Bloodline Artifact (2024)

Bloodline sorcerers come from a long family line with innate or internal talent.  Sorcerers of this type pass down a family heirloom that creates a partnership between the sorcerer and this artifact.  The artifact is passed down from one generation to the next with the current family wielder choosing their successor from parameters given to them by the training the generation before had to endure.  Artifacts from this type of sorcery are usually wands, but sometimes these artifacts can be amulets, spellbooks, bracers, rods, or similar items.  They are usually never as small as a ring or as large as a staff.  The artifact will be able to be wielded within one hand and it will be assumed that the player's character will see their predecessor use it at least once before passing it down to them.

Usually when a character starts down this path of sorcery, 3rd level will be the first time they wield this artifact for themselves.  Their life before this point will be guided by their predecessor preparing them to inherit this family heirloom.  The predecessor would have probably trained them to reveal which sibling will be the proper descendant to inherit the family heirloom.  Lessons in singing for proper incantation pronunciation, and lessons in dance for proper somatic movements, are both common means to determine who is "the one" to inherit such an artifact.

By the time the sorcerer inherits the family artifact they will already have some fundamental magic proficiency, but the artifact will grant them uncanny ability to focus their arcane abilities.  The two of them will develop a partnership that will leave both weakened without the other.  If the sorcerer should pass away, the artifact can only be passed down to someone else of the same bloodline.  The magic of the artifact has been retained as part of that bloodline.  Thus, the artifact cannot be passed down to anyone that is not somehow blood-related to the predecessor.

The player and the dungeon master should determine the nature of artifact that the sorcerer inherited from their family.

Bloodline Education

3rd Level Bloodline Artifact feature

The sorcerer has been trained to inherit the family heirloom artifact since they were born.  Their education included singing, dancing, and fundamental control over the artifact's energies.  This education is part of your family's tradition and fundamental to controlling the wielded artifact.  This background has made you proficient in performance skill and an exotic language (the artifact's true origin.)  These two skills grant you the ability to use this artifact and to control its magic.

Due to this knowledge of the artifact, if a concentration spell does not require any other material components other than the artifact itself (verbal or somatic components only,) this sorcerer can choose to make concentration saving throws either their Constitution score or their performance skill (whichever is greater.)

Bloodline Magic

3rd level Bloodline Artifact feature

The sorcerer learns additional spells when they reach certain levels, as shown on the Bloodline Artifact Spells table. Each of these spells counts as a sorcerer spell for them, but do not count against their number of sorcerer spells known.

Whenever they gain a sorcerer level, you can replace one spells they gained from this feature with another spell of the same level. The new spell must be an abjuration or a transmutation spell from the sorcerer, warlock, or wizard spell list.  These magics require that the sorcerer have their artifact on their person. It cannot offer any of these spells without the artifact.

Bloodline Artifact Spells

SORCERER LEVEL	SPELLS
Cantrips	light, mending
3rd	detect magic, mage armor, magic weapon
5th	dispel magic
9th	telekinesis

Artifact Restoration Ceremony

3rd Level Bloodline Artifact feature

This is not a subclass power so much as it is a rule to replace the artifact should it become damaged.  If the family heirloom artifact ever gets broken, disenchanted, lost, or destroyed, the sorcerer can perform a ritual to restore it.  This ritual requires privacy, concentration, and about 100 gold pieces in reagents to perform.  The sorcerer will require four hours to concentrate on nothing else.  If the sorcerer is given the time to perform this ceremony their family artifact will be summoned back to them fully restored to perfect condition.

Note: Since the relationship between the sorcerer and the bloodline artifact becomes symbiotic, the sorcerer will suffer some penalties if the artifact is damaged, lost, or unusable.  These penalties are subject to the Dungeon Master's judgement based upon the nature of the artifact.  At the very least the sorcerer will not have any of the protections offered by the artifact and will suffer from a reduced ability to restore used spell slots.  In general, the artifact will only work for other spell casters from the same bloodline, but this is not to say that the sorcerer won't ever develop competitive siblings.

The Chosen One

6th Level Bloodline Artifact feature

The sorcerer has adopted to the idea that they were chosen to carry on the family heritage.  The bond between the sorcerer and their artifact starts to become clear.  Their confidence will enable them to gain advantage to all saving throws vs. fear.  Additionally, the bond between the sorcerer and the artifact will now grant the sorcerer resistance to magical force damage.  These abilities are based upon the symbiotic relationship between the sorcerer and the artifact, and requires that the artifact to be in the sorcerer's person to benefit from these defenses.

Enchanted Bloodline

14th level Bloodline Artifact feature

The bond between the sorcerer and their artifact has blessed the sorcerer with energy resistance.  The sorcerer becomes resistant to one type of damage of their choice.  This protection requires that the sorcerer have their artifact on their person.  It cannot offer any protection without the artifact.

Acid Resistance

You have resistance to acid damage while holding your heirloom artifact.

Cold Resistance

You have resistance to cold damage while holding your heirloom artifact.

Fire Resistance

You have resistance to fire damage while holding your heirloom artifact.

Lightning Resistance

You have resistance to lightning damage while holding your heirloom artifact.

Necrotic Resistance

You have resistance to necrotic damage while holding your heirloom artifact.

Poison Resistance

You have resistance to poison damage while holding your heirloom artifact.

Psychic Resistance

You have resistance to psychic damage while holding your heirloom artifact.

Radiant Resistance

You have resistance to radiant damage while holding your heirloom artifact.

Thunder Resistance

You have resistance to thunder damage while holding your heirloom artifact.

Symbiotic Lifeforce

18th Level Bloodline Artifact feature

The sorcerer can draw the from the lifeforce of their ancestors that used the artifact before them.  This requires an action to perform, when the sorcerer uses this ability the artifact will summon 100 hit points worth of healing.  The sorcerer can choose how to divide these hit points amongst themselves, and any willing creatures within 30' feet of them.  They can choose to give 100 creatures 1 hit point each, they can take all the hit points for themselves, etc.  The sorcerer must choose how the hit points are distributed at the casting of the summoning.  Once the sorcerer does this, they will not be able to do this again until a full day has passed.