Blood Magic - Homebrew*

Blood Magic Sorcerer subclass

Blood magic was first discovered by accident when trying to infuse souls into living wood and steel dolls, that later became known as the "Warforged". This potent magic that seems to have a different source than the wildly known magic that stems from the Goddess of Magic, Mystra.. was discovered in a blood red colored crystal that didn't originate from the material plane. The origins of this crystal aren't yet known, but seemed to appear during the events of the Spellplague.

This new and powerful magic uses the life-force of the caster or subject themselves to invoke the use of magical effects. Using one's own life-force as catalyst comes of course with the drawback of harming oneself, unless you use the life-force of a willing or even unwilling sacrifice. The general rule of this newfound power seems to be "more suffering, more power".

 

Notes:

I created this for use in a campaign I run but since I fleshed it out quite a bit, I decided to upload it. This is a work in progress, so if you play this it's subject to change if me or the players think it's OP.

I've taken some ideas I've seen here and there so you might find something in here that's similar to others, also used Dragon Age for reference. The lore bit is what I have in my campaign setting where the Warforged are created differently by a combination of Artificers for the body, and Blood Magic Sorcerers for the soul. Use it as you please, I hope you have fun playing it and I wouldn't mind hearing some feedback!

**I can't add the additional spells automatically 'cause dndbeyond won't let me share it if I do that, so you have to add them in manually**

 

Updates:

v 1.2.0:

Eye for an Eye: lowered damage die from 2d10 to 2d6

Vampiric Spell: edited the description to make the ability more understandable

Font of Magic and Blood: changed regaining 2 sorc points and a spell slot to regaining sorc points equal to half the rolled hit die rounded up

 

v 1.1.0: 

Spell list 1st level Bane > Hex

Eye for an Eye: damage scale with level

Font of Magic and Blood: changed to 2 sorcery points and a spell slot

Repurposed Blood: made the ability description more clear

Blood Puppeteer: edited the description

v 1.0.1: 

Edited "notes" section.

Blood Magic Spells

You learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Blood Magic Spells table. Each of these spells counts as a sorcerer spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of sorcerer spells you know.

Whenever you gain a sorcerer level, you can replace one spell you gained from this feature with another spell of the same level.

Blood Magic Spells

SORCERER LEVEL	SPELLS
1st	Cure Wounds, Hex
3rd	Lesser Restoration, Ray of Enfeeblement
5th	Life Transference, Magic Circle, Vampiric Touch
7th	Death Ward, Summon Greater Demon
9th	Planar Binding, Raise Dead

Blood Letting

1st-level Blood Magic feature

From your continuous use of your life-force you've gain a resistance to it. You gain resistance to Necrotic damage. 

Eye for an Eye

1st-level Blood Magic feature

When you take slashing or piercing damage from a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. You can use your reaction to make that creature take a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save it takes (2d6 + your sorcerer level) necrotic damage, or half as much damage on a successful one.

You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier per long rest.

Metamagic - Vampiric Spell

1st-level Blood Magic feature

At 3rd-level once you gain your Metamagic options, you gain an additional Metamagic to use with your spells which doesn't count towards your known Metamagic options.

Vampiric Spell

When you roll damage for a spell, you can spend 2 sorcery points to increase the spell's total damage done and healing yourself. The increase of damage done equals your Charisma Modifier + your Proficiency Bonus (minimum of one) as Necrotic damage. The healing received by you equals your Charisma Modifier + your Proficiency Bonus (minimum of one). 

Font of Magic and Blood

6th-level Blood Magic feature 

You've learned how to use your own life-force, to gain more power. As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend a Hit Die to regain Sorcery Points. Roll your Hit Die and take the amount rolled as damage and reduce your Hit Point maximum with the same amount, this damage can't be reduced in anyway, you also regain Sorcery Points equal to half the damage taken rounded up.

The reduction to your Hit Point maximum lasts until you finish a long rest. 

Repurposed Blood

6th-level Blood Magic feature

On reaching 6th level, you've found a way to repurpose the blood of your dying enemies. As a reaction when a creature that you can see dies within 30 feet of you, you can regain a Sorcery Point.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution Modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Constitution of a Blood Mage

14th-level Blood Magic feature

At 14th-level you can now use your sorcery points in another way. As an action on your turn you can spend 1 or more sorcery points to heal yourself for 1d6 for every point you use this way.

Blood Puppeteer

18th-level Blood Magic feature 

You've learned to control the blood directly in your living enemies with much more finesse. As an action, you can target a creature that you can see within 30 feet, which uses blood to move. That creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, you now control the target creature's turn and you can use any of the abilities the creature has. At the end of each of it's turns the creature can make the save again, ending it on a success or until 1 minute has passed. On a successful save, the creature isn't controlled but instead takes 3d10 Necrotic damage as it's blood vessels burst fighting the control of your magic.

Once you use this action, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you spend 7 sorcery points to use it again.