Order of the Ardent

Those who're hunted by forces of the dark often have no recourse. Those who've become blood hunters tend to use martial prowess and other abilities combined with the unique power of malice that allows them to manifest their blood curses and blood rites- however, there exist a few that awaken to the power of this malice without the experience and prowess harnessed by blood hunters. With no other way to fend off the assailing darkness, they take the power that allows them to use blood curses and rites and use it to channel their emotions into techniques called psyches.

Emotional Soul

3rd level Order of the Ardent feature

You've gained the power to manifest your emotions into unique abilities called psyches. These abilities work as manifestations of your emotions in physical form, often channeling certain elements to represent said emotions. You gain an amount of psyche points equal to your proficiency bonus, and can expend these points to use psyches, regaining all expended psyche points on a long rest. You learn two psyches when you gain this feature, and can learn an additional psyche at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level. If one of these psyches requires a creature to make a saving throw, the DC of that saving throw is equal to your Hemocraft save DC.

Psyche Options

3rd level Order of the Ardent feature

You learn two psyches when you gain this feature, and can learn an additional psyche at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level.

Adoring Radiance

As an action, you can channel your feelings of endearment and love into a radiant aura. Choose a spot you can see within 60 feet of you- a 20-foot radius sphere of radiant energy erupts from that point, and stays there for one minute. The first time a creature hostile to you enters that sphere or starts its turn there, they must make a Constitution save or take 3d6 radiant damage. The first time a creature friendly to you enters that space or starts its turn there, they gain 2d6 hit points. Once either of these effects trigger on a creature, they are immune to that effect until the end of their next long rest.

At 14th level, the radiant damage increases to 6d6 and the hit points gained increases to 3d6.

Carefree Gust

You can use your action to call upon your happy-go-lucky, carefree feelings and allow them to imbue you with the power of wind. For one minute, you are imbued with the spirits of wind, allowing you to gain the following benefits:

- You gain a flying speed of 45 feet.

- When an enemy moves out of your reach (5 feet), they take 2d6 force damage.

- You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws.

At 14th level, the force damage increases to 4d6.

Disquieting Pulse

You can use your action to channel your feelings of anxiousness and worry into a pulse of psychic energy. Choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you- that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, they take 2d6 psychic damage and are stunned until the end of their next turn.

At 14th level, the psychic damage increases to 4d6.

Envious Virulence

You can use your action unleash your feelings of jealousy and self-loathing, transmuting their power into a swirling cloud of fetid curses. You can target one creature that you can see within 40 feet- that creature must make a Constitution save or take 5d6 necrotic damage. In addition, they must subtract 1d4 from their attack rolls and saving throws for one minute. At the end of each of their turns within that period, they can make another Constitution saving throw, ending the latter effect on a successful saving throw.

At 14th level, the damage increases to 8d6.

Fearful Corrosion

You can use an action to lash out with your feelings of fearfulness, creating an acidic blade with which you can defend yourself. You conjure an acidic blade that hovers around your person, and requires concentration to maintain, as if casting a spell that requires concentration. (however, this feature can be used with other effects that require concentration.) While this blade hovers around you, you can use the following two abilities from it:

Lash Out. As a bonus action, you can command the blade to strike. Make a melee attack roll, using your intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus for the hit bonus. On a successful hit, the enemy takes 2d6 + your Intelligence modifier in acid damage.

Retreat Into Shell. As a reaction, you can reduce piercing, slashing, or bludgeoning damage you take from a melee attack by 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier.

At 14th level, the damage increases to 3d6, and the damage reduction increases to 2d8.

Grieving Blizzard

You can use an action to channel your repressed grief into a blizzard that defends you from harm. You gain an aura in a 20-foot radius sphere around you for one minute- creatures in the aura have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, and the aura is difficult terrain for them. In addition, you can use a bonus action while the aura is active to force one creature to make a Dexterity saving throw at disadvantage, pelting them with chunks of ice and dealing 2d8 cold damage to them.

At 14th level, this damage increases to 4d8.

Hollow Contamination

You can use an action to unleash your feelings of emptiness and loneliness, creating a poison that infects others with the same hollowness. Choose one creature that you can see within 60 feet- that creature must make a Constitution saving throw or be infected by a corrosive poison, taking 3d6 poison damage on a failed save. In addition, it must repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a successful save. On a failed save, it takes the damage again, and once it fails three total saves (including the first) the creature is poisoned for one minute, and you can use a reaction to immediately transfer the poison to another creature within 60 feet of that creature, forcing them to make a Constitution save, and repeating the effects on a failed save.

At 14th level, the damage increases to 4d6.

Maddened Screech

You can use your action to channel your frustration and disappointment into an eerie screech that echoes to those who you choose to express it towards. Choose any number of creatures that you can see and that can hear you within 60 feet- they must make a Constitution saving throw or take 4d6 thunder damage and be blinded and deafened until the end of their next turn.

At 14th level, this damage increases to 7d6.

Manic Discharge

As an action, you harness pure, manic energy and transmute it into a blast of electricity. All creatures within a 15-foot radius sphere of you must make a Constitution save or be ravaged by an intense pulse of electricity. On a failed saving throw, the creature takes 4d6 lightning damage and is filled with energy. On that creature's next turn, it must use all of its movement before making any actions.

At 14th level, the lightning damage increases to 7d6.

Raging Inferno

Your rage manifests, and you can use your action to charge forward with a veil of flame surrounding you. You move up to 50 feet in one direction, and each creature in the path of your movement must make a Strength saving throw or be engulfed by your flaming charge. On a failed saving throw, they take 3d8 fire damage and are pushed back 10 feet to the left or right (you choose).

At 14th level, this fire damage increases to 6d8.

Ardent Understanding

3rd level Order of the Ardent feature

Your power to harness your own emotions allows you to understand the emotions of others. You gain a bonus to Insight equal to your Intelligence modifier, and proficiency in the skill if you didn't already have it.

Fuel to the Fire

3rd level Order of the Ardent feature

You can now use your psyche points to use blood curses, in addition to the regular uses of the Blood Maledict feature.

Psyche Strike

11th level Order of the Ardent feature

When you use one of your Psyches as an action, you can make a weapon attack as a bonus action.

Blood Curse of Irrationality

15th level Order of the Ardent feature

As a bonus action, you curse a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. That creature must make a Wisdom saving throw- on a failed save, the creature regards all creatures it can see other than itself as hostile for one minute, and prioritizes attacking the creatures closest to it. At the end of its turns, the target can repeat this saving throw, ending the effect on a success.

Amplify. The target takes 4d6 psychic damage, and on a failed saving throw, the target cannot repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns.

Unburdened Passion

18th level Order of the Ardent feature

When you use your Psyche Strike feature, you can attack as if using the Attack action, including the use of your Extra Attack feature. In addition, when you score a critical hit on a weapon attack or reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you regain a psyche point.