Blood Magic

Blood mages are dangerous for several reasons. First and foremost, their methods often involve the sacrifice of living creatures, which is an inherently cruel and unethical practice that many people find abhorrent. This can make them social outcasts and targets of persecution by authorities or moralistic individuals.

Additionally, blood magic is a potent form of magic that can grant the user incredible power. By drawing on the life force of creatures or individuals, a blood mage can perform spells and feats that would be impossible for other spellcasters. This can include abilities such as controlling the minds of others, manipulating blood itself, or even reanimating the dead.

However, the use of blood magic comes with a high cost. Using blood as a power source can have physical and mental tolls on the user, which can lead to addiction, madness, and physical deterioration. Moreover, the practice of blood magic is often viewed as a taboo, and many societies see it as an unforgivable offense that is punishable by death.

Their powers can be incredibly destructive, and their methods are often viewed as morally reprehensible. Furthermore, the cost of using blood magic can lead to the corruption of the mage, turning them into a villain or monster in the eyes of others.

Book of Hemomancy

2nd-level Hemomancy Magic feature

Choosing this path you acquire the Book of Hemomancy, a powerful tome filled with forbidden knowledge of the Dark Arts of Hemomancy. By reading the book and studying its contents, you gain access to new blood magic spells and abilities. The spells and abilities that you learn from the book are specific to blood magic and include the ability to control others blood, sense the flowing blood of those around you, or even heal yourself by manipulating others life force.

Any spell you cast you can convert the damage to physical damage- Slashing, bludgeoning or piercing. When you cast a spell and convert the damage, you can infuse the spell with any disease or madness you are afflicted with along with the spells effects. The infusion you add is spread if the target fails a Constitution Saving Throw of your Spell Save DC. The max amount of targets you can spread the disease to is equal to the spell level of the spell cast. Cantrip's cannot be infused. (Example: A 3rd level spell can inflict three targets max.)

Whenever you take a short rest your mastery over vitality allows you to take the most amount of healing possible by Hit Dice.  Also, you have advantage on Death Saving Throws.

Hemomancy Arts

2nd-level Hemomancy Magic feature

Your exploration into the Dark Arts of Hemomancy provide an additional source of power that could be used in situations where you have exhausted your spell slots. This could be particularly useful in longer battles or in situations where your cut off from your normal sources of magical energy. As a Bonus Action, you may take the damage per spell level as mentioned in the table below which can not be reduced in any way to cast your spell. This damage is magical in nature- Taken as Piercing, Slashing or Bludgeoning; however the user chooses to inflict this damage

Those who rely too heavily on blood magic may find themselves struggling to recover from injuries or illnesses over time, and may even develop chronic health problems. As a result, magical healing cast on you is half as potent, reducing any healing received by half for the next hour.

You may use the following table to fuel your spells. You may only cast using Hemomancy Arts up to a spell level of which you have slots available and can be done only up to your INT modifier a number of times per long rest. 

 

1st Level Spell Slot	1d4 + 2 Damage  (4.5 Average)
2nd Level Spell Slot	1d4 + 6 Damage  (8.5 Average)
3rd Level Spell Slot	2d4 + 8 Damage  (11 Average)
4th Level Spell Slot	2d6 + 10 Damage  (17 Average)
5th Level Spell Slot	2d8 + 12 Damage  (21 Average)

Blood Harvest

2nd-level Hemomancy Magic feature

With Blood Harvest, the blood mage can drain the life force from the bodies of their slain enemies to heal their wounds and replenish their own vitality. This ability can be used by the blood mage when they come across a recently slain body, or when they defeat an enemy in combat. 

You learn the spell False Life, and it does not go against the amount of spells you may learn per level nor do you have to prepare the spell each day. This spell is At-Will for you but only under special circumstances. As a reaction, you may reap the life essence of a creature that died within 60 ft of you within the past minute. This siphon fuels your next cast of False Life. Depending on the size of the creature reflects the spell level of False Life you may cast. Each body may only be siphoned once.

Small/Tiny	1st Level Spell
Medium	2nd Level Spell
Large	3rd Level Spell
Huge	4th Level Spell

 

Master of Puppets

6th-level Hemomancy Magic feature

As an action choose a target within 60 feet and have them make a Constitution Saving Throw of your Spell Save DC. On a failure they become a puppet to your demise as they lose partial control of their body. On your initial turn controlling you may force the target to use its reaction to move up to their speed and make a single weapon attack against a target of your choice. The target then acts normally on their own turn.

You may choose to extend this effect by taking 1d4 damage at the end of your turn for each turn you continue to puppet the target, using your bonus action to again force the target to move and attack. 

You may also puppeteer corpses following the same effects as above mentioned. Any target that does not have blood is immune to this feature, Gm discretion may be needed for what does and doesn't have blood. You are allotted your INT modifier worth of times you may attempt to puppeteer a target. 

Bloodsense

10th-level Hemomancy Magic feature

This ability gives the Blood Mage the ability to detect the presence of blood in any living creature within a 60 ft radius. The range at 17th level grows to a 120 ft radius.

The Bloodsense ability allows the blood mage to locate creatures even if they are hidden or invisible, as long as they have blood flowing through their veins. The mage would be able to sense the location and movement of the creature based on the flow of blood within their body. However, there are some limitations to the Bloodsense ability. Creatures that are immune to bleeding or have no blood in their bodies, such as constructs or undead, would be immune to the ability. This ability does not see into the ethereal plane. 

While conscious you can no longer be surprised by a creature with blood in its body within your Bloodsense range. You also gain advantage on Survival Skill Checks when made to track creatures with blood, which may be up to GM discretion.

 

Sanguine Amplification

14th-level Hemomancy Magic feature

You have spent a lot of time studying the Book of Hemomancy and have uncovered dark secrets to help fuel your spells. You may modify only up to 5th Level Spells. You may use Sanguine Amplification up to your INT modifier a number of times before needing a Long Rest to regain your uses. 

An ability can be done by taking damage equal to 3 x the level of the spell being cast then choosing one of the following options:

• Reroll your INT modifier worth of dice for a damage roll.
• Enhance the damage of a single target spell by 1d6 per spell level.
• The target cannot benefit from healing until the start of your next turn.