Order of the Bat

The Order of the Bat represents a forbidden path where blood hunters embrace the dark gift of vampirism through ancient blood magic. Members of this order undergo a harrowing transformation, gaining enhanced abilities, unearthly speed, and limited regenerative abilities typical of vampires. However, their power comes at a cost: an insatiable hunger for blood and an ever-present struggle to restrain their vampiric instincts. Unlike true vampires, these hunters are not bound by lairs and aren't hurt by running water but must battle the risk of losing themselves to the beast within.

Balancing the line between predator and protector, blood hunters of the Order of the Bat serve as both scourge and savior, walking the shadows in pursuit of justice while constantly wrestling with their dark thirst. Their discipline grants them unique abilities, including invoking blood magic to mimic vampiric charms and unleashing terrifying strength in dire moments—though every surge of power risks losing control and unleashing their inner monster.

Vampirism

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the following features:

Acquired Taste - You don't require normal food.
Regeneration - Unless you're in sunlight, you can spend one of your Hit Dice to replenish hit points using a bonus action.
Sunlight Sensitivity - While in sunlight, you have disadvantage on all your attack rolls and ability checks.
Darkvision - Used to avoiding daylight, you have accustomed to life in the night. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.

Unending Hunger

Also at 3rd level, you gain the need to feed on the blood of living creatures. While losing Hunger Levels allows you to tap into your vampiric powers, failing to control your hunger could unleash the beast inside, allowing it to take control of your actions until it feeds again. Gain the Bite action.

Bite - Make a d20 roll using your STR or DEX modifier with proficiency. On a success, deal 1d4 piercing damage and inflict Bleeding*. Successfully landing a Bite increases your Hunger Level by 1 (unless you are Frenzied). The bitten creature also suffers disadvantage on all its attack rolls and you can't feed on the same creature until it finishes a long rest. You can't feed on certain types of creatures (creatures without blood or similar bodily fluids - undead, constructs, etc. At DMs discretion).

Using Bite on a willing creature or one charmed by you results in automatic success and always deals 4 damage.

Each time you roll your Hemocraft Die, reduce your Hunger Level by 1. You also automatically lose 1 Hunger Level every day at midnight.

Hunger Levels:

(4) Sated - You can try to sense creatures with blood around you. Make a Wisdom(Survival) check, determining how far (up to 1 mile) you can sense them and whether you can tell what kind of creatures they are. Bleeding targets are easier to find and identify.
(3) Satisfied - Previous benefits apply. Gain 10 feet of movement when running towards a bleeding target.
(2) Peckish - Previous benefits apply. Have advantage on all attack rolls made against bleeding targets.
(1) Hungry - Previous benefits apply. You treat every creature with blood as if it was bleeding.
(0) Starving - Previous benefits apply. At the start of your turn, roll a WIS saving throw (DC 16). On a failure, enter a frenzy.

Frenzy - use your Sprint as a bonus action and immediately start moving towards the closest living creature. If close enough, use the Bite action. This Bite automatically succeeds, doesn't increase your Hunger Level unless you roll a 4 on damage, deals its damage three times (i.e. you roll 3, target takes 9 damage in total and your Hunger Level doesn't increase) and imposes bleeding on the target. After the Bite action is finished, frenzy ends and your turn is over.

*Bleeding - Bleeding creatures suffer 1d4 damage of the type based on the source of the bleeding condition at the end of their turn. At the start of each turn, a bleeding target can try to succeed a CON 15 saving throw to stop the bleeding condition. You (or someone else) can also use the Wisdom(Medicine) ability to try and treat the bleeding with a bandage (or an improvised one).

 

Vampire Clan

You choose which vampire's blood you ingest during your transformation ritual, determining your clan. As you gain levels, your clan abilities grow.

Barquis

You gain proficiency in Persuasion and Performance. You have disadvantage on Dexterity(Stealth) checks.

 

Drahim

Your AC is increased by 3 if you're not wearing heavy armour. You can't feed on animals and low status creatures - urchins, peasants, slaves, bandits.

 

Volkihar

Attacks made with melee weapons are considered critical strikes on a roll of 19 or 20. Critical failure on your attack rolls reduces your Hunger Level.

Unnatural Mobility

At 7th level, your speed increases by 5 feet and you can Spider Climb, allowing you to climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. You can also jump twice as far and twice as high.

Vampire Clan improvement

At 7th level, your clan abilities improve.

 

Barquis

You can cast the Charm Person spell a number of times equal to your Hemocraft modifier before a long rest. You can only use its 1st-level effect and using the Bite action against a charmed target doesn't count as a harmful action (for the purposes of breaking the charm). 

 

Drahim

+4 CON saving throw. You learn the Blood Curse of the Anxious if you don't already know it and you can amplify it without needing to roll your Hemocraft Die.

 

Volkihar

Blood Rage - once per turn, before you roll for attack, you can use your Hemocraft Die to add the number to your next attack roll. You also take necrotic damage equal to the Hemocraft Die roll. Blood Rage can cause an attack to result in a critical hit. 

Blood Alchemy

At 11th level, you learn the secret of infusing magical potions with blood. You can create up to 4 blood infused potions during a long rest. To create one blood infused potion, you require some kind of potion along with one full vial of a creature's blood. The resulting potions have varying effects depending on the alignment of the creature's blood used to infuse the potion along with their original effects.

Good -  The drinker ignores 1d4 damage they take every time they're attacked for 1 hour.
Evil - The drinker deals extra 1d4 damage each time they attack for 1 hour.
Lawful - The drinker gains advantage on all their saving throws for 1 hour.
Chaotic - The drinker gains advantage on all their attack rolls for 1 hour.

Vampire Clan improvement

At 15th level, your Vampire Clan abilities are improved again.

Barquis

You don't provoke Attacks of Opportunity, and as long as your allies can see you, they gain advantage on their attack rolls made against anyone but you.

 

Drahim

You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage taken by non-silvered weapons. You can roll your Hemocraft Die to gain immunity for 1 min instead, taking necrotic damage equal to the roll.

Volkihar

Critical hits made with melee weapons also stun the target for 1 round (unless they succeed a DC 14 constitution saving throw). Subsequent critical hits do not stack towards stun duration.

Controlled Hunger

At 18th level, you learn to control your hunger. When you are Peckish, you gain the benefits of being Hungry. Additionally, the WIS saving throw DC for resisting a frenzy is reduced to 14.

Vampire Clan improvement

At 18th level, you reach the peak of your vampire clan training, gaining additional benefits depending on your clan.

Barquis

Gain expertise in Charisma(Persuasion) and Charisma(Performance), allowing you to add your proficiency bonus twice. You also learn the Mass Suggestion spell, which you can use a number of times equal to your Hemocraft modifier per long rest. Its duration is 24 hours. The spell save DC is equal to your Hemocraft save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Hemocraft modifier (INT or WIS).

 

Drahim

Gain expertise in Charisma(Intimidation), allowing you to add your proficiency bonus twice. You also learn the Dominate Person spell, which you can use a number of times equal to your Hemocraft modifier per long rest. Its duration is Concentration, up to 10 minutes (its 6th level equivalent). The spell save DC is equal to your Hemocraft save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Hemocraft modifier (INT or WIS).

 

Volkihar

Gain expertise in Strength(Athletics) and Dexterity(Acrobatics), allowing you to add your proficiency bonus twice. You also learn to wield one two-handed weapon in each hand. This doesn't allow you to wield a two-handed weapon and a shield.