Hello! This is my first (second, really, but the other one was kind of a joke, and I never posted it on DnDBeyond) Homebrew Class, and I would appreciate any thoughts or comments people have. The Class takes lots of Inspiration from the Warlock and The Blood Hunter, as you will be able to tell once you start reading it. Some formatting things may be weird, as this was written in a Google Doc. In addition to actual Feedback, I would appreciate notes on Organization, Spwlling, Grammar, that sorta thing. Thanks in advance!

The Touched (name still pending)

Corrupted Soul

Your soul has been, in some way, affected by a fell being. While that being, for whatever reason, spared your life, it left behind a mark upon you. You have inherited some of that being’s abilities, and can channel its powers to learn dark magic. You have been Touched. For better or for worse, your life will never be the same.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites: Constitution 13

Proficiencies Gained: Light Armor, Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons Spellcasting: Counts as a ½ Caster

Class Features

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Touched level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Con modifier per Touched level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Tools: None

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Constitution

Skills: Choose two skills out of Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, and Religion 

Equipment

• (a) Two Martial Weapons or (b) One Martial Weapon and a Shield
• (a) a Component Pouch or (b) an Arcane Focus
• (a) an explorer’s pack or (b) a dungeoneer’s pack
• Studded Leather Armor, a Dagger, and 3 Vials of Ichor

Monstrous Corruption

Your Soul has been touched by a Monstrous being. Choose either the Devil, the Demon, the Beholder, the Mind Flayer, the Vampire, the Lich, the Lycanthrope, or the Dragon. That choice grants you features at 1st, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 20th level. Each Monstrous Corruptor is described at the end of the class description.

Monstrous Spells

Each Corruptor has a list of Spells - its Monstrous Spells - that you gain at Touched Levels noted in the Monstrous Spells Table. Once you gain a Monstrous Spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of Touched Spells you can prepare each day. If you have a Monstrous Spell that doesn’t appear on the Touched Spell List, it is nonetheless a Touched Spell for you.

When you cast a Monstrous Spell, you can cast it without expend a Vial of Ichor. Once you have done this for a Spell, you can’t do so again for that Spell until you take a Long Rest. 

Spellcasting

Cantrips

You learn 2 Cantrips from the Touched Spells List. You learn additional Cantrips at certain levels, as shown in the Touched table.

Preparing and Casting Spells

You have a number of Spell Slots, as shown in the Touched table. To cast a Spell of 1st Level or Higher, you must expend a Spell Slot of the Spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended Spell Slots whenever you finish a long rest.

You can prepare a number of Touched Spells from the Touched Spell’s List equal to your Constitution modifier + half your Touched Level, rounded down (minimum of 1 Spell). The Spells must be of a Level for which you have Spell Slots.

You can change your list of prepared spells whenever you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of Touched spells takes a number of Minutes equal to 1 per spell level for each spell on y list. That time is spent in a form of meditation, studying new uses to harness your Ichor.

Spellcasting Ability

Constitution is your Spellcasting Ability for your Touched Spells. You use your Constitution modifier whenever a Spell calls for your Spellcasting Ability. 

Spell Save DC = 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Constitution Modifier

Spell Attack Modifier = your Proficiency Bonus + your Constitution Modifier 

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an Arcane Focus as a Spellcasting Focus. 

Ichor Required

Whenever you cast a spell, you must expend the Ichor in a number of Vials of Ichor equal to the level of the spell being cast. Vials of Ichor, and how to create them, are described at the end of the class description.

Unnatural Enhancements

At 2nd level, you can, once per turn, deal an extra 1d4 damage on any Melee or Ranged Attack that you make. That damage type depends on your Monstrous Corruptor: Force Damage for the Beholder or Lich, Necrotic Damage for the Vampire, Fire Damage for the Demon or Devil, Psychic Damage for the Mind Flayer, or Slashing/Piercing/Bludgeoning (your choice) for the Lycanthrope.  The Dragon is a special case, as each type of Dragon gives a different damage type: Fire for Red, Poison for Green, Cold for White, Acid for Black, and Lightning for Blue. The die changes at certain levels, as shown in the Touched Table. 

Fell Rites

At 3rd Level, you learn 2 Fell Rites. You can exchange any of these Rites whenever you take a Long Rest. All Rites are described at the end of the Class Description. Some Fell Rites require an attack roll, or a DC. They use your Spell Attack Modifier and your Spell DC. Once a Rite is used, it can’t be used until the end of a long rest. you learn a new Rite at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, You can increase one ability score by two, or two ability scores by one. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score higher than 20. Alternatively, you can gain a Feat.

Extra Attack

When you reach 5th Level, you can attack twice, rather than once, when you take the Attack Action on you Turn.

Blood Siphon

At 7th level, whenever you deal damage using your Unnatural Enhancements feature, you can regain a number of hit points equal to half your Touched level + your Constitution modifier. This feature is usable a number of times equal to your Constitution Modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all uses of this feature at the end of a long rest. 

Additionally, Attacks you make that deal the damage from your Unnatural Enhancements feature now count as Magical, for the purposes of overcoming Resistances and Immunity to Non-Magical Damage.

Bloodlust

At 11th level, whenever you hit a Creature with an Attack, and you deal the Damage from your Unnatural Enhancements, you can take an additional Attack Action as a Bonus Action. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of once).

Soliloquy of Crimson

At 15th level, you can restore your life and power, at the detriment of all those who surround you. As an Action, you can start a Soliloquy. A Soliloquy lasts as long as you are Concentrating (as if for a Spell), to a maximum of 10 Minutes,  At the start of a Soliloquy, all Creatures within 15ft of you lose a number of Hit Points equal to Twice your Touched Level. Additionally, you regain a number of Hit Points equal to your Touched Level. For each Creature that took Damage because of this Ability, you gain a Sphere of Ichor. 

A Sphere of Ichor hovers around your Head, and can be used in the place of a Vial of Ichor. Once used, a Sphere of Ichor disappears in a splash of blood. All Spheres disappear at the end of the Soliloquy.

When a Soliloquy ends, all Spheres of Ichor disappear in a splash of blood, and you gain one point of Exhaustion.

You can use this Ability once, then can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest.

Black Aura

At 18th level, you gain the ability to temporarily transform your Soul into a Sphere of Death and Destruction. As an Action, you can summon a Black Aura, a 15ft Sphere centered around you, which moves when you move, and lasts for up to One Minute (Concentration, as if Concentrating on a Spell). When summoned, you take 2d12 damage, which cannot be reduced in any way. Any Hostile Creature that enters the Aura is Blinded while in the Aura. Any creature that enters the Aura must make a Charisma Saving Throw against your Spell Save DC, taking 12d6 damage on a failure, and half damage on a success. If a Creature starts their turn in the Aura, they must succeed on a Charisma Saving Throw against my Spell Save DC or take 8d4 Damage. The damage is of the same type as your Unnatural Enhancements. It counts as magical, for the purposes of overcoming Resistance and Immunity to Non-Magical damage.

Spell List

Ichor

To create a Vial of Ichor, you require an Empty Vial and a Weapon that deals Slashing or Piercing Damage. You must spill the blood of a Touched, dealing 1 Damage to them (that damage cannot be reduced in any way). This gives you enough Icor to fill one Vial of Ichor (if using this for Spellcasting, you can immediately expend the Ichor, not requiring a vial to do so).

An alternative method is to harvest the Blood of a Dragon, Fiend, Fey, Giant, or Celestial. The Ichor can be harvested from a willing or incapacitated living creature of those types, dealing 1 Damage to them (that damage cannot be reduced in any way), or by harvesting it from a Corpse of a creature of one of those types. The corpse cannot have been dead for more than 3 Days, and removing the Ichor prevents them from being Resurrected by anything short of a 9th level spell.

Whenever a creature loses Hit Points in this way, they cannot regain those Hit Points via Resting for 1d4 days.

I'll get to the Subclasses later (I have most of them down already, I just want to wait for initial feedback on the class, before posting the rest)

I would appreciate suggestions for the Rites; I want them to work like Eldritch Invocations, I just don't have enough ideas yet...

Given they have access to martial weapons and get second attack by default, I would drop the cantrips.  Artificers, currently the only half casters to get cantrips by default, don't get martial weapons or extra attack by default.  So either reduce the default to simple weapons and remove the second attack or remove the cantrips, that's my opinion to start with.

Further to fit the source of your power, I would consider modeling the pact magic system instead of normal spell casting, the way the Bloodhunter profane soul uses it.  That's just an aesthetic choice, not a balance or technical thought.

The Ichor system is not really a good idea.  for a few reasons
reducing your HP by that much is dangerous At level 20, that is 41 hp you need to burn PER DAY to use all your spells. 

You also don't state how long the Ichor is good for. 

Then there is the semi-max hit point reduction.  You can't get them back through resting, but you can from spells or other methods, that makes you a healing sponge, but (Mechanically speaking) healing through spells is poor resource management.  also, that means if you got two days with out killing a creature that you can use, EITHER you are down 82 hp, or have had at least one day with no spell casting ability.  Well, either that, or you are making your party heal you, and if you don't have a dedicated healer that is a harsh drain on resources.

Now, I do like the idea of a con-based caster, but this is a rough way to do it., I know you're thinking on average by the end of your build, you have 214 hp, HOWEVER, as I pointed out, you are either a huge drain on party resources, or going to eat up more than a third of your HP on your second day of heavy adventuring. 

5E is designed for passive health regeneration, short rests and long rests are the primary ways to restore health. 

Quote from Zoken44 >>

Given they have access to martial weapons and get second attack by default, I would drop the cantrips.  Artificers, currently the only half casters to get cantrips by default, don't get martial weapons or extra attack by default.  So either reduce the default to simple weapons and remove the second attack or remove the cantrips, that's my opinion to start with.

Further to fit the source of your power, I would consider modeling the pact magic system instead of normal spell casting, the way the Bloodhunter profane soul uses it.  That's just an aesthetic choice, not a balance or technical thought.

The Ichor system is not really a good idea.  for a few reasons
reducing your HP by that much is dangerous At level 20, that is 41 hp you need to burn PER DAY to use all your spells. 

You also don't state how long the Ichor is good for. 

Then there is the semi-max hit point reduction.  You can't get them back through resting, but you can from spells or other methods, that makes you a healing sponge, but (Mechanically speaking) healing through spells is poor resource management.  also, that means if you got two days with out killing a creature that you can use, EITHER you are down 82 hp, or have had at least one day with no spell casting ability.  Well, either that, or you are making your party heal you, and if you don't have a dedicated healer that is a harsh drain on resources.

 

Now, I do like the idea of a con-based caster, but this is a rough way to do it., I know you're thinking on average by the end of your build, you have 214 hp, HOWEVER, as I pointed out, you are either a huge drain on party resources, or going to eat up more than a third of your HP on your second day of heavy adventuring. 

5E is designed for passive health regeneration, short rests and long rests are the primary ways to restore health. 

 Thanks for the thoughts!

Yeah, I hadn't been sure about the Cantrips either. I want to keep them, as I feel like they balance out the Blood Casting a bit (some spells that you can just cast without using HP/Ichor), but they might be too much. I'm thinking of either removing them completely, or limiting them to a 3 cantrip limit (1 for a few levels, then 2 for the majority, then 3 for the last few levels). Thoughts?

I did consider the Pact Magic format, but in general I'm not a huge fan of it (with so few spell slots, I just feel like it's too limiting).

 On your thoughts on the Ichor System: I agree with the fact that it's messy. I want to keep the idea of using Blood as a kind of Focus, but I'm not sure if this was the way to do it. 

In regards to you saying that it uses too much HP, that is not necessarily true. Yes, you will be using quite a bit of HP per day, if you're casting ALL of your spells. But, something  that you overlooked (I think; I could be wrong) was the fact that the Monstrous Spells don't require Ichor to cast. So, if you're casting your Monstrous Spells (it'll be 2 spells per level), that reduces the amount of HP/Vials you'll be using per day. You also didn't address the Vials, and the fact that they can greatly reduce the HP lost as well.

I didn't say how long Vials last, you're right. Oversight on my part. That should be fixed in a few minutes.

I'm going to remove the Max HP reduction thing, I think. It was put in to try and prevent people from just draining all but 1 HP into Vials, then sleeping and regaining all the HP. Might keep it in as a "When you take a rest, you only regain half of the HP lost from creating Vials of Ichor" kind of thing.

Thanks for the suggestions! These were, honestly, most of the concerns I had myself (that and general balance). Any thoughts on how to fix them?

I agree with Zoken about the cantrips. Most half-casters don't get them, especially those that lean towards weapons. 

For Unnatural Enhancements, you don't need to say 'ranged or melee attack,' just say attack. Just in case you aren't aware of this, as written Unnatural Enhancements applies to spells and basically is just a solid boost to your DPR. I would recommend put the die increase under the feature itself as well as in the table so it's easy to understand.

For Fell Rites, I would rephrase 'Some Fell Rites require an attack roll, or a DC. They use your Spell Attack Modifier and your Spell DC.' to 'Fell Rites that require attack rolls or saving throws use your spell attack modifier and spell save DC.'

Blood Siphon is somewhat overpowered. It allows you to regain 40 hp per long rest (compared to a paladin of the same level, who can heal 35), but since the ability only applies to yourself, it should work.

Soliloquy of Crimson is somewhat broken. Basically, you deal 30-40 damage to 3+ creatures (you shouldn't use it unless you can get that many in the AoE) and heal 15-20 hit points. This wouldn't be too bad, except that there's no save, and no damage type. Even Tiamat would take full damage from this. 

For Black Aura, the damage is a bit too much, in addition to the blindness. It's negated by the fact that you damage to yourself, though I still don't like it. Just a tip: if you state that a feature is magical, you don't need to say that it overcomes immunities and resistances.

Spell List: Again, I don't really like giving a half-caster cantrips. Other than that, however, it looks good.

For Ichor, you should make it so that the target has to be either willing or incapacitated. Otherwise it's somewhat abusable. I also caught a small spelling error: This gives you enough Icor to fill one Vial of Ichor.

Final Thoughts: Overall, I think this class is unique and interesting. I expected it to be a reskinned blood hunter/sorcerer mix, but it's original and well-made. I look forward to seeing what the subclasses do. There's one mistake that you made a few times, though: Class/Subclass features are always called features, not abilities.

Quote from Thauraeln_The_Bold >>

I agree with Zoken about the cantrips. Most half-casters don't get them, especially those that lean towards weapons. 

For Unnatural Enhancements, you don't need to say 'ranged or melee attack,' just say attack. Just in case you aren't aware of this, as written Unnatural Enhancements applies to spells and basically is just a solid boost to your DPR. I would recommend put the die increase under the feature itself as well as in the table so it's easy to understand.

For Fell Rites, I would rephrase 'Some Fell Rites require an attack roll, or a DC. They use your Spell Attack Modifier and your Spell DC.' to 'Fell Rites that require attack rolls or saving throws use your spell attack modifier and spell save DC.'

Blood Siphon is somewhat overpowered. It allows you to regain 40 hp per long rest (compared to a paladin of the same level, who can heal 35), but since the ability only applies to yourself, it should work.

Soliloquy of Crimson is somewhat broken. Basically, you deal 30-40 damage to 3+ creatures (you shouldn't use it unless you can get that many in the AoE) and heal 15-20 hit points. This wouldn't be too bad, except that there's no save, and no damage type. Even Tiamat would take full damage from this. 

For Black Aura, the damage is a bit too much, in addition to the blindness. It's negated by the fact that you damage to yourself, though I still don't like it. Just a tip: if you state that a feature is magical, you don't need to say that it overcomes immunities and resistances.

Spell List: Again, I don't really like giving a half-caster cantrips. Other than that, however, it looks good.

For Ichor, you should make it so that the target has to be either willing or incapacitated. Otherwise it's somewhat abusable. I also caught a small spelling error: This gives you enough Icor to fill one Vial of Ichor.

Final Thoughts: Overall, I think this class is unique and interesting. I expected it to be a reskinned blood hunter/sorcerer mix, but it's original and well-made. I look forward to seeing what the subclasses do. There's one mistake that you made a few times, though: Class/Subclass features are always called features, not abilities.

 Thanks Thauraeln!

Yeah, so I'll remove the Cantrips from the basic Class (however, I think that I might keep something that I had for the Subclasses - more on that later)

As for the wording on Unnatural Enhancements, I'll change that so that it only works for Ranged/Martial Attacks, as that was the original idea (guess I just missed it in my revisions). I'll also change the wording for the Fell Rites, as suggested.

I might want to put more of a limit on Blood Siphon. Not sure how, but it does need something.

Soliloquy of Crimson does need a Save. I don't know what I was thinking there lol

I want to rework Black Aura, I think. I'm currently not a huge fan of how it works, honestly. 

I think that your thoughts on the Ichor are good. However, it might become very abusable by the Vampire Subclass, which will give a Charm Ability, similar to the Stat Block's Charm. But, that might still be okay, so I think I'll implement your idea in the next draft. Also, thanks for catching the spelling error, that should be fixed now.

As for the fact that Class/Subclass features are always caused Features, I didn't actually know that! Thanks for letting me know. I'll fix that soon.

Thanks for such a positive review!

Brief preview of what the Subclasses will be like: Each one will get a minor feature and a subclass-specific Cantrip at 1st level, and a more major feature at 6th level. At 10th level, there's a Damage Resistance, and a minor Ribbon effect. 14th level gives a minor improvement on the 6th level feature, and an additional feature (usually. with some of them, it's just a big improvement on the other ability). 20th level just gives a good feature.

So I like the change on cantrips you’re doing, and if you want one of the subclasses to be a bit more casty giving them choices of extra cantrips could be good 

so as far as the Ichor system goes, I would suggest at the end of a long-rest they fill a vial with their blood and reduce their current hit points by a number equal to twice their level. This vial serves as a spell casting focus. It removes the need to track a separate resource than spell slots. If the come across a willing or incapacitated creature of their corrupter type they can receive a vial that will last for 1d4-1 days

also, super pedantic thing: ichor is the blood of gods. It comes from Ancient Greek myth. The gods had golden blood called ichor. It is used very commonly nowadays to refer to the blood of monsters, but it was something bugging me and is not an actual criticism 

You misspelled spelling as spwlling.

I would like to see the subclasses. 

This seems to have some sorcerer vibes to it.

it does but it proves to be unique i would to see some subclasses though