your sneak attack fails its saving throw, you can have it act as though it is under the effect of the compulsion, command, or hold person spell. If you choose compulsion or hold person, the creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns.