Thinking about trying a bloodhunter, but my group doesn't like super edgy characters, so what are some ways to skin bloodhunter to be less edgy? I was thinking like a magus or rangery like thing.
You can't. One of their main themes is self-harm in exchange for power. play a ranger instead.
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Formerly Devan Avalon.
Trying to get your physical content on Beyond is like going to Microsoft and saying "I have a physical Playstation disk, give me a digital Xbox version!"
Easiet way to reflavour it might be to think of it in terms of a failed warlock. You tried to adhere to whatever request/agreement/contract you made iwth your patron but messed up and as punishment you patron abandoned you but cursed you with a semblence of power but accesing it costs you your vitaility. Don't think of it as cutting your self to drip your blood onto your weapon to initate rites, blood curses etc just the act of using your patrons power is physically draining for you. When you amplify a curse you might shout out your patrons name in deep speak/infernal/abyssal etc and its a fragment of the patrons true name so increases the effect of the power you use.
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While I think the Witcher-y, gothic idea of the blood Hunter is cool, I still think it’s not something that has a place in every group. Frankly, I’m surprised that, despite the emphasis on making D&D a safe space where players don’t have to tangle with messy issues unless they’re comfortable with it, there’s a semi-official class themed around self-harm. I don’t personally have a problem with it (except that I feel it’s thematically narrow and maybe not balanced) but it still seems short-sighted to me.
That said, you could reflavor it as a sorcerer who has to sacrifice some of their life essence to use their powers, a bit like the sorcerers in The Witcher (the show at least, I haven’t read the books or played the game). Or just go ranger, especially if your group or DM would prefer that! It is still technically homebrew after all.
Reskin everything as friendship magic. Amplifying Blood Curses? Hugging yourself so much you lose health. Crimson Rite? Your weapon watches My Little Pony and does extra damage. Bloodhunter orders of the Ghostslayer, Lycan, Mutant, or Profane Soul? Bloodhunter Circle of Friends of the Ghostbuddy, Were-friend, Casper the Friendly Mutant, or Friend who loans you magic powers.
It isn’t even “semi-official.” It’s 100% homebrew, it just happens to be very super famous homebrew. This website is an official sponsor of that show, so they kinda hafta have what they use available so that the cast can show off using this service to run their characters as a sponsored endorsement. But this website is not owned WotC (the game’s publisher) so what DDB does has no bearing on what is it is not official.
It isn’t even “semi-official.” It’s 100% homebrew, it just happens to be very super famous homebrew. This website is an official sponsor of that show, so they kinda hafta have what they use available so that the cast can show off using this service to run their characters as a sponsored endorsement. But this website is not owned WotC (the game’s publisher) so what DDB does has no bearing on what is it is not official.
Good to know, thanks! Makes a lot more sense now, as something Matt just homebrewed for his group and the community latched on to.
Yup. People wanted to play what their favorite cast members were playing. Percy from season 1 was multiclassed Gunslinger/Bloodhunter if I recall correctly, Profane Soul I believe. I think another recurring guest might have been order of the Lycan too. I think. If I’m mistaken then I’m sure someone out there will take no end in pleasure pointing it out to me.
Whenever trying to reflavour something, always start with boiling it down to the basics of the mechanics of Blood Hunter
Can wear light armor, medium armor and use shields plus simple and martial weapons while also getting a Fighting Style, so we know they can get in the thick of things
Focuses on either Strength or Dexterity due to being weapon focused, with their attacks also dealing extra fire, cold or lightning damage (radiant as a subclass feature, eventually necrotic, psychic and thunder)
Can invoke Blood Curses to hinder their foes or aid their allies, with boosted effects if willing to take damage, but with limited uses
You create a link between yourself and an enemy target to gain special effects
That's essentially the class at its core. A fighter that amplifies their damage and effects at the cost of their own health. My first idea to reflavour this was something like the shaman from World of Warcraft, specifically Enhancement. They imbue their weapons with magic and then smack people around in WoW, and that can be what you go for here. Scale mail, battle axe and a shield and you have enough armor to stay in the fight and still put out damage. Anytime you invoke your Crimson Rite damage through buffing your weapon or through a Blood Curse, describe it as you using elemental magic to get it done.
Could go with a pseudo-psychic power approach with light blood loss from use. Or could just be lifeforce manipulation. Though I am kind of digging Seasoning Enhancement Shaman vibe approach.
Yup. People wanted to play what their favorite cast members were playing. Percy from season 1 was multiclassed Gunslinger/Bloodhunter if I recall correctly, Profane Soul I believe. I think another recurring guest might have been order of the Lycan too. I think. If I’m mistaken then I’m sure someone out there will take no end in pleasure pointing it out to me.
Allow me to oblige.
Percival was a pure, 1-20 Gunslinger fighter. As Manlyson pointed out, he had a tinge of warlock due to Magic Initiate, which he took as part of his background arc. Of course, Percival taking a dip into Order of the Profane Soul would've surprised basically no one, methinks.
Mollymauk Tealeaf, Taliesin's original CR Campaign 2 character, was a Ghostslayer blood hunter built on the original Wisdom-based version of the class. Tova, a guest character from Campaign 1, was an Order of the Lycan werebear blood hunter as well. No guest from Campaign 2 has been a blunter though, and Molly...has not upgraded to the new edition, let's say.
After reading suggestions I have an idea. The character is Chet Valdi, nomad-king-to-be. He was adopted into the monarchy of the Valdi nomads. The nobles/royals pass down an ancient magic, it's based on asserting your authority over the space you travel through and all in it. As he is not Valdi born, he's not built for it and it puts intense strain on the body, hence the hp loss and limits.
After reading suggestions I have an idea. The character is Chet Valdi, nomad-king-to-be. He was adopted into the monarchy of the Valdi nomads. The nobles/royals pass down an ancient magic, it's based on asserting your authority over the space you travel through and all in it. As he is not Valdi born, he's not built for it and it puts intense strain on the body, hence the hp loss and limits.
Welcome to Flavour Town! ;-)
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Thinking about trying a bloodhunter, but my group doesn't like super edgy characters, so what are some ways to skin bloodhunter to be less edgy? I was thinking like a magus or rangery like thing.
You can't. One of their main themes is self-harm in exchange for power. play a ranger instead.
Formerly Devan Avalon.
Trying to get your physical content on Beyond is like going to Microsoft and saying "I have a physical Playstation disk, give me a digital Xbox version!"
Easiet way to reflavour it might be to think of it in terms of a failed warlock. You tried to adhere to whatever request/agreement/contract you made iwth your patron but messed up and as punishment you patron abandoned you but cursed you with a semblence of power but accesing it costs you your vitaility. Don't think of it as cutting your self to drip your blood onto your weapon to initate rites, blood curses etc just the act of using your patrons power is physically draining for you. When you amplify a curse you might shout out your patrons name in deep speak/infernal/abyssal etc and its a fragment of the patrons true name so increases the effect of the power you use.
Head canon it to “Mucus Hunter” and then it’s all about boogers and congestion. 🤷♂️
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You power up your attacks by eating boogers so hard you get a bloody nose? Gross!
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
While I think the Witcher-y, gothic idea of the blood Hunter is cool, I still think it’s not something that has a place in every group. Frankly, I’m surprised that, despite the emphasis on making D&D a safe space where players don’t have to tangle with messy issues unless they’re comfortable with it, there’s a semi-official class themed around self-harm. I don’t personally have a problem with it (except that I feel it’s thematically narrow and maybe not balanced) but it still seems short-sighted to me.
That said, you could reflavor it as a sorcerer who has to sacrifice some of their life essence to use their powers, a bit like the sorcerers in The Witcher (the show at least, I haven’t read the books or played the game). Or just go ranger, especially if your group or DM would prefer that! It is still technically homebrew after all.
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
It isn't official content so nobody has to put it in their game.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Reskin everything as friendship magic. Amplifying Blood Curses? Hugging yourself so much you lose health. Crimson Rite? Your weapon watches My Little Pony and does extra damage. Bloodhunter orders of the Ghostslayer, Lycan, Mutant, or Profane Soul? Bloodhunter Circle of Friends of the Ghostbuddy, Were-friend, Casper the Friendly Mutant, or Friend who loans you magic powers.
Bam. Friendshiphunter.
HP doesn't have to be blood. Maybe using your powers just makes you tired or less confident because you know you have a limited pool to draw from.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
It isn’t even “semi-official.” It’s 100% homebrew, it just happens to be very super famous homebrew. This website is an official sponsor of that show, so they kinda hafta have what they use available so that the cast can show off using this service to run their characters as a sponsored endorsement. But this website is not owned WotC (the game’s publisher) so what DDB does has no bearing on what is it is not official.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
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Good to know, thanks! Makes a lot more sense now, as something Matt just homebrewed for his group and the community latched on to.
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
Yup. People wanted to play what their favorite cast members were playing. Percy from season 1 was multiclassed Gunslinger/Bloodhunter if I recall correctly, Profane Soul I believe. I think another recurring guest might have been order of the Lycan too. I think. If I’m mistaken then I’m sure someone out there will take no end in pleasure pointing it out to me.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
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Whenever trying to reflavour something, always start with boiling it down to the basics of the mechanics of Blood Hunter
That's essentially the class at its core. A fighter that amplifies their damage and effects at the cost of their own health. My first idea to reflavour this was something like the shaman from World of Warcraft, specifically Enhancement. They imbue their weapons with magic and then smack people around in WoW, and that can be what you go for here. Scale mail, battle axe and a shield and you have enough armor to stay in the fight and still put out damage. Anytime you invoke your Crimson Rite damage through buffing your weapon or through a Blood Curse, describe it as you using elemental magic to get it done.
No. Percy was a pure gunslinger. He had warlock spells like Hex because he took Magic Initiate for Warlock.
Dominick Finch
Could go with a pseudo-psychic power approach with light blood loss from use. Or could just be lifeforce manipulation. Though I am kind of digging Seasoning Enhancement Shaman vibe approach.
Allow me to oblige.
Percival was a pure, 1-20 Gunslinger fighter. As Manlyson pointed out, he had a tinge of warlock due to Magic Initiate, which he took as part of his background arc. Of course, Percival taking a dip into Order of the Profane Soul would've surprised basically no one, methinks.
Mollymauk Tealeaf, Taliesin's original CR Campaign 2 character, was a Ghostslayer blood hunter built on the original Wisdom-based version of the class. Tova, a guest character from Campaign 1, was an Order of the Lycan werebear blood hunter as well. No guest from Campaign 2 has been a blunter though, and Molly...has not upgraded to the new edition, let's say.
Please do not contact or message me.
After reading suggestions I have an idea. The character is Chet Valdi, nomad-king-to-be. He was adopted into the monarchy of the Valdi nomads. The nobles/royals pass down an ancient magic, it's based on asserting your authority over the space you travel through and all in it. As he is not Valdi born, he's not built for it and it puts intense strain on the body, hence the hp loss and limits.
Tova! That was her name.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Welcome to Flavour Town! ;-)
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].