School of Hemomancy

Long thought of as evil or wicked, hemomancy is an ancient and powerful art that derives power from the nectar of life itself. Hemomancers can be found on the fringes of civilized society, where the prying eyes of the uneducated can’t reach them.

Slice and dice

When you take this subclass at 2nd level, you gain proficiency with one martial weapon of your choice that can be held in one hand.

Vampiric Drain

Beginning at 2nd level, you can drain the life force from a nearby enemy, absorbing their vitality into yourself. As a bonus action, you may make a melee spell attack against an enemy that is not a construct or undead within 10 feet. On a hit, you deal 1d6 + your intelligence modifier necrotic damage. You then receive half of the damage dealt as temporary HP. This fades after 1 minute, and you can use this ability once per long rest.

(You gain an additional d6 at levels 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, and 20)

Dead Man’s Dodge

Starting at 6th level, you gain the ability to manipulate your very anatomy to avoid damage. As a reaction when you are struck with an attack, you may shift your vital organs and major arteries around to avoid a fatal wound. You take half damage from the attack if it is localized to a specific area on your body. Additionally, when sustaining a wound that would normally bring you to 0 HP, you may use this to instead drop to 1 HP.

Hemomantic Karma

Starting at 10th level, you can use your wounds to retaliate against your attacker. As a reaction when a creature hits you with a melee attack within 10 feet, you may send forth blood from the wound to pierce your attacker, dealing half of the damage dealt against you + your Intelligence modifier in the form of necrotic damage.

Overcharge

Starting at 14th level, you can increase the power of your lower spells with your own life-force. When you cast a wizard spell of 5th level or lower that deals damage and isn't a cantrip, you can deal maximum damage with that spell.

The first time you do so, you suffer no adverse effect. If you use this feature again before you finish a long rest, you take 2d12 necrotic damage for each level of the spell, immediately after you cast it. Each time you use this feature again before finishing a long rest, the necrotic damage per spell level increases by 1d12. This damage ignores resistance and immunity.