Order of the Augmented Vessel

The Order of the Augmented Vessel represents a cold, calculated evolution of the Blood Hunter’s path. While other orders turn to ancient alchemy or lycanthropic curses, these hunters recognize the limitations of the "natural" form. They strike a high-stakes bargain with secretive cabals of Artificers or rogue engineers, trading their own flesh for cold steel and arcane circuitry.

To an Augmented Vessel, the body is not a temple, but a chassis—one that must be reinforced to survive the horrors of the dark. By integrating experimental machinery powered by their own Hemocraft, they become living prototypes of arcane warfare.

Rite of the Machine

When you join this order at 3rd level, your body undergoes a permanent transformation. You gain proficiency with Tinker’s Tools. Additionally, your Crimson Rite is channeled through integrated weapon mounts or arcane pistons.

While your Crimson Rite is active, your weapon is considered an infused item for the purposes of Artificer features, and you gain one of the following Integrated Modules:

• Piston Strike: Once per turn, when you hit a creature with your Rite-active weapon, you can push them up to 10 feet away.

• Thermal Vent: When a creature hits you with a melee attack, they take fire damage equal to your Hemocraft modifier as your grafts vent excess heat.

Arcane Battery (Level 3)

You gain spellcasting through mechanical sub-systems.

• Casting: You use the Profane Soul spell slot table, but you choose your spells from the Artificer spell list.

• Spellcasting Ability: Your spellcasting ability is Intelligence.

• Tools Required: You use your integrated weapon or Tinker's Tools as your spellcasting focus.

Hemocraft Overdrive

Your augmentations can pull directly from your vitality to bypass safety limits. When you use your action to cast a cantrip, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

Additionally, you can expend a use of your Blood Maledict to "Overclock" your grafts for 1 minute. While Overclocked, your walking speed increases by 10 feet and you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Specialized Chassis

Your body has been further modified to suit a specific combat role. Choose one of the following "Builds" based on Artificer specialties:

• Alchemical Injectors: When you use a Blood Cursed, you or one ally within 30 feet gains temporary hit points equal to your Hemocraft die + Intelligence modifier.

• Arcane Plating: You gain resistance to force damage and can now wear Heavy Armor without it interfering with your Blood Hunter features.

• Ballistic Arm: Your ranged weapon attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover.

System Redundancy

 

• Emergency Protocol: You learn one 4th-level spell from the Artificer list (such as Arcane Eye, Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere, or Freedom of Movement). You can cast this spell once per long rest without expending a spell slot.

• Self-Repair: When you use your Extra Attack feature, you can replace one of those attacks with a "Self-Diagnostic" action. You expend a Hemocraft die and regain hit points equal to the roll + your Intelligence modifier as your grafts stitch your flesh back together.

 

Blood Curse of the Scrap-King

Blood Curse of the Scrap-King As a bonus action, you command the latent metal and arcane energy in the environment to seize a creature within 30 feet. > The target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, they are Restrained by spectral gears and scrap metal for 1 minute. At the start of each of its turns, the creature takes damage equal to your Hemocraft die as the metal "bites" in.

Amplify: You can choose to take one Hemocraft die of damage. If you do, the target also has its AC reduced by 2 for the duration, as the metal grafts itself onto their armor or skin, creating structural weak points.